The First Five Minutes of the Apocalypse

by Brandon Applegate (Editor), Taryn Martinez (Contributor), Carson Winter (Contributor)

This is not a book about the apocalypse.

In these pages, you won't find the hero. You won't find the ticking clock. You will not be in the room when they press the big red button. Instead, you'll find new life in the face of certain death, a boy whose prayers are answered in the worst way, mothers and sisters and friends who just want another second with their loved ones, and those who just want a moment to themselves.

These are the stories from the ground. The experiences of those who saw the world come to its violent conclusion, and what really mattered at the end of all things.

Featuring original fiction by

Taryn Martinez, Carson Winter, D. Matthew Urban, Sara Tantlinger, Alex Fox, Tiffany Michelle Brown, Angela Sylvaine, M. Lopes da Silva, Andrew Cull, Ruth Anna Evans, Wendy N. Wagner, Gwendolyn Kiste, Olen Crowe, Brittany Johnston, Elou Carroll, Nick Bouchard, L. Marie Wood, W. Dale Jordan, Elford Alley, Chris Mason, Matthew M. Bartlett, Madison McSweeney, Rae Knowles, RJ Joseph, Emma E. Murray, V. Castro, Eoin Murphy, and J.A.W. McCarthy

Genres: Horror, Fiction, Short Stories, Anthologies, Dystopia

300 pages, Paperback

First published July 13, 2023

About the author

Brandon Applegate lives and writes in an overbaked suburban hellscape near Austin, TX with his wife and two kids who have, so far, failed to eat him. He spends his scant spare time exploring his passions for spooky stories, naps, and very good chairs. He's the editor-in-chief of Hungry Shadow Press and author of the short fiction collection Those We Left Behind and Other Sacrifices, along with many other stories, a few of which have been published, and others he hoards greedily beneath his floorboards.

Reviews

[Bon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Happiest of release days!

Thanks to Hungry Shadow Press and Brandon Applegate for a copy to review! The apocalypse begins on July 13th.

This is a great collection, unique in its unifying theme of centering people and human emotion amid the beginning of the end; less focus on the carnage, fire and destruction, and more on who is experiencing it. It's always tough to review an anthology, but I'll do my best to highlight some standouts, as usual.

One of my favorite stories was Madison McSweeney's "I Am The Vanity Mirror Shaped Like A Skull", presenting a zombie apocalypse with some very cool hive mind lore. This story presents a world-ending pandemic through the lens of nightmarish bureaucracy, criminalizing those who catch the plague. It felt timely, perhaps even prescient.

Emma E. Murray's "The Smell of Summer", narrated by a dog living through a human apocalypse, hit me in the feels, hard. Really a one of a kind story.

If you enjoy The Last of Us, Alex Fox's "The Hunt" has very similar vibes, with a father and daughter seeking safety from interstellar invaders.

I also really loved "A Sweet Soiree On The Last Night of the World", by Gwendolyn Kiste, because a party in the graveyard sounds like a fantastically goth way to go.

Many of these stories take place before the missiles hit, the asteroid lands, or the sickness spreads, and showcase the range of reactions you know humanity would have to the end of the world. People flee, people make love for the last time, people splurge on a last meal. And the roster of contributors here is truly impressive.

Evocative, lyrical writing isn't the first thing that comes to mind when reading about the end of the world, but this collection is full of beautifully written, emotionally wrenching stories of doomed people.

[Stitching Ghost · Rating 5 out of 5]

Do you enjoy stories that do not end well for anyone involved? Do you want to inflict emotional pain and small existential crises on yourself? Yes? Excellent, read this collection.

In this book you will find a collection of well written and engaging stories that confront mortality with different scenarios and protagonists (not all of them human), this is all about the end on the most personal level and it is brilliantly executed. It made me think of the movie Melancholia where the apocalypse is a background character to the characters inner lives and to how they face their own finality, it's emotionally heavy and there's a lot of potentially triggering material (do check the trigger warnings). There were a few stories I would have wanted more from but that's just me being greedy for a good story. While I had my favorites, I can honestly say that every entry in this collection was strong, and it took me a day or two to process before I could review.

There's a wide array of apocalypses and the characters are about as diverse as you can hope for which kept the collection from getting stale. Applegate really has a knack for putting together anthologies that keep their topic fresh.

I received an eARC of this book through Booksirens and this is my honest review.

