The Best Free Short Speculative Fiction of 2022

 

Image Credit: mskathrynne at Pixabay

Welcome to my fourth annual Best Free Short Speculative Fiction list! I saw some success in my own short story writing accomplishments this year. Dark Recesses Press published both “The Grotesque Truth” on the web in February and my flash fiction “With Teeth” in the October print edition. Paradox Ghost Press published my sci-fi horror short “One Hundred Million Mouths” in its October issue of Bleed Error and my story “His Hands May Be Dirty, But His Brain Is Freshly Washed” was published in the December issue of Cosmic Horror Monthly. As all writers should, I spent just as much time reading the past twelve months as I did crafting my own work. My tastes still dwell in the darker corners of genre fiction so with that in mind, I highly recommend the following ten best free speculative short stories of 2022. They’re all available to read at the links below.

 

Beyond the Shore

In a future where viruses have nearly wiped out all humanity, one doctor must face the possibility that extinction is not just inevitable, but enviable. Writer Tania Fordwalker’s melancholy tale can be found in the November issue of Lightspeed.

 

Charlie Eats the Paper Gods

This fun little tale tells of a kindergartener’s belief in and ultimate proof of a mischievous deity who wreaks havoc on the exclusive private school he attends. Author H.L. Fullerton’s vivid picture of religious inclusivity meeting all-powerful reality is found in the Fall issue of Underland Arcana.

 

Sharp Things, Killing Things

This story about small town bullies being haunted by their past cuts deep. Work by author A.C. Wise can be found in most of the top genre lit mags on the market, but this one in the October issue of Nightmare might be my favorite. 

 

Sweetbaby

Author Thomas Ha made my list last year and he’s done it again with this sci-fi tale found in the October issue of Clarkesworld. It’s got interplanetary travel, rebellious robots, monstrous siblings - rebirth has never felt so dismal.

 

Bramblewilde

This short story by author Jordan Taylor could be taken as a prequel to the traditional three witches in a cottage trope. I think any fan of fairy tale witches will enjoy it and it’s found in the July/August issue of Uncanny.

 

To Build Eternity, With Bones

This tale by Gunnar De Winter grabs you with its opening sentence and refuses to let go. A necromancer spurs her crew across the icy sea toward a dark purpose only she can understand and only she is likely to survive in the May issue of The Deadlands.

 

Beginnings

Kristina Ten is another author who showed up on my 2021 list and is back with a story in the April issue of Fantasy. This sad all-too-real tale of toxic masculinity and a lack of acceptance of otherness is sweetened with just the right amount of poetic magic to make it go down like honey followed by a sting.

 

The Bear Across the Way

Fellow Atlanta-based writer Emily Rigole’s first published story landed in one of the best online markets out there and for good reason. Published in PseudoPod 801, this tale of an unusual neighbor brought down by mistrust and deceit hits hard given some of the top news stories of the day.

 

Seven Vampires: A Judge Dee Mystery

Lavie Tidhar’s latest tale of his vampire detective Judge Dee was published in February at Tor.com. Two of his earlier stories made my list last year. This time the Judge and his steadfast human companion Jonathan are escaping Paris with a pack of vampires who wind up murdered one by one. It’s up to the Judge to determine who is behind the deeds and why.

 

To People Who’d Never Known Good

I try to spread the praise across a wide selection of authors in my year-end reviews, but sometimes a writer is so good he/she/they need to be mentioned twice. Thomas Ha delivers again with a tale in the February issue of Beneath Ceaseless Skies. This story of a mother and son who protect planets from plant-like monsters that poison everything their tentacles touch feels like Jeff VanderMeer taking a shot at writing an extended Star Wars universe episode. I loved it.

 

If any of these stories entertain you, you can find more like them at these 20 websites.

https://www.3lobedmag.com/

https://apex-magazine.com/

https://www.beneath-ceaseless-skies.com/

http://clarkesworldmagazine.com/

http://thedarkmagazine.com/

https://darkmattermagazine.com/

https://thedeadlands.com/

https://www.diabolicalplots.com/

https://escapepod.org/

https://ethereamagazine.com

https://www.fantasy-magazine.com/

http://www.kaleidotrope.net/

http://www.lightspeedmagazine.com/

https://magazine.metaphorosis.com/

http://www.nightmare-magazine.com/

http://pseudopod.org/

http://www.strangehorizons.com/

https://www.tor.com/

https://uncannymagazine.com/

https://www.underlandarcana.com/

The Best Free Short Speculative Fiction of 2021

 

Image Credit: Enrique Meseguer at Pixabay

Welcome to my third annual Best Free Short Speculative Fiction list! In regard to my personal writing accomplishments, 2021 was another period of minor victories but still no major breakthrough. My flash fiction piece “The Stony Gaze of Eternity” can be found in the new horror anthology 99 Tiny Terrors alongside stories by authors Cat Rambo, Seanan McGuire, Scott Edelman, Meg Elison, and more. I also sold a story entitled “Children of the Moon” that will come out next year. My tastes still dwell in the realms of horror and darker/grittier sci-fi and fantasy so with that in mind, if you’re looking for more stories to read, I highly recommend the following ten. They’re all free to read and every one of them is excellent. Here is my list of the best free speculative short stories published in 2021.

