best science fiction horror short stories

One great one is 'The Call of Cthulhu' by H.P. Lovecraft. It combines elements of science fiction with horror. The idea of an ancient, powerful, and otherworldly being waiting to rise again creates a sense of dread. Another is 'I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream' by Harlan Ellison. It's set in a post - apocalyptic world where a malevolent supercomputer torments the last remnants of humanity. The psychological horror and the exploration of what it means to be human in such a situation are very engaging.

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.

You can start by checking out classic anthologies. For example, 'The Mammoth Book of Best New Horror' often includes science - fiction - horror crossovers. Libraries are also a great resource. Librarians can point you to collections that focus on this genre. Another way is to look at online bookstores and search for tags like'science fiction horror short stories'.

Well, 'A Descent into the Maelstrom' is one. It tells of a man caught in a gigantic whirlpool, with Poe using scientific descriptions of the maelstrom's power along with the horror of the situation to grip the reader.

Some of Poe's science - fiction - horror short stories include 'The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar'. In this story, Poe delved into the idea of mesmerism and the suspension of life at the point of death, creating a chilling and thought - provoking narrative that blurs the lines between science and the supernatural.

Well, 'The Thing on the Doorstep' by H.P. Lovecraft is a good horror science fiction short story. It has elements of body horror and the unknown. Then there's 'The Jaunt' by Stephen King. It deals with the concept of teleportation gone wrong and the horrors that lurk in that process. Also, 'The Cold Equations' by Tom Godwin is a thought - provoking one. It presents a moral dilemma in a space - travel - related situation that has a rather horrifying outcome.

One of the best is 'Alien' by Dan O'Bannon. It combines the horror of a terrifying alien creature with the science - fiction setting of a spaceship in deep space. The idea of a parasitic alien that can burst out of a human's chest is both grotesque and terrifying.

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.