NON SPOILER SUMMARY

Marjane Thompson has traveled through space and time to arrive on an alien planet and make first contact, to form a new history, to learn the life of another species.  Upon arrival, the  intention was to immediately establish communication.  But when the team learns that they can thrive without doing just that, the plan is thrown on the back burner, and new strategies emerge.  Will first contact ever actually be made?

MY THOUGHTS

This was a story beautifully written with tones of longing and unfulfilled desires.  The beginning paragraph set the mood for the story, describing how beautiful the ocean is, and how beautiful the language of an alien species is.  Marjane’s desire is palpable, as she longs to complete her mission.  Her disappointment is felt as she describes what happens to her team as the initial plan is put off, again and again.

INTERESTING TIDBITS

• Word Count: 2,530
• Page Count: 7
• About the Author: Martin Ivison has published song albums for Sony/BMG.  I couldn’t find any other information about this author, has anyone out there heard of him?

WHERE TO FIND THIS STORY

You can read Mail Order for free at AE Science Fiction.

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.

It’s a Bunch of Stories!

This is a strange story… if you can even call it a story. It’s more like an article written by an alien researcher who is describing the views and beliefs surrounding star drives. It is cool though, and some of the ideas are truly unique ones that I have never seen before – and that is worth something indeed.

Non-Spoiler Summary

Mrithaya, Mother of the Conflagration, and her priests believe interstellar travel to be one thing. The Iothal, who bind forest chronicles, believe it to be something entirely different. The same goes for the Dancers, the Kiatti and the civilization whose star drive always kills them. That doesn’t stop any of them from traveling among the stars, though. Learn all about their strange and exotic beliefs in this short but fascinating piece by an excellent author.

Some Interesting Tidbits

• Word count: 1,966 (5 pages)
• You can learn more about Yoon Ha Lee by reading her author profile on Tor.com.

Where To Find A Vector Alphabet of Interstellar Travel

• This short story first appeared in August 2011 on the web site Tor.com – where you can still read it for free.

Craving More SF Stories Like This One?

If you liked "A Vector Alphabet of Interstellar Travel" then you may also enjoy another excellent story by Yoon Ha Lee: “Flower, Mercy, Needle, Chain” – about an ancient woman who possesses a uniquely powerful weapon.

NON SPOILER SUMMARY

Cinnamon is a young princess who cannot talk.  Her parents are desperate to teach her to speak, and offer treasure and riches to anyone who can help her to do so.  Many try, but none succeed.  Until one day a fierce tiger arrives and wants to help Cinnamon.  Her parents are worried that the tiger will trick them, but they agree to let him try.

MY THOUGHTS

I may be a little biased here, after all, this story bears my name!  Yep, Cinnamon is my name, so I was stoked to stumble across this story last week when I was checking out Neil Gaiman’s website!  As with most Neil Gaiman stories, this one falls into the fantasy category of science fiction.  It was a very quick read with some great illustrations that your kids will enjoy too!

INTERESTING TIDBITS

• Word Count: 1,138
• Page Count: 3

WHERE TO FIND THIS STORY

You can read Cinnamon for free at Neil Gaiman’s website.

“Hello,” Said the Gun is a 2011 science fiction short story written by Jay Lake. The story is about a 12 year old girl who finds a talking gun in an old oak tree, it explores the issues of trust and survival.

NON SPOILER SUMMARY

The girl (who remains nameless) is out in the woods picking up acorns when she hears a voice talking to her from somewhere. Through small conversation and the girl’s own thoughts we find that she is living on her own and mankind’s population is dwindling. She depends on herself and trusts no one yet longs for interaction with someone else. But who can she trust and what will she decide to do with the gun?

INTERESTING TIDBITS

• Pages: 2
• Word Count: 1,093
• The author Jay Lake is the winner of a John W. Campbell Award for best new writer.

WHERE TO FIND THIS STORY

• “Hello,” Said the Gun is available to read for free at DailySciencefiction.com.

Find out what happens when people start being polite and start getting real — in space.

Non-Spoiler Summary

The story is told through the exchange of two postcards, sharing the different perspectives of a husband and wife involved in an intergalactic TV wife swap among species. In typical fashion for these television reality shows, the husband and wife each have very different experiences during their swap, which ultimately reveal more about their individual personalities and beliefs.