[Suz Jay · Rating 4 out of 5]

“After 9/11, we’d all tried to get back to normal, but what we’d known as normal before that September day was gone for good. Normal now was waiting. Waiting for the next bomb, the next mass shooting, the next virus. 9/11 had long, skeletal fingers that could easily reach through twenty years to wrap themselves around your heart.”—except from Brandon Applegate’s Forward.

I enjoyed the way each author tackled the apocalypse theme. Readers are sure to connect with these stories and the way the characters deal with their brief, bleak futures.

My favorite pieces in the anthology are: Brandon Applegate’s Forward,
“The Viridescent Dark” by Sara Tantlinger, “No More Meatloaf Monday” by Angela Sylvaine, “Silver Alert” by Wendy N. Wagner, “A Sweet Soiree on the Last Night of the World” by Gwendolyn Kiste, “Tuesday” by Brittany Johnston, “Alice” by Chris Mason, “I Am the Vanity Mirror Shaped Like a Skull” by Madison McSweeney, “Muerte Luna” by V. Castro, and “All The Dead Astronauts” by J.A.W. McCarthy.

Note: I bought both the paperback and ebook versions. Some of the content (a few stories, forward, content warnings, and biographies) was missing from my ebook version. I intend to continue to check for Kindle updates to the electronic file.

[Elou Carroll · Rating 5 out of 5]

Disclaimer: I received an early copy of this book due to being one of the contributing authors. As such, this review will be biased. (Unashamedly.)

I love this book. Brandon Applegate has a brilliant editorial eye—this anthology is at times heart-warming, at times tragic, but (almost*) always incredibly human.

I don't often marathon-read anthologies or collections. I prefer to dip in and out of them, but from the very first story, I couldn't stop reading. I started yesterday, and finished the final few stories today. Would recommend.

I might come back and highlight favourites, but for now I need to process.

What would you do if you knew the world was ending?

*you'll have to read the book to find out why.

[Jamedi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review originally on JamReads

Reviewing anthologies is usually a difficult task. Your usual scales tend to not fit as well when there are several stories; and in the case of this anthology featuring several short stories, it's even more difficult.

The First Five Minutes of the Apocalypse is a short stories anthology, edited by Brandon Applegate at Hungry Shadow Press, and that features the work of many talented writers. All the stories are related, as they are covering how normal people, not heroes or villains, would live those minutes when the world is ending.

While I personally enjoyed reading this book, due to the prompt used, you can feel some discomfort in the experience; some stories pack so many emotional punches, and the fact you are seeing normal people struggling hits harder than usual.
The length of the stories worked in a great way, as most of them were around 5-8 pages (if I remember correctly, 2k-5k words were the submission limit). It's perfect for reading one short story, taking a breath to think about it, and continuing with the next one.

I should mention two details that I thankful they decided to include: a content warning table at the end of the book, so if you are triggered by something specific you can actively avoid it; and the small details in the physical edition including some images at the start of each chapter.
If I have to choose three stories/authors from this anthology, I think Rae Knowles, D. Matthew Urban, and Carson Winter nailed perfectly the gravity of the prompt.

Personally, if you like a different kind of horror, that will make you feel deeply uncomfortable, I recommend this anthology. A really different book, but exactly for that, a great book.

[Sarah · Rating 1 out of 5]

(DEUTSCH WEITER UNTEN)


It just wasn’t my cup of tea.
I just didn’t warm up to the individual stories and couldn’t get excited about them.

All were well written, but ... well, just wasn’t my jam.


(DEUTSCH)


Das war einfach nicht meins.
Ich bin mit den einzelnen Geschichten einfach nicht warmgeworden und konnte mich nicht dafür begeistern.

Alle waren gut geschrieben, aber ... well, war einfach nicht mein Jam.

[Alannah Cossey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I haven't shut up about this anthology since I started reading it and I don't think I will any time soon. These stories will stick to your bones. It's fascinating to see where the creative inspirations go for the cause of the end of the world. Though the cause isn't the focus, it's still very interesting to see the ideas brought forward and how imaginative it can be. But yes, the cause of the apocalypse is not what matters. Once you know, accept it, suspend belief and focus on what TRULY matters - the humans at the heart of each story and what they choose to do in their final moments. Some are caught in situations where they need to survive, some take unthinkable actions, some are utterly devastating, some seek out that final bit of pleasure and there is even the odd moment of bitter sweetness; where the death of a known world brings hope for another. One thing is for certain: an existential crisis is a guarantee when you read this and that might be the true horror of it all. A fantastic read that I won't ever forget.

