I have enjoyed almost all of these fabulous stories, most of them even very much, but with one particular story, I am still struggling, therefor this review focuses on A Trickle in history by Elaine Midcoh

As much as I appreciate a Jewish voice in Sci Fi working on the terrible and unforgivable crimes of the Nazis, this story did not sit right with me. The idea that by giving Hitler what he wanted in first place (a scholarship) would solve the Holocaust leaves me questioning if we should really accept that by feeding the monster we keep it at bay.

As much as I loved all the other works, this one...well it has been keeping me busy for some months now.

Some of the stories where very good.
And they where all enjoyable.
Unfortunately the NetGalley version wasn't the complete book so I haven't listened to all stories.
All the narrators did a good job.

Let’s get one thing out in front: I should have done more research to make sure this wasn’t published by something associated with Scientology. I do not know WHERE my mind was, back when I requested this for review, but apparently, it was way far away and not answering calls. Galaxy Press is, indeed, a subsidiary of the Scientology holdings. Thus, I cannot recommend it for purchase, despite the quality of the stories. Wait until these authors release their own collections.

Now, for the stories and writers themselves, I have nothing but praise. (5-stars for writing, the 2-stars is for publishing.) It’s hard, breaking into the market. If you need to get a paycheck in, sometimes you do things…well, you know how the saying goes.

Special mention to:

“Death And The Taxman” by David Hankins: A lovely addition to the personification of Death. This time, he’s a bit of a goober. Even has to go on his first date! The final “joke” is predictable, but still overall fun.

“White Elephant” by David K. Henrickson: Aliens make contact with Earth, and need help. A place to stay for a few years, while they perform some ship repairs and have babies. Can they buy the Moon? Mars? Mercury? Oh dear…

“Prioritize To Increase Your Writing” by Kristine Kathryn Rusch: Advice essay on how to order your life, especially when you suffer from chronic illness.

Non-special mention to:

The shoehorned-in pieces by Hubbard. They don’t even approach the quality of the winning writers. I don’t know why they even bother to include them in this publication, seeing as he can’t, you know, COMPETE with new stuff.

I had the audio book version of this anthology. Honestly it was really enjoyable. Everything was narrated really well. Not every story is going to be amazing but I didn't find any that were bad. It's fully worth a listen if you get the chance.

"Writers of the Future Volume 39" is a literary trove that serves as a platform for aspiring writers and illustrators to showcase their talents. This contest not only grants writers the opportunity to have their work published alongside fellow winners but also offers a stage for talented illustrators to breathe life into these captivating tales.

This anthology, in particular, stands out as a well-balanced fusion of fantasy and science fiction short stories. What I enjoyed most was the diversity in story length. Some narratives were longer, inviting readers to lose themselves in the depths of the storytelling, while others offered delightful bite-sized adventures, perfect for a quick escape. The ability to dip in and out of this collection, immersing oneself in a fresh story each time, was a refreshing and delightful aspect of the reading experience.

While I found myself thoroughly engaged with several of the tales, it's worth noting that not every story resonated equally. Some felt overly extended, even for a short story format, slightly impeding the overall flow of the anthology. As a result, I've rated this collection at 3.5 stars, acknowledging the enjoyable moments but recognizing room for improvement.

In essence, "Writers of the Future Volume 39" is a commendable showcase of emerging talent in the realms of speculative fiction. It not only offers readers a glimpse into the imaginations of budding authors but also highlights the symbiotic relationship between literature and illustration. For those seeking a diverse selection of thought-provoking and imaginative short stories, this anthology remains a worthwhile choice.

I just finished listening to the audiobook version of this and absolutely loved it. So much so in fact that I'm going to purchase the physical book to have in my library.
The stories featured in it were wonderful, and almost all of them left me wanting to experience more from these writers. I felt that it was a good mix of stories and none of it seemed to get "old". The narrators for the audiobook were fantastic. I was actually sad when the book was finished and there were no more stories left to read.

Heartiest gratitude to Bookinfluencers.com, Netgalley and @galaxy_press for the amazing book! ❤️

🦾 Title : Writers of the Future - Volume 39.
🦾 Genre : Science Fiction.
🦾 Overall Rating : ⭐⭐⭐⭐ / 5.

