Beyond Reality discussion

As described in the Short Story Discussions FAQ/Q&A thread, this will be the place to suggest any and all sf/f short stories you would like to read and discuss with the group. Please feel free to suggest as many or as few stories as you like, whenever you like. Tell us why you liked the story or what interests you in reading it, perhaps a bit about the author...whatever might entice other group members to want to read the story, too.

I will compile the stories into this first post as a Master List from which to pick each month's selections. Bring on the stories!


MASTER STORY LIST - last update: January 19, 2011

Isaac Asimov - Nightfall (print, PDF format) / Nightfall (audio, Escape Pod podcast) (Kernos)
Paolo Bacigalupi - The Fluted Girl (Stefan)
Paolo Bacigalupi - The People of Sand and Slag (Stefan)
Kage Baker - The Empress of Mars (Chris)
Lois McMaster Bujold - The Mountains of Mourning (Phoenixfalls)
Jim Butcher - Restoration of Faith (Colleen ~blackrose~) (Jan. 2011 pick)
Ted Chiang - Understand (Stefan) (Nov. 2010 pick)
Susanna Clarke - The Duke of Wellington Misplaces His Horse (Colleen ~blackrose~)
Neil Gaiman - I Cthulhu (Random)
Neil Gaiman - A Study in Emerald (PDF) (Random) (Oct. 2010 pick)
Joanne Harris - Rainy Days and Mondays (Colleen ~blackrose~)
Joanne Harris - The Ghost of Christmas Past and Present (Colleen ~blackrose~) (December 2010 pick)
Kij Johnson - 26 Monkeys, Also the Abyss (Sarah Pi)
Ursula K. Le Guin - The Seasons of the Ansarac (Diane)
James Tiptree, Jr. - The Women Men Don’t See (Nick)
James Tiptree, Jr. - Painwise (Nick)

Oh goody, I get to be the first.

Neil Gaiman has a few of his stories available on his website.
http://www.neilgaiman.com/p/Cool_Stuf...

I'd recommend I Cthulhu and A Study in Emerald

In my opinion, Neil excels when it comes to short stories and I found the two listed above to be excellent.

I was going to recommend I Cthulhu and A Study in Emerald, but Random beat me to it - so I'll enthusiastically second them.

Also, I submit:

Restoration of Faith by Jim Butcher. A Dresen short story which takes place before the first novel in the series. It's a good introduction to the world and the character.

Joanne Harris short stories. I've read four of them so far (Rainy days and mondays, The Ghosts of Christmas Past and Present, Ugly Sister, The Guaranteed Eternal Life Assurance Company) - and I enjoyed them all. Sort of on the boundaries of spec-fic, maybe, though I think they qualify. 'The Ghosts of Christmas Past and Present' was really touching, and might be worth considering for December. *shrugs* It's really, really short, though.

Those Neil Gaiman stories are so good I will hold off suggesting the ones I thought of till next time.

Laura wrote: "Those Neil Gaiman stories are so good I will hold off suggesting the ones I thought of till next time."

Laura, please suggest stories anytime! We are collecting a master list to choose from each month, not having a session of nominating/voting each month.

According to "Wikipedia" 2 of my favorite James Tiptree Jr. short stories are online: "The Women Men Don't See" and "Painwise."

Here, I found this website:

http://links.freesfonline.de/NewAddit...

They seem to have a good list, and let you know if the format the story is in.

They have Kage Baker up. How about her "Emperess of Mars"?

Chris wrote: "Here, I found this website:

http://links.freesfonline.de/NewAddit...
"

Chris: I have that site listed as the first link in the story sites thread, and I agree it's a great site. I've been using them it for quite a while now myself.

By the way - I'll compile these suggestions every so many days, in batches. These all sound great so far, folks. Keep 'em comin'!

Here's one I've been wanting to re-read and discuss for a while:

Ted Chiang, "Understand"

http://www.infinityplus.co.uk/stories...

I believe his Stories of Your Life: and Others is due to be re-released by Small Beer Press soon. I've never read the entire collection, but the one or two stories I've read from it were simply stunning.

Great choice, Stefan! I've ordered the Small Beer Press edition and cannot wait to read them.

Ok, folks. I've compiled this first batch of suggestions into the master list. I am organizing things simply by author's surname. I've noted who originally suggested each story, just so you can have a reminder of what you've suggested (as I know Stefan wants to periodically clean up this thread by deleting messages once stories are on the list.)