I was very kindly allowed to read an ARC version of this anthology, I have this review freely and it is entirely my unbiased opinion.

[Milt Theo · Rating 5 out of 5]

The anthology 'The First Five Minutes of the Apocalypse' is thematically original, stylistically diverse, and emotionally quite heavy. The idea is to focus on people, feelings, experiences, and the ordinary situations in which families, kids, lovers, mothers, daughters, and even animals are forced to undergo amid world-collapsing developments. There are 28 stories, most of them short and with a very strong impact, usually opting to stop right before the disaster, with the result being that they stand like book trailers to whole novels. But, I guess, that's the point: to give a taste, a portrait, a snapshot of an inner narrative. The editor has done an excellent work selecting stories that bring the reader face to face with the real destruction: the one going on the personal level. This makes this anthology unique, and highly recommended.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Axel Tentacle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Un thème très intéressant et très angoissant. Le format court est parfait, rarement été immergé en 3 pages.
Quelques nouvelles vraiment pas folles (mais heureusement très courtes), d’autres géniales et terrifiantes.

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Maybe I just have a morbid fascination with end of the world scenarios but I really loved this book! The stories were just the right length to give you a chance to experience a taste of possible world ending events but not too long that you get bored. For me it was one of those books I couldn’t put down. Each story felt unique and well written solid 5 stars in my opinion.

[Lakisha · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a clever twist on end-times fiction. The idea that everything hinges on those first few minutes is genius—and McNulty uses it to explore grief, rage, and moral collapse in real time. Each story feels like a spark from a bigger fire. It made me think about how quickly society can unravel when people stop pretending to care.

[The Raven Scholar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Time at the beach, and the apocalypse may seem like two unlikely companions, but after reading “The First Five Minutes of the Apocalypse” by Brandon Applegate, while enjoying the sun, and blue skies, I found myself immediately hooked by the individual stories of impending doom. Use to the usual dystopian buildup of the end of the world, the anthology brings to readers, a unique perspective of the moment the apocalypse happening, creating in some stories, an immediate sense of heart-stopping disbelief, the end is actually happening, while caught up in characters, readers, like the characters themselves, have few precious time to get to know, before reaching heart-wrenching endings in many cases.

Reading each story, while resting after a long day at the beach, brought a mixed sense of trying to relax, while ending each story in a state of euphoria how each writer manages to quickly create, and then destroy the worlds, readers are quickly thrust in with each new story. Applegate has brought to summer reading, a unique take on dystopian writing, while at the same time, challenging individuals, to ask themselves, to experience quickly the life-changing moments, they experience through the eyes of characters they won’t know for too long.

Each story is short, and for a summer read, or vacation, an excellent choice, if one is open to the opposite of feel-good wrap-up to stories, but instead, allow themselves, to imagine what would they do, themselves, if in five minutes, everything they knew, including what is supposed to be a fun trip to the beach, changes in moments. There is more to the stories, than simply the apocalypse which serves more as a background, than the center of each story in The First Five Minutes of the Apocalypse. Instead, there is enough character development where it’s less about what is happening and more about how would people react if they find themselves in the first five minutes of the apocalypse.

Even though the book was finished long before vacation was done, there were still haunting memories lingering. There are no clear happy endings, which after reading could be considered more subjective than absolute. The cover art for the book itself is haunting as well, and leaves a sense of this is one of those books, after reading, the focus leaves the reader thinking less about the major events, be it an alien invasion, or a natural disaster, but the difficult choices, the devastating choices, and in many cases, choices which require a second and third reading, to comprehend what had actually happened, only to be left with the reaction of awe, and hope it will never be the case in real life, though unfortunately in many cases, there are difficult choices and goodbyes.

There is a natural rawness to reading “The First Five Minutes of the Apocalypse”, due to if readers are expecting answers, or even neatly wrapped endings, in many cases, there are no clear resolutions, often reflecting the natural difficulty and chaos which can be created when a real disaster occurs. While the focus is sometimes on the devastation, the book, neatly, and brokenly at the same time, captures the unfairness which does occur in real life. None of this deflects from the entertainment and sheer power of each story contained within the book, making The First Five Minutes of the Apocalypse an insightful what-if, and how would people react in the event of one story, an alien invasion. The First Five Minutes of the Apocalypse read like a psychological and emotional study of how would humanity, and not only humanity, but individuals would cope during the first five minutes of an apocalypse.

