{"id":336,"date":"2010-08-03T05:44:58","date_gmt":"2010-08-03T05:44:58","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.revolutionsf.com\/revblogs\/geekcurmudgeon\/2010\/08\/03\/my-top-ten-favorite-science-fiction-short-stories\/"},"modified":"2012-08-17T05:18:38","modified_gmt":"2012-08-17T05:18:38","slug":"my-top-ten-favorite-science-fiction-short-stories","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.revolutionsf.com\/revblogs\/geekcurmudgeon\/2010\/08\/03\/my-top-ten-favorite-science-fiction-short-stories\/","title":{"rendered":"My top ten favorite science fiction short stories"},"content":{"rendered":"

Rattling around in the only, old attic I have, I root through the thousands of documents on my hard drive. Most of the stuff I recognize immediately, but occasionally among the half-formed scribblings, I run across files like this: top_ten_favorite_science_fiction_short_stories.doc<\/p>\n

For the life of me, I can’t recall who I was producing this piece for. Opening the .doc offered only a few clues.<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Quote:<\/b><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
My top ten favorite science fiction short stories<\/span><\/p>\n

by Rick Klaw<\/p>\n

I approached this list as if putting together an anthology of my favorite science fiction short stories. In no way do these tales offer a complete best of sf short stories and are colored by my own tastes and prejudices. This list is in no particular order except as they occurred to me (or as I ran across them in my own book collection).<\/p>\n

\n\u201cArena\u201d by Frederic Brown<\/p>\n

"\u2014All You Zombies\u2014" by Robert Heinlein<\/p>\n

\u201cMicrocosmic God\u201d by Theodore Sturgeon<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Paycheck\u201d by Philip K. Dick<\/p>\n

\u201cBurning Chrome\u201d by William Gibson<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Assassination of John Fitzgerald Kennedy Considered as a Downhill Motor Race\u201d by J. G. Ballard<\/p>\n

\u201cUgly Chickens\u201d by Howard Waldrop<\/p>\n

\u201cLove Is the Plan the Plan Is Death\u201d by James Tiptree, Jr.<\/p>\n

\u201cI Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream\u201d by Harlan Ellison<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas\u201d by Ursula K. Le Guin<\/p>\n

\nProfessional reviewer, geek maven, and optimistic curmudgeon, Rick Klaw has supplied countless science fiction-related reviews and essays for a variety of publications including The Greenwood Encyclopedia of Science Fiction and Fantasy<\/span>, SF Site<\/span>, Science Fiction Weekly<\/span>, Locus Online<\/span>, Moving Pictures<\/span>, King Kong Is Back!<\/span>, Conversations With Texas Writers<\/span>, Farscape Forever<\/span>, Nova Express<\/span>, and Steampunk<\/span>. He currently serves as a contributing editor to the popular science fiction site, RevolutionSF.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n

<\/p>\n

\nMy best guess is that I produced this piece as a sidebar for a non-genre publication (all the selections except may be the Ballard were "safe" and controversy-free; would have pushed the envelope more for a genre market). A quick Google search brought up nothing.<\/p>\n

Regardless of the piece’s genesis or eventual origin, I figured y’all might get a kick out of my favorite short stories. Nothing terribly controversial nor unexpected there. I’m sure if asked again, I’d pick different stories. All depends on what I’ve got in arms reach when putting together the list and how I’m feeling that day.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Rattling around in the only, old attic I have, I root through the thousands of documents on my hard drive. 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