Thief of Always is an older book by famed horror aficionado Clive Barker, and it could be considered a type of children’s book. Written for those between the ages of 10-13, the story is fantastic for any age and is easily one of my favorite books by this particular author. Your typical premise; boy gets bored, creepy man takes him away, boy is no longer bored.

The Plot:

Harvey Swick is a 12 year old boy who is feeling rather depressed one dreary February day. Feeling depressed and on the verge of giving up, a strange man bursts through his bedroom windows. The man tells Harvey about a magical place known as the Holiday House; in this magical place all the holidays play on a loop in the course of one day, every day. Intrigued, he follows the man to the magical place. Once there, he finds that it’s more than he could hope for and is taken in by the magic of the house. After a while he starts to get home sick and attempts to go home; it’s at this time he begins to realize that there is a price for happiness.

Why It Qualifies:

This really short book deals with the “Paradox Twins” premise when Harvey finds out that one day inside the Holiday House is equivalent to 1 year in the real world. It also incorporates golems, a sentient home, a vampire, memory extraction, and a force field.

The Reason I like It:

It’s really dark, especially for the intended age group. It deals with the concepts of kidnapping and murder and captures the impatience of a child and counters it with very harsh consequences. The illustrations are typical Barker, creepy and well-drawn fitting perfectly with the theme of the book. I also think that this is his best work ever and I’ve read a few of his other works, the reason being is that it’s short and concise unlike his adult works that seem to be rather long winded and somewhat more difficult to get into.

Genre: Sci-Fi, Fable, Young Adults, Horror
Word Count: 38,592 (with title and chapter names included) ; 38,478 (without title and chapter names)
Original Publishing Date: January 1^st, 1992
Original Publisher: Harper Collins

Sarah Rexman is the main researcher and writer for bedbugs.org. Her most recent accomplishment includes graduating from Florida State, with a degree in environmental science.  Her current focus for the site involves researching how to eliminate bed bugs and the top bed bug medications.

“Just Like Old Times”, a 1993 short story written by Robert J. Sawyer, is about a disembodied serial killer who is sentenced to travel back in time by linking his mind to that of a Tyrannosaurus rex about to die.

Non-spoiler Summary in a Nutshell

Rudoph Cohen is a cold-blooded serial killer, who is responsible for taking the lives of dozens of victims. Cohen is sentenced to death in the year 2042, but his lawyer managed to convince the judge that he be involved in a program of euthanasia by chronotransference. Cohen will have to transfer the contents of his mind into the brain of a young Tyrannosaurus rex, about to die very shortly, thus causing at the same time the death of Cohen.

My Two Cents

This short story is an illustration of the art of short story writing. It brilliantly exemplifies how to successfully captivate the reader and be thought-provoking with regard to several deep problems, in a very short space. Sawyer succeeds in this in this short story where the narrative manages to capture the reader’s attention, thanks in particular to the author’s skills to enrich the narrative by the most recent biological and paleontological data regarding dinosaurs, concerning notably vision, hearing and gender differentiation. In parallel, the story hints at some more deeper issues–death penalty, euthanasia, time travel, uploaded human consciousness–in the same time as being an investigation into the cognitive state of a murderer.

Interesting Tidbits

• Word Count: 3,865
• Published: 1993
• As Robert J. Sawyer himself explains, this short story was commissioned by Mike Resnick for his anthology Dinosaur Fantastic, but Sawyer accepted the offer somewhat apprehensively, since he hadn’t written a new short story in five years.
• “Just Like Old Times” was the winner of the Canadian Science Fiction and Fantasy Award (“the Aurora”) for Best English-Language Short Story of 1993

Where You Can Find “Just Like Old Times”

• This short story was first published in the anthology Dinosaur Fantastic, edited by Mike Resnick and Martin H. Greenberg (DAW, 1993)
• The story is also available online on the author’s site: Just Like Old Times.

By-line

Paul Franceschi is a philosopher who studies paradoxes and cognition, and also publishes SciFi short stories. The ‘Albaru’ is the English translation of a short story of his.

NON SPOILER SUMMARY

Linguists, scholars, observers and travelers have studied the Asonu, trying to discover why the people become more and more silent as they grow older.  They have a language, it has been heard, it is taught to their children.  But the adults speak on such rare occasion that it has caused great debate.  Do they stay silent to prevent contention?  Do they carry such wisdom that they don’t need to speak?  The Silence of the Asonu is an unusual and interesting story that causes you to ponder these questions.

MY THOUGHTS

This story kind of felt like I was reading a documentary.. very informative and educational.. yet with the odd twist that the documentary was mostly guesswork (and fictional). The Silence of the Asonu was comical in parts, to think that others would go to such great lengths to force meaning into something so obvious.   I enjoyed the questions this raised in my mind, about how valuable speech really is.

INTERESTING TIDBITS

• Word Count: 2,347
• Page Count: 6
• Published: 1998
• About the Author: Did you know Ursula K. Le Guin is the winner of five Hugo and six Nebula awards!?  You can read more about this talented author at her website.