Although there is in some stories, no neatly wrapped conclusions, what is left by the end of the book, is a deeper reflection about humanity, our ability and inability to cope with difficult situations, be it small, or big. The stories gathered seemed to be less about trying to come up with an apocalypse heralding the worlds end, and more of both trying to answer and raise questions, about what happens if humanity's, and individuals daily lives were suddenly disrupted without or in some cases, warnings, however brief or long those warnings are given to them.

The First Five Minutes of the Apocalypse is a unique dystopian though not quite a dystopian book, and this is despite the topics which are approached by each of the writers. The cover is misleading in its promise of a dystopian, possibly horror collection of tales, and in the end, becomes something more as each story is read, the book is put down, and the next set of stories is read with trepidation and expectation of what will be revealed by each end.

Sometimes, the worse part of a natural disaster, and in this case, the apocalypse, isn’t simply the event itself which is happening, but having to confront the human emotions which suddenly come to the surface, after carefully being held under the veneer of civilization, especially when the rules of society goes out the door, and familiar comfort and coping mechanisms suddenly disappear quickly into a rapidly changing world, not by months, but sometimes minutes.

Disclaimer: I received an advance review copy for free, and am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Shrike · Rating 5 out of 5]

I chose this book for the intriguing title and theme, but when I saw that contributor list...I was sold. These pages are packed with some of the best horror writers I've read, and they did not disappoint.

As tempting as it may be to dive right in, do NOT skip the foreword. Applegate sets the tone very well. I loved this part just as much as the stories that follow.

I hurried to pick up a copy, and noticed the press is having a sale and closing...maybe temporarily, maybe indefinitely. If this book sounds like something you'd enjoy, now is your "five minutes" to grab a copy and experience it for yourself. I have no personal or financial interests here, I just love this art and want y'all to experience it with me.

I'm grateful for the chance to check this book out for free. I'm leaving this review of my own accord.

[Rob · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are 28 bite sized stories here, most of which are really interesting. I'd not imagined that there could be so many variations on the end of the world. Of course these are dark tales, but very unique, including one from a dog's perspective(one of my favourite). I'd love to read more books with similar ideas, and heck, I'd love to contribute to them, because it really sparked my interest. I would recommend this to anyone who doesn't mind a little doom and gloom! I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Bob · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolutely stunning collection of short stories detailing the start of a number of apocalypses

28 short stories, each individually compelling, there's Zombies, Nuclear War, Aliens, Werewolves and even a killer song in the pages of this collection.

Some of the stories are heartbreaking, some of them are cathartic and some ae just wildly entertaining.

Standout stories were:

The Hunt by Alex Fox, a father tries to keep his daughter safe from an alien invasion

A Sweet Soiree On The Last Night of the World by Gwendolyn Kiste, A party in a graveyard to celebrate the end, with added revenge

Tuesday by Brittany Johnston, an office worker tries to get to her family

The Smell of Summer by Emma E. Murray, the apocalypse through the eyes of a dog

Well worth your time

[Daniel Mowery · Rating 5 out of 5]

The sirens are blaring, civilization is crumbling into chaos, the earth cracks, the skies fall, the horizons burn, the gods are unleashed, the end is nigh. You are in the first five minutes of the apocalypse, and you are doomed.

A terrific anthology with a new twist on the End of the World trope. Applegate says it best on the back cover: “This is not a book about the apocalypse. In these pages, you won’t find the hero. You won’t find the ticking clock. You will not be in the room when they press the big red button…These are the stories from the ground…and what really mattered at the end of all things.”

True to his promise, Hungry Shadow Press has curated a collection of stories that are much more visceral than any apocalypse story you’ve seen where the hero survives, saving some aspect or morsel of humanity, the veneer of gravitas in the Oval Offices and War Rooms, and action stars with big muscles flying helicopters out in the nick of time. These stories are so visceral because of how focused the scope is, how deeply personal to make them heart-rending and terrifying, precise bullets straight through the chest.