 

Orla, Always

I’ve read and enjoyed multiple short stories written by Thomas Ha this year. All of them are dark, otherworldly, and thoroughly engrossing. This tale in the latest issue of Metaphorosis explores how far a father will go to save his only child from a horrific disease and death.

 

White Ribbon, Grey Fur

Uncharted is a welcome new entry in the short story market and this twisted tale of living through a deadly epidemic in a world that’s both similar yet weirdly different from our own by Marisca Pichette hits particularly hard given our current COVID plight.

 

The Lonely Box

The Fall issue of Underland Arcana features this melancholy piece of flash fiction by Manfred Gabriel. I think anyone familiar with the heartache of seeing relationships die as time marches past can relate.

 

Judge Dee and the Poisoner of Montmartre

Combine Dracula with Sherlock Holmes and what do you get? It might be something like author Lavie Tidhar’s character, Judge Dee. This tale found on the Tor website of a vampire detective and his long-suffering human familiar Jonathan is highly entertaining and will leave you wanting more.

 

The Nature of Things in Motion

A single-minded robot in post-apocalyptic America befriends a curious boy, doing its best to protect him to the (very) bitter end. Marlan K. Smith paints a dark picture of mindless industry and the fragility of man in the premier issue of Etherea Magazine.

 

We Will Weather One Another Somehow

This tragic sci-fi tale by writer Kristina Ten will ring especially true for anyone who has watched a loved one suffer from a debilitating illness. Poignant and touching, it can be found in the June issue of Diabolical Plots.

 

Brightly, Undiminished

This tale of mourning and magic by Sarah Grey was published in the March issue of Lightspeed Magazine. I don’t know if so many of my picks this year are sad and reflective because of my feelings about the pandemic or because so many great writers out there felt much the same, but this story fits right in.

 

Cleaver, Meat, and Block

Maria Haskins’ post-apocalyptic tale of a young woman coming to terms with the cannibalistic murder of her family is harrowing in a way few short stories can manage. Originally published in 2020 by Black Static, it is available for free in PseudoPod 745.

 

Judge Dee and the Three Deaths of Count Werdenfels

That’s right, author Lavie Tidhar and Tor.com not only earned two places on my list; they did it with the same characters. I can’t get enough of vampire detective Judge Dee’s adventures with his sidekick Jonathan. I could easily picture this becoming an animated series on Netflix or HBO Max in the near future. Sign up Tim Burton to direct, Johnny Depp to voice the judge, and I’m ready to binge watch!

 

Mr. Death

And finally this tale of a harbinger of the afterlife and the moral quandary he must face written by Alix E. Harrow and published in the resurrected Apex Magazine hit me right in the feels. I challenge you to finish this one dry-eyed.

 

If you enjoyed these stories and want to find more great short fiction, check out these 20 websites.

 

https://apex-magazine.com/

https://www.apparitionlit.com/

http://arsenika.ink/

http://clarkesworldmagazine.com/

http://thedarkmagazine.com/

https://darkmattermagazine.com/

https://thedeadlands.com/

https://www.diabolicalplots.com/

https://www.dreamofshadows.co.uk/

https://ethereamagazine.com

http://www.kaleidotrope.net/

http://www.lightspeedmagazine.com/

https://magazine.metaphorosis.com/

http://www.nightmare-magazine.com/

http://pseudopod.org/

http://www.strangehorizons.com/

https://www.tor.com/

https://uncannymagazine.com/

https://www.unchartedmag.com/

https://www.underlandarcana.com/

The Best Free Short Speculative Fiction of 2019

Image Credit: Blackrabbitkdj at Pixabay

As another year comes to a close I look back on it with the pleasure of knowing I’m 25,000 words into writing an occult detective novel that I really like, but also with the knowledge I could and should have written more. I knocked out a few short stories on the side, but I only managed to sell one, “The Money Changer”, to The Weird and Whatnot. Of course just because I didn’t publish much doesn’t mean others didn’t produce a ton of great stories. Keeping in mind that my taste runs toward horror and darker/grittier sci-fi and urban fantasy, here is my list of the best free speculative short stories published in 2019. Grab a beverage, find a comfortable seat, click the free links and enjoy.

