I have read other collections of Writers of the Future and hoped that this collection would live up to the reputation Mr. Hubbard has established for anthologizing excellent and promising work. I was not disappointed. As a rule, in a work like this, there will be a few stories that the reader views as "clinkers" from his/her particular viewpoint. Interestingly, while there were some stories that I liked better than others, there were none that I didn't like. Favorites were War Hero, Vestigial Girl and Dreameater. Altogether, an excellent collection. Recommended. ( )

Yes, you can judge a book by its cover. Writers of the Future Volume XXIX features a breathtaking cover by Stephen Youll titled “Retro City.” Take a good look. There’s a little bit of Flash Gordon and old fashioned pulp. The adventurer poised on some futuristic/retro rooftop is holding a ray gun and sporting an aviation helmet. The jetpack on his back says it all. Now look at the detail of the cityscape. I want to be there, and so do you!

Such magnificent covers are not unusual for the Writers of the Future, now entering its 30th year. Previous artists such as Frank Frazetta have offered eye-splitting covers for several of these anthologies. Best of all, this contest works in tandem with the Illustrators of the Future contest and the stories are illustrated with work by the winning contestants. The winners for this 29th volume are John Eno, Joshua Meehan, Luis Menacho, Olivia Xu, Daniel Reneau, Jackie Albano, Aldo Katayanagi, Sida Chen, Karsen Slater, James J. Eads, Lucas Durham and Tiffany England. All of their wonderful illustrations had another depth of quality to this book.

As expected, the stories are all top-flight entertainments. “War Hero” by Brian Trent kicks the anthology into high gear with this outstanding tale about vengeance and warfare. A few slight-of-hand plot twists and really solid writing make “War Hero” a splendid piece of science fiction writing. Next up is “Planetary Scouts” by Stephen Sottong, a hard-hitting sci-fi tale that had me mesmerized from the first paragraph. Two scouts are sent to distant planets to report on the possibility of discovering intelligent life, and quite often surviving the expeditions can be hair-raising if not fatal. Tina Gower’s “Twelve Seconds” is the third straight science fiction story and equally as good as the others. Except “Twelve Seconds” is also a nifty mystery tale. An autistic man named Howard works at processing memory siphons in order to help solve homicides. But Howard uncovers a series of deaths that require additional investigation.

With three superb stories opening this anthology I wondered if the quality would hold up as I delved deeper. I needn’t have pondered such a foolish thought. The next three tales were equally as mesmerizing. Christopher Reynaga’s “The Grand Complication” turned out to be a favorite; a beautifully written tale where time is out of place and needs to be fixed. “Cop for a Day” by Chrome Oxide is a futuristic story where Mark Rollins is called upon to work a day for Amalgamated Security; and “Gonna Reach Out and Grab Ya” by Eric Cline put me at the halfway mark in this outstanding collection. Cline’s story is a riveting page turner that will change the way you think about autopsies.

That brings us to “Vestigial Girl” by Alex Wilson which puts a unique and fresh spin on childhood. You should read this one slowly, and savor every word. “Holy Days” by Kodiak Julian tackles life and death so brilliantly that I read the story twice. This is another perfect story in what is obviously now a perfect anthology. “The Ghost Wife of Arlington” by Marilyn Guttridge had me intrigued just from the title. The story matches that title perfectly; a love story with a delicious gothic twist and one that you will remember long after setting the book down.

The last four tales round out this 29th volume with acute craftsmanship. “Everything You Have Seen” by Alisa Alering brilliantly offers a discovery of new worlds amidst the destruction of war; “Scavengers” by Shannon Peavey is a remarkable fantasy about deception and truth; “Dreameater” by Andrea Stewart is a chilling gem about a daughter who fears she may be too much like her lethal mother. The final story, “Master Belladino’s Mask” by Marina J. Lostetter, magically explores a healer’s gift in the form of a mask that holds his consciousness. This great tale concludes the 29th volume of Writers of the Future. The journey is worth your time. ( )

Finding an interesting, new author is a fantastic experience, like discovering a new favorite restaurant or traveling to a place you’ve never been before. It is full of exploration, of discovery, and the refreshing feel of something new and fresh.

Imagine, then, what it’s like to find one book with 12 interesting new authors, all at once. It’s exactly what you get with Writers of the Future Volume 29. As a collection of the fiction, it’s a cornucopia of clever tales and excellent writing, and you won’t even need to buy 12 different books to enjoy each author.

Perhaps only slightly hyperbolically, the cover says that the stories “show us who we are, what we may become, and how far we can go.” Indeed, the stories may be more imaginative than predictive, but it does nothing to diminish their ability to convey the reader away from the ordinary and to lands and worlds unbounded by time or physics. And, eschewing the cliches even as it embraces them, the stories prove that science fiction and its close cousin fantasy are just as much about people and relationships as spaceships and magic.

The Writers of the Future contest is unique among collections of short stories. Where others focus on a topic, share a single author, or even share the same imaginary world, the commonality between tales in Writers of the Future Volume 29 is in their selection by a panel of judges comprised of the who’s who of science fiction and fantasy authors and headed by Dave Wolverton. Authors submit their work to the panel and their submissions are reviewed blind.

In other words, the only commonality is the genre and the high level of writing. Only the best selections win, and it shows. Each tale is carefully crafted, from “cut to the chase” openings that thrust the reader right in the middle of the action, to heart breaking conclusions that both satisfy and leave you wanting more. In addition to the tales, the contest features art from the parallel contest for art, as well as essays on writing by L.Ron Hubbard, Dave Wolverton, and others.

One of my favorite s was “Planetary Scouts” by Stephen Sottong. In the far future, he writes, technology has taken humanity to the stars, but only to confront the harsh reality that many of the planets we might colonize are already occupied, often by forms of life not welcoming to our exploration.

Another exciting tale by Brian Trent is “Hero,” a fast paced story about a young man who must face his nemesis not once, but twice, in a revolution that sweeps the peaks of Mars.

“Dreameater” by Andrea Stewart is a clever and horrifying story about a girl coming to grip with the terrible legacy that may become her future.

And there are more. Writers of the Future Volume 29 is replete with great writing and good stories. If you want a bead on tomorrows great writers, this is the place to start reading.

Review first published as "Book Review: ‘Writers of the Future Volume 29′ edited by Dave Wolverton" on Blogcritics.org. ( )

This anthology rocked! What fun! Sci Fi... Fantasy... scarey stuff...magic magic magic. So much writing was so smooth and polished to me that I am surprised it is a first publication. The competition must be stiff and the judges eyes fine to create such a wonderful collection.

I highly recommend this volume!

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I'm a fan of the Writers of the Future books...have several volumes. They're perfect for traveling. This one did not disappoint. I love looking at the illustrations almost as much as reading the stories. ( )