Great Science Fiction Short Stories

These are stories I ranked as "great" on reading or re-reading well over 1,000 sci-fi short stories since about 2020. I used a very broad four-tier ranking system (great, good, ok, not worth it). Most stories are from 1930-1975.

Format: Author: Title (year written/published) Theme(s). Notes

Authors who regularly wrote under a pseudonym are not indicated. For example, James Tiptree, Jr., the primary pseudonym of Alice Bradley Sheldon, is left as Tiptree, without comment. Similarly, Lewis Padgett (the commonly used pseudonym for C. L. Moore and her husband Henry Kuttner) is not commented on, but when they used the rare pseudonym of Lawrence O'Donnell, that is noted. Also noted: if the story was published under different names at different times, such as Campbell's Who Goes There? which was originally published under the Don A. Stuart pseudonym but is usually found with Campbell's byline.

The Theme listed for each story are selected from a list, and so are fairly rudimentary. They are also sometimes idiosyncratic. They are not meant to convey details about the story.

Notes are only provided when necessar; for example, to indicate a story is a novella or short novel.

You can also view this list arranged chronologically.

Where can you find these stories if you want to read them?

If you search The Internet Speculative Fiction Database you can find all of the places a story was published, from magazines to anthologies. Many of the early sci-fi magazines have been scanned into the Internet Archive. I also find some used bookstores to be goldmines for sci-fi anthologies.

