Best Way to Discover SF Short Stories

stonetools · 06-13-2012, 01:20 PM

What's a good way to discover SF short stories?

1.There are the various annual best-of round ups. Which is the best?

.2. You can subscribe to the (dwindling) number of traditional SF mags. I've subscribed to the electronic version of Asimov's , but frankly, that's my way just to support the continued existence of sf magazines.
3. There are a bunch of sites that offer original sf, but they come and they go. Can anyone frecommend their favorite sites for discovering sf stories?
4. Any other way I missed?

Section8 · 06-13-2012, 10:12 PM

For #1, I have loved Gardner Dozois's doorstops since the 80's - although I've just purchased one of Jonathon Strahan's anthologies from Baen. I occasionally read a magazine, but don't have enough spare reading time for a subscription - I just buy an occasional issue of Asimov's.

dwig · 06-13-2012, 10:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stonetools

...3. There are a bunch of sites that offer original sf, but they come and they go. Can anyone frecommend their favorite sites for discovering sf stories? ...

I've discovered a number of newer authors through the podcasts EscapePod and StarShip Sofa. Long ago and far away, I was a faithful reader of the Hugo Winners (originally edited by Isaac Asimov) and Nebula Winners collections. I found a number of authors that way.

charlesatan · 06-13-2012, 10:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stonetools

What's a good way to discover SF short stories?

1.There are the various annual best-of round ups. Which is the best?

Neither is the best. It all depends on taste.

Right now the only one doing a "pure" SF is Gardner Dozois. Honestly not my type.

Combinations of SF & Fantasy are Jonathan Strahan and Rich Horton. Each of them (they're both reviewers for Locus) have different aesthetics though, so their anthologies aren't duplicates.

More conservative, I'd lean towards Strahan. More literary, probably Horton.

Quote:

3. There are a bunch of sites that offer original sf, but they come and they go. Can anyone frecommend their favorite sites for discovering sf stories?

For free magazines, I'd go Clarkesworld, Lightspeed, Daily SF, Apex Magazine, etc.

There's also podcasts-only sites like Escape Pod and Sofanauts.

Quote:

4. Any other way I missed?

Purchase editor's anthologies and authors's short story collections.

There's a Kij Johnson collection coming out this year from Small Beer Press for example...

kennyc · 06-14-2012, 12:09 PM

I always read Gardner's Annual Year's Best, as much for his analysis of the genre each year as well as the stories. My tastes seem to match his more than some of the other anthologies.

Another good place to look is the Locus selections/awards/lists and the SFWA lists/nominees.

RobertLCollins · 06-14-2012, 01:32 PM

Even though it's a writers' market site, try checking Ralan (www.ralan.com). It lists SF/F/H magazines, and has links to the websites of the magazines. You might be surprised at how many you can read for free.

Another category to check at Ralan are "Anthologies" and "Small Press." I know some small presses put out short story collections.

Smashwords classifies ebooks by length. "Short" is 20K words and under. Combine with genre, and you should be able to locate individual short stories in the SF/F genres.

dadioflex · 06-15-2012, 05:20 AM

I'm biased cos I read the slush there but Ray Gun Revival tries to recapture the spirit of the golden age SF over at:

http://www.raygunrevival.com/

They publish one new story a week and there are a couple of on-going books being serialized.

This was a recent-ish anomaly. Normally it's a fairly PG-13 site but this is noir SF with an edge you normally see in the crime pulps:

http://www.raygunrevival.com/the-kin...n-andy-henion/

Mike Resnick is published there quite regularly:

http://www.raygunrevival.com/tag/mike-resnick/

While not exactly the polar opposite of Clarke's World (which I greatly admire) we generally publish a "type" of story which tends more to action than some of the more intellectual stories you'd find in CW.

SF is a 100 genres within a genre (with a fractional readership as is) so you'd need to let us know what you like before we can direct you.

kennyc · 06-15-2012, 07:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dadioflex

....

