The Fantasies of Future Things: A Novel by Doug Jones

Description

Atlanta is preparing for the world.

But beneath the promise of progress, entire communities are disappearing.

As the city transforms in anticipation of the 1996 Olympic Games, Jacob and Daniel find themselves working for a real estate development company responsible for displacing longtime Black residents. Every day, they help reshape a city they love while quietly questioning the cost of that transformation.

Their relationship is just as complicated.

Jacob, a recent Morehouse graduate who has recently arrived from Brooklyn, struggles to reconcile his growing attraction to men with the expectations his family has always held for him. Fearful of disappointing those he loves, he finds himself torn between the safety of silence and the possibility of living honestly.

Daniel carries different burdens.

Still grieving the loss of his mother and haunted by the absence of the father he has never known, Daniel has long convinced himself that love between men is destined to end in heartbreak. His guarded outlook begins to shift as his connection with Jacob deepens, even as both men struggle to navigate desire, vulnerability, and conflicting visions of the future.

When Jacob meets Sherman, a compassionate social worker advocating for families displaced by redevelopment, he is forced to confront difficult questions about ambition, justice, and the life he truly wants. At the same time, Daniel’s search for his father brings him face-to-face with long-buried truths that challenge everything he believes about family, identity, and forgiveness.

Rich with emotional nuance and historical insight, The Fantasies of Future Things is a beautifully crafted novel about race, class, community, and queer identity in a city undergoing profound change. Doug Jones weaves an intimate love story into a larger portrait of urban transformation, asking what we sacrifice in pursuit of success and what it truly means to build a future worth living.

Heartfelt, thought-provoking, and deeply compassionate, this remarkable debut is perfect for readers of literary fiction that explores love, belonging, and the enduring search for dignity.

Book Details

• Author: Doug Jones
• ISBN: 9781668016299
• Format: Paperback
• Genre: Literary Fiction, LGBTQ+ Fiction
• Themes: Black Queer Identity, Urban Change, Grief, Family, Love, Community, Social Justice