Here’s something to help you with your existential boredom: a bunch of free sci-fi short stories, many of which have been nominated (or won) for hugos and nebulas in the past few years. if a story was collected into a book, I have listed them for you as well. And while you’re here, check out a similar roundup I posted last year for free horror stories.
“the city born great” by n.k. jemisin tor.com
You are reading: Best free science fiction books
jemisin is best known for her novels, including the recently concluded trilogy with stone heaven. but guess that? her next trilogy will be based on this short story about the rebirth of new york city as a “metaphysical entity” and the fight against a nightmarish creature of lovecraftian proportions.
“the red thread” by sofia samatar lightspeed magazine (collected in tender)
In a post-apocalyptic future with no geopolitical borders, a young woman wanders the Dakotas with her mother, trying to get in touch with a boy from her past. is my favorite story from her latest collection of a small beer press (which we reviewed earlier this year).
“the janitor in space” by amber sparks american short fiction (collected in the unfinished world)
one of the first books we reviewed on chicago review of books was this collection of speculative fiction by amber sparks. the opening story is about, well… a janitor in space, and it’s beautiful.
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“day of the builders” by kristine ong muslim weird fiction review (collected in age of blight)
this is my favorite story from kristine’s collection with anonymous press, about a rural town on the brink of a slow ecological apocalypse, colonized by technologically advanced scientists.
“stain” from brian evenson conjunctions
I read every one of brian evenson’s stories the moment they’re available, and so should you. This one, from the “Other Aliens” Conjunction Edition, will be included in this year’s Best American Science Fiction and Fantasy Anthology by John Joseph Adams. feels like a spiritual successor to last year’s novella, the warren.
“dark air” by lincoln michel granta (collected in upright beasts)
A young couple heads out into nature in search of one of the “Top 10 Secluded Selfie Spots.” instead, they find a creature fallen from the stars. Brooklyn-based Michel, former Editor-in-Chief of Electrical Literature and frequent Associate Contributor, is perfect for fans of Brian Evenson, Kelly Link, Matt Bell, and Nathan Ballingrud.
“planet lion” by catherynne m. valent uncanny magazine
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Okay, so this story is literally about psychic space lions and that’s all you need to know. Well, that and that he was nominated for a Hugo.
“rocket to hell” by jeffrey ford tor.com (collected in a natural history of hell)
Jeffrey Ford is the reason I love short stories. literally. I wasn’t familiar with the form until grad school, when I came across a copy of Drowned Life and fell in love. “rocket ship to hell” is a good introduction to ford’s playful use of metafiction.
“spider the artist” by nnedi okora for lightspeed magazine
why hasn’t anyone published a collection of okorafor short stories yet? I’m sure someone will soon, with his novels, novellas, comics, and future TV series making headlines every month. When they do, this story will be among the best of the bunch, about a future version of Nigeria where the pipelines are protected by AI spiders. correction: she has a collection of short stories, including “spider the artist”, and you can get more information here.
“the game of smash and recovery” by kelly link strange horizons (collected in getting into trouble)
my favorite kelly link stories are the ones that literally give me goosebumps. His latest collection, Get in Trouble, is chock-full of creepy fiction, but this standalone story published as last year’s bonus fundraiser in Stranger Horizons holds a special place in my dark heart. On an alien planet, a brother and sister play hide and seek while waiting for their parents to return.helps the chicago book review and arcturus make the literary world more inclusive by becoming a member, patron or sponsor. each option comes with its own perks and exclusive content. click here for more information.
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