{"product_id":"9780063567979","title":"The World Wasn't Ready for You: Stories","description":"\u003ctable\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAuthor\/Contributor(s):\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"\"\u003eKey, Justin C.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eHarper Perennial\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDate:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e9\/1\/2026\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBinding:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"\"\u003ePaperback\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCondition:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"\"\u003eNEW\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\u003c\/table\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e“The most profound terror is rooted in love—the terror of losing love, of love betrayed, of love in peril. Justin C. Key’s work is a cold knife through a hot heart, a surgical blade unleashing gouts of searing fear.”—Cory Doctorow, author of \u003ci\u003eRed Team Blues, Little Brother, \u003c\/i\u003eand \u003ci\u003eRadicalized\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“An electrifying collection of stories that would make Octavia E. Butler smile.”—\u003ci\u003eEbony\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eBlack Mirror\u003c\/i\u003e meets \u003ci\u003eGet Out\u003c\/i\u003e in this gripping story collection reminiscent of the work of Octavia E. Butler, deftly blending science fiction, horror, and fantasy to examine issues of race, class, and prejudice—an electrifying, oftentimes heartbreaking debut from an extraordinary new voice—\u003cbr\u003enow available as a limited Olive Edition from Harper Perennial.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn \u003ci\u003eThe World Wasn’t Ready for You, \u003c\/i\u003eJustin C. Key builds on his lifelong obsession with monsters as he expands and subverts the horror genre to expertly explore issues of race, class, prejudice, love, exclusion, loneliness, and what it means to be a person in the world, while revealing the horrifying nature inherent in all of us.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn the opening story, “The Perfection of Theresa Watkins,” a sci-fi love story turned nightmare, a husband uses new technology to download the consciousness of his recently deceased Black wife into the body of a white woman. In “Spider King,” an inmate agrees to participate in an experimental medical study offered to Black prisoners in exchange for early release, only to find his body reacting with disturbing symptoms. And in the title story, a father tries to protect his son, teaching him how to navigate a racist world that does not understand him and sees him as a threat.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe World Wasn’t Ready for You\u003c\/i\u003e is a gripping, provocative, and distinctly original collection that demonstrates Key’s remarkable literary gifts—a skill at crafting science fiction stories equaled by an ability to sculpt characters and narrative—as well as his utterly fresh take on how genre can be used to delight, awe, frighten, and ultimately challenge our perceptions. Wildly imaginative and powerfully resonant, it introduces an unforgettable new voice in fiction.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe full set of books in the 2026 Olive Editions series include:\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ci\u003eGuards! Guards!\u003c\/i\u003e by Terry Pratchett\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ci\u003eChanging Planes\u003c\/i\u003e by Ursula K. Le Guin\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ci\u003eIsland\u003c\/i\u003e by Aldous Huxley\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ci\u003eAlas, Babylon\u003c\/i\u003e by Pat Frank\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ci\u003eThe Princess Bride\u003c\/i\u003e by William Goldman\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ci\u003eThe Hidden Palace\u003c\/i\u003e by Helene Wecker\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ci\u003eHighfire\u003c\/i\u003e by Eoin Colfer\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ci\u003eThe World Wasn’t Ready for You\u003c\/i\u003e by Justin Key\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"Harper Perennial","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48188289319167,"sku":"9780063567979","price":12.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0452\/0886\/2873\/files\/9780063567979_s600x595.jpg?v=1780942710","url":"https:\/\/massivebookshop.com\/products\/9780063567979","provider":"MASSIVE BOOKSHOP","version":"1.0","type":"link"}