Alphabetically by Author List

1. Brian Aldiss: Poor Little Warrior (1958) Theme: time travel
2. Brian Aldiss: FOAM (1991) Theme: vision of the future, inventions
3. Poul Anderson: Genius (1948) Theme: super-genius
4. Poul Anderson: Kings Who Die (1962) Themes: space travel, weapons of war
5. Poul Anderson: The Horn of Time the Hunter (1963) Theme: we're the aliens. Also published as Homo Aquaticus
6. Poul Anderson: Eutopia (1967) Theme: different dimensions
7. Pauline Ashwell: Unwilling to School (1958) Themes: super genius, humor. Novella
8. Isaac Asimov: Robbie (1940) Theme: robot(s)
9. Isaac Asimov: Liar! (1941) Theme: robot(s)
10. Isaac Asimov: Nightfall (1941) Theme: apocalyptic, alien world
11. Isaac Asimov: Runaround (1942) Theme: robot(s)
12. Isaac Asimov: Catch the Rabbit (1944) Theme: robot(s)
13. Isaac Asimov: Blind Alley (1945) Theme: alien(s)
14. Isaac Asimov: Escape! (1945) Themes: space travel, robot(s)
15. Isaac Asimov: Evidence (1946) Theme: robot(s)
16. Isaac Asimov: Little Lost Robot (1947) Theme: robot(s)
17. Hilary Bailey: The Fall of Frenchy Steiner (1964) Theme: alternate past
18. J. G. Ballard: Prima Belladonna (1956) Themes: strange Earthlife, mutant
19. J. G. Ballard: The Voices of Time (1960) Themes: mutant or mutation, vision of the future
20. J. G. Ballard: The Drowned Giant (1964) Theme: strange Earthlife
21. John Baxter: The Hands (1965) Themes: we're the aliens, alien(s)
22. Alfred Bester: Hobson's Choice (1952) Theme: time travel
23. Alfred Bester: Fondly Fahrenheit (1954) Theme: robot(s)
24. Alfred Bester: The Stars My Destination (1956) Themes: space travel, teleportation. Short novel.
25. Alfred Bester: They Don't Make Life Like They Used To (1963) Theme: post-apocalyptic
26. Jerome Bixby: It's a Good Life (1953) Theme: mutant or mutation
27. Jorge Luis Borges: Tlon, Uqbar, Orbis Tertius (1940) Theme: fictitious alien world
28. Jorge Luis Borges: The Aleph (1945) Theme: different dimensions
29. Anthony Boucher: Q. U. R. (1943) Theme: robot(s)
30. Anthony Boucher: The Quest for Saint Aquin (1951) Theme: robot(s), oppressive society
31. Leigh Brackett: The Halfling (1943) Theme: alien(s)
32. Leigh Brackett: The Queer Ones (1957) Theme: alien(s)
33. Ray Bradbury: The Million-Year Picnic (1946) Theme: Mars.
34. Ray Bradbury: The Earth Men (1948) Theme: Mars
35. Ray Bradbury: Mars is Heaven! (1948) Theme: Mars. In the Martian Chronicles, this story is called The Third Expedition
36. Ray Bradbury: And the Moon Be Still as Bright (1948) Theme: Mars
37. Ray Bradbury: Kaleidoscope (1949) Theme: space travel
38. Ray Bradbury: Forever and the Earth (1950) Themes: time travel, story about writing a story
39. Ray Bradbury: The Martian (1950) Theme: Mars
40. Ray Bradbury: Night Meeting (1950) Theme: Mars
41. Ray Bradbury: Way in the Middle of the Air (1950) Theme: Mars
42. Ray Bradbury: There Will Comes Soft Rains (1950) Theme: post-apocalyptic
43. Ray Bradbury: A Sound of Thunder (1952) Theme: time travel
44. Ray Bradbury: All Summer in a Day (1954) Theme: Venus
45. Fredric Brown: Arena (1944) Theme: alien(s)
46. Fredric Brown: Puppet Show (1962) Themes: alien(s), join the federation, humor
47. Rosel George Brown: Of All Possible Worlds (1961) Theme: alien(s)
48. Algis Budrys: To Civilize (1954) Themes: aliens(s), join the federation
49. Algis Budrys: Silent Brother (1956) Themes: alien(s), space travel
50. Otis Kidwell Burger: The Pleaides (1963) Theme: extended life
51. Octavia E. Butler: Speech Sounds (1983) Theme: post-apocalyptic
52. Octavia E. Butler: Bloodchild (1984) Theme: alien(s)
53. John W. Campbell, Jr.: Who Goes There? (1938) Themes: alien(s), possession. Originally published under the pseudonym as Don A. Stuart.
54. Terry Carr: Ozymandias (1972) Theme: post-apocalyptic
55. C. J. Cherryh: The Scapegoat (1985) Theme: alien(s)
56. Ted Chiang: Story of Your Life (1998) Theme: alien(s)
