It is the second Sunday of the of the month and once again time for Short Story Sunday, where I feature some of the short stories I read during the previous week/weekend. It just so happens that this week every story I read, even those I read in book form, are available online should any catch your eye.

Best Science Fiction Stories was my lunchtime companion several days this past week and I managed to delve into The World Turned Upside Down, a science fiction collection edited by Flint, Drake and Baen, for the remainder of my sci fi short story reads.

Neutron Star by Larry Niven (3.5/5 stars)

–1966, If magazine
–12 pages
–1967 Hugo Award for Best Short Story

I have read a couple dozen Niven short stories in the past that all have to do with the Draco Tavern. This was the first story I recall reading that had specific reference to the Known Universe of Larry Niven’s Ringworld stories. Someone more versed than me could probably tell you whether this story would be considered in the ‘hard’ sf category or not. In my loose definitions I generally consider a story with a lot of scientific plot to be ‘hard’ and so I would categorize this story that way. However, that didn’t put me off enjoying this story of Beowulf Shaeffer, an out-of-work, highly-in-debt former pilot who is approached by a representative from a ships hull firm to go out to a neutron star to investigate the mystery of why two researchers met their death as they went out to study it.

The story is told in ‘present’ time as Shaeffer orbits the neutron star and also in flashbacks as Shaeffer reveals the events that led him to this very dangerous point in his life. The suspense leading up to the climactic event is really quite good. The denouement has some nice humor in it but was tied up a little to briskly and off hand, hence the rating. The story can be found online here and makes for a fairly quick and entertaining read.

You can check out Rusty’s review on The Best Science Fiction Stories website here.
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The Father Thing by Philip K. Dick (4.25/5 stars)

–1954, Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction
–10 pages

From the opening page:

“He’s in the garage,” Charles said. “But–he’s talking to himself”.

“Talking to himself!” Mrs. Walton removed her bright plastic apron and hung it over the doorknob. “Ted? Why, he never talks to himself. Go tell him to come in here”. She poured boiling black coffee in the little blue-and-white china cups and began ladling out creamed corn. “What’s wrong with you? Go tell him!”

“I don’t know which one of the to tell”, Charles blurted out desperately. “They both look alike.”

Very eerie. The kind of story to tell the kids at night if you want to scare the crap out of them. Some slight problems with execution–a few clunky sentences–but overall a quick, creepy tale of stolen identity. Picture a Leave it to Beaver episode written by H.P. Lovecraft.

This story can be found online free here.

Be sure to check out Rusty’s review here.

My favorite line in the story: …her matronly bosom fluttered with sudden alarm. LOL!
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The Menace From Earth ~Robert A. Heinlein (4.5/5 stars)

–1957, Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction
–23 pages

If you were at all intrigued by my recent review of John Scalzi’s book, Zoe’s Tale, because of its teenage female protagonist then this entertaining space teen romance is right up your alley.

Though written in the 1950’s, Menace From Earth feels very contemporary. Holly Jones is 15 years old and is a ‘loonie’, born and raised on the moon in Luna City. Between school and her part time job she has little time to do anything else, except design spaceships with her best friend Jeff Hardesty. When a beautiful older ‘groundhog’ (Earthside) woman comes for a vacation to Luna City, Jones begins to see her future plans slipping away.

With the obvious exception of one comment (voiced by another female character), Heinlein expertly captures the sass and attitude of this charming teenage girl. The description of life on Luna City sets the imagination soaring and if ‘flying’ really existed I might never go back to work!

You can read this for yourself right here.
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Answer ~Frederic Brown (4.5/5 stars)

–1954, Angels and Spaceships
–1 page

This is my first sampling of the prolific short story output of Frederic Brown. It will not be my last. With only 245 words, this is more of a ‘scene’ than a ‘story’, but it is no less entertaining for all of that.

Answer does not break new ground, similar themes have long been a convention of science fiction, but it does manage to be both humorous and scary at the same time.

Read it!

You’ll enjoy it.
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The Last Question ~Isaac Asimov (3.25/5 stars)

–1956, Science Fiction Quarterly
–11 pages

I read this story in World Turned Upside Down. Its placement, immediately following Answer, actually hurt the story in my estimation. It is a longer story, mostly filled with conversation, that is thematically similar to Answer.

The Last Question covers a long span of future history in which a supercomputer is repeatedly asked a question about the end of the universe. Do not misunderstand me, I did enjoy this story. It is the end, that final line, that ultimately makes this a thought-provoking and interesting story.

I would certainly recommend reading both it and Answer to compare the two…only not back to back.

You can read The Last Question here and for a better perspective on the story check out Rusty’s review here.
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The Home Team ~Greg Wickenhofer

–2008, AntipodeanSF website
–2 pages, 513 words

Rusty featured this quick, slick example of Flash Fiction on his site earlier this week. It is a fun, acerbic tale in which Wickenhofer does not waste a word. This is the tongue-in-cheek futuristic version of The Brave Little Toaster….think of it as The Sarcastic Little Toaster!

Like Answer, it will take you almost no time to read this story and yet you will be thoroughly entertained. And you will not look at your appliances the same way ever again. 🙂

You can read The Home Team here and again I’ll point you to Rusty’s review here.
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I do not consider myself a fan of reading stories online. In the past week, however, I have read some very brief short stories that are well worth reading as well as overcoming prejudices against non-traditional reading mediums.

I am not sure what you do with short story recommendations, whether they come from me or anyone else. You may not want to try all of these. In fact you may not want to try any of them. All I can say is that I read Answer, The Home Team, and The Father-Thing aloud to my wife and daughter after enjoying them myself and they were highly entertained.

And if you do not think that science fiction is for you, in short story or other forms, but you do like young adult fiction, I would highly recommend Menace from Earth.

If you do read any of these, please come back and share your thoughts. Agree or disagree, I would love to know what you think.

And at the risk of being accused of self-promotion, if you missed this week’s Friday Favorite, be sure to take the time to check out the amazing artwork by some of the most talented classic and contemporary book illustrators. You will not be disappointed.