L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers of the Future, Volume 42

The Best New SF & Fantasy of the Year

De: L. Ron Hubbard

Narrado por: Stefan Rudnicki, Orson Scott Card, Gabrielle De Cuir, Janina Edwards, Susan Hanfield, Kirby Heyborne, John Lee, Jim Meskimen, Scott Peterson

Immerse yourself in the next generation of science fiction and fantasy.

This 18-hour audiobook is performed by an award-winning cast including Stefan Rudnicki, Orson Scott Card, Gabrielle De Cuir, Janina Edwards, Susan Hanfield, Kirby Heyborne, John Lee, Jim Meskimen, and Scott Peterson.

“The narrators of this dazzling collection present an auditory buffet in easy-to-digest portions. With the talents of nine narrators, listeners will hear a variety of voices delivering these SF and fantasy short stories. Compelling performances.”—Kirkus Reviews (starred)

“Thought-provoking sampling of terrific new voices in speculative fiction, from the dangers of messing with the past to potential hopes and fears for the possible future.”—Library Journal

“The range is extraordinary: hard science fiction bristles with urgency, fantasy shimmers with mythic depth, and quieter, character-driven tales linger long after the final page. These are not tentative first steps but confident strides from writers poised to shape the genre’s future.”—The International Review of Books

If 42 is the answer, these stories ask the questions worth thinking about:

• What if a perfect rescue went catastrophically wrong?

• What if the “better you” doesn’t want to share your life?

• What if love could survive inside a virtual reality?

Inside this volume you’ll encounter a flawless time-rescue gone wrong, a beauty treatment with terrifying consequences, a detective hunted by a body-hopping killer, and a homesteader uncovering a truth that rewrites Earth itself. You’ll also find dragons that defy myth, fairy-tale chaos, supernatural horror, and high-concept science fiction that blends heart, humor, and imagination. From time travel and first contact to magical realism, monsters, and folklore-inspired fantasy —every story is brought vividly to life by a stellar narration cast.

Featuring original stories by Hugo and Nebula award-winner Orson Scott Card and Bram Stoker award-winner Nina Kiriki Hoffman, alongside twelve rising stars shaping the future of speculative fiction, Writers of the Future Volume 42 is your gateway to bold ideas, fresh voices, and stories readers love to discover—and recommend.

Perfect for fans of: Orson Scott Card, Nina Kiriki Hoffman, Blake Crouch, Brandon Sanderson, V. E. Schwab, Naomi Novik, Michael Crichton, Ted Chiang, and Ken Liu.

This Audio Edition Includes:

• 12 Stories from Emerging Stars of speculative fiction

• 3 Bonus Stories by bestselling authors

• 3 Masterclass Articles on the craft and business of writing and illustrating

• Complimentary PDF of original illustrations

Selected from thousands of entries worldwide, this anthology brings together a new generation of emerging authors and illustrators—your launchpad into the future of science fiction and fantasy.

Listen now.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2026 Galaxy Press (P)2026 Galaxy Audio

A fantastic listen!

This is such an incredible collection showcasing fresh voices in fantasy! Each one is unique and full of our favorite things we love in fantasy, while bringing in new ideas. I will be keeping an eye on all of these authors in the future. I have no doubts they will end up in great places, as previous writers in these volumes have. The large narration cast works so well for this collection, and their performance breathes life into the well-rounded characters and compelling narratives. The pacing works well, and each voice was able to keep my attention on the story.

spectacular to listen!

this anthology is such a ride.


From eerie digital afterlives to emotional dragon tales, every story throws you into a completely different world and that’s what makes this collection so addictive. Some stories hit hard with deep, thought-provoking themes, while others are just pure fun sci-fi chaos.


As with any anthology, it’s a little uneven but the standout stories? Absolutely worth it. The creativity here is wild, and it honestly feels like getting a glimpse into the future of sci-fi and fantasy. It feels like a blast to listen to. The audio is simply out of this world and adds such a cool extra layer to the experience!


If you love discovering new authors and exploring fresh ideas, this one’s for you.

May scfi read

Just finished Writers of the Future Vol. 42. This was such a fun ride. One minute, I was dealing with time travel disasters; the next, having existential identity crises. 😭

But CAN we talk about the ART included inside?? Because the illustrations absolutely elevated the experience.

What I loved most was how fresh everything felt. You can really tell this collection is about celebrating new voices in speculative fiction, and some of these stories genuinely left me sitting there like: “okay… but what if that actually happened?” 👁️

If you love sci-fi that makes your brain spiral a little, fantasy with heart, weird concepts, creepy vibes, and stories you can finish in one sitting but think about for days… this one’s worth picking up. ✨

The creativity in the stories and illustrations.

This is another fantastic collection of science fiction short stories by some of the best up and coming writers of the genre. Prepare to be captivated by the imaginative storytelling, the creative plotlines, and the unexpected emotions brought forth in several of the tales.

I listened to the audiobook and followed along with the paperback copy and thoroughly enjoyed the immersive experience. The narration is excellent and I loved studying the illustrations as I was listening.

There is also the added bonus of helpful suggestions, tips, and advice in between the stories from some of the best in the industry creating an intimate learning experience within the entertainment. I'm so thankful for the opportunity to read and review this fascinating anthology.

Collection of awesome insanity 🌟🫶

Writers of the Future Volume 42 is a collection of fifteen sci-fi and fantasy short stories that jump across completely different ideas.. from strange technologies and time shifts to alien encounters and classic fantasy elements like dragons. What I liked is how unpredictable it feels. Every story resets the tone, so you never really settle into one vibe. Some stood out more than others, but there’s always something interesting right after, which keeps the whole thing engaging.

Thank you to the publisher for the opportunity to read and feature this title.

🚀 Sci-fi and fantasy anthology
🌌 Wide range of speculative concepts
🧠 Idea-driven storytelling
👽 Alien encounters and strange worlds
🐉 Classic and modern fantasy elements
📚 Showcase of emerging writers