I really like 'The Lottery' by Shirley Jackson. It's a short but very impactful story. It makes you think about the dark side of human nature and how blindly following traditions can lead to horrible outcomes.
One of the stories could be about time travel. It could show how a character goes back in time and accidentally changes a small event, which then has a huge impact on the future. These types of stories are common in science fiction short stories as they allow for a lot of creativity and exploration of cause - and - effect relationships.
One of the great ones could be 'The Cold Equations' which presents a moral dilemma in a space - faring context. It shows the harshness of the laws of the universe when a stowaway on a spaceship must be jettisoned to save the mission.
Some of the top short story science - fiction books include 'Ender's Game' by Orson Scott Card. The short stories in it expand on the Ender's universe in interesting ways. 'Solaris' by Stanislaw Lem is also excellent. Its short stories explore complex ideas about alien intelligence. Additionally, 'The Stars My Destination' by Alfred Bester has some really engaging short stories that are full of action and unique concepts.
Some of the best short science fiction books include 'Ender's Game' by Orson Scott Card. It's a short novel that packs a lot of action and moral exploration. 'A Sound of Thunder' by Ray Bradbury is another gem. It's about the consequences of time travel. And 'The Cold Equations' by Tom Godwin is a classic short science fiction. It's a very tense story about a spaceship's life - or - death situation.
One great option is 'The Martian Chronicles' by Ray Bradbury. It's a collection of short stories that explore the colonization of Mars in a really imaginative way. Another is 'I, Robot' by Isaac Asimov. It has a series of short stories about robots and their relationship with humans, with Asimov's famous Three Laws of Robotics at the core. Also, 'Nine Tomorrows' by Asimov contains some brilliant science - fiction short stories that cover various futuristic concepts.
'All Systems Red' was also very popular. The concept of an android with its own thoughts and the way it interacts with others made it stand out. People really liked the character - driven story. For example, the android's journey of self - discovery in a dangerous and unknown universe was very engaging.
Some of the great science fiction books from 2017 could include 'The Collapsing Empire' by John Scalzi. It has an interesting concept of an interstellar empire on the verge of collapse. Another might be 'Artemis' by Andy Weir, which takes place on a lunar colony and has a great story about a woman trying to make her mark in a unique environment.
The best places? Well, first, there's 'Uncanny Magazine'. They publish really interesting science fiction short stories and are known for their high - quality content. Then there are the anthologies. For instance, 'The Year's Best Science Fiction' anthology series. If your story gets selected for one of these, it can gain a lot of visibility. And of course, self - publishing on platforms like Smashwords can also be a viable option if you want more control over your work.
Well, there are several good places. 'Lightspeed Magazine' is quite popular. They are always on the lookout for fresh and engaging science fiction short stories. Then, there's 'Apex Magazine'. They often feature unique and thought - provoking science fiction works. Also, don't forget about online platforms like Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing. You can self - publish your short stories there and reach a wide audience.