Spectrum of Speculative Fiction Blog Hop: Three Must-Read Science Fiction Short Stories

Hello, all! I'm very excited to be a part of the Spectrum of Speculative Fiction Blog Hop. My focus will be on science fiction short stories and, keeping with the theme, I am offering an eBook copy of my collection Short Stories to one lucky winner. Entering is easy: just follow my blog by entering your email address in the "Follow by Email" box in the sidebar to the right. I'll email the winner on Monday, March 11.

***

From the very beginning, science fiction writers as a whole have produced some of the best work in the genre in the form of short stories. Some of the most popular and prolific fiction magazines of the twentieth century focused on science fiction and its speculative fiction brethren. Science fiction short stories launched the careers of many of the genre's greatest writers--Asimov, Clarke, Heinlein, Sturgeon--and while short stories in general seem to be slowly fading from public consciousness, with many mainstream magazines have reduced or eliminated their fiction section, science fiction short stories still enjoy a decent amount of popularity. There are three major print magazines and countless online magazines offering new fiction every month.

I think one of the reasons for the success science fiction has seen in the short story form is due to the very nature of the genre. Science fiction writers love exploring new and different ideas. When the answers to the "What if?" question that every writer asks spans the entire breadth of time and space and even cross over into parallel realities, it makes sense that the short story--which allows a writer to explore so many more ideas--would be a medium of choice.

For those who aren't too familiar with the long and fascinating history of science fiction, there is a book that everyone even slightly interested in the genre should read. It is called The Science Fiction Hall of Fame, Volume I. First published in 1970, its goal was to present in one volume the very best short stories that science fiction had to offer. I've read through the entire collection and have re-read several of my favorite stories, and I would like to offer up just three of those as absolute must-reads.

"A Martian Odyssey" by Stanley G. Weinbaum

Isaac Asimov considered this story to be a work that changed the way all subsequent stories in the genre were written. It is, at its heart, a basic adventure story, but Weinbaum's imaginative descriptions of the life on Mars is both fascinating and delightful. I'm a big fan of Weinbaum, and if you enjoy "A Martian Odyssey," be sure to check out his other stories, most of which can be downloaded for free from Amazon or Project Gutenberg. More information can be found here.

"Nightfall" by Isaac Asimov

This story explores a very basic idea: what would happen to a people who experience true darkness for the first time? The planet of Lagash is located in a solar system with six suns. Approximately every two thousand years, the suns align in such a way that the only visible sun is eclipsed by another planet. The story is both fascinating and chilling. It explores what people--even alien people--are capable of when everything they believed to be true about their world is upended.

"Flowers for Algernon" by Daniel Keyes

I am not ashamed to admit that I cry every time I read this story. Unlike "A Martian Odyssey" or "Nightfall," it takes place on Earth and exposes a side of our society that we all know exists and, unfortunately, will probably always exist. Told from the point of view of Charlie Gordon, a mentally handicapped man, "Flowers..." follows the mental and psychological changes he undergoes after participating in an operation to make him more intelligent. If you have not read this story, I do not think it goes too far to say that it will change the way you look at the world, especially those who are different through no fault of their own. You can read more of my thoughts here.

***

Don't forget to enter the giveaway by following my blog by email. And if you're interested in my other work, click on any of the banners in the sidebar to the right to read more about my books. Also be sure to check out the rest of the blogs listed below.

All the Best,
Michael K. Rose