L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers of the Future Volume 41

The Best New SF & Fantasy of the Year

24 Award-winning Authors and Illustrators

3 Bonus Short Stories by L. Ron Hubbard • Sean Williams • Tim Powers

Art and Writing Tips by L. Ron Hubbard •  Robert J. Sawyer • Tom Wood

Edited by Jody Lynn Nye

Cover art by Craig Elliott

From post-apocalyptic worlds to urban fantasy, from magical realism to cosmic comedy, discover the stories and illustrations that make the universe your oyster.

Twelve captivating tales from the best new writers of the year accompanied by three more from bestselling authors you’ve read before:

A beleaguered scientist discovers time travel is possible, but a brewing storm threatens to erase his legacy. —“Storm Damage” by T.R. Naus

When a door to eternity opens in a downtown doctor’s office, a man and a woman from opposite sides forge a marriage of love between irreconcilable universes. —“Blackbird Stone” by Ian Keith

 When an obsolete police robot gets one last chance to avoid the scrapyard, he finds the line between justice and murder is as thin as a silicon wafer. —“Kill Switch” by Robert F. Lowell

A rookie constable on a desolate alien outpost faces the ultimate trial: proving himself under the guidance of the legendary Old Keno, whose training methods are as brutal as the terrain. —“Tough Old Man” by L. Ron Hubbard

As Claire and her sisters are on the run to avoid the deadly birds, a stop for gas may throw them into moral danger. —“Karma Birds” by Lauren McGuire

In a world of mandated technology, one boy’s defiance sparks intrigue, envy, and a desire for forgotten freedoms. —“The Boy from Elsewhen” by Barlow Crassmont

On an uncharted jungle world, a survey team meets an impossible horror from beyond death itself. —“Code L1” by Andrew Jackson

When a ship emerges from the depths of a gas giant, a solitary observer intervenes, unraveling an ancient cycle of survival, identity, and evolution. —“Under False Colours” by Sean Williams

A cheerful self-driving car gives a ride to a reclusive writer, and during the trip faces a choice with world-altering ramifications. —“Ascii” by Randyn C. J. Bartholomew

Carlos Buela doesn’t know where or when he is, or how to find the bus back home—but that rock he bought as a souvenir is to blame. —“Slip Stone” by Sandra Skalski

In a lightning-powered city, a father confronts the rotten truth of the man he has become as he discovers that no one is truly free in a society built on oppression. —“The Stench of Freedom” by Joel C. Scoberg

A man trapped on an endless ship searches for his wife amid strange, forgotten decks and haunting memories. —“My Name Was Tom” by Tim Powers

In the wake of a devastating tragedy, the last member of a magical sisterhood must choose between forgiveness or unleashing a vengeful demon. —“The Rune Witch” by Jefferson Snow

When a pizza delivery guy meets his time-traveling future selves, he must juggle conspiracies, collapsing timelines, and cooling pizzas. —“Thirty Minutes or It's a Paradox” by Patrick MacPhee

The world is trapped in a thirty-four-hour time loop where everything resets except memories. With reality fractured, humanity struggles to forge a new normal. —“A World of Repetitions” by Seth Atwater Jr.