* Kitsune - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
* Moonlight and Funk - ⭐⭐⭐⭐
* Death and the Taxman - ⭐⭐⭐⭐
* Under My Cypresses - ⭐⭐⭐⭐💫
* White Elephant - ⭐⭐⭐⭐
* Piracy for Beginners - ⭐⭐⭐⭐💫
* A Trickle in History - ⭐⭐⭐⭐💫
* The Withering Sky - ⭐⭐⭐💫
* The Fall of Crodendra M - ⭐⭐⭐💫
* Timelines and Bloodlines - ⭐⭐⭐⭐
* The Children of Desolation - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
* The Last History - ⭐⭐⭐⭐💫

The illustrations are hands-down gorgeous 😭 I can't literally choose a favourite. They are out of the world and too pretty to miss out ❤️

Now, audiobooks are a bit difficult for me. Not being a native English speaker, I have to give full concentration while listening to one and it kinda weighs me down. But I loved listening to this one! It was easy to understand even when I was working and the tone, delivery - everything about it was perfect. Highly recommended!

I can't believe that I have never heard of this analogy. It was a fantastic read. I have told all my friends and fellow authors about it. They can't wait until they get their hands on it. Now I am going to have to find all the previous ones and give them a read also.

L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers of the Future Volume 39 was a collection of short stories from the best tales of The Writers of the Future program. These short stories ranged from tales of space and space travel, to other worlds, to tales of zombie PIs, or a tale of the grim reaper. I don't get a chance to read short stories often, but all of these were wonderful tales that gave you brief stories filled with fantastic writing and adventure.

One of my favorite things about this collection of stories were the various sci-fi short stories. Sci-fi is a genre that I love but can feel very daunting to read with the science heavy world building. With these short stories, they were a wonderful introduction to sci-fi and some sci-fi writers. Several of the stories including White Elephant, Piracy for Beginners, and Fall of Crodendra M will stay with me for years to come. The rich world building and characters were hard to part from at the conclusion of the story and made me want to read more. However, these stories felt complete and finished at the same time.

The audiobook narration of these stories was also well done. The audiobook narrators were articulate with very soothing voices that made the reader want to continue. They gave life to the characters in the stories and kept me glued to the narratives.

This collection is amazing now matter what year you buy it. Always a must have for any science fiction fan.

L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers of the Future Volume 39

Dean Wesley Smith (Editor)Jody Lynn Nye (Editor), Tom Wood (Illustrator), Dao Vi (Illustrator),
Alexandra Albu (Illustrator), Clarence Bateman (Illustrator), Sarah Morrison (Illustrator), Ximing Luo (Illustrator) Alaya Knowlton (Illustrator), José Sánchez (Illustrator), Kristen Hadaway(Illustrator), Chris Binns (Illustrator), Chris Arias (Illustrator), Helen Yi (Illustrator), April Solomon (Illustrator), Bruce Brenneise (Illustrator), Nick Jizba (Illustrator), L. Ron Hubbard,
Kevin J. Anderson, Kristine Kathryn Rusch, S.M. Stirling, Lazarus Chernik, Samuel Parr, Spencer Sekulin, Devon Bohm, Arthur H. Manners, L.H. Davis, David Hankins, David K. Henrickson, J.R. Johnson, Marianne Xenos, Elaine Midcoh, Jason Palmatier, T.J. Knight

Kitsune by Devon Bohm
Mystical look at meaning and how people view their world. From New Mexico, Georgia O’Keefe, and the idea of women's lib, and freedom. The cross cultural look at need and desire, and freedom. A beautiful idea.

Moonlight and funk By Marianne Xenos

Death And the taxman by David Hankins
Started as stories he made up for his daughter at bed time. What a hilarious beginning. I loved the humor and the ideas shown by the characters that create amazing puns, and hilarious episodes.

Under my cypresses by Jason Palmatier

Circulate by L. Ron Hubbard


The unwilling hero L. Ron Hibbard

White Elephant by David k. Henrickson
Given warning of alien contact and possible invasion how would a Space faring earth respond.

Piracy for beginners by J. R. Johnson
An adventure into space, finding out how to use her personal skills to evade space pirates. Her choice was not supported by the company, but it worked that she saved her ship and her crew. An interesting look at rules of corporations and independent actions.

Prioritize to increase your writing by kristine kathryn Rusch
A short personal story of the struggles we all have with obligations and motivations.