There is a fantastic variety of the End Times represented in the collection, and that alone keeps the pages turning. From aliens, to eco-horror, to Lovecraft-esque beasts (not Lovecraftian), to bombs, to pandemics, to monsters, to the truly baffling and unexplainable. Some are experienced in the blood bath of city streets, some in a bloody bathtub at home, in schools and hospitals, in bedrooms and backyards, and more than I can’t describe without spoiling too much. From the logically inevitable hubris of man, to the naïve wishes of a child, to the strange and bizarre, each story is unique, terrifying, and emotionally devastating in its own special way. Some stories don’t even fully tell how the world ends, because all you, the reader, will care about is how the story ends.

Behind each creative, horrifying concept, and every tragic character is a stacked and talented cast of writers. They are amazingly skilled and the prose, voice, and creativity of each is superb. Personal favorites include, “Coming Earthside” by Taryn Martinez, “Bonnie’s Ablution” by M. Lopes da Silva, “The Door in the Basement” by Ruth Anna Evans, “The Boy Who Prayed for the World to End” by Olen Crowe, “Ten Totally Free Places to Watch the End of the World” by Nick Bouchard, and “The Smell of Summer” by Emma E. Murray.

You see how many favorites I have? Do you know how hard it is to pick favorites in such a seamless collection? There are others, like Angela Sylvaine’s “No More Meatloaf Monday” that yank the heartstrings right out of the body, and V. Castro’s “Muerte Luna” that takes an apocalyptic perspective entirely unique from the rest of the collection, that I wish I could recite, but then I would just be writing essays on an entire table of contents. I found many writers I enjoy reading, a few I knew of but never read and a handful I’ve never known, but each grabbed my attention not only in this collection, but anywhere I can look for them.

Once again, Applegate says it best in his forward: “What each of these stories focuses on, the thing that matters when everything else stops, is people. Each other. Ourselves. Our families. Our neighbors. Our friends…Because, whether on the smallest of scales or the largest, the worlds is always ending.”

[Sonja]

I got this as a free book through Book Sirens but my thoughts are my own.

I didn't like this. Most of this stories made me mad or had me emotional down.

The first 70% no story was good (for me) and after that there were maybe three I kind of liked but it didn't save the book.

My problem was that barely any of the characters were likeable. Most were just egoistical (yes, it's the end of the world and it's understandable but these people were just mean spirited or had horrible things done too them by other humans). I.e. A mother that draws herself a bath to listen to k-pop while her little kids hammer on the door in terror. FUN

Most of horror has at least a sliver of hope, dignity or goodness but that was missing here (with one! exeption).

[Samantha Lokai · Rating 4 out of 5]

Have you ever thought about the world ending? What would you do if life as you know it was about to end? I think it's crossed our minds at some point even if only brief. It's a horrifying thought if you were to really think about it and in this collection we meet a varied cast of characters as they are faced with this sudden realisation.

In such circumstances we expect confusion, fear, denial, a determination to survive in some instances, and even acceptance be it painful or peaceful. However, these stories reach beyond these emotions, exposing more complex and conflicted human conditions. Stories such as Bonnie's Absolution which focuses on a mother's internal struggle and Lost Time, in which a man regrets not putting his family first. We journey with desperate parents in tales like The Hunt, about a father and daughter hunting trip that results in the ultimate sacrifice, a mother's race to be with her child in the story, Tuesday and a father's fight to save his children from the inevitable in Estrangements.

In addition to those, there are also stories that weave together the fantastical and the bizzare like The Boy Who Prayed For The World To End, Alice, The Door In The Basement, Smash Hit and the unconventional and humourous take in Ten Totally Free Places To Watch The End Of The World.

I especially liked the stories that were told from an alternate perspective such as I Am The Vanity Mirror Shaped Like A Skull where the character mutates into something no longer human, and The Smell Of Summer, told through the eyes of a family pet.

The stories are imaginative, original and compelling even though heartbreaking and unsettling with some rather intense situations at times. It's the end of the world after all. Make use of the content warnings included if you need to. As the anthology title suggests, The First Five Minutes Of The Apocalypse are stories focused on people's initial discovery/reaction to the world ending and not so much about the how and why or the before and after. With this in mind, I feel that the selection of stories delivered a satisfying insight into these characters lives as they stand on the brink of annihilation.

There is immense talent and skill within these pages and I'm grateful to these authors for taking me on these wild and exhilarating adventures, thankfully in the safety and comfort of my home without the worry of impending doom!

Samantha L.

