I've always
read a lot of short stories, but thanks to my participation in Brian
Lindenmuth's "365" Short Story Challenge, I read even more this year,
and I read more widely than I would have on my own. Crime fiction remains my
first love, but speculative fiction has always run a close second. This was a
really good year for speculative fiction and the three spec fic stories I've
included have a lot in common--beautiful language, lovely imagery and a sense
of the magical. The other two stories use humor to fantastic effect and I've
found that's difficult to pull off. So
here are five terrific stories by five great writers:
"Paper
Menagerie" by Ken Liu--This story (and Liu's work in general) has won a
slew of awards, including this year's Nebula for short story. It is completely
magical, a bittersweet story of a mother and a son. It originally appeared in The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction.
You can read it online here. You can read more of his work here.
Link for the
story: http://escapepod.org/2012/05/17/ep345-the-paper-menagerie/
Link for more
of his stories: http://www.freesfonline.de/authors/Ken_Liu.html
"The
Cartographer Wasps and the Anarchist Bees" by E. Lily Yu--This story was
nominated for this year's Nebula, Hugo, and Locus Awards. We'll see her work nominated again and soon.
This story has a fantastic premise rooted in fact (she keeps bees) and the
language she uses is gorgeous. It was
published on Clarkesworld Magazine
and you can read it here.
Link for the
story: http://clarkesworldmagazine.com/yu_04_11/
"Letter
from the Understudy" by Kathryn Simonds--The author is an award-winning
poet and short story writer based in London. In this story an understudy writes
to the director of a play, complaining about the leading man and apologizing
for his actions in regards to the narcissistic twit. It’s funny and tragic at
the same time. You can read the story here.
Link for the
story: http://www.eastoftheweb.com/short-stories/UBooks/LettUnde.shtml
“Worlds like a Hundred Thousand Pearls” by Aliette de Bodard--This
is the first story I’ve ever read by the speculative fictionista and it won't
be the last. In this story a bereaved parent is offered a choice and the
consequences of that choice are terrible. You can read the story here, and you
can sample her other works at the free speculative fiction online site.
Link for the story:
Link for her entry in the free speculative fiction online
site:
"Death by Scrabble" by Charlie Fish--The word that
comes to mind when you read this story is "clever," the kind of
clever that you can only pull off with a lot of skill. I found this story on
the East of the Web site (read it here) so I don't know exactly when it was
written, but it's the kind of story that should be anthologized and taught in
English class.
the 365 challenge is a good idea - I might take on the 182.5 challenge and see how I go.
ReplyDeletethanks
There's a reason it's called a "challenge." I'm very glad I participated but not sure I'd do it again. At least not formally. But it introduced me to so many writers, both contemporary and not, that it's an experience I'll always cherish.
ReplyDeleteNice list and well reasoned. I've got some catching up to do I see. So many stories, but damn, reading is fun! Thanks Katherine.
ReplyDeleteKatherine's list on 365 inspired me to read a few of this sort of story--something I never do being rooted in reality as a reader ever since Dick and Jane. Could never understand why the other kids found them boring.
ReplyDeleteI made it through 365 too but cannot do it again although I see my reading of shorts falling off badly.