Showing results by author "Robert Sheckley" in All Categories

Ready for a story? Here's a selection of some of the finest science fiction shorts of recent years, including stories from Arthur C. Clarke, Isaac Asimov, William Gibson, Robert Sheckley, Terry Bisson, Avram Davidson, and Philip K. Dick.

Take a look at a dark, deadly future where the game is hunting and the results are killing - human to human - with status, money, power, and sex as the prizes. The operation runs underground and Frank Blackwell is a new recruit who is destined to change the game and turn it into legitimate popular entertainment for the masses.

In 2092, the world's ecology is in ruins, drought and famine are widespread and survival is a never-ending challenge. Harold Erdman leaves his dying community with one goal, to make his way to Esmeralda, an island paradise run by the Huntworld Corporation which has turned public murder, among willing competitors, into a thriving and lucrative business. Can he survive the journey and then the many rounds of deadly competition on his way to the Big Payoff.

All secret agents need to look out for William Nye, now known as Agent X. His recruitment was simple and his legend is brilliant but un-earned. Somehow, he thinks he's the best there is and we all know how pride goeth before a fall. The master of SF hilarity and biting social satire creates a spy world that has gathered praise from the greats of the genre.

If a society was created entirely by criminals with no memory of their former world, what would they come up with? It couldn't be crazier than Omega, where the religion is the worship of evil, humans are hunted for fun, status is attained one corpse at a time, and life expectancy is three years...if you're lucky. Omega - a fun place to live, if the plants, animals, weather, or your neighbors don't kill you first.

Salvatore commands the battleship Endymion. He's seen his share of battles and fought them bravely, too. So he doesn't hesitate when beautiful Princess Hatari pleads for his help. She wants to regain her throne, but it may be more than Salvatore can accomplish, for the deadly race known as the Balderdash has taken over the planet Melchior--and now, even his own men have turned against him!

Learn the truth behind the mask of Hollywood in these 10 bizarre tales of dreams and dream weavers, movies and movie-makers, by some of the most respected fantasy writers of our time.

Engineers have created an intelligent robot bird and its main objective is to prevent murder! The robot is encouraged to study what murder is, and its definition of murder expands until humans find themselves no longer able to operate on dying patients or to eat a salad because of the salad's feelings! What to do? Terminate the robots or starve to death.

Death Wish by Robert Sheckley is a science fiction short story from the mid-20th century, specifically published in 1956. The tale centers around the space freighter "Queen Dierdre" and the perilous situation faced by its crew as their ship hurtles out of the Solar System.

Forever by Robert Sheckley is a science fiction novel written in the mid-20th century. The story revolves around the ethical implications and societal consequences of an immortality serum discovered by Charles Dennison, an inventor. As he grapples with the implications of his creation, the narrative explores themes of power, control, and the potential for humanity's misuse of groundbreaking discoveries.

Cost of Living by Robert Sheckley is a science fiction short story written in the early 1950s. The narrative explores a future society marked by technological advancements that provide individuals with a luxurious lifestyle, yet this comes with a heavy burden of debt. The story likely delves into themes of consumerism, existential anxiety, and the implications of a society built on material ownership. The story follows Carrin, a middle-aged man grappling with the suicide of his neighbor, Miller, who seemingly had a perfect life filled with modern conveniences.

The colonists on New Delaware are told they need to be "civilized". That means they must have jails. The only problem is, they have no criminals. Based on a story by Robert Sheckley, this episode of X Minus One originally aired on February 15, 1956.

Warm by Robert Sheckley is a science fiction short story written during the early 1950s. The narrative follows a man named Anders who grapples with unexpected telepathic communication from an enigmatic voice inside his head while preparing for a date with the woman he loves, Judy.

Here are 10 stories from the May and June 2003 issues of The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, including a tribute to SF great Barry M. Malzberg.

Bad Medicine by Robert Sheckley is a satirical science fiction novel written in the early 21st century. The story takes place in the year 2103 and follows the peculiar and darkly humorous journey of Elwood Caswell, a man struggling with homicidal thoughts.

The Hour of Battle by Robert Sheckley is a science fiction novel likely written in the early 1950s. The story centers around a crew of Guardian ships tasked with protecting Earth from a telepathic enemy capable of taking over human minds without warning. The plot follows a small crew aboard one of the Guardian ships as they anxiously await an expected attack from this mysterious telepathic race. As the men grapple with the boredom and tension of their station, they engage in speculation about their enemy's capabilities and the nature of mind control.

Warrior Race by Robert Sheckley is a science fiction novella written in the early 1950s. The story explores themes of cultural misunderstanding and the absurