Customer Reviews

Humanity's Edge

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

New Beginnings
Arista lives on the ice covered planet Aden and has to remain within the protective dome-like structure. She experiences a episodes of déjà vu, an issue that will eventually go away. At least, so says her father. But when she starts doing research within the computer files and checks out the abandoned tunnels and labs within their structure, Arista discovers that all on Aden isn't what it seems.

Church of the Called
Investigator Samuel Burke shows up at the compound of the Church of the Called, investigating the ranting accusations of an attempted robber. Little did Samuel know that the church would prove to be anything but the stereotypically crazy cult.

Breathing Room
A series of intentionally set mini earthquakes set off a cataclysm of volcanic eruptions, tsunamis and earthquakes that wiped out most of the earth's populace. Those remaining fight for survival, but some are better equipped than others for the battle.

Survival of the Fittest
It's a different, colder world. Raina was driving home one evening when she accidentally hits a man. But is he a man, or something more?

Banking on Hope
A futuristic lab technician is asked to do something not only illegal, but dangerous. Will it end up costing him his life as well?

Double Trouble
A young man talks to an attorney about wanting to sue his father for being born. Is it possible to blame a parent for living?

The Hunter and The Hunted
An outlaw psychic attempts to help a stranger who seems to be psychic like her. But the man quickly reveals he is no ordinary psychic. He soon learns that she is no ordinary psychic either.

The Ghost of Tedjai
The planet Tedjai is a primitive, unforgiving world, complete with native beings that don't like humans and have killed them, if found to be a threat. When Renada Dumont takes in a stranger after a fight at the trading post, she learns he isn't what he seems to be.

Moment of Humanity
When humanoids and cyborgs are in a bitter battle for control of the land, a moment of truce occurs between two enemies that could possibly be the start of peace.

Cathedral
It's a world where some people are purposefully genetically altered, not only to be strong of body, but quick of mind. One such genius decides, after a short visit to a cathedral, that she wants her life to mean something.

Denny
An accident at a local physics lab takes hold of a young man, and his life will never be the same.

Gone in a Flash
Suicide is now legal and two family members argue over its validity as a life choice.

Kyoto Plus Ten
When grilling becomes illegal, a man will resort to anything for a burger.

Humanity's Edge is an interesting, and at times, morbidly fascinating, anthology of short stories of a futuristic existence, and humanity's experiences with technology and life. Tamara Wilhite could very well be channeling Rod Serling with her propensity for writing The Twilight Zone type plots of humankind at its oddest. New Beginnings was perhaps the most engaging of all stories, while several others were a close second. Each story is, in its own way, very thought provoking of our lives in the future and the technology that will bring us there.

Bella March of Fallen Angel Reviews

This book makes you think about the future and where we are going. Very thought provoking. Would be great material for the "Twilight Zone". Short stories so you can read for a while, put it down and then read some more. Would make great screen plays for possible movies.

Interesting collection of short stories with diverse range of topics.
To live in a world where your children can survive on Venus ... assuming you survived first?
To travel on another world and meet people who are more like us then we think?
To test the limits of human ethics to save those we love one way or another.
Definetely stories you can enjoy for years to come.

Humanity's Edge is a vivid and thought-provoking collection of diverse stories exploring possible futures and the consequences for individuals and society.

"Humanity's Edge" creates 13 unique visions of how science and technology will push the limits of what it means to be human and challenges readers to do the same. Recommended reading for sci-fi fans yearning for real science without needing a physics degree to enjoy the plot. Humanity's Edge

"Humanity's Edge" is a collection of short stories that share a common theme; survival. Each story is incredibly different, and their plots involve everything from cloning to just trying to have a decent dinner. However different their plots may be, the theme of survival resonates through just the same. Some of the stories are rather bleak and grim; taking place in a future where its not safe to be outside due to toxic levels of gas in the air, others are a bit more uplifting. Many of these survival stories also involve acts of kindess, which serves to renew a reader's hope in humans as a species.

"Humanity's Edge" contains 13 stories, and each of them will make you stop and think. Many of them will make you ponder over what it means to actually be human. The book is a page turner, and one of the better short story collections I've read.

Humanity's Edge is a collection of thirteen Science Fiction short stories that will keep you thinking.

I am going to focus on my favorite story out of all the shorts in this book. It was called Double Trouble.

A young man just seventeen years old, visits a local lawyer to inquire how to sue his father. The young man believes he was subject to child endangerment and child abuse.

The lawyer noticed something not quite right about the young client. It seemed he suffered from Parkinson's; but he was only a child there was no way he could have an older person's disease. After assuring the young man he had no case until he became of the legal age, twenty one, there was nothing that could be done.

When the young man revealed that he was cloned at birth, that automatically got the greedy lawyers attention. Cloning was illegal and a large reward was offered for information regarding the law breakers. The lawyer convinced his client to let him use this information to prosecute the young man's father. The lawyer saw dollar signs at that moment hoping to use the reward money to pick up his slow practise.

The young man hoping to wreak revenge on his father, actually brought the punishment on himself as well. Because the lawyer planned on turning the young man in as well in hopes of a larger reward.

Ms. Wilhite's short stories are each different in their own way, but come together as one book beautifully.
The only faults I have are that a couple of the stories were too short for my taste, but had definite possibilities if they had went on for a few more pages. Also I referred to the above characters as young man and lawyer; there were no names given and I think that takes away from the story a bit.

Ms. Wilhite will keep you turning the pages with her out of this world writing style. Humanity's Edge receives 3 hearts.

Everyone loves 'father,' but how does it happen that there is only one parent? And why are there so many tunnels when so few 'children' remain? When one of the children investigates, she discovers that 'father' has been hiding too many secrets. A religious 'cult' seems to attract bad luck, yet it has truly loyal members--more secrets? A plan to control earthquakes backfires, and all of Earth is gradually becoming uninhabitable. After disaster, humans learn that they aren't the only intelligent species--will they be the dominant one? Resistance to disease may help--but it might be worse than death. A twist of birth results in premature brilliance, but premature aging as well. Telepaths battle for survival--and for dominance. Colonists to a new world wonder if they really are alone. Cyborgs battle bio-engineered creche-born--can humans even claim a part of the future? Engineered geniuses solve humanity's problems, but their own bodies are ticking time bombs. An experiment leads to a strange ability that comes only with someone else's death. Suicide becomes an artistic statement. Meat and burning charcoal become crimes.

In HUMANITY'S EDGE, author Tamara Wilhite creates an intriguing series of speculations. The stories are connected thematically as White explores what it means to be a human, and how humanity may change under the stresses it is certain to find itself falling under.

The stories collected in HUMANITY'S EDGE are well written and Wilhite asks intriguing questions. I think that the short story format worked against White, however. These stories are too important, and the questions White asks are too real to be summed up with the little end-twists that are the basic tool of the short story writer. I certainly found a lot to enjoy in HUMANITY'S EDGE, but I also felt like something was missing.