Robots Past & Future Short Stories

by Chris Beckett (Foreword by), Charlotte Brookins (Contribution by), Victoria Brun (Contribution by), Deborah Davitt (Contribution by), Calvin Demmer (Contribution by)

Overview

In a world of Electric State, Generative AI and advanced robotics, classic science fiction stories are joined here by new tales from open submissions revealing robots from the past, present and future.

We enjoyed our Robots and AI book so much that we’ve followed up by splitting these topics in two, particularly because in the world of Generative AI, Robots and Artificial Intelligence are moving rapidly in new directions. This new Robots anthology delves into the fascinating evolution of robots – from the mechanical marvels of the past to the imaginative possibilities of the future. Whether exploring the nostalgia of retro robotics, envisioning futuristic automatons, or unique stories that bridge the two, this exciting collection brings together classic fiction of robots from the past and combines them with new stories by modern authors.

New, contemporary and notable writers featured are: Charlotte Brookins, Victoria Brun, Deborah L. Davitt, Calvin Demmer, Tianna Ebnet, Joshua James Jordan, Abigail Kemske, Simone King, Akis Linardos, Brian K. Lowe, Lorian Moore, Soumya Sundar Mukherjee, Lee Murray, Mariah Southworth, M.C. St. John, Nathanael K. Stottlemyer, Brian Trent, Anne Wilkins, Marissa Yarrow, and Ramez Yoakeim. These appear alongside classic work by Eando Binder, Ray Bradbury, Thea von Harbou, C.L. Moore and many others.

The Flame Tree Gothic Fantasy, Classic Stories and Epic Tales collections bring together the entire range of myth, folklore and modern short fiction. Highlighting the roots of suspense, supernatural, science fiction and mystery stories the books in Flame Tree Collections series are beautifully presented, perfect as a gift and offer a lifetime of reading pleasure.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781835622926
Publisher:	Flame Tree Publishing
Publication date:	09/09/2025
Series:	Gothic Fantasy
Pages:	432
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.25(h) x 1.70(d)

About the Author

Chris Beckett is a former social worker and lecturer, based in Cambridge. His first novel, The Holy Machine, included, among other robotic things, robot sex workers and a robot messiah. His collection The Turing Test was the winner of the Edge Hill Short Story Award in 2009, and his novel Dark Eden won the Arthur C. Clarke Award in 2012.

Lee Murray is from Aotearoa-New Zealand and is a Shirley Jackson Award and five-time Bram Stoker Award winner with more than forty titles to her credit. Murray holds a Prime Minister’s Award for Literary Achievement in Fiction and is an Honorary Literary Fellow of the New Zealand Society of Authors.