Dislocation Space

Published just a few weeks ago on Tor.com, author Garth Nix’s Stalin-era tale of a Russian assassin forced to go on a strange mission does a great job of building suspense.

No Folly of the Beast

Wren Wallis shares a tale that’s equal parts Moby Dick and Pirates of the Caribbean in the November issue of Mithila Review.

Polaroid, 1979

All three stories (and narrated recordings) available in PseudoPod 668 are fun, but my favorite is the second one on the page by Lora Gray. It’s my kind of creepy.

Daughters of Silt and Cedar

The Autumn 2019 issue of Kaleidotrope includes this dark fairy tale written by Rebecca Mix that tells of a young girl abandoned in the swamp only to find a strange new family to call her own.

It Is Not So, It Was Not So

Megan Arkenberg’s ghost story takes some interesting twists and turns. It was published in the August 2019 issue of Dark Magazine.

Body and Soul

Filip Wiltgren’s short sci-fi tale of love and loss was published in July 2019 by Daily Science Fiction.

Threnody for the Little Girl, with Tuna, at the End of the World

I’m cheating a bit since this wonderful piece by Seanan McGuire was first published on her Patreon site in 2016, but to my knowledge, the first time it was offered for free was in the July 2019 issue of Nightmare Magazine.

Black Matter

PseudoPod published some great short horror this year. This tale of a grisly plane crash investigation was included in Pod 655 and was written by Vivian Shaw.

All the Hidden Places

Author Cadwell Turnbull tells the story of a father and daughter trying to survive a post-apocalypse world in the March 2019 issue of Nightmare Magazine.

Burrowing Machines

This tale of a subterranean menace in London was written by Sara Saab and published in the February 2019 issue of Dark Magazine. 

If you enjoyed these tales, you might want to check out the host of websites I reviewed when I made this list. I bet you’ll find even more to enjoy.

https://www.apparitionlit.com/

http://clarkesworldmagazine.com/

https://dailysciencefiction.com/

http://thedarkmagazine.com/

http://escapepod.org/

https://everydayfiction.com/

https://flashfictionmagazine.com/

http://www.kaleidotrope.net/

http://www.lightspeedmagazine.com/

https://mithilareview.com/

http://www.nightmare-magazine.com/

http://pseudopod.org/

http://www.strangehorizons.com/

https://www.tor.com/

https://uncannymagazine.com/

Movies to Watch This Halloween

Image Credit: Universal Pictures

Given how many zombie stories I’ve written, it’s probably no surprise that Halloween is one of my favorite holidays. As I’ve gotten older, the candy has gotten less and less appealing, but the costumes and the decorations never fail to put a smile on my face. While many of us will spend Halloween evening either taking our kids trick-or-treating or handing out candy to others’ kids that knock on the door, that tradition usually ends somewhere around 9 PM. So what to do once the sugar-infused rug-rats finally go to sleep? Watch a scary movie of course! There’s no better weekend for it. Here are my top 10 film recommendations for this Halloween.

Crimson Peak (2015) – This one was just released two weeks ago, but it’s an instant horror classic. If you can manage to schedule a date night this weekend, this is the movie to see. Director Guillermo del Toro, maker of Pan’s Labyrinth, delivers another fantastic film. It’s almost like a new story by Edgar Allen Poe. It’s steeped in gothic horror, has great special effects, and features some wonderful performances, especially by Jessica Chastain.

The Descent (2006) – Writer/director Neil Marshall knows what scares us. One of the most frightening movies ever made, this one takes us on an all-female caving expedition that goes terribly wrong. Not only are our protagonists lost underground in the dark, they’re not alone. The horrific beasts below the earth are hungry and not very picky about what they eat.

1408 (2007) – Based on a short story by author Stephen King, 1408 shows us what happens when a professional debunker of the paranormal runs into the real thing while staying in a haunted hotel. This underrated film stars John Cusack who puts on a fantastic performance as a cynical man forced to face his deepest fears.

28 Days Later (2003) – I have a soft spot for zombies and this is my favorite movie of the genre. Director Danny Boyle delivers a modern take on the sort of film originated by George Romero, but gives it new twists and several well-rounded characters. As chilling as it is exciting, anyone that thinks they know what to expect of the zombie apocalypse should see this one.