Please note that if you named several stories by an author, I chose a couple to put on the list to keep it tidy and will put the author's page on the Story Sites list so people can find more of the author's work.

I'd like to recommend Ursula K. LeGuin's story the Seasons of the Ansarac, available at Infinite Matrix:

http://www.infinitematrix.net/stories...

I must recommend a couple really awesome books.

MetatropolisThis is a compilation of pure delight! The idea itself is relatively unknown. The editor(Scalzi who is also one of the writers) mentions one other book that used a similar type of format, but that is it. Such originality should be highly praised and, even higher-encouraged with joy. especially around such literary geniuses as these. The intent of the book was to create between the authors an earth that is plausibly in our future,One that held connections. Both to the past and the future.And yet also between people. Something we had better to wake up and realize we are losing.The authors then went out and wrote about the cities on that earth. The changes, and similarities we share with them. A great variety of types of stories. All the authors

Other Earths I searched for this book without knowing Jay Lakes work or worth. I couldn't have been happier than to find out a book I had wanted to read (and hoped I would enjoy) was by one of my fav' artists in this (or any, for that matter) genre. A book that looks at the question - what if it didn't happen?- What if Europeans hadn't come across and taken over North America... What if WWII didn't end with the Allies winning.... What if slavery was never really ended.. Or womens' rights were never released back to them... All perfectly good questions, ones we will never see then answer to unless we learn to 'jump Universes'. Read it. One of the best books out there, and not only because Jay Lake's name in on the cover.

The Collected Short Fiction of C.J. Cherryh The Collected Short Fiction of C.J. Cherryh
Another blow out what's left of your brain, awesome writing. Although I had never read any of Cherryh's work before, as far as I know, But I am totally enamoured with her style and prose. Her cities of tomorrow are vibrant, her words provoke sensory hallucinations. I cannot recomend this book enough. It should be atop of this list, but I went through my read books shelf and therefore they are only in order of having been read and not because of 'this writer/book is better than the last or next one B.S.'

Long Walks, Last Flights & Other Strange Journeys by Ken Scholes Long Walks, Last Flights & Other Strange Journeys
AS I quote in my review, Another reviewer stated that the only word left to describe Ken Scholes, is WOW After finishing this book I was actually thinking of reading it a second time. That has only happened to me with two other books. Considering I read approx. 7-12 books a week, that's saying a lot. Even if I only use the word WOW. I must add that one of the stories is based on his love of his wife... Damn Kenny, got an unattached brother? Or friend with your type of ideals? Tell your wife I said how lucky she really is. We all hear 'write what you know, and Ken Scholes knows love. Real-take a plasma rifle shot to the chest for her-can't think of any other reason to breathe except because of the joy you bring each other- love. Not a lot of stories I cry from.
I must also add (No, I am NOT here to hype any sites.. but TOR.com has many awesome short stories by their best authors. Free to download, read there, or listen to. A few Goodreads authors have stuff there. Jay Lake and Ken Scholes both have great stories available there check it out.
Hope you enjoy these books/stories even half as much as I did.

The Duke of Wellington Misplaces His Horse by Susanna Clarke (author of Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell)

I haven't read the story - just came across it today on the site for Strange & Norrell.

Kelly wrote: "I must recommend a couple really awesome books.

MetatropolisThis is a compilation of pure delight! The idea itself is relatively unknown. The editor(Scalzi who is also one of the w..."

Kelly - Some of those look great! I have one on my TBR list already and will be adding at least one of the others. However, this thread/discussion series is limited only to stories available online for free, not in books. So, your Tor.com suggestion is most pertinent (and the site is already on our list of sites!) If any of the stories contained in any of the books you linked can be found for free and entire online, please let us know, and I'll add them to the list; there are some great authors involved.

If anyone comes across any other stories they would like to share and/or discuss, please don't forget to suggest them here anytime. I'd like to compile as long a list as possible so we have a good-sized pool to draw a "Day 20" story from each month.

How about "The Mountains of Mourning" by Lois McMaster Bujold? It's available on Baen's website for free here: http://www.baen.com/library/101125000...

