21 Futures: Financial Fallout is a collection that doesn’t just speculate on the future—it drags you by the collar through encrypted alleyways, desolate wastelands, and digital citadels, forcing you to confront what might happen when technology collides with power, freedom, and human ambition. This is not your standard sci-fi anthology; it is a blistering, unapologetic deep-dive into a world where the cypherpunk ethos is not just a philosophy but a means of survival.
A Diverse Yet Unified Vision of the Future
Each story presents a unique take on sovereignty, surveillance, financial collapse, artificial intelligence, and human autonomy, yet they all feel like they exist in the same thematic universe. Whether it’s the neon-soaked underworld of hacker mercenaries, the eerily bureaucratic nightmare of a future where monetary control is absolute, or the wild frontier of intergalactic trade in a lawless economy, these stories challenge the reader to ask: what happens when the system finally turns against us?
Standout Stories & Themes
“Confisco” is one of the book’s most chilling stories—a slow-burn descent into the authoritarian grip of financial surveillance. The protagonist’s journey from quiet skepticism to outright paranoia is disturbingly believable. The scene of him reading the newspaper outside the Monetary Order building, where the government’s confiscation policies are unfolding in real-time, is one of the most haunting moments in the book.
“Supplying the Slugs” is an absolute standout, blending satirical absurdity with hard-edged sci-fi realism. The idea of armless, bioluminescent slugs engaging in guerrilla warfare with AK-47s should not work—yet, somehow, it does. The slug characters are bizarrely compelling, and the alien economy built around them feels strangely plausible.
“Beneath the Fall” delivers a heart-pounding mix of corporate espionage, hacker warfare, and desperate survival. The Fixer, frantically rewriting corporate firmware as security enforcers close in, embodies the one mistake and you’re dead tension that defines the best cyberpunk fiction. The imagery of glowing digital overlays, a sweating hacker pushing his system to its limits, and a dying executive hooked up to failing implants makes this story a visceral experience.
“Last Node” feels less like a story and more like a prophecy—a gut-wrenching look at what happens when identity, autonomy, and cryptographic trust are pushed to their breaking points. The loneliness of the protagonist, navigating an abandoned network where the last traces of human resistance still flicker, stays with you long after you finish the final page.
A Warning, Not Just Entertainment
This book doesn’t pull punches. It doesn’t romanticize dystopia the way much of modern cyberpunk does. Instead, it presents the logical, brutal outcomes of a world where those in control refuse to let go—and where the only hope lies in those who dare to resist. It speaks directly to the cypherpunks, the Bitcoiners, the dissidents, and the free thinkers who understand that code is law, privacy is freedom, and centralization is death.
If you’re looking for safe, mainstream sci-fi that merely plays with cyberpunk aesthetics while reinforcing establishment narratives—this book is not for you. But if you want something that challenges you, that forces you to think, that sometimes makes you uncomfortable but always keeps you engaged, then 21 Futures Vol. 2 is an essential read.
Final Verdict: 5/5 - A Bold, Uncompromising, and Brilliantly Executed Vision of the Future.
This is what cyberpunk should be—not just neon lights and cool tech, but a warning, a call to arms, and a glimpse into the consequences of the choices we make today. Buy it, read it, and then ask yourself: how much time do we have left before this becomes reality?
Enjoy fast, free delivery, exclusive deals, and award-winning movies & TV shows with Prime
Try Prime
and start saving today with fast, free delivery
Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.
Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.
Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.
Discover the latest buzz-worthy books, from mysteries and romance to humor and nonfiction. Explore more
About the author
21 Futures belongs on every Bitcoiner's bookshelf
The 21 Futures anthologies are getting better and better. These stories seem tighter than the previous Tales From The Timechain book of last year. Many returning authors and some new ones writing with more ease, allowing some stories to break the very moorings of reason. The narratives are like rickety rollercoasters, hold on and have fun because you might not make it off this ride. Financial Fallout is the perfect time capsule for this moment in Bitcoin - lots of unknown dangers yet optimistic possibilities for those that keep the faith. Highly recommend.
Top reviews from the United States
There was a problem filtering reviews. Please reload the page.
- Reviewed in the United States on March 14, 2025
- Reviewed in the United States on March 15, 2025
- Reviewed in the United States on March 14, 2025
The 21 Futures anthologies are getting better and better. These stories seem tighter than the previous Tales From The Timechain book of last year. Many returning authors and some new ones writing with more ease, allowing some stories to break the very moorings of reason. The narratives are like rickety rollercoasters, hold on and have fun because you might not make it off this ride. Financial Fallout is the perfect time capsule for this moment in Bitcoin - lots of unknown dangers yet optimistic possibilities for those that keep the faith. Highly recommend.
21 Futures belongs on every Bitcoiner's bookshelf
Reviewed in the United States on March 14, 2025
Images in this review