My Thoughts

This is a fun bit of flash fiction told in a unique format. With the strict word limitations on the form, experimentations with narrative can add another layer to flash fiction, and this author chooses a great narrative device to add meaning. In a short amount of space, this author gives us a rich story that involves religious beliefs, prejudices, sexual politics, questions about marital relations, and commentary on our culture’s obsession with fame.

Interesting Tidbits

• Word Count: 284
• Published Online: 2008
• This story is an example of flash science fiction.

Where to Find This Story

• You can read Reality TV Intergalactic Wife Swap for free at the blog of online author Rob Hopcott.

 Bio:

Erinn Stam is the Managing Editor for campus visits at nursing schools. She attends Wake Technical Community College and is learning about online DSN programs. She lives in Durham, NC with her lovely 4-year-old daughter and exuberant husband.

NON SPOILER SUMMARY

In the year 2052, the mayor is worried he won’t get re-elected unless he can solve the city’s mosquito problem.  Lucky for him, he collaborates with Dr. Samy, who has invented a lizard that will eat the mosquitoes.  Even better, there will be an incentive program for the public, a recycling cash bonus if you will, for returning the dead lizards.  A foolproof plan: lizards to solve the mosquito problem, and a public actively involved in curing the epidemic.  Or so he thinks…

MY THOUGHTS

I am always amazed at how much story can be crammed into so few words!  The author of this story did an amazing job with presenting a problem, solving the problem, and still giving the reader a surprise ending.  Genome is a great flash fiction read.  Go ahead… take 5 minutes and enjoy it.

INTERESTING TIDBITS

• Word Count: 555
• Page Count: 2
• Published: 2010
• Giri is a writer from India.  Find out more about this author and read more stories at Storywheel.

WHERE TO FIND THIS STORY

You can read Genome for free at The Short Story Blog.

Non-Spoiler Summary

Nico hates the aliens, and agrees that they must die. That is why he is signing up for the war effort. They’re ugly too – with their lizard heads and green scaly hides. But as Nico is forced to make several physical changes in order to become a better fighter he begins to realize that maybe the enemy isn’t so different after all! Oh well, he has a job to do… right?

Some Juicy Tidbits About This Story

• Word count: 1,847 (4 pages)
• Special thanks to Free SF Reader for recommending this awesome story!

Where To Find Scales

• This story originally appeared as a podcast on The Guardian – where you can still listen to it for free.
• You can read "Scales" for free at the LightSpeed web site.

Craving More SF Stories Like This One?

If you liked "Scales" then you may also enjoy Alastair Reynolds other story “Diamond Dogs” – about a group of highly specialized people who travel to a deadly alien tower on a remote planet.

Yeah, it is a non-paying site, but it is fun to see my own stories being published somewhere so I am excited. Feel free to take a look and let me know what you think.

What if a reality TV show took place on a strange world where the environment constantly changed and dangerous monsters lurked just beneath the surface? One man is about to discover that some people will do just about anything to ensure a victory!

Read The Race online for free at WeirdYear.

Have a great weekend!

NON SPOILER SUMMARY

“The last science fiction writer sits in an all night diner beneath the sizzling haze of a neon sign…” and simultaneously reminisces the glory of the past and despises the dreariness of the present. It’s pretty obvious that he is depressed, and as he chats with his agent, we learn that writing has completely gone out of style, because in the future no-one can read.

MY THOUGHTS

I find myself trying to decide if this story is a comedy or a tragedy! As a very short story, I’m happy that it left me pondering so deeply. Is it possible that in the future the need to read will vanish because our lives could become so convenient? The author very aptly points out that science fiction authors usually write about things that are considered impossible, yet many of those things have come to pass. Maybe we should be careful with our imaginings, because as the famous saying goes: “If you can dream it, you can achieve it.”

INTERESTING TIDBITS

• Word Count: 2,366
• Page Count: 6
• Published: 2009
• About the Author: Jaimie Todd Rubin is a software application developer, an FAA licensed pilot, and a New York Yankees fan. Read more about this talented author at his website.

WHERE TO FIND THIS STORY

You can read Hindsight, In Neon for free at Apex Magazine.