Review by Emre Bozkuş
Radioactive Dreams is a groundbreaking collection that unites eleven authors from across the Mediterranean, each bringing a unique voice to the constantly evolving landscape of science fiction. Compiled by Ünver Alibey, this anthology transcends borders, proving that imagination knows no limits.
Despite hailing from different countries and envisioning vastly different worlds, these writers share a common purpose—to challenge perceptions, spark curiosity, and transport readers to uncharted dimensions. Through stories that are both thrilling and thought-provoking, Radioactive Dreams invites us to explore the unknown, question the future, and reconsider the very nature of existence.
1. The Absolute Order Machine by Yasser Abu-elhassab – Egypt
The question of free will has haunted humanity for as long as we’ve been able to think about it. As we became self-aware, we saw ourselves as separate from other creatures, and suddenly, life wasn’t just about surviving—it was about finding meaning. This awareness became a double-edged sword: it gave us the ability to shape our world, but it also made us face the weight of our decisions. Self-awareness, like a powerful drug, can empower us, but in excess, it can also be crippling.
Despite the illusion of free will, many choose to give it up, seeking guidance from gods, leaders, or ideologies to escape the responsibility of actually making choices. As Gustave Le Bon put it, “The mass is a flock loyal to its shepherd.” The Absolute Order Machine dives into what happens when this surrender reaches its breaking point—when humanity hands over its will to an artificial intelligence machine. What starts as an attempt to bring order, quickly spirals into chaos, as society becomes hooked on the promise of a rational world, only to find that this supposed “order” is its own form of madness.
2. AI Detective Services by Chiara de Giorgi – Italy
Artificial Intelligence, or more precisely, the future of artificial intelligence, is one of the central themes of science fiction. Especially in recent years, advancements by leading tech companies like OpenAI have sparked even more debate on the subject. Since the limits, functions, and, of course, the future of AI are interconnected, it was inevitable that many possibilities would be explored. The most crucial of these is undoubtedly: “Can artificial intelligence surpass the threshold known as the singularity, achieve humanoid thought, and transcend its role as a mere tool to gain consciousness?” Additionally, could imposing an anthropocentric perspective, with a focus on “humanoid,” lead to a misleading view of a new species that may emerge?
Inspired by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s iconic characters, Sherlock and Watson, the story delves into the fear of what artificial intelligence might bring. A fear so profound that it triggers various conspiracies aimed at halting AI’s progress. But how can fear shape the mind to such an extent? The endless labyrinths of irrational actions… The downside of the story is that, although it seems to be a detective story, it is rooted in philosophical inquiry, but fails to explore it in depth. A narrative driven by the suspense of a strong detective story could have been even more impactful.
3. To Sleep, and Not to Dream by Hephaestion Christopoulos – Greece
Dreams are undoubtedly the most ancient escape from reality. As Schopenhauer said, if life were truly beautiful, we wouldn’t seek sleep and the solace of dreams; instead, we would see sleep as an unnecessary, meaningless waste. But the beauty of life is only the consolation born from the impossibility of other lives. Those who cling to what they have deceive themselves, in the attempt to breathe life into the corpse they inhabit in this world. However, in a world where pain constantly accumulates, what are the images we perceive if not “radioactive dreams”? In a manner reminiscent of Poe, everything we see, seems to be…
What if we no longer had dreams? What if colors, sounds, and smells simply vanished? What if touch lost its sensation, and surfaces turned indistinct? Through the eyes of a character
searching for their identity in an eerie setting, we trace the savagery that breathes poison. He realizes how alien he is to everyone around him and begins to investigate. As the story progresses we also find ourselves in a dark and haunting dreamscape. The question is, can we handle it?
4. Reality Rip by Elana Gomel – Israel
The story opens with fast-paced action, immediately setting the tone with its first sentence: Tagging is a very tiring job. From there, the narrative unfolds through the various connotations evoked by the word tagging.
In Multiverse of Madness, where Doctor Strange traverses multiple universes, there is a striking scene where reality tears apart like a thin curtain. This visual metaphor is undoubtedly used to represent the superficiality of our existence—one that resembles mere stage décor. The protagonist, who gains the ability to perceive different realities, experiences an awakening symbolized by the emergence of a third eye. This alludes to enlightenment through the representation of the third eye chakra, signifying transcendence beyond ordinary perception. In short, to borrow Huxley’s words, once the doors of perception are opened, the vast infinity of the universe unfolds before them.
But what if there were a reality where the universe’s deepest secrets were hidden within annihilation? Set in an unknowable future, the story explores how the temporary solutions devised in a world where reality is shattering only serve to accelerate its destruction. The narrative has the depth of a novel, though its pacing seems to be its only flaw. Inspired by Vonnegut, the story could benefit from a better balance—knowing when to hit the brakes and when to step on the gas is crucial to keeping the reader on edge.