57. M. Lucie Chin: The Best is Yet to Be (1978) Theme: extended life
58. Arthur C. Clarke: The Nine Billion Names of God (1953) Theme: apocalyptic
59. Arthur C. Clarke: Sunjammer (1964) Theme: space travel, future sport
60. James S. A. Corey: Judas Iscariot Didn't Kill Himself: A Story in Fragments (2024) Themes: inventions, cyborg
61. Roald Dahl: The Sound Machine (1949) Theme: inventions
62. Avram Davidson: What Strange Stars and Skies (1963) Theme: alien(s)
63. Samuel R. Delany: Aye, and Gomorrah… (1967) Theme: space travel, pantropy
64. Samuel R. Delany: High Weir (1968) Theme: Mars
65. Philip K. Dick: Autofac (1955) Theme: post-apocalyptic
66. Philip K. Dick: Faith of Our Fathers (1967) Theme: alien(s)
67. Gordon R. Dickson: Jean Dupres (1970) Theme: alien(s)
68. Thomas M. Disch: Things Lost (1972) Themes: extended life, space travel
69. Cory Doctorow: Craphound (1998) Theme: alien(s)
70. Sonya Dorman: The Putnam Tradition (1963) Theme: mutant or mutation
71. Sonya Dorman: When I Was Miss Dow (1966) Theme: alien(s)
72. S. N. Dyer: Passing as a Flower in the City of the Dead (1984) Theme: relationship, extended life
73. Gordon Eklund and Gregory Benford: If the Stars Are Gods (1974) Theme: alien(s)
74. Harlan Ellison: "Repent, Harlequin!" Said the Ticktockman (1965) Theme: repressive society
75. Harlan Ellison: On the Downhill Side (1972) Theme: ghost story
76. Carol Emchwiller: Pelt (1958) Themes: alien(s), we're the aliens
77. M. J. Engh: We Serve the Star of Freedom (1964) Theme: alien(s). Initially published under the pseudonym Jane Beauclerk.
78. Philip Jose Farmer: Riders of the Purple Wage (or The Great Gavage) (1967) Theme: vision of the future
79. Jack Finney: The Third Level (1950) Theme: time travel
80. Sever Gansovsky: Day of Wrath (1965) Themes: unusual sentience, mutant or mutation
81. Alice Glaser: The Tunnel Ahead (1961) Theme: overpopulation
82. Tom Godwin: The Cold Equations (1954) Theme: space travel
83. Edmond Hamilton: Exile (1943) Theme: different dimensions
84. Edmond Hamilton: What's It Like Out There? (1952) Theme: space travel, Mars
85. Edmond Hamilton: Requiem (1962) Theme: space travel
86. Jacqueline Harpman: I Who Have Never Known Men (1995) Theme: post-apocalyptic. Short novel
87. Robert A. Heinlein: Goldfish Bowl (1942) Theme: alien(s). Originally published under the pseudonym as Anson Macdonald.
88. Robert A. Heinlein: The Green Hills of Earth (1947) Theme: space travel
89. Robert A. Heinlein: In Our Fair City (1949) Themes: unusual sentience, humor
90. Zenna Henderson: Ararat (1952) Themes: alien(s), relationship
91. Zenna Henderson: Anything Box (1956) Theme: virtual reality?
92. P. M. Hubbard: The Golden Brick (1963) Theme: extended life
93. N. K. Jemisin: One the Banks of the River Lex (2010) Theme: post-apocalyptic
94. N. K. Jemisin: Valedictorian (2014) Themes: post-apocalyptic, virtual reality
95. N. K. Jemisin: The Evaluators (2016) Themes: human colony, alien(s)
96. Colin Kapp: The Subways of Tazoo (1965) Themes: alien(s), inventions
97. Daniel Keyes: Flowers for Algernon (1959) Theme: super genius
98. Damon Knight: Rule Golden (1954) Theme: alien(s). Novella
99. Damon Knight: The Country of the Kind (1955) Theme: mutant or mutation
100. Damon Knight: Stranger Station (1956) Theme: alien(s)
101. C. M. Kornbluth: The Little Black Bag (1950) Theme: time travel
102. C. M. Kornbluth: Gomez (1954) Themes: time travel, inventions
103. C. M. Kornbluth: The Cosmic Expense Account (1956) Themes: super genius, humor
104. Henry Kuttner: Call Him Demon (1946) Theme: alien(s)
105. Henry Kuttner: Happy Ending (1948) Themes: time travel, robot(s)
106. Henry Kuttner and C. L. Moore: Vintage Season (1946) Theme: time travel. Published under the pseudonym Lawrence O'Donnell
107. George Langelaan: The Fly (1957) Theme: invention(s)
108. Tanith Lee: Crying in the Rain (1989) Theme: post-apocalyptic
109. Ursula K. Le Guin: Darkness Box (1963) Theme: time statis