WHERE TO FIND THIS STORY

You can read The Silence of the Asonu for free at Lightspeed Magazine.

Be sure to read the Author Spotlight for this story, where Ursula K. Le Guin answers questions about her story.

Better Than The Movies

Do you remember all those “Earth gets destroyed by an asteroid (or comet)” movies in the 1990′s? I do. “Deep Impact” and “Armageddon” come to mind. Some of them were good, some not so much. This story is, to me anyway, more proof that writing is always better than cinema! Yay – go written SF!

Non-Spoiler Summary

Captain Robert Singh is part of the crew that has been sent to the asteroid Kali. Their job is to build the thrusters that will alter Kali’s course enough to avoid collision with Earth. It has taken a long time, lots of money and plenty of politics to get to this point, and now that they are ready to start the burn that will push Kali out of its current orbit, the crew is about to discover that things don’t always go as planned. What’s that saying about the true measure of a man being shown when he is under pressure? Well, Captain Singh and his crew are about to find out what they are really made of – and all the people on Earth are hoping it’s the “right stuff.”

Some Interesting Tidbits

• Word count: 4,458 (8 pages)
• Did you know that Arthur C. Clarke spent some time as chairman of the British Interplanetary Society? Yep. You can learn more about this giant of science fiction literature at Wikipedia.
• This short story was the basis for Arthur C. Clarke’s 1994 novel also titled The Hammer of God.

Where To Find The Hammer of God

• This short story first appeared in October 1992 in Time magazine.
• You can read "The Hammer of God" for free online at the web site of Lightspeed magazine.
• You can find this story in many anthologies, including the prestigious book The Collected Stories of Arthur C. Clarke.

Craving More SF Stories Like This One?

If you liked "The Hammer of God" then you may also enjoy another of Sir Arthur C. Clarke’s stories: “The Star” – about a Jesuit astrophysicist aboard a starship that is investigating the Phoenix Nebula.

NON SPOILER SUMMARY

Adrian Reynolds is the first person to receive a new type of punishment for his crimes.  He has been sentenced for killing his father, mother and two sisters.  His sentence?  A controversial new procedure that will delete his memories and his personality.  A sort of mental death, allowing the state to educate and program him as they see fit, and then send him back into society.

The story gets juicy when the outcome is not what was predicted, and now the attorneys and doctors have to decide what to do next.

MY THOUGHTS

I have to say, this story has already made this years Top 10 List.  (And No!  Not just because it’s the only story I have read this year…)

Softlight Sins ignites a fascinating moral debate.  Questions from “How can we play God?”, to “Is there even a God?” are raised, yet it is not these questions that make the story so compelling.  It’s the mystery!  What happens?  How does it end?  I highly suggest you take the time to find out, it’s a conclusion you won’t see coming!

INTERESTING TIDBITS

• Word Count: 5,731
• Page Count: 16
• About the Author: Peter F. Hamilton began writing in 1987.  Find out all about him at his website.

WHERE TO FIND THIS STORY

You can read Softlight Sins for free at Infinity Plus or at Peter F Hamilton’s Website.

NON SPOILER SUMMARY

Bill Keller contemplates suicide a lot.  He’s old and bored and his wife has passed away.  Life has lost its spark.  One day he stops by the bookstore where his wife used to work and he stumbles across some unusual books.  Old science fiction novels by famous authors, books that he can’t believe he’s never read.  He delves into reading and researching these odd books, only to find out that they are fakes.  But how can that be?  The style of writing, the illustrations, everything about them is authentic!  Bill is determined to solve this mystery, and in doing so, he discovers that he can never die, or, that he already has died… an infinite number of times.  Puzzling?  Yes!  In a fascinating science-fiction-y way!

MY THOUGHTS

I loved how this story started out seeming very normal, even mundane, yet gradually and steadily got more bizarre and extreme.  The setting was the same: it started out warm and cozy, in a used book store, detailed down to the dust and the smells, and ended up in a bright, brisk, cold environment that went hand in hand with the happenings in the story.  The author skillfully allowed the tension and mystery to build, rewarding us with an unusual, yet believable climax.  An interesting read with some thought provoking theories, I give Divided By Infinity two thumbs up!  (I also enjoyed reading through the comments left by other readers, it’s amazing the things people pick up on!  Anagrams, for one, are something I would never notice.)

INTERESTING TIDBITS

• Word Count: 8,863
• Page Count: 26
• Published: 1998
• About the Author: Robert Charles Wilson has received a Hugo Award and a Philip K. Dick Award.  Read more about this talented author at his website or at Wikipedia.

WHERE TO FIND THIS STORY

You can read Divided By Infinity for free at Tor.

NON SPOILER SUMMARY

Lvov, an atmospheric scientist, and Cobh, a pilot, crash land on Pluto, and luckily both women survive.  Cobh immediately checks the damage, sets up life support systems and sends a message requesting a “pickup”.  Lvov is more concerned with the icy environment she finds herself in, and the reader has the very picturesque experience of seeing a distant planet through her eyes.  It’s beautiful.  And through her explorations, Lvov discovers something that may be considered as life on Pluto.