The Conjuring (2013) – Blood and gore don’t tend to frighten me so you won’t find serial killers such as Freddy or Jason on my list, but real dread… that’s the stuff of nightmares. This recent offering about a pair of paranormal investigators sent to a haunted farmhouse doesn’t star any big names, but it was a surprise hit at the box office for good reason. It’s scary as hell. 

30 Days of Night (2007) – You can forget pretty vampires feeling sorry for their plight or falling in love with mere mortals. This film based on the graphic novel of the same name shows us what happens when a tribe of truly monstrous bloodsuckers arrives in a remote Alaskan town where the sun won’t rise for a month and every living soul looks like a meal.

Dog Soldiers (2002) – Another film by Neil Marshall, this movie narrowly edges out An American Werewolf in London as my favorite cinematic werewolf tale. A group of soldiers go on a routine training mission in Scotland but wind up being trapped by a pack of lycanthropic enemies that are anything but routine.

Alien (1979) – Every movie-goer knows the name Ridley Scott by now, but Alien was just the director’s second feature length film back in 1979. The terrifying story of Ripley and her crew trying to escape the alien lifeform they find while on a deep-space mission spawned decades of sequels, but the original remains the best of the bunch.

The Thing (1982) – Somehow I missed this one until just a few years ago. If you made the same mistake, this weekend is a great time to remedy the situation. Kurt Russell and a crew of scientists dig up an alien creature in Antarctica that can take the form of anything it absorbs. As you might imagine, trouble (and horror) ensue.

The Shining (1980) – And finally, another tale of haunted hotels by Stephen King to close out my list. The Shining may be older than most of my other choices, but there’s nothing dated about it. Watching the mental deterioration of Jack Nicholson’s character as he goes from loving father to demented murderer while acting as an off-season caretaker is still just as chilling as it was the day the film was released.

The Squatter

Image Credit: Matt Handle

I was recently trying to process all of the senseless killing going on in our country and around the world. What would possess a person to shoot a roomful of kids, purposely crash a plane full of innocent passengers, or push a stranger in front of an oncoming train? How can people be so evil and are they even people at all? Maybe Bill Paxton’s excellent 2001 film, Frailty, got it right. Perhaps these people are really demons in disguise.

I wrote this flash fiction as a result of those thoughts. If you don’t like it, you’re in pretty good company. Nine magazines rejected it. Still, it speaks to me so now I’m sharing it with you.

***

I spotted you easily. Solitary and weak, you separated yourself from the herd. You were an obvious target. You couldn’t see me of course, my camouflage much too sophisticated for your human eyes to decipher. But I saw you. I saw you coming from a mile away.

You with your dull eyes, your doughy flesh, your slovenly attire, and your plodding gait. You had all the tell-tale signs of a once proud species, still holding onto the arrogant belief in your place atop the food chain. I know better. You are sheep, you are antelope, you are a solitary rabbit in a field bereft of burrows. You are prey.

I blew through you like a stark wind. The cold fury of my attack bit through your meager defenses in seconds, eliciting naught but a gasp before I shoved your pathetic soul aside and pulled your stinking body around me like an ill-used secondhand suit.

That wasn’t the culmination of my hunt. It was merely the preparation for the sport that lay ahead. I bided my time. I gorged on your starch-filled pantry day after day. I defiled your flabby wife every night she could be convinced to suffer your body’s feeble and awkward advances. I befouled your toilet more times than I can recall. And now, finally, the time is upon us to conclude our macabre little puppet show.

As I guide your stubby, cholesterol-clogged limbs down the narrow subterranean corridor between railways, I casually choose the instrument of your destruction. The C Train approaches, its brakes squealing like a 42-ton boiling tea kettle. Your end won’t be so clean, not nearly so abrupt. Instead I direct you toward the wizened old man that stands waiting on that train, his gout-suffering feet just a tad too close to the cautionary yellow line painted along the pigeon-besmirched cement. This sad, liver-spotted specimen is even weaker than you, another born victim if I ever saw one.

Just as the lumbering stainless steel behemoth reaches the platform, I force you to shove the old man forward. Like a straw-filled scarecrow loosed from its stake, he flops through the air, arms spread wide as if he might take flight and wing away from this terrible fate. But of course, he does not. The distinct noises of crunching bone and splattering fluid are immediately followed by the horrified blatting of those other sheep that stand witness around us. Their mouths hang open, their eyes wide with shock. And then they all turn to stare accusingly at you. The sound of a siren wails in the distance.

Our dance is now done. I float away from your addled mind and condemned soul just as the authorities arrive, guns drawn and radios blaring. It’s time to find my amusements elsewhere. This world holds so many to choose from.