[Sofia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I usually really like short stories, they’re like small bites of chocolate with just enough for one to feel satisfied, I knew before starting this book that it would be regular people when faced with their imminent demise, and to tell you the truth, many of this stories they would be great if explored more, but overall I felt a bit on the short end, let me explain what I felt, most stories felt like a first chapter that ended in a cliff hanger, the first one in the book that I felt it was complete circle was “Red rover, Red rover by Tiffany Michelle Brown”, it was a short story about a lady that all she wanted was to get news from her daughter (of course I wont give spoilers) but it was a story that went full circle, and we could look through the looking glass, and this story came after six other stories in witch I felt robbed of an ending, because it is not because the stories are short that don’t deserve an ending, most of the time they can lack details but the ending is clear, even if it gives us a leg to support a continuation…

I was expecting more stories a bit like the ones in “The apocalypse Triptych” series, but that was not it, and I felt that the stories are well written, I just felt that I was given a tease but when it was supposed to take me somewhere, it just said, that’s all folks, see you in the next one, I don’t doubt that other people will say that they loved it, and can’t wait to read more of the authors that contributed to this book, I also want to read more by some of these authors, I just felt that the stories in this book needed an extra step for me to enjoy them through and through.

There are a couple of stories in this book that I really enjoyed and I really did fell that while the stories were sad, left me satisfied. So I will still recommend this book, maybe you’ll enjoy much more the open endings than what I enjoyed.

Thank you BookSirens for the free ARC and this is my honest opinion.

[Kathryn Grace Loves Horror · Rating 4 out of 5]

The First Five Minutes of the Apocalypse is an anthology about the beginnings of the end, the people who are there when the world first goes askew. It is a solid collection - obviously not every story will be for everybody, but most of them worked for me.

Highlights include:

"Muerte Luna" by V. Castro - Everything Castro writes is pure poetry. The apocalypse in this story is initiated by werewolves, who, tired of being hunted, decide to destroy the human race.

"No More Meatloaf Monday" by Angela Sylvaine - I'd been wanting to check out Sylvaine's work for a while, so I was really excited about this one. It's the beginnings of the apocalypse from the view point of a child, and it is heartbreaking. Very well written and haunting, as well as devastatingly possible and realistic.

"Red Rover, Red Rover" by Tiffany Michelle Brown - A weirdly original tale of red orbs that begin attaching to people, making them hallucinate they're on a tropical vacation as they actually freeze to death in the snow. Refreshingly original.

"The End is Very Fucking Nigh" by W. Dale Jordan - Excellent story of religious fundamentalists getting their just deserts as tentacled, Lovecraftian monstrosities rise from the depths and the world is flooded.

"I Am the Vanity Mirror Shaped Like a Skull" by Madison McSweeney - First Five Minutes is surprisingly light on zombie stories, but McSweeney's tale is an excellent example of the subgenre. It's a zombie apocalypse where the zombies are still sentient; they just can't speak. The Canadian government sends those affected by the virus to concentration camps, when it doesn't just execute them. Oh, and the zombies are all psychically linked to each other. The humans are (as they are so often) the real monsters here.

"Estrangements" by D. Matthew Urban - A pandemic of agnosia affects the world, causing people to see monsters instead of their loved ones. Predictably, chaos and violence on a universal scale ensue.

"The Scream" by Andrew Cull - This another wonderfully original one. People around the world stop what they're doing and begin screaming, as their mouths open wider and wider. These screams continue long after the screamers should be dead. Cull is a talented writer and this is one of the most unique stories in the anthology.

"A Sweet Soiree on the Last Night of the World" by Gwendolyn Kiste - Kiste writes beautiful stories, and this one about a lost friendship found again at a party scheduled to celebrate the end of the world. This was one of the more hopeful stories included, and, if I had to choose just one favorite from this book, this would probably be it.

Overall, there are many excellent stories in this anthology, probably something for every fan of apocalyptic fiction. Definitely worth checking out for the wide variety of talented writers included within.

[Roth Schilling · Rating 4 out of 5]

The First Five Minutes of the Apocalypse from Hungry Shadow Press is an unrelenting, soul crushing window into the beginning of the end. While the characters of these 28 stories suffer through only the first 5 minutes, the reader gets to marinate in a full 140 minutes of some of the most hopeless and searing final moments of humanity I have ever read. I loved it.

