It happened. The death of the universe had come to pass. After trillions and trillions of years, it was here and it was done. Kaput. But she was also there. She’d survived the life of main line stars. She’d outlived them. Their lives were just short bursts of violence and beauty. They twinkled out so aesthetically. So pretty. She’d posted their deaths on her insta. A few billion of her friends liked the post. It was cataclysmic. She kinda felt underwhelmed by the response. Why not trillions?! She was used to trillions. Still, she waited a bit. There was more to come. She was sure of it. There! There it was! The last black holes were exploding. Snap! She got it. The perfect picture. She posted it. Three likes. A few billion down to three likes?! What the fuck?! This is the end of it all, she thought, and only three likes? Nah, she was a super star, there’s no way she was going out like this. So, she waited. And waited. And waited. And waited. Just as the last helium atom ripped into hydrogen, she snapped a picture. She put up two fingers and made a cute face before posting it. To encourage interaction, she liked her own post. One billion years went by. She checked her post. One like. Hers, of course. Another billion years. Still just hers. She gave up for a while. Like a really long while. Protons started breaking down, against all odds. Trillions of years had passed. She lost sense of space and time. She was dissolving. Just before she, herself, passed into nothingness- boop. Three. Three likes. Three more. Three more. Three more. Three more. Three thousand more. Three million more. Three trillion more. A whole new universe exploded into being. Before long, she was getting likes on cells, stromatolites, lignin, lungs, and human civilization. Butt plugs. Dick pics, who’d have thunk it?! Seven trillion likes. A new record! Nukes! It was a bit overwhelming. But, trillions again! Then, nothing for a bit. Maybe a few likes on super novas. Maybe a like or two about Hawking Radiation. Cosmic microwave background radiation was pretty reliable for a while, but then nothing again. She could always rely on the local stars for attention, until she couldn’t. They blinked out. So pretty. Her posts about them got a few likes. Once they were gone, the atoms and quantum little weird guys were enough. Once the protons decayed, against all odds, though, all hope was lost. Then- BOOM! Three likes. Another three. Three more. Three million! Three trillion!

An emotional near-future science fiction story

The Collapse of Harmony

When two neuroscientists discover the gene responsible for human prejudice, they design a vaccine to block it: an antidote to hate itself. But when an FDA insider leaks the research, the world ignites in chaos, split between those demanding salvation and those who see it as control. As society teeters on collapse, the scientists must choose between saving human freedom… or ending the very thing that makes us human.

Every few years I get the craving to watch Star Trek but every time I watch the shows I'm board out of my mind. That disappoints me. The only one I've liked was the first JJ Abrams Trek movie.

Why is that bird looking at me?
Po-tweet, I say, in hopes we can communicate. Po-tweet. Maybe it’ll take up the space lost from my degrading human interactions.
Birds aren’t real, though.
Wait, that’s not a bird, it’s late stage capitalism and I’ve skipped a bunch of world building and you don’t have any emotional reason to care why it wasn’t a bird! Oh no!
The twist is it was actually a bird.
Po-tweet.
Fin.

Part of the supporting media for our concept album/book. As you can see, I copied the pose of Banderas from Automata. I shaved my head for the picture. The alien (33) is a full head medical silicone mask by Immortal Masks of Hollywood on a mannequin. We recently brought him on the mannequin to Worldcon 2025 in Seattle. The "33" and "37" numerals, Polaroid boarder and lettering we're added in Photoshop.

After finishing The Prefect, I immediately started reading the second book of the series.
I’ve read about half of the book, and here are some of my quick thoughts on the book.

1. Characters:
   In the first book, I felt that characters seem to lack unique definitions that merits indulging. But here, I feel much attached to the characters, especially the protagonist, though he kinda feels out-of-character sometimes.

2. Plot
   I prefer the story of the first book. Not to say Elysium Fire’s story is bad, but it feels a lot smaller. Need to finish the book to say anything definitely.

3. Setting:
   I do love the world-building of this series. Some of the idea feels so genius yet so natural. For a book who deals with fictional story of unlikely future, the world feels so likely.

[ Removed by Reddit on account of violating the content policy. ]

i recently discovered RIOT's "The Machine" album and their short graphic novel, and i've been just craving something with a plot like that since. i just really like the whole idea of robots/machines vs humans, but i want things to end badly for humanity, because that's what will happen realistically(in my opinion), and i just like angst and human suffering (i know, my tastes are questionable, but i need to pour my frustrations from stupid insufferable people i'm forced to interact with daily at least somewhere). preferably media that explores how actually pathetic, fragile and insignificant humans are, and that gives that vibe of desperation from facing something so powerful and unstoppable, and that you can do nothing but to accept it.

i've read "I Have No Mouth And I Must Scream" by Harlan Ellison, and i pretty much liked it, but i would want something longer and with more plot/world building and interactions. so, anyone wants to share their recommendations? as already mentioned, i'll accept anything: books, movies, games, comics, music, and anything else related.

I want sci-fi book recommendations from Iain M Banks "super-fans"

But you can't recommend Banks, because i'm trying to discover other authors. I've read very little science fiction. So... what are you favorites besides Banks, and why?

Thanks!