A consultant discovers how to communicate effectively with ancient, alien beings who have an entirely different perspective on the universe. A human dies, then becomes a hero for taking action after his death. Hard choices must be made to save loved ones. When trying to prevent imminent death, insanity becomes a real asset. Aliens explore humans' need for independence and attachment. A transport worker must balance the needs of the few against those of the many.Journey into the las...

Fantastic Stories of the Imagination, edited by Hugo and Wold Fantasy Award nominated editor Warren Lapine, brings you the very best in science fiction and fantasy. Join us as we explore strange new worlds. Original Short Story: Heartless by Krystal Claxton A woman of power ministers to a broken heart, risking her own in the process. Original Short Story: Underworld by Katherine Mankiller A teen grapples with dark forces to save the only family he’s ever known. Short Story: Backlash by Nan...

Forever is a monthly science fiction magazine that features previously published stories you might have missed. Each issue will feature a novella, two short stories, and cover art by Ron Guyatt. Edited by the Hugo and World Fantasy Award winning editor of Clarkesworld Magazine, Neil Clarke.Our June 2021 issue features "The Martian Job" by Jaine Fenn, "The Tumbledowns of Cleopatra Abyss" by David Brin, and "The Cyborg and the Cemetery" by Nancy Fulda.

The Hugo Award is one of the most prestigious speculative fiction literary awards. Every year, supporting members of WorldCon nominate their favorite stories first published during the previous year to determine the top five in each category for the final Hugo Award ballot. Between the announcement of the ballot and the Hugo Award ceremony at WorldCon, these works often become the center of much attention (and contention) across fandom.But there are more stories loved by the Hugo v...

The must-read prequel to JLA's addictive Covenant Series.For three years, Alexandria has lived among mortals - pretending to be like them and trying to forget the duty she'd been trained to fulfil as a child of a mortal and a demigod. At seventeen, she's pretty much accepted that she's a freak by mortal standards... and that she'll never be prepared for that duty.According to her mother, that's a good thing.But as every descendent of the gods knows,...

For decades now Gardner Dozois has been presenting his annual selection of the very best of recently published SF stories, both byoutstanding up-and-coming writers and undisputed masters of the genre. It has been voted Year's Best Anthology by the readers of Locus magazine an unparalleled eighteen times and remains the definitive anthology for both diehard sci-fi fans and newcomers to the genre.Without fail, Dozois pinpoints the previous year's most exciting and ambitious ...

Bright lights, big city . . . magic spells, witchcraft, wizardry, fairies, devilry, and more. Urban living, at least in fantasy fiction, is full of both magical wonder and dark enchantment. Street kids may have supernatural beings to protect them or have such powers themselves. Brujeria may be part of your way of life. Crimes can be caused (and solved) with occult arts and even a losing sports team's "curse" can be lifted with wizardry. And be careful of what cab you call—it might take you...

"Not since the Martian and Andy Weir has there been a better science fiction combination.""If you think you know plots, I dare you to figure this one out before the conclusion."Charles Martins, prisoner number 61789, is serving time in a body suit—a prison cell that he wears 24/7. One part prison cell, one part life support system, it takes care of every biological need, provides video for re-education, and even gives him psycho therapy fro...

A terrible event leaves Sean Phillips disfigured when he is only seventeen. In the weeks following the incident he creates an adventure game he calls the 'Trace Italian', where players awake in an apocalyptic America and make their way to safety across an irradiated landscape, decision by difficult decision. The years pass and Sean lives a quiet life enriched by his games. But when a pair of teenage sweethearts try to seek the Trace in the real world their actions prove fatal, and Sean is ...

Move over, urban fantasy—here comes suburban fantasy. What self-respecting witch, vampire, or werewolf would be caught dead—or undead—anywhere but the Big City, you may ask Look, let's give the uncanny crew a little credit for intelligence: If they had the smarts to see the advantage in packing up and moving into the cities, why wouldn't they have the smarts to move out of said cities if it looked like they could get a better quality-of-life/death elsewhere (Tough enough going about your o...

Since 2006, Clarkesworld Magazine has been entertaining science fiction and fantasy fans with their brand of unique science fiction and fantasy stories. Collected here are all of the stories this Hugo Award-winning magazine published during their eighth year. Includes stories by Michael Swanwick, Yoon Ha Lee, Robert Reed, Susan Palwick, Sean Williams, N.K. Jemisin, James Patrick Kelly, E. Lily Yu, Ken Liu, Xia Jia, Seth Dickinson, Juliette Wade, Matthew Kressel, and many more!&nbs...

Stories by N.K. Jemisin, Dale Bailey, Peter S. Beagle, and more: "Showcases the nuanced, playful, ever-expanding definitions of the genre." — The Washington PostScience fiction and fantasy can encompass so much, from far-future deep-space sagas to quiet contemporary tales to unreal kingdoms and beasts. But what the best of these stories do is the same across the genres—they illuminate the whole gamut of the human experience, inter...