Do You Have Arachnophobia?

Are you afraid of spiders? If you are then don’t feel bad because I have an older brother who is terrified of them too! I must confess that after reading this story I became a little jumpy at the sight of them. It is a great read though – especially if you already dislike the little buggers!

Non-Spoiler Summary

The leader, the gaunt man and the little man are chasing 3 fugitives on horseback when they happen on a great, gray valley. Yeah, it is a little bit mysterious as well as creepy – but that doesn’t stop the from charging into it. It is when they are past the point of no return that they start to notice weird things – like the mad dog that completely ignores them, and the increasingly jittery horses. But once they see the strange haze-balls blowing down the valley they start to get concerned… but will it be too little too late? Hmm – yeah, probably!

Some Interesting Tidbits

• Word count: 4,153 (7 pages)
• Special thanks to the members of the Classic Science Fiction group – whose engaging discussion of this story made me want to read it!
• Did you know that H.G. Wells is often referred to as one of the “fathers of science fiction?” Yep. You can learn more about this classic science fiction author on Wikipedia.

Where To Find The Valley of Spiders

• This short story was can be read for free online at The Literature Network.
• "The Valley of Spiders" is also included in the anthology Great Tales of Horror & the Supernatural.

Craving More SF Stories Like This One?

If you liked "The Valley of Spiders" then you may also enjoy “The Monkey’s Paw” by W.W. Jacobs – about a family who discovers a magical talisman that grants 3 wishes.

I Love Ants

I don’t know how much I would want to be transformed into a horrible vermin, but if I did have my choice I would choose to be an ant. Yep, I think ants are extremely cool! Ok, just thought you’d want to know that. Anyway, here is a great story about a man who doesn’t have any choice. It is kind of a sad and depressing story, but very beautifully written.

Non-Spoiler Summary

Gregor Samsa receives the shock of his life when he wakes up one morning – yep, he has been transformed! He doesn’t dare leave his room, and his family begins to worry about him. This is a distressing situation because Gregor is the only bread-winner in the family, and as his condition persists they all become more and more desperate. Finally they have no choice but to confine Gregor to the house and get menial jobs themselves. This is stressful but works out until his mother rents a room to 3 stuffy gentlemen. And once they discover what is really living in the house, things which are already bad take a turn for the worse!

Some Interesting Tidbits

• Word count: 22,086 (26 pages)
• Did you know that Franz Kafka was born to middle class German-speaking Jewish parents in Prague? Yep. You can learn more about this famous author on Wikipedia.

Where To Find Metamorphosis

• This famous story was first published in 1915 as Die Verwandlung.
• You can read a fantastic English translation of "Metamorphosis" online for free at Project Gutenberg.
• It has also been collected in many anthologies, like the excellent Franz Kafka: The Complete Stories.

Craving More SF Stories Like This One?

If you liked "Metamorphosis" then you may also enjoy “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” by F. Scott Fitzgerald – about a strange child who is born as an old man and then ages backwards throughout his life.

"The Land Ironclads" is a 1903 science fiction short story by H. G. Wells. It is an eerily prophetic story about a war correspondent and a soldier in a fictitious battle between “townsmen” and “countrymen”. What’s the catch? While one side has the brawn, the other may have the brains to turn the tide of the war forever.

H. G. Wells: Master Oracle of Future Science:

Even though we don’t have time machines and anti-gravity units yet, Wells certainly was a pioneer of these now almost ubiquitous concepts in science fiction. But what actual science did he predict? The military now uses heat emitting microwave rays for riot control. We live in a wirelessly connected world not so different from his utopian novel, Men Like Gods. He even described in great detail automatically sliding doors, escalators and airport people movers before the turn of the 20th century – a true visionary.

Non-spoiler Summary in a Nutshell:

A news reporter is on assignment at the front. He’s thrust into the heart of battle with his only source being a war-weary soldier with a very cynical attitude towards the whole ordeal. Can they survive the onslaught, dug in and entrenched, and ready to once again put up a staunch defense? Or does the opposition have a secret weapon that will finally put an end to the bloody stalemate?