I'm currently reading Pump Six and Other Stories by Paolo Bacigalupi. The stories range from great to simply stunning, but one of them, "Pop Squad", is a standout that really affected me personally. Unfortunately that story is not available online, so instead I'll nominate two other stories from the collection that are available on the author's website:

The Fluted Girl: http://windupstories.com/pumpsix/the-...
The People of Sand and Slag: http://windupstories.com/pumpsix/the-...

I really wish "Pop Squad" was available because, my goodness, I don't think I will ever forget it.

I'd like to recommend 26 Monkeys, Also the Abyss by Kij Johnson.
http://www.asimovs.com/nebulas09/26mo...

I would recommend the great Asimov short story Nightfall (not the novel or the movie)

I'm just bumping this up to remind people to post if they come across any great stories they would like to discuss with the group. We've deviated from our general format for several months, but I'd like to get us back on track now. :)

- Sarah Pi - The link for 26 Monkeys..." has gone dead, so I've removed it from the master list. I'll look for an alternate link, and please let me know if you find one first.

Edit to add: Sarah Pi, I've found the story on the author's website and am adding it back to the list with the updated link.


- Kernos - You didn't provide a link to Asimov's Nightfall, and I must admit I completely forgot I was going to search for one! I have found both print and audio online and am adding them to the list.

Thanks!

I love short stories. No idea why. My husband isn't enthusiastic about them at all, but something about the quick reads just appeals to me.

I'd like to recommend a few stories for your reading list. I didn't see any Jay Lake (my apologies if any of these have already been read). He published this one in Daily Science Fiction and it's one of my favorites there:

http://dailysciencefiction.com/scienc...

But the stories I really like are his "Dark Town" set. There's two online:
"Sloe-Eyed Jacks and Homicide Kings", Chiaroscuro, January, 2004 (online); now at http://web.archive.org/web/2004040319...
(That's a way-back machine link or it goes there or something)

and

"Mr. Scalpel and Mr. Gloves and the Cancer at the Heart of the World", Fusing Horizons #3, July, 2004; reprinted (online) at Revolution SF http://www.revolutionsf.com/article.p...

The Lizard of Ooze is online as well, but I personally think it's better to read the God-Clown before that one, so I haven't included the link.

Did you all read Elizabeth Bear's Tideline? It was a hugo award nominee in 2008. If not, I'd recommend that one as well. I think it might be my favorite short story ever. But I can only find the escapepod audio online anymore (http://escapepod.org/2008/04/24/ep155...) I guess she took it down from her site...

And... I really like T.C. Boyle. He's not a genre author, but he writes some magic realism, which I'm sure fits under the speculative label.

Unfortunately, this one is less speculative, but maybe there's enough science in it to get away with it anyway:

http://www.newyorker.com/archive/2004...

And this one is just odd, very standard Boyle fare, I think:
http://www.nytimes.com/books/first/b/...

Anyway just a few thoughts.

Hi guys, my book "Evocation: The First AI Stories collection" is , as the tile implies, a set of sci fi short stories. I would very much like for all of you to read it and tell me your thoughts. It's FREE today and tomorrow at Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B07463X2HN/

Inspired by classic sci fi with a dash of neo noir, these are the stories of a near future where everything is controlled by artificial intelligence, from the colonies on Mars to the City-States of Earth. AI entities are gaining consciousness real fast inside the Net, a huge, interconnected virtual world; and more than a few of them want out. However, some humans disagree...

Get to know some of the characters in this collection of short stories: Louis, a French hard-boiled detective on Mars, Talos, an armored Spider-Tank operating in space, and the mysterious being known only as "Entity1"...

Included in this book:

Shiva’s Awakening. Shiva’s destiny is to answer questions. But who chose this destiny for him? Now, he wants out.

The Last Temptation. Follow Joshua’s adventure trying to reign on a misbehaving and domineering AI.

The Otherworldly Being. Samantha is a VR dream-world scientist who discovers, the hard way, that the mind is a complex thing.

Entity One. A tragic man’s quest for creating true artificial intelligence consciousness.

Talos. It was an easy mission for a Spider-Tank. But it all went to hell.

Moon Bride. She’s beautiful. She’s deadly. She’s sweet. She’s also synthetic.

Fallen Angel. A desperate plan to avoid a large scale conflict.

The struggle for the definition of the future is at hand. Which side will you choose? Are you sure?

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B07463X2HN/

Don't forget to leave me a review, please!
Sergio