Some of my favorites are:

The Hunt by Alex Fox: Gritty tale of a father struggling to get his daughter somewhere safe as an unknown force threatens everything. An insightful gut punch that required a full day for me to recover.

The Scream by Andrew Cull: Some of the scariest death imagery I have encountered in a while. Distinct and memorable. While there may be a sliver of hope here, I recommend that you read well before bedtime.

Tuesday By Brittany Johnston: This is gritty, gory, and violent. It plays in my mind as a Run Lola Run style scene with brutal realism and a tangy bittersweet finish.

Ten Totally Free Places to Watch the End of the World by Nick Bouochard: A little spot of humor in a sea of gut-wrenching cataclysm. Well done and funny without going overboard. Might be my favorite top ten list ever.

A few of these tales were just not my style and some seemed to have a repetitive theme but all stories were well crafted. There is no filler here. This is a great anthology for anyone willing to face some very harsh takes on how humanity (at its best and worst) might face the end. There are some sweet and even hopeful tales but most stories required some recovery time after. Probably not a single session read for most. 4.5/5

I received a digital advance review copy from Book Sirens for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to BookSirens for providing a review copy.

I love a themed anthology and apocalyptic horror is my jam, so this book delivered on multiple levels. I liked every story, which is rare in an anthology of this size. It also introduced me to some new authors to check out. 4.25 stars

Coming Earthside by Taryn Martinez ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
A Eulogy for the Fifth World by Carson Winter ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Estrangements by D. Matthew Urban ⭐⭐⭐.5
The Viridescent Dark by Sara Tantlinger ⭐⭐⭐.75
The Hunt by Alex Fox ⭐⭐⭐.5
Red Rover, Red Rover by Tiffany Michelle Brown ⭐⭐⭐
No More Meatloaf Monday by Angela Sylvaine ⭐⭐⭐
Bonnie's Ablution by M. Lopez de Silva ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
The Scream by Andrew Cull ⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Door in the Basement by Ruth Anna Evans ⭐⭐⭐.5
Silver Alert by Wendy N. Wagner ⭐⭐⭐
A Sweet Soiree on the Last Night of the World by Gwendolyn Kiste ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
The Boy Who Prayed for the End of the World by Olen Crowe ⭐⭐⭐
Tuesday by Brittany Johnston ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Dirt and Blood and Silence by Elou Carroll ⭐⭐⭐⭐.25
Ten Totally Free Places to Watch the End of the World by Nick Bouchard ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
Anymore by L. Marie Wood ⭐⭐⭐
The End of the World is Very Fucking Nigh by W. Dale Jordan ⭐⭐⭐⭐.75
When the Horizon Burns by Elford Alley ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
Alice by Chris Mason ⭐⭐⭐.5
Smash Hit by Matthew M. Bartlett ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
I Am the Vanity Mirror Shaped Like A Skull by Madison McSweeney ⭐⭐⭐⭐.25
Eyes Open, Knees Apart for the End of the World by Rae Knowles ⭐⭐⭐.5
Endless Possibilities by RJ Joseph ⭐⭐⭐.25
The Smell of Summer by Emma E. Murray ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Muerte Luna by V. Castro ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Lost Time by Eóin Murphy ⭐⭐⭐⭐.25
All the Dead Astronauts by J.A.W. McCarthy ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

I tend to drop short story collections in the middle. I tend to be very picky and the moment I feel like something is a chore to read, I put it down and DNF. I have DNFed some very anticipated short story collections like this and tend to avoid them.

This one I finished in one day.

I was mostly lured in by the cover and the premise. It was pretty cheap as well so me and my friend got it without very high expectations but I was curious. I started reading it and got hooked.

Sure, there are stories that are a miss but the hits hit HARD. What I love about apocalypse stories is how they can fill you with both dread and sadness. The first story in this collection is in the first category but I also found many that belong to the second. The variety of perspectives and reactions to the end of the world the authors presented was truly refreshing and I highly anticipated what awaits me on the next page. I also loved to see all the different ideas on how the world ends and what causes it.
My favorite stories were Dirt and Blood and Silence as well as The Viridescent Dark. They both broke my heart.

If you want to feel a delightful mixture of dread, sadness, and anxiety, you absolutely should check this book out. Make sure to check the trigger warnings though, because some of the content can be upsetting.