SF is a 100 genres within a genre (with a fractional readership as is) so you'd need to let us know what you like before we can direct you.

This is truth.

kennyc · 06-15-2012, 07:59 AM

Might try this: http://www.sfsignal.com/archives/200...ort_sf_online/

Nancy Fulda · 06-15-2012, 09:14 AM

In this world of ebooks and ereaders, many authors are releasing their own collections and standalone shorts. I know that Nebula nominee Ruth Nestvold and Nebula winner Eric James Stone have both done free ebook promotions at Amazon, for example.

kennyc · 06-15-2012, 11:12 AM

Also one could do worse than to read "Sense of Wonder" which is discussed in this thread: https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=179543

It contains many of the classic sf stories as well as much discussion of the sf field.

charlesatan · 06-17-2012, 10:55 PM

Nancy's a wonderful short fiction writer too, including her award-nominated "Movement".

Saw Nestvold's eBooks but the problem with Amazon's promotions is that they're limited to 5 days within the KDP Select period (3 months), so you could easily miss their freebies if you're not tuned it at the right moment.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nancy Fulda

In this world of ebooks and ereaders, many authors are releasing their own collections and standalone shorts. I know that Nebula nominee Ruth Nestvold and Nebula winner Eric James Stone have both done free ebook promotions at Amazon, for example.

Blue Tyson · 06-17-2012, 10:59 PM

Or browse at these :- Lots of free :-

http://freesf.strandedinoz.com/freesflist.html

http://www.freesfonline.de/

BenG · 06-22-2012, 10:25 AM

This blog has some links to free science fiction shorts including some classics.

http://bestsciencefictionstories.com/category/free/

Greg Anos · 06-22-2012, 07:32 PM

Stonetools, does it have to be new, or just "new to you?"

For the latter, I recommend short story collections by old big name authors. Not too many are on e-books but...

Since you convey that you like style-driven literature, I recommend Jack Vance's The Moon Moth and Other Stories (E-book at his website, no-DRM, various formats.)

Cordwainer Smith (total oveure - 37 stories) at Baen Books, $12 for total works, two volumes.

Harlan Ellison - The Deathbird

On paper, The Science Fiction Hall Of Fame. (Three Volumes)

The Collected Short Stories of Theodore Sturgeon - particularly Volumes 5, 10 and 11.

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06-13-2012, 01:20 PM	#1
stonetools Wizard Posts: 2,016 Karma: 2838487 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Washington, DC Device: Ipad, IPhone	Best Way to Discover SF Short Stories What's a good way to discover SF short stories? 1.There are the various annual best-of round ups. Which is the best? .2. You can subscribe to the (dwindling) number of traditional SF mags. I've subscribed to the electronic version of Asimov's , but frankly, that's my way just to support the continued existence of sf magazines. 3. There are a bunch of sites that offer original sf, but they come and they go. Can anyone frecommend their favorite sites for discovering sf stories? 4. Any other way I missed?

06-13-2012, 10:12 PM	#2
Section8 Addict Posts: 260 Karma: 2092424 Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Arlington, TX Device: Kindle PW4, Moon+ Reader on a cheap Android tablet	For #1, I have loved Gardner Dozois's doorstops since the 80's - although I've just purchased one of Jonathon Strahan's anthologies from Baen. I occasionally read a magazine, but don't have enough spare reading time for a subscription - I just buy an occasional issue of Asimov's.

06-14-2012, 12:09 PM	#5
kennyc The Dank Side of the Moon Posts: 35,891 Karma: 119230421 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Denver, CO Device: Kindle2; Kindle Fire	I always read Gardner's Annual Year's Best, as much for his analysis of the genre each year as well as the stories. My tastes seem to match his more than some of the other anthologies. Another good place to look is the Locus selections/awards/lists and the SFWA lists/nominees.