Fire in the hole
By Kevin J. Anderson
The story of a young monster who has to face his family and take his own life in hand. A twist on mythological monsters with humor and the gumshoe investigations.

A Trickle in history by Elaine Midcoh
The last of the Jews in Europe are hidden behind false papers and ideology. The propaganda and prejudice affect every part of their lives. This book shows the sad image of a possible history. Time travel has circumstances for change but it erases those things that happen after they change.

The Withering Sky by Arthur H. Manners

The fall of Crodendra M T. J. Knight
We are responsible for our existence. That if family calls we are to go. We are to be there. If we do not we find regret. It's a poignant story of regret and goodbye.

What is art direction? By Lazarus Chernik

Constant Never by s.m. Stirling

The children of desolation by Spencer Skulin
A dark look at the future, our current fears of destruction and apocalyptic results. Based in South Africa this story looks at misconception and propaganda as one side plays the other.


Timelines and bloodlines by L. H. Davis

The last history by Samuel Parr

Loved this.
Super f*cked up stories that completely blew my mind.
Perfect narrators too.

If you're not a Fantasy fan steer clear!

These collections of stories are a great way to find new authors and test to see if their writing style fits what you're looking for. Not everything will hit, but this collection has a wide variety.

Audio narrator preference is very subjective, but for me both the narrators fell a bit flat in this one. It often became very monotone and I felt my attention slip.

Overall it's absolutely worth a read if you're looking for new authors to explore in the genre.

I was given the opportunity to review this audiobook via NetGalley. I enjoyed the audiobook immensely. The narrators did a good job and I was drawn into the stories. All the stories are great but the following ones really captured my attention. "Death and the Taxman" had me chuckling, while I wondered how the characters would get out of their situation. "The Fall of Crodendra" was very engrossing and I was on the edge of my seat at the end. "The Children of Desolation" had some interesting characters and delightful twists and turns. I stayed up late just to hear the end of the story. The stories are not doom and gloom but rather explore various aspects of humanity. I would recommend this to anyone interested in Science Fiction.

Short story collections are some of my favorite ways to consume speculative fiction, and this collection was no different. A number of the stories were fantastic, while others were good but not memorable.

I do wish that the audiobook included all the stories, as I wonder if some of the best ones were left out. I highly recommend the audiobook, but be sure to check out the physical copy to see the artwork and the stories that were not included in the arc.

L. Ron Hubbard's “Writers of the Future” is a contest for hopeful writers of Science Fiction or Fantasy. The contest also includes “Illustrators of the Future”. Notable former winners of the contest include Stephen Baxter, Patrick Rothfuss, and James Alan Gardner. The 39th selection will undoubtably send more writers to the top of the list of well known, well-loved authors. The audiobook narrators, Jim Meskimen, Taylor Meskimen and Tamera Meskimen, do an excellent job of bringing the stories to life.

Thank you so much for letting me listen to this audiobook. This Anthologie has some stories that that I liked and some not so much. But that's what's expected.

For anyone who loves Syfy will have a hard time picking a favorite in this audiobook from “death and the taxman” to “a trickle in history” to many more almost every story in this book are stellar. they even have author bios and story bios previous to the story itself these are such good stories and so many I didn’t know El Ron Hubbard even had an annual magazine but this is it 39th and I will definitely be looking for the previous ones and ones in the future don’t even have stories by L Ron Hubbard himself. There is at least nine hours of great storytelling I listen to the audiobook and thought the narration set the perfect tone for these great thigh five stories. I thoroughly enjoyed each and everyone of them and highly recommend this book. If you love sci-fi you are definitely missing out if you haven’t read L Ron Hubbard Presents Writers Of The Future by many different authors they even have stories from the man himself. I feel as if I have done the book of disservice by only mentioning two stories because they have so many other great ones you just have to listen and see for yourself. I received this book from NetGalley and the publisher but I am leaving this review voluntarily please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

I enjoyed every story in here. Narrator was great throughout and great authors chosen to be included.

This is my first time coming across the ‘Writers of the future’ compilation. I wasn’t sure entirely what to expect but i loved it! I loved each beautiful story written by every single author. My favourite was “The Unwilling Hero”. I am now on the search for the previous 38 volumes as they are perfect for short bursts of imagination. These are perfect for sci fi lovers or stories that are truly out of this world.