110. Ursula K. Le Guin: Nine Lives (1969) Theme: clones, extraterrestrial mining
111. Ursula K. Le Guin: Winter's King (1969) Theme: power struggle
112. Ursula K. Le Guin: Vaster Than Empires and More Slow (1971) Themes: alien(s), unusual sentience
113. Ursula K. Le Guin: The Day Before the Revolution (1974) Theme: power struggle
114. Fritz Leiber, Jr.: The Man Who Never Grew Young (1947) Theme: extended life
115. Fritz Leiber, Jr.: Coming Attraction (1950) Theme: vision of the future
116. Fritz Leiber, Jr.: A Bad Day for Sales (1953) Theme: robot(s)
117. Fritz Leiber, Jr.: Gonna Foll the Bones (1967) Theme: entertainment gone bad
118. Murray Leinster: Sidewise in Time (1934) Theme: time travel. Novella
119. Murray Leinster: First Contact (1945) Theme: alien(s)
120. Murray Leinster: A Logic Named Joe (1946) Themes: robot(s), humor.
121. Stanislaw Lem: Solaris (1961) Theme: alien(s). Short novel
122. Jack Lewis: Who's Cribbing? (1953) Theme: time travel
123. H. P. Lovecraft: The Color Out of Space (1927) Theme: alien(s)
124. Katherine MacLean: Contagion (1950) Themes: human colony, relationship
125. Katherine MacLean: Incommunicado (1950) Theme: space travel
126. Katherine MacLean: Games (1953) Theme: mindreading
127. Katherine MacLean: Unhuman Sacrifice (1958) Theme: alien(s)
128. Barry N. Malzberg: A Galaxy Called Rome (1975) Themes: space travel, story about writing a story
129. Judith Merril: That Only a Mother (1948) Theme: mutant or mutation
130. Judith Merril: Project Nursemaid (1955) Theme: Moon
131. Judith Merril: Wish Upon a Star (1958) Theme: generation ship
132. Michael Moorcock: The Frozen Cardinal (1987) Theme: human colony (survey team)
133. C. L. Moore: No Woman Born (1944) Theme: cyborg. Novella.
134. Robert Nathan: Digging the Weans (1956) Theme: post-apocalyptic
135. Chad Oliver: Let Me Live in a House (1954) Themes: alien(s), space travel
136. Robertson Osborne: Contact, Incorporated (1949) Theme: alien(s). Also published as Action on Azura.
137. Lewis Padgett: Line to Tomorrow (1941) Theme: time travel, precognition
138. Lewis Padgett: Mimsy Were the Borogoves (1943) Theme: different dimensions
139. Lewis Padgett: The Proud Robot (1943) Theme: robot(s), humor
140. Lewis Padgett: When the Bough Breaks (1944) Theme: super genius
141. Lewis Padgett: What You Need (1945) Theme: precognition, invention(s)
142. Lewis Padgett: Ex Machina (1948) Themes: robot(s), humor
143. Edgar Pangborn: Angel's Egg (1951) Theme: alien(s)
144. Edgar Pangborn: The Music Master of Babylon (1954) Theme: post-apocalyptic
145. Peter Phillips: Manna (1949) Themes: time travel, ghost story
146. Jane Rice: The White Pony (1960) Themes: post-apocalyptic, relationship
147. Howard Rodman: The Man Who Went to the Moon - Twice (1967) Theme: space travel
148. Joanna Russ: Gleepsite (1971) Theme: post-apocalyptic
149. Joanna Russ: The Extraordinary Voyages of Amelie Bertrand (1979) Theme: time travel
150. Margaret St. Clair: Prott (1953) Theme: alien(s)
151. Margaret St. Clair: Short in the Chest (1954) Themes: robot(s), humor
152. Margaret St. Clair: Change the Sky (1955) Themes: space travel, invention(s). Initially published under the pseudonym Idris Seabright
153. James H. Schmitz: Grandpa (1955) Themes: alien(s), human colony
154. Robin Scott: The Big Connection (1970) Themes: inventions, humor
155. Michael Shaara: All the Way Back (1952) Theme: we're the aliens
156. Pamela Sargent: Fears (1972) Theme: repressive society
157. Bob Shaw: Light of Other Days (1966) Theme: inventions
158. T. L. Sherred: E if for Effort (1947) Theme: invention(s)
159. Kathleen M. Sidney: The Anthropologist (1975) Theme: alien(s)
160. Clifford D. Simak: Huddling Place (1944) Theme: Mars, vision of the future
161. Clifford D. Simak: Desertion (1944) Theme: unusual sentience, pantropy
162. Clifford D. Simak: Immigrant (1954) Themes: alien(s), mindreading
