SCIENCE FICTION

I really really love SF, as it turns out. I just finished reading The Year's Best Science Fiction: Twenty-Fourth Annual Collection, and the last story freaked me right out (ghost hospital ship that makes zombies (sort of) = gaak). I'm glad I have got my sleep schedule all turned around (AGAIN), because it meant I got to read it daylight. Even if no one else was home.

Anyway, this is only the second one of these anthologies I've actually read all the way through, because they always end up being due at the library before I've finished them, even when I renew them three times. And then I never remember where in the book I was, so I don't get the same ones out again because OH NO I might actually read the same stories again. Which wouldn't be a bad thing, but I don't always think things all the way through.

ANYWAY, every so often (when reading these sorts of books) I find a story that I just LOVE in a very special way, so I'm going to start compiling a list of my very favourite stories so that I can read them again without having to comb the internet to find out where exactly I read them in the first place, and what exactly they are called. This is going to be a list of favourite SHORT STORIES, not novels or authors because then I would be THE MOST DISTRACTED and would find twelve million books I want to read again, and pile them in my bed and then I would have nowhere to sleep. Except the couch. (Which is currently two small couches pushed together, and is actually really comfy.)

ANYWAY.

The very first favouritest story is available for your reading pleasure online. (Hurrah!) It is called Second Person, Present Tense and it is by Daryl Gregory. READ IT ONLINE RIGHT NOW.

The second story is about teenage girls. I have to admit that I have a strong weakness for science fiction about teenage girls (not as strong as my weakness for science fiction about girls WHO ARE EXACTLY MY AGE, but it's definitely up there). Even if you don't like teenage girls you might like this story anyway (plus it's a short story, so what have you got to loose?). Unfortunately, I couldn't find it online, so you might have to head to a library for this one: Hives, by Kara Dalkey. It's published in Firebirds Rising, which has some other good stories in it too!

The third story has a silly story that goes with it. I first read this story at the library in high school and it was SO EXCITING but then I returned the book and I looked and looked and looked but I just couldn't find it again (I couldn't remember what it was called), and it was a very upsetting time for me. I forgot about it and then remembered again, then forgot, then remembered when I started thinking about this list. Apparently since the last time I looked for this story I've learned to use google properly, because I found title/author on the first try. I then googled around but couldn't find it online, so I checked, and sure enough, it was on my computer. And has been on my computer for at least three years. I just reread it - and it's a nice story, but not nearly as awesomely mind-blowing as I remember it being in high school. But it still gets a place on the list because it stuck in my head for so long. Why I Left Harry's All-Night Hamburgers by Lawrence Watt-Evans.

The fourth story I couldn't find online, but I've told it to people out loud (without the book) and they still thought it was cool, so it has to be worthwhile, right? I thought it was a really cute story (but apparently I have an odd idea of what cute means). Zima Blue by Alastair Reynolds. It's been published a few different places, so give it a google and hopefully something will pop up.

The final story (for now - I'm pretty sure there are other stories that I can't remember right now because I've been awake for a little too long) I just read YESTERDAY so I'm still all excited about it and have been spoiling it for all my friends. THAT WILL TEACH THEM TO TALK TO ME. This story involves the words "aviatrix" and "non-Euclidean geometry," so you know it's totally rad. The Pacific Mystery by Stephen Baxter. (ETA: you can read it here!)

Go forth and read these stories! Otherwise you will be sad and I will be sad and we'll just be the biggest bundle of sad, and it will start snowing again, and it will STAY WINTER FOREVER. Like in Narnia but with sad overtones instead of christian ones.