5. The Scar at the End of the World by Dimitra Nikolaidou– Greece
Climate apocalypse scenarios have been explored in various science fiction works. For example, in The Wind from Nowhere (1961), civilization is devastated by persistent hurricane-force winds, and The Drowned World (1962) depicts a future of melted ice caps and rising sea levels caused by solar radiation. Like the evolution of AI, these scenarios have become a hot (excuse the pun) topic in today’s science fiction, as they are increasingly aligning with our reality. The Scar at the End of the World takes place two hundred years after the Great Flood that submerged our world. In this society, where anything left from our civilization is considered ‘antique,’ treasure hunters diving in the Mediterranean search for a very special statue. It’s a fast-paced action-mystery that unfolds masterfully.
6. Reflection by Tuğrul Sultanzade – Cyprus
Is it more terrifying to be lost in the vast infinity of space or to be trapped in the desolation of your own mind? Memories, emerging from the twisted layers of folded time, surge to the surface like a sudden eruption. As you sink into a bottomless abyss, you turn your gaze to the sky, desperately gasping for breath—this overwhelming sense of helplessness is precisely what Tuğrul’s prose conveys to the reader.
In the profound emptiness of the unknown, one inevitably lays bare every aspect of oneself. As Nietzsche famously said, “When you gaze long into an abyss, the abyss also gazes into
you.” For the two individuals lost in the vacuum of space, this metaphor becomes strikingly real. Their fading hopes for life—hopes that should have flourished on distant planets—gradually dissipate as they plunge into endless darkness. Reflection is an impressive and thought-provoking work, leaving readers with an unsettling yet captivating sense of existential dread.
7. Even More than Earth by David Bry – France
The fear of this unknown has fueled discrimination throughout history. The exclusion or vilification of those perceived as ‘other’ stems from a fundamental inability to comprehend, let alone accept, difference. Consider how enslaved Africans were dehumanized by European colonists who saw themselves as human while reducing those they enslaved to something less than human. Even the depiction of Enkidu in The Epic of Gilgamesh offers insight into this mindset: a creature indistinguishable from animals cannot be considered fully human—yet, ironically, humanity itself has long been defined by its distinctiveness.
However, such distinctions are fragile, dissolving when circumstances shift. In Even More than Earth, David Bry presents an alternate reality in which the power dynamics of history are reversed—this time, people of African descent come to the rescue of those who once exiled them. By exploring racism within the framework of colonization, Bry poses a profound question: What happens when we are forced to sacrifice even the things we once considered indispensable?
8. Impostor by Cem Can – Turkey
Exploring Istanbul through the lens of a cyberpunk vision is intriguing, even on a short journey. Given the city’s historical transformations, the narrative finds a natural foundation. Add to this a gripping storyline that delves into the consciousness-body relationship and the concept of identity, and the reading experience becomes even more compelling. When a thief whose identity has been stolen attempts to reclaim it, where do you think they might go wrong? Have you ever truly considered it? What exactly defines who you are? Perhaps, the answer lies hidden somewhere within the story.
9. Opalescence by Selin Arapkirli – Turkey
A finely crafted piece that proves science fiction isn’t solely about flashy technology or distant, exotic worlds. We are transported to a land governed by Sharia law, following the relentless struggle of a heroine navigating a world built on absolute deception—yet one that feels eerily familiar.
Opalescence stands as a powerful example of how science fiction, often dismissed as escapist literature, can actually penetrate deep into reality and any patriarchal rules or figures it might carry along.
10. Death Doesn’t Change Anything by Julia Richard – France
Every new beginning carries with it hopeful expectations. Seneca put it best: “Everyone wants to live happily, but their minds are blind to what truly brings happiness.” This blindness is often what makes life appealing. But when the veil of illusion is lifted, reality reveals
itself—sometimes burning, other times freezing.
The story follows a relationship that, in spite of its joyful beginning, gradually drifts into an unsettling reality. Naturally so, as nothing is ever quite as it seems.
And when faced with this reality, people will do almost anything to escape. They may even push their own boundaries—but how far can they go? What is the ultimate sacrifice? The shocking answer lies at the heart of the story’s conclusion.
11. Crawling Things by Onur Selamet – Turkey
Blurring the line between madness and captivity, this story explores the lengths to which one will go for their beliefs. The obsessive thoughts born from delusion spiral into chaos, plunging the mind into dark abysses where reality warps beyond recognition. Our protagonist, convinced they are communicating with a consciousness in the form of a star, begins to lose control.
But is that truly all there is? Is it impossible for transcendent ideas to exist? And what would one be willing to do to prove their own individual existence?
Extracting darkness from the depths of the mind has never been so easy—or indeed so terrifying.
Radioactive Dreams is more than a collection of stories; it’s a window into the boundless potential of human imagination. With each narrative, these eleven authors not only craft worlds from the threads of science fiction, but they also challenge the very limits of reality. From the Mediterranean shores to the farthest reaches of possibility, this anthology serves as a powerful reminder that science fiction is not merely escapism—it is capable of becoming the lens through which we explore, question, and redefine the future. In the collision of diverse minds, perspectives, and experiences, Radioactive Dreams offers readers a compelling invitation: to envision a world where the impossible becomes tangible, and to realize that the dreams of today can shape the realities of tomorrow. In a rapidly changing world, these stories remind us that, even in fiction, the power of ideas can be as transformative as the world itself.
(Translated from a Turkish science fiction site; ‘Bilimkurgu Kulübü’)