163. Cliffor D. Simak: The World That Couldn't Be (1958) Theme: alien(s), human colony. Novella
164. Cliffor D. Simak: Final Gentleman (1959) Theme: alien(s). Novella
165. Vandana Singh: The Tetrahedron (2005) Theme: different dimensions
166. Cordwainer Smith: Scanners Live in Vain (1948) Themes: space travel, pantropy
167. Cordwainer Smith: Alpha Ralpha Boulevard (1961) Theme: vision of the future
168. Evelyn E. Smith: The Princess and the Physicist (1955) Themes: alien(s), humor
169. Evelyn E. Smith: Once a Greech (1957) Theme: alien(s)
170. Boris Strugatsky and Arkady Strugatsky: Roadside Picnic (1972) Theme: alien(s). Short novel
171. Theodore Sturgeon: Cargo (1940) Theme: ghost story
172. Theodore Sturgeon: Microcosmic God (1941) Theme: super genius, invention(s)
173. Theodore Sturgeon: Yesterday Was Monday (1941) Theme: time travel.
174. Theodore Sturgeon: Thunder and Roses (1947) Theme: apocalyptic
175. Theodore Sturgeon: There is No Defense (1949) Themes: alien(s), weapons of war
176. Theodore Sturgeon: The Hurkle is a Happy Beast (1949) Theme: alien(s), humor
177. Theodore Sturgeon: The Dreaming Jewels (1950) Theme: unusual sentience. Short novel.
178. Theodore Sturgeon: The Education of Dursilla Strange (1954) Theme: alien(s)
179. Theodore Sturgeon: The [Widget], the [Wadget], and Boff (1955) Theme: alien(s)
180. Theodore Sturgeon: The Other Man (1956) Themes: future psychology. Novella
181. Theodore Sturgeon: The Skills of Xanadu (1956) Themes: human colony, unusual sentience
182. Theordore Sturgeon: Need (1960) Theme: precognition. Novella
183. Theodore Sturgeon: When You Care, When You Love (1962) Theme: relationship
184. William Tenn: The Liberation of Earth (1953) Themes: alien(s), apocalyptic, dark humor.
185. Walter Tevis: The Ifth of Oofth (1957) Themes: different dimensions, apocalyptic
186. James Tiptree, Jr.: The Snows Are Melted, The Snows Are Gone (1970) Themes: post-apocalyptic, post-industrial, mutant or mutation
187. James Tiptree, Jr.: And I Awoke and Found Me Here on the Cold Hill's Side (1972): Theme: alien(s)
188. James Tiptree, Jr.: The Women Men Don't See (1973) Theme: alien(s)
189. James Tiptree, Jr.: The Screwfly Solution (1977) Theme: apocalyptic. Initially published under the pseudonym Raccoona Sheldon.
190. Yasutaka Tsutsui: Standing Woman (1974) Theme: repressive society
191. E. C. Tubb: Umbrella in the Sky (1961) Theme: pre-apocalyptic
192. Leonard Tushnet: In re Glover (1972) Themes: extended life, humor
193. Mark Twain: From the London Times of 1904 (1898) Themes: mental powers, humor
194. Jack Vance: Winner Lose All (1951) Theme: alien(s)
195. Julia Verlanger: The Bubbles (1956) Theme: post-apocalyptic
196. A. E. van Vogt: The Weapon Shop (1942) Theme: power struggle. There is also a longer version titled The Weapon Shops of Isher
197. A. E. van Vogt: The Search (1943) Theme: time travel
198. A. E. van Vogt: The Enchanted Village (1950) Theme: Mars
199. Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.: The Big Space Fuck (1972) Themes: overpopulation, humor
200. Stanley G. Weinbaum: A Martian Odyssey (1934) Theme: Mars
201. H. G. Wells: The Time Machine (1895) Theme: time travel. Novella
202. H. G. Wells: The Remarkable Case of Davidson's Eyes (1895) Theme: unusual sentience
203. H. G. Wells: The Man Who Could Work Miracles (1895) Themes: invention, humor
204. James White: Sector General (1957) Themes: vision of the future, alien(s). Novella
205. Kate Wilhelm: Staras Flonderans (1966) Themes: alien(s), space travel
206. Kate Wilhelm: The Funeral (1972) Theme: repressive society
207. Jack Williamson: With Folded Hands (1947) Theme: robot(s)
208. Mari Wolf: The First Day of Spring (1954) Theme: human colony
209. Gene Wolfe: The Fifth Head of Cerberus (1972) Themes: clones, robot(s). Novella.
210. Will Worthington: Plenitude (1959) Themes: post-apocalyptic, post-industrial
211. Roger Zelazny: A Rose for Ecclesiastes (1963) Theme: Mars