If you ever wanted to start reading science fiction, but simply don’t know where to start, short stories are the perfect option. Impactful, surprising, innovative. Short stories will allow you to explore the genre without having to commit to entire epic sagas. These are five recommendations to begin your journey. To begin with, a classic. Asimov is famous for writing some of the most meaningful science fiction short stories of all time. In Nightfall, readers travel to the planet of Lagash. Orbited by six suns, Lagash has never seen night. But as the dawn of the smallest sun approaches, an astronomer, a journalist, and a psychologist find themselves on the brink of madness. With excellent worldbuilding and intricate exploration of one of humanity's deeper fears, Nightfall is a must-read for anyone who wants to enter the dimension of science fiction. TW: claustrophobia, nyctophobia. #2 The Wandering Earth by Liu Cixin Liu Cixin The author of the highly-acclaimed book, The Three Body Problem, first released a collection of ten short stories called The Wandering Earth. Throughout each story, he navigates the cosmos as it intertwines with the possible futures of planet Earth. What will become of human ethics when the sun threatens to destroy the planet? Is the mission to escape Earth a possibility? Liu Cixin applies the theories of science to stories infused with human synergy, and makes us reflect on the future with a mysterious yet tender perspective. #3 There Are No Butterflies on Proxima B by Kyle Robert Annasenz To conclude our galactic trip, we travel to Proxima B with Tina, who writes a letter to her schoolmate, Jon. This story is short and bittersweet, a peek into a family that is struggling to maintain their bond in the search of a home beyond earth. Reading about space travel from the perspective of a child becomes innocent and melancholic. #4 Amnesty by Octavia E. Butler Striking and daring, Octavia E. Butler wrote some of the most outstanding pieces in science fiction, both in short and long form, and received the Hugo Award and the Nebula award multiple times during her career. In Amnesty, the reader joins Noah in her fraught negotiations with a most unlikely alien species. The short story is part of a collection named Bloodchild and Other Stories, in which she explores science fiction through oftentimes chilling essays and short stories. #5 Fried Rice by Shih-Li Kow In a future in which every family can use technology to complete house chores, CookBot cannot seem to get fried rice right. Or at least that is what the protagonist’s father says. How could it replicate Mother’s recipe? The flash fiction piece allows us to enter an intimate family dynamic and their relationship with grief through traditional food (and of course, hints of innovation). Are you ready to explore the future? In less than an hour, each piece will transport you to an immersive experience in science fiction. The genre allows you to look into both global issues and human relationships in an ever-evolving universe. I encourage you to give it a try! Paula Argudois an Ecuadorian writer who weaves culture and magic into her stories. Her work has been featured in literary magazines such as SeaGlass Literary and Ice Lolly Review, and she was an international finalist in the Metamorphosis contest. When not writing, you can find her dancing, baking, or daydreaming
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