Future Tense: Tales of Apocalyptic Vision

When people think of the apocalypse, most would think of war, destruction, and of Death riding a pale horse. But simply put, the apocalypse is something viewed as a prophetic revelation. Michaelbrent Collings tackles the subject with ten short stories in Future Tense: Tales of Apocalyptic Vision, which is filled with tales of “the end of it all.”

Known as a prolific horror writer, Collings is exceptional in the short story genre. Just as in his novels, Collings leads his reader up to the top of the cliff and then shoves them off. He quickly sets the plot and sends the reader on an anticipated trajectory, only to change course. His stories do not end as the reader predicts or hopes. They are delivered with as much shock and awe as only Collings can.

With some stories dealing with mental health or talk of suicide, Collings’ work can be triggering. As the author professes, they are a way for him to exorcise his own demons. Future Tense: Tales of Apocalyptic Vision is a great collection of short stories with terrifying scenarios, but it also shows the reader how to fight back.