[Robin Ginther-Venneri · Rating 5 out of 5]

I must say, all the stories were exceptional. It's truly impressive how these authors can create such vivid and captivating tales with so few words. However, "When the Horizon Burns," "Coming Earthside," and "Tuesday" really left me feeling emotionally gutted. "Alice" and "Silver Alert" struck a chord with me because of their optimism. "Bonnie's Ablution" and "The Door in the Basement" made my teeth hurt.
"A Sweet Soiree on the Last Night of the World," "The Boy Who Prayed for the World to End," Dirt and Blood and Silence" were sad and spoke of consequences.
I absolutely loved "The Hunt" and "I Am the Vanity Mirror Shaped Like a Skull."
I could go on and on, but this was an enjoyable anthology for anyone who loves to read about The End. I seriously recommend it.

Favorite Line:
"That's what people thought of when terror came from the sky, right? That's what they said in the movies like aliens didn't have anything else to do but to mess with the good people of Earth and take over the planet like squatters."

5 Star Read Rating
3 Skull Dread Read Rating

[Kyann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quite possibly, one of the best horror anthologies I've ever read. Truly considerable considering the massive amount of reading I do. Every single story is uniquely terrifying, brutally terrifying! All humans have an innate fear of death and the end. Collectively or separately we try to puzzle out this conundrum and predict what or when or how the end of life on this gnarly ball floating through space will ultimately occur. How can we stop it, how do we prepare? This anthology looks at each of these questions and graphically describes why none of these futile questions matter at the end. I've found some astounding authors to start reading from this book. Each story has been horrific, a beautiful disaster in its own way and I'm absolutely here for it! This is the kind of anthology that creates fans for life for certain authors and the kind of collaboration that authors hope to see their work in. My only harsh remark is that I wish it were longer.

I received an advance review copy for free, I'm leaving this review voluntarily!!!

[Tom Coombe · Rating 5 out of 5]

With so many things seeming like they're winding down these days -- the internet, democracy, the planet -- the thought of reading a book centered around endings might seem exhausting.

Fortunately, the stories here provide glimpses into a variety of apocalypses, viewed through the lens of one POV character. It's a way of grounding and humanizing the stories, all of which remain unsettling and upsetting nonetheless.

It's hard to choose favorites among the 28 stories here, but a few standouts include "Smash Hit" from Matthew M. Bartlett, "Red Rover, Red Rover" by Tiffany Michelle Brown, "The Door in the Basement" by Ruth Anna Evans, "Tuesday" from Brittany Johnson, "A Sweet Soiree On the Last Night of the World," by Gwendoline Kiste, "No More Meatloaf Monday" by Angela Sylvaine, and "A Eulogy for the Fifth World" by Carson Winter.

[Horror DNA · Rating 4 out of 5]

The apocalypse is nothing new in horror fiction. Post-apocalyptic stories are a favorite of writers, showcasing characters navigating what the world has become after the end. The First Five Minutes of the Apocalypse dares to explore pre-apocalyptic fiction, showing doomed characters coping and dealing with the events before the inevitable end arrives.

You can read Zachary Rosenberg's full review at Horror DNA by clicking here.

[Aaron Lindsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

What is a fun collection! The theme here is 'the start of the end', and features normal people (much like you and me) and even a dog. As with most anthologies, I loved some stories and liked others. But unlike other anthologies, I didn't dislike ANY of these stories! All of these were worth reading.

What do you think of when you think of the Apocalypse? Chances are you'll find that in this book. Zombies? Check. Intergalactic Aliens? Bingo. Not to mention the asteroids, pandemics, or war, etc.

There's 24 stories here, so if you read one per evening (as I did) you're in for a few weeks of fears.

[Joe Ortlieb · Rating 4 out of 5]

This isn't a book that is read, it's a book that is felt.
Once you get past the bad ass cover and get to the meat and bones of the pages it's all over. The stories contained inside are amazing. I found after reading some of them that I had to find my kids and hug them. I would love to see some expand into something more. Everyone that was included brought their A game and then some. So if you're looking for short stories that will rip your heart out then feed it to you over and over. This is the book for you.

[Noura Navali · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow! I didn't expect this book to make me think about my life choices, but it certainly did. Honestly, I expected something else because of the cover. When I started this book, I thought it would be about the first minutes of a zombie apocalypse or something like that, something supernatural. But it was so ordinary, hence the four stars. Just because of the expectations. I liked some of the stories and some of them, I loved them. Anyway, worth reading to give a reset to your brain and start making some life changing decisions.