06-14-2012, 01:32 PM	#6
RobertLCollins Groupie Posts: 155 Karma: 1735704 Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Kansas Device: iPhone	Even though it's a writers' market site, try checking Ralan (www.ralan.com). It lists SF/F/H magazines, and has links to the websites of the magazines. You might be surprised at how many you can read for free. Another category to check at Ralan are "Anthologies" and "Small Press." I know some small presses put out short story collections. Smashwords classifies ebooks by length. "Short" is 20K words and under. Combine with genre, and you should be able to locate individual short stories in the SF/F genres.

06-15-2012, 05:20 AM	#7
dadioflex Dyslexic Count Posts: 526 Karma: 5041991 Join Date: Aug 2008 Device: Palm TX, Advent Vega, iPad, iPod Touch, Kindle	I'm biased cos I read the slush there but Ray Gun Revival tries to recapture the spirit of the golden age SF over at: http://www.raygunrevival.com/ They publish one new story a week and there are a couple of on-going books being serialized. This was a recent-ish anomaly. Normally it's a fairly PG-13 site but this is noir SF with an edge you normally see in the crime pulps: http://www.raygunrevival.com/the-kin...n-andy-henion/ Mike Resnick is published there quite regularly: http://www.raygunrevival.com/tag/mike-resnick/ While not exactly the polar opposite of Clarke's World (which I greatly admire) we generally publish a "type" of story which tends more to action than some of the more intellectual stories you'd find in CW. SF is a 100 genres within a genre (with a fractional readership as is) so you'd need to let us know what you like before we can direct you.

06-15-2012, 07:59 AM	#9
kennyc The Dank Side of the Moon Posts: 35,891 Karma: 119230421 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Denver, CO Device: Kindle2; Kindle Fire	Might try this: http://www.sfsignal.com/archives/200...ort_sf_online/

06-15-2012, 09:14 AM	#10
Nancy Fulda I write stories. Posts: 700 Karma: 16437432 Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Northern Germany Device: kindle	In this world of ebooks and ereaders, many authors are releasing their own collections and standalone shorts. I know that Nebula nominee Ruth Nestvold and Nebula winner Eric James Stone have both done free ebook promotions at Amazon, for example.

06-15-2012, 11:12 AM	#11
kennyc The Dank Side of the Moon Posts: 35,891 Karma: 119230421 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Denver, CO Device: Kindle2; Kindle Fire	Also one could do worse than to read "Sense of Wonder" which is discussed in this thread: https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=179543 It contains many of the classic sf stories as well as much discussion of the sf field.

06-17-2012, 10:59 PM	#13
Blue Tyson Blue Captain Posts: 1,595 Karma: 5000236 Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Australia Device: Kindle Keyboard 3G,Huawei Ideos X3,Kobo Mini	Or browse at these :- Lots of free :- http://freesf.strandedinoz.com/freesflist.html http://www.freesfonline.de/

06-22-2012, 10:25 AM	#14
BenG Home Guard Posts: 4,730 Karma: 86721650 Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Alpha Ralpha Boulevard Device: Kindle Oasis 3G, iPhone 6	This blog has some links to free science fiction shorts including some classics. http://bestsciencefictionstories.com/category/free/

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06-22-2012, 07:32 PM	#15
Greg Anos Grand Sorcerer Posts: 11,507 Karma: 37057604 Join Date: Jan 2008 Device: Pocketbook	Stonetools, does it have to be new, or just "new to you?" For the latter, I recommend short story collections by old big name authors. Not too many are on e-books but... Since you convey that you like style-driven literature, I recommend Jack Vance's The Moon Moth and Other Stories (E-book at his website, no-DRM, various formats.) Cordwainer Smith (total oveure - 37 stories) at Baen Books, $12 for total works, two volumes. Harlan Ellison - The Deathbird On paper, The Science Fiction Hall Of Fame. (Three Volumes) The Collected Short Stories of Theodore Sturgeon - particularly Volumes 5, 10 and 11.