A Sci-Fi Shorts Anthology

I must admit this small short stories (60 of them and no longer than 500 words each) was a surprise hit with me the majority interesting, some funny some surprising and a few didn't do it for me; but overall a good little collection from a diverse range of writers. I would call each story the equivalent of haiku for poetry, short sharp and no fluff.

This anthology is a delight to read, especially when you don't have a lot of time to sit down and read long stories. Though most of the plots are simple and some cliche, all of the stories are enjoyable, quick reads that will scratch the scifi itch. There are robots, aliens, monsters, time travel, doppelgangers...what more could you want?

What a great collection of flash fiction! Some stories were truly standout, and all were super quick to read. Some favourites of mine were Drones of the State, The Mermaid Hunter, and Sample number One. There were many really great stories, some with better writing than others. I pretty much devoured this content as it was so entertaining. I would rate these stories between 2 to 5 stars, so my 4 star rating reflects this

This is the first time that I'm reading flash fiction and at first the limitation to 500 words per shortstory felt very extreme to me. I was surprised at what can be done in such a short time. I think that especially the sci-fi genre is perfect for flash fiction. We can imagine something that resembles our own world but has something more, for example a new scientific discovery. The themes are just so well executed in this collection. For example, I still think about a certain scientists who wanted to warp through a wall, but his atoms got stuck. This collection is also perfect to read at night on your kindle when you are in that limbo state of falling asleep. Just one more chapter? No, just one more flash short please.

There are 60 short stories in this book, some are quite good, others their end surprised me, and some I didn’t really care for them, but its normal in such a big collection, my favourites where, “the mermaid hunter (this one was funny in a really gruesome way”, “time objects” (funny irony), “mission 54: the silent station” ( this one made me laugh out loud), “ the way up, the way down” (this one was a sad love story), “lawbreakers” (law physic’s and time travel what could possibly go wrong), “a time travel paradox” (terrifying tale of time travel) and “alone no more” (this one I wish the author could continue telling the story of what the main character would find).

I actually liked the stories in the book, even some that I am not mentioning here, and almost all, had a definitive ending feel to them, my main complain would be about the colour used to write in the pictures, its way too dark, for me to be able to read the story title and author and in some I couldn’t make the author name, I had to put the kindle brightness in the max and even then I couldn’t read properly… that really brings the evaluation down, In other hand, I did like the classic feel of the drawings that were utilized. That’s the reason for the 3.5 stars that were converted in 4 stars…

Thank you netgalley for the opportunity and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

To parts unknown, to wonder, to fear, to love, and to adventure. A great collection of fantastical science fiction to scratch any nerdy readers' itch.

Sci-fi shorts is a collection of stories that are 500 words or less. It’s a neat concept and it works well, introducing us to some great authors.

The majority of stories feel like snippets, tasters, and snapshots. It’s a platter of hors-d’oeuvres to whet the appetite and salivate the imagination. Variety is the biggest strength of this collection. Ideas take forms that range from plot-heavy time travel to character-rich body-horror.

Most of these shorts included a twist, which is impressive to say there are so few words on show. Some managed to reach depths that left my heart beating. And a couple of standouts stayed with me long after I finished reading, which was an unexpected treat.

As with all short fiction, the desire to read more is always lingering. To make up for this, a biography of every author is included with their stories so you can investigate what more they have to offer. I found this helpful, and I’ll definitely be keeping a lookout for some of the authors featuring here to see what else they release in future.

Another excellent part of this book is the accompanying artwork. I loved how the illustrations gave a classic, golden-age feel to each story.

Reading this collection is like peering at a jewellery counter. There’s a great variety and range to catch the eye. Each story is a gem, but some shine more than others. If you’re happy browsing, you’ll love this anthology.

This anthology of flash science fiction provides several amuse-bouche for those craving a quick diversion from present reality. Great for a quick read, this anthology provides stories that can be read in five minutes or less. Perfect for those. with a short attention span or too many interruptions in life for a good sit-down. This smorgasbord of science fiction shorts will give you your fix and help you find new authors to follow. Several of the authors include a link to their site in the 1-3 line bio at the end of each tale.