Short Stories Science

A classic tale featuring two of the most-memorable characters in sword and sorcery, Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser. Over a span of 50 years, the late Fritz Leiber wrote dozens of adventures, set in the fictional city of Lankhmar, featuring the seven-foot-tall barbarian and the diminuitive thief. The stories were recognized with both the Hugo and Nebula Awards.

He Never Knew Virtual Reality Could be So Realistic... Matt receives a mysterious full-immersion virtual reality suit in the mail. Curious, he tries it on one afternoon. He isn't prepared for what happens in VR, but it interests him. A lot. Can he live out his sissy fantasies inside a virtual world? Find out today!

In her new collection, Story Prize finalist Maureen F. McHugh delves into the dark heart of contemporary life and life five minutes from now and how easy it is to mix up one with the other. Her stories are post-bird flu, in the middle of medical trials, wondering if our computers are smarter than us, wondering when our jobs are going to be outsourced overseas, wondering if we are who we say we are, and not sure what we'd do to survive the coming zombie plague.

The ex-planet Pluto has a few choice words about being thrown out of the solar system. A listing of alternate histories tells you all the various ways Hitler has died. A lawyer sues an interplanetary union for dangerous working conditions. And four artificial intelligences explain, in increasingly worrying detail, how they plan not to destroy humanity. Welcome to Miniatures: The Very Short Fiction of John Scalzi.

In The Other Animals, a worm breaks up with a snail, a vulture contemplates the act of killing, a whale falls in love with a song, and more. This funny, moving collection of stories - written by a crew of scientists, literary writers, and comics, and informed by animal behavioral science - explores what animal perspectives can show humans about the world.

A princess flees a cruel tyrant only to face an enigmatic alien in Thornwood Marsh. Known evil or monstrous mystery? Her daring choice will shape her destiny. Princess Rosalind, on the brink of a coerced union with a cruel tyrant, fled into the heart of Thornwood Marsh. Pursued by relentless knights, her heart raced with fear and uncertainty. But instead of finding sanctuary amidst the murky shadows, she encountered a monstrous alien. Now, confronted with a choice between the known evil of her impending marriage and the enigmatic creature, she faces an uncertain future. Buy now to escape to...

The When Swords Fall Silent anthology showcases the imaginations and talents of more than a dozen of the best modern science-fiction and fantasy authors, with each tale centered around one or more characters burdened with a bloody task they will see to completion no matter the cost. Every story takes you for a vicious ride through a world of shadow and death, each as unique in perspective and execution as the contracts carried out within.

Can you outrun the past? Can you outlive the future? One time traveler must find out. Accidental time traveler Ben Travers is thrown into a multiverse of adventure in this action-adventure through past and future. This compilation includes: In Times Like These, The Chronothon, The Day After Never, and The Warp Clock. Now you can get them in one volume! All the adventure at a fraction of the price. Start your time travel adventure today, because yesterday may be too late!

Ein is on a mission from God...the God of Death. Time is up for the emperor of Ten Kings, and it falls to Ein, an eight-year-old boy, to render the judgement of the reaper. He can't do it alone, but luckily the world is full of travelling heroes. There's only one catch; in order to serve him, they must first die.

Brian was a book lover, always seeking the solace of dusty bookstores and the scent of well-worn pages. His tastes veered towards contemporary fiction, but he couldn't resist the allure of antiquated shops filled with stories from ages past. Fate intervened on one such visit when a seemingly ordinary book tumbled from a shelf and struck him, becoming slightly damaged in the process.

"Yellowjacket Summer”, a story by Robert McCammon, was originally published in The Twilight Zone magazine, October 1986.

Previously published in the collection Hungry Tales, "Calling Death" is a nonviolent zombie story set in Appalachia. With humor and rich storytelling, Jonathan Maberry brings you zombies as you've never seen them before.

Everyone knows who they are. This is how they began. Before the War Angels were legends, they were just people, soldiers—scattered, scarred, and trying to make sense of a broken world. Daryas: A Vanguard Origin follows one of the Coalition’s most iconic fighters through key moments of her life—from childhood survival, to the missions who broke her, to the challenge that changed everything. It’s a story of small choices, heavy consequences, and the people who helped shape her along the way. This is the first in a series of short stories exploring the origins of the War Angels—told ...

Sharon Shinn's Twelve Houses books have fascinated fans and critics alike with their irresistible blend of fantasy, romance, and adventure. Now in Quatrain, she weaves compelling stories in four of the worlds that fans love in "Flight", "Blood", "Gold", and "Flame".

I guess you could call my latest job interview a success. I got hired, and it's way beyond my wildest dreams. The pay isn't great. And the hours are pretty much 24/7. But there's magic. And a portal to a fantasy world. Those kind of outweigh the negatives. At first, I thought I was just testing the latest VR survival RPG, but I'm starting to think this might not be a game after all. The monsters are definitely life-like and capable of carving me apart on their worst days. But on their best days, I make them mine.

In a post-apocalyptic America, range rider Deaver Teague is trying to get to the town of Moab to replace his dead horse. Along the way, he's picked up by the Aal family’s pageant wagon. When Deaver decides to help them set up their next show, he becomes embroiled in a family crisis.

This story is included in Orson Scott Card's collection The Folk of the Fringe.

In a world ravaged by endless conflict, two nations (The Civillains and Psyclops) stand on the brink of annihilation, divided by their desperate struggle for a resource more precious than any other. Amidst the desolation of a once-thriving planet, the fate of millions rests on the deployment of the most devastating weapon ever conceived—the Thermal Heat Ignition Nuclear Gun. Powered by the sun’s potent energy, this weapon promises not just victory but the total eradication of the enemy. In this gripping dystopian tale, the very essence of humanity are tested in the shadow of the ...

An unabridged audio collection spotlighting the "best of the best" hard science fiction stories published in 2016 by current and emerging masters of the genre, edited by Allan Kaster, as narrated by top voice talents.

"How to Write a Short Cyberpunk Story: A Comprehensive Guide to Short Cyberpunk Fiction Writing" will take you on a captivating journey into the world of Cyberpunk fiction. This comprehensive guidebook provides aspiring writers with an in-depth examination of the genre, its origins, and the distinguishing elements that make it so appealing. Learn how to create dystopian landscapes and complex characters, how to seamlessly integrate technology into your story, and how to incorporate transhumanism and societal evolution themes. Our step-by-step approach simplifies the writing process by ...

The King of the Elves is the opening installment of a uniform, five-volume edition of The Collected Stories of Philip K. Dick, expanded from the previous Collected Stories set to incorporate new story notes, and two added tales, one previously unpublished, and one uncollected.