Interesting Tidbits:

• Word Count: 8,690 (16 pages)
• Did you know that military officers frequently read The Strand Magazine and might have picked up a few pointers on trench warfare tactics from reading this story?

Where You Can Find The Land Ironclads:

• Originally published in the December 1903 issue of The Strand Magazine.
• You can read (or download) a free version of "The Land Ironclads" at The Scrapboard.
• It is also included in his many short story collections.

More About the Contributor, Slava Heretz:

• Slava Heretz writes science fiction and is the author of The Outer Pendulum, a serialized space opera: Amazon.com.
• Slava also posts free weekly flash fiction on his website: www.slavaheretz.com

Only A Little Bit Outdated!

I get a kick out of reading older science fiction stories like this one. It is fun to see the possibilities that are imagined for our solar system – even if we know better today. There were a few parts in this story that I was like “What?” – and then I remembered that is was written almost 80 years ago, so I just relaxed and went with the flow. It was much more fun that way!

Non-spoiler Summary in a Nutshell

The great thirty-fourth century astronomer Phobar has made a disconcerting discovery: he has found several new stars in the past week, and each of them is getting closer and closer to Earth! It doesn’t take him very long to figure out that something is on its way to visit our planet. As this object gets closer it begins to disrupt the orbits of the outer planets, and even affects the sun. Something needs to be done, and when Phobar is given an amazing but short opportunity he definitely makes the most of it. But will it be enough against such a powerful foe?

Interesting Tidbits:

• Word Count: 8,030 (16 pages)
• Did you know that Donald A. Wandrei was a friend and protege of the famous author H. P. Lovecraft? Yep. You can learn more about this accomplished write at Wikipedia.
• Special thanks to QuasarDragon for pointing me towards this fun story.

Where You Can Find Raiders of the Universes:

• This story was originally published in the September 1932 issue of Astounding Stories.
• You can read (or download) a free version of “Raiders of the Universes” at Project Gutenberg.
• It is also included in the book Colossus: The Collected Science Fiction of Donald Wandrei.

If you liked “Raiders of the Universes” then you may also be interested in “The Colour Out Of Space” by H.P. Lovecraft – about a meteorite that falls from the sky in the 1880′s and the devastating consequences it has upon the people in a rural New England town.

YOU KNOW THE STORY

If you have ever watched cartoons, then you have seen the story of Jekyll and Hyde. You know: A kind, refined gentleman that is pleasant as can be, who suddenly turns into a big ugly brute that goes around making everyone miserable. It’s amazing that a story can become a part of culture. Even people who haven’t read the story know the story. Robert Louis Stevenson’s tale has been adapted into dozens of movies, broadway musicals, comic books, and even has songs written about it and bands named after it! Now THAT is some memorable writing!

So, I’m a little ashamed to admit that I am one of those who have never read the story! I’ve been in the mood for a good Halloween read, and this one hit the spot.

NON SPOILER SUMMARY

Dr. Jekyll is a brilliant doctor who invents a potion that divides his personality. Oops!… I gave away the ending. The ACTUAL story is an account of events that lead up to Dr. Jekyll’s confession. Yeah, the tale we all know so well from Bugs Bunny cartoons… that all comes from the last 3 pages. That surprised me. But I found the story all the more intriguing by following the mysterious events that lead up to the final pages.

MY THOUGHTS

• I’ve always thought Jekyll & Hyde were symbols of good and evil. Not so. Jekyll was a man like all of us. Good and evil both resided in him. Hyde however, was pure evil. There was no personality of only good in this story. And I found that fascinating.
• Mr. Hyde, being the dark and sinister personality, thrived in indulging his every desire. He had no guilt. He had no restraint. He was gleeful in his wrongdoings. Ahhh… how would it be to not have a conscience? (Yes, I do realize the world would spiral out of control. But it must feel good don’t you think? To have no guilt?)
• I also found it fascinating how Mr. Hyde eventually overcame Dr. Jekyll. The evil personality was being exercised so frequently that it titled the scales. He had no good to balance himself… reinforcing the age old saying: “Moderation in all things.”
• I loved the visual and physical traits that were attributed to good and evil. Dr. Jekyll was a handsome, tall, thin man. He was distinguished, respected, and had good taste and many friends. Mr. Hyde was short, squat, hunch-backed, ugly, and people did not like to be in his presence. I find it interesting that we so readily judge what is good and what is evil simply by appearance. (I do it to books all the time.)

INTERESTING TIDBITS

• Page Count: 78
• Published: 1886
• Robert Louis Stevenson is also the author of Treasure Island, which he was inspired to write after making a treasure map for fun with his stepson. Read more about this famous author at Wikipedia.

WHERE TO FIND THE STRANGE CASE OF DR. JEKYLL AND MR. HYDE

• You can read it for free at University of Virginia Library.
• I purchased the book at Amazon.com.

Non-Spoiler Summary

Giovanni Guasconti has come to attend the university at Padua, in northern Italy. Being a student he rents a modest room that happens to overlook a garden full of beautiful but deadly flowers. It is here that Giovanni is captivated by the exquisite young lady who helps her father tend the garden. (Who wouldn’t be, right?) As he learns more about the dark and foreboding gardener, Giovanni discovers that the crazy old man is a highly competitive doctor who is willing to experiment on just about anything for the sake of science – and that is bad news for Giovanni!

Some Juicy Tidbits About This Story

• Word count: 11,372 (16 pages)
• Did you know that the DC Comics character Poison Ivy was partially based on Rappaccini’s Daughter? Yep. Learn more about this famous story at Wikipedia.

Where To Find Rappaccini’s Daughter

• This short story first appeared in Hawthorne’s 1848 collection Mosses from an Old Manse and Other Stories.
• You can read "Rappaccini’s Daughter" for free online at Sam Houston State University.
• It is also included in the classic book Hawthorne’s Short Stories.

Craving More SF Stories Like This One?

If you liked "Rappaccini’s Daughter" then be sure to read about her continuing adventures in the excellent modern story The Mad Scientist’s Daughter by Theodora Goss.

NON SPOILER SUMMARY

John is a physician, and his wife suffers from temporary nervous depression.  So he takes her to an old home in the country to allow her plenty of rest and fresh air to cure her.  Against her protests, she is confined to her room and not allowed to do any work or anything that could be considered even slightly strenuous.  So she sits, and she sleeps, and she stares all day at the ugly yellow wallpaper in the room.  Eventually, she sees a woman behind the pattern in the wallpaper.  Of course, no one else in the house believes her, and they dismiss her visions to her illness.

MY THOUGHTS

This story was written as journal entries by the woman.  It was simply fascinating to see her mental state deteriorate each day of her confinement.  And who ever thought that wallpaper could be brought to such life?  The elaborate descriptions of the patterns and lines of the yellow wallpaper were as entertaining as the rest of the story!  This story makes me glad to live in the day of modern medicine.

INTERESTING TIDBITS

• Word Count: 6,136
• Page Count: 12
• Published: 1899
• About the Author: Charlotte Perkins Gilman wrote The Yellow Wallpaper after she suffered a severe episode of postpartum depression.  Read more about her at Wikipedia.

WHERE TO FIND THIS STORY

• The Yellow Wallpaper was first published in 1899 by Small & Maynard, Boston, MA.
• You can read The Yellow Wallpaper online for free.
• It was also very interesting to read the author’s own explanation of why she wrote the story.  Read Gilman’s “Why I Wrote The Yellow Wallpaper,” from the October 1913 issue of The Forerunner.  (SPOILER WARNING!)

Displacer Beast?

Being the big fan of Dungeons & Dragons that I am, I have always been fascinated by some of the strange creatures in the Monster Manual. One of those fascinating monsters is the Displacer Beast. It is very cool, but I often wondered where they got the idea for it. Well, I think I now have the answer – the terrifying alien in this story most likely provided the inspiration for it. Now if I could just figure out the origin of the rest of the monsters I’d be set!

Non-spoiler Summary in a Nutshell

Coeurl is more than just a big, cat-like alien – he is also a highly developed killing machine. The only problem is that he has decimated the food supply of precious id on his planet. So imagine his good luck when a human exploration ship lands nearby to explore the ancient archaeological ruins. Coeurl is starved, but he plays it cool when he meets the humans, acting the part of a nice pussy cat. Poor humans – will they ever figure out the true nature of this beast? Let’s hope so.

My Two Cents…

• Without a doubt the coolest part of this story is Coeurl – what’s not to love about a terrifying, tentacled alien?
• The idea of Coeurl feeding on the precious id was quite interesting and not something I had seen before.
• The final showdown between the humans and Coeurl was great fun to read about.

Interesting Tidbits About This Story:

• Page Count: 20
• Word Count: 12,057
• Did you know that “Black Destroyer” is widely considered to be one of the stories that kicked off the Golden Age of Science Fiction? Yep. You can learn more about this story and its author at Wikipedia.

Where You Can Find Black Destroyer:

• This story was originally published in the July 1939 issue of Astounding Science-Fiction.
• You can read a free online version of “Black Destroyer” at Baen’s The Fifth Imperium web site.
• This excellent novelette is also part of the author’s anthology Transfinite: The Essential A. E. Van Vogt.

Craving More Science Fiction Short Stories?

If you liked “Black Destroyer” then you may also enjoy A Martian Odyssey by Stanley G. Weinbaum – about an astronaut who walks several hundred miles across the Martian landscape, and the amazing life forms he encounters.

If I Only Knew Then What I Know Now

I have often wished that my current knowledge would have been available to me in my youth – life would have been much different, I can tell you that! I’m not really sure things would have been better – just different. Anyway, here is a great little story that shows how one man dealt with that exact situation, but in a strange sort of way.

Non-spoiler Summary in a Nutshell

In the high society of 1860′s Baltimore, Mr. and Mrs. Roger Button are given the shock of their life when their newborn son turns out to be a 70 year old man! It isn’t easy explaining his age to their friends and family, but the difficulties of raising an old man don’t stop there. Clothes, canes, hair dye and even friends all come with a unique set of challenges for their son Benjamin, but strangest of all is the fact that he is growing younger each day! It has often been said that youth is wasted on the young, but this story proves that may not always be the case.

Interesting Tidbits About This Story:

• Page Count: 21
• Word Count: 9,257
• Did you know that F. Scott Fitzgerald was friends with Ernest Hemingway? Yep. You can learn more about the life of this famous American author at Wikipedia.

Where You Can Find The Curious Case of Benjamin Button:

• This story was originally published in the May 27, 1922 edition of Collier’s magazine.
• You can read “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” online for free at many different web sites.
• This story is also included in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s famous anthology Tales of the Jazz Age.

Benjamin Button Is A Movie Too!

• No doubt you have heard of (or seen) the popular 2008 movie starring Brad Pitt. If not then here is the trailer:

The Best of All Possible Stories

In my 12th grade English class we were required to read Voltaire’s Candide. It was my introduction to the author, and I found it to be deliciously sarcastic! Thus, when I recently learned that he had written a short story that could be considered a pre-cursor to modern science fiction I just couldn’t pass it up. Here is a ridiculous yet delightful story – made all the more interesting if you know a little bit about some of the real historical people mentioned in it. Enjoy!

Non-spoiler Summary in a Nutshell

On a planet orbiting the star Sirius lives a spirited and huge young man. At 20,000 feet tall it is no surprise that he lives on a much larger and more sophisticated planet than we do. Not only is he very tall, but he is also ancient and quite curious. Thus he sets out on a voyage of discovery around the galaxy and eventually makes his way to Saturn where he meets a very amenable Saturnian. Well, they chat it up for a while and eventually decide to explore the planets of the inner solar system – which brings them to Earth. They don’t expect to find any life here, but what they do find brings both excitement and humor!

Interesting Tidbits About This Story:

• Page Count: 13
• Word Count: 7,140
• Did you know that Voltaire frequently made use of his works to criticize intolerance, religious dogma and the French institutions of his day? Yep. You can learn more about this witty author on Wikipedia.

Where You Can Find Micromegas:

• You can read “Micromegas” online, or download it in a variety of formats, at the incomparable Project Gutenberg.
• Special thanks to Listverse for pointing me towards this story in their Top 10 Underrated Sci-Fi Stories Before 1864 list.