best fantasy romance short stories

A great example is 'The Snow Queen' by Hans Christian Andersen. It has elements of fantasy like the powerful Snow Queen and her icy realm. The relationship between Gerda and Kay has a strong romantic undercurrent. Gerda's journey to rescue Kay is filled with adventure and her unwavering love makes it a wonderful fantasy romance short story.

You can often find them in anthologies. For example, 'The Year's Best Fantasy and Horror' series usually has some great fantasy romance short stories. Libraries are also a good place to start. They have a wide range of collections that might include such stories.

The best of romance short stories usually have well - developed characters. Take 'The Lady with the Dog' by Anton Chekhov. The characters in this story are complex. Their relationship starts as an affair but gradually develops into something deeper. The story shows how love can be complicated and how two people can change each other. Also, stories that play with the idea of love at first sight, like some fairy - tale - like short stories, are also considered among the best as they give a sense of magic and wonder to the concept of love.

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.

One of the best is 'A Court of Thorns and Roses' series. It has a great blend of fantasy elements like faeries and magic, along with a passionate romance between the main characters. The world - building is so detailed that you can easily get lost in it.

One of the best is 'The Lottery' by Shirley Jackson. It has a deceptively simple premise in a small town but unfolds into a disturbing and thought - provoking fantasy horror. Another great one is 'The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas' by Ursula K. Le Guin. It presents a complex moral and social fantasy scenario that makes the readers question the price of utopia. And then there's 'The Sandman' by E.T.A. Hoffmann which is a classic with its dreamy and mysterious elements that blend the real and the fantastical.

A story about a young wizard who fails all his magic exams at the academy but discovers a unique and ancient form of magic that no one else can do. He then has to prove himself to his skeptical teachers and peers. This could involve him using this new magic to save the academy from a dark force.

Some best fantasy short stories include 'A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings' by Gabriel García Márquez. This story blends the ordinary and the magical in a very unique way. 'The Monkey's Paw' by W.W. Jacobs is also excellent. It shows how a simple wish - granting object can lead to disastrous consequences. And 'The Lady or the Tiger?' by Frank R. Stockton is a thought - provoking fantasy short story that leaves the ending up to the reader.

Some great fantasy magazines to submit short stories to are 'Fantasy & Science Fiction'. It has a long history of publishing high - quality speculative fiction. Another one is 'Clarkesworld', which is known for its diverse range of science fiction and fantasy stories. 'Lightspeed' is also a good choice as it features various sub - genres within the fantasy realm.