best fantasy short fiction

One great place is 'Fantasy & Science Fiction' magazine. It has a long history of publishing high - quality fantasy short stories. Another is Tor.com. They are known for promoting a wide range of speculative fiction, including fantasy. And Clarkesworld is also excellent. It has a good reputation for publishing diverse and engaging fantasy short works.

One of the best science fiction short stories is 'I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream' by Harlan Ellison. It's a dark and disturbing look at a future where a malevolent supercomputer has enslaved humanity. For fantasy, 'The Paper Menagerie' by Ken Liu is beautiful. It tells a story of a mother's love and the magic of origami animals coming to life. 'The Emperor's Soul' by Brandon Sanderson is also great, with its unique magic system and complex characters.

Some great ones include 'The Lottery' by Shirley Jackson which blurs the line between normalcy and horror in a small town setting. It has a disturbing yet thought - provoking plot.

Neil Gaiman is a well - known author in this area. His works often blend modern settings with elements of myth and magic, creating unique and engaging stories. Ursula K. Le Guin is also famous. Her stories are known for their deep exploration of different cultures, ethics, and the nature of power within a fantasy framework.

Neil Gaiman often has his short stories available for free on his official website. His works, like 'How to Talk to Girls at Parties', are full of his unique brand of fantasy, blending the ordinary with the extraordinary in a very engaging way. There are also stories on Tor.com. They publish a variety of high - quality fantasy short stories by different authors, and some of them are free to read.

In best fantasy short fiction, Ray Bradbury's 'A Sound of Thunder' is remarkable. The story plays with the concept of time travel and the butterfly effect in a really fascinating way. The small changes in the past leading to huge consequences in the present is a theme that is both thought - provoking and makes for a great read. There are also works like 'The Monkey's Paw' by W.W. Jacobs which is a classic in the genre, with its exploration of wishes and the unexpected and often dark outcomes that follow.

Well, 'The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue' can also be considered. Although it's not strictly pure fantasy, it has elements of magic as the main character makes a deal with a devil - like entity and lives for centuries, seeing the world change in many ways. It was quite popular in 2020.

One of the best books in fantasy fiction is 'The Lord of the Rings' by J.R.R. Tolkien. It has a richly detailed world, complex characters, and an epic adventure. Another great one is 'A Song of Ice and Fire' by George R.R. Martin, known for its political intrigue and diverse characters. 'Harry Potter' series by J.K. Rowling is also a top choice, with its magical world and themes of friendship and good vs. evil.

One great short fantasy story is 'The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas' by Ursula K. Le Guin. It presents a seemingly utopian society with a dark underbelly. Another is 'The Emperor's New Clothes' which, while often seen as a children's story, has strong fantasy elements as it deals with the absurdity of a society that refuses to see the truth. Also, 'The Sandman' by E.T.A. Hoffmann is a classic short fantasy. It's about a man who falls in love with a beautiful but ultimately unobtainable woman created by a magician.

Well, 'The Little Match Girl' by Hans Christian Andersen can be considered a great short fantasy short story. It's a poignant tale where the girl has these visions while freezing in the cold. 'The Sandman' is also a classic in the short fantasy realm. It has an eerie and dream - like quality. Oh, and don't forget 'The Fisherman and His Soul' which is full of rich fantasy elements like mermaids and souls being separated.