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.
You can try websites like Wattpad. It has a large collection of user - generated content, including many free fantasy fiction short stories. Another option is Royal Road, which is popular among the fantasy fiction community for its diverse range of stories.
Some free online fantasy short stories can be of excellent quality. Consider the fact that many new and emerging writers are using the internet as a platform to gain recognition. They put in a great deal of effort into their short stories. Also, some established authors may release free short stories related to their larger works as a teaser. So, you can find really engaging, well - crafted fantasy short stories for free if you look in the right places.
On Wattpad, 'The Black Witch' is quite popular. It features a world full of magic and complex characters. It's a story about a young witch coming of age in a society with a lot of prejudices. There are many plot twists that keep you engaged throughout the story. It also delves into themes like discrimination and power, making it not just a simple fantasy but also a thought - provoking read.
One great free online fantasy story is 'The Kingkiller Chronicle' on Tor.com. It's a very popular series that offers a richly detailed fantasy world. Another is 'The First Law' series which has some free prequel stories available online. These stories are well - written and have engaging characters.
One of the great free ones is 'The Last Question' by Isaac Asimov. It's a profound exploration of the future of humanity and technology. Another good one is 'All You Zombies' by Robert A. Heinlein. It has a mind - bending time - travel plot. And 'Flowers for Algernon' by Daniel Keyes, which is a thought - provoking story about intelligence and humanity, and can be found for free in some online collections.
One benefit is that it's cost - free, allowing you to explore different writing styles and genres without spending money. It also gives exposure to new and emerging writers. You can quickly sample different stories and find new favorite authors.
There are also some public domain websites such as Project Gutenberg. While it may not be solely dedicated to fantasy short stories, you can still find some classic ones there for free. Additionally, many independent authors post their fantasy short stories on their personal blogs or websites for free to gain exposure.
You can try websites like Wattpad. It has a large collection of user - generated fantasy fiction stories for free. There are also many indie author blogs where they share their own free fantasy stories to gain readership.