MY THOUGHTS

I loved that I couldn’t decide which way this story was going to go: Unique, amazing discovery of life on another planet?  Or nasty flesh eating aliens emerge to kill the crash landed scientists?  It was written with a good deal of suspense, even though the author may not have intended that.  It was also written by someone who seems to know his stuff about the technicalities of space and outerspace.  My only complaint is that at times, it was a bit too technical, and therefore, distracting.  However, for me it was easy to skim the big worded paragraphs and delve into the intriguing story line.  And I was very pleased with a great surprise ending that I should have seen coming!

INTERESTING TIDBITS

• Word Count: 6,091 Words
• Page Count: 18 Pages
• Published: 1995
• About the Author: Stephen Baxter has degrees in both math and engineering, (yep, all that technicality is making sense…).  He has published over one hundred short stories!  Read more about this talented author at his website.
• Be sure to read the Author Spotlight for Gossamer at Lightspeed Magazine.

WHERE TO FIND THIS STORY

You can read Gossamer for free at Lightspeed Magazine.

NON SPOILER SUMMARY

Wang Jun is a young boy that lives in a very futuristic world, a world where buildings are made out of organic materials. But even in the future, there are thugs. Wang Jun gets mixed up with some undesirable people who give him a datacube to deliver, and threaten him with his life if he does not follow through. This datacube seems to be a high tech, futuristic version of a flash drive, and when Wang Jun discovers what is on the datacube he realizes just how valuable it is. That’s about the time he decides he will keep it for himself.

MY THOUGHTS

Paolo Bacigalupi is a very gifted writer in the imagery department. I felt like I was watching this story rather than reading it. In fact, I kind of felt like I was watching Bladerunner! Set in China, under the constant drizzle of rain, with vivid descriptions of old town and vast skyscrapers, I thought the surroundings in the story were as entertaining as the plot. Wang Jun was a fun young character that did everything he shouldn’t do, got into all sorts of trouble because of it, and still got away with it! My only gripe about A Pocketful of Dharma is that I wanted a little more closure. Overall an unusual and vivid read.

INTERESTING TIDBITS

• Word Count: 9,464
• Page Count: 24
• Published: Pocketful of Dharma was originally published in The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, February 1999.
• About the Author: Paolo Bacigalupi is a Hugo and Nebula Award winner, and a National Book Award finalist. Read more about this talented author at his website.

WHERE TO FIND THIS STORY

• You can read Pocketful of Dharma for free at Webscription.
• You can find Pocketful of Dharma in the short story collection Pump Six and Other Stories.

CRAVING MORE STORIES?

If you enjoyed Pocketful of Dharma you will probably also like The Fluted Girl, also by Paolo Bacigalupi.

A True Gender Bender

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be the opposite sex? C’mon, you know you have – I certainly have. Anyway, this very cool story goes a long way in explaining what might really happen if people started randomly changing back and forth between male and female.

Non-spoiler Summary in a Nutshell

Lance has a bit of a problem. He has been infected by the Gender Plague, and on the morning of an important business presentation he has become a woman. With no time to get treatment before work, he has no choice but to give the presentation as a lady – and that makes his conservative clients very unhappy. Oh well, at least he can go to the bar after work and relax. In fact while he’s there he meets someone who will help him realize that being either sex can be a good thing – in more ways than one! (Nudge nudge, wink wink!)

My Two Cents…

• The whole Gender Plague idea was a very fun concept, and it was cool to see how the characters dealt with it.
• Lance was a great character. I especially loved how he tried to fight his “female” feelings – and kept losing!
• This is one of those stories that is a very easy read. It is a great story told well, and made for a quick and delightful reading experience. Well done!

Interesting Tidbits:

• Page Count: 25
• Word Count: 7,823
• Did you know that K. D. Wentworth is a retired elementary school teacher? Yep. You can learn more about this excellent author at her web site.
• Special thanks to Free SF Reader for suggesting this story.

Where You Can Find The Gender Plague:

• This short story first appeared in the 1999 collection Age of Reason: Stories for a New Millennium.
• You can read “The Gender Plague” for free online at the DayBreak Magazine web site.

Craving More Science Fiction Short Stories?

If you liked “The Gender Plague” then you might also enjoy “Stable Strategies for Middle Management” by Eileen Gunn – about a woman who has undertaken a drastic form of bioengineering as a way to move up the corporate ladder.

Garry hates elevators. They are always cruel to him – making him wait before they do his bidding. But at an old hotel in an Eastern city Garry finds the evilest of all elevators!

Read They Wait online for free.

Two men at a Sci Fi convention notice a very strange man slinking around stealing stuff – but things get even stranger when security finally tries to arrest him!

Read Shoplifter In The Crowd online for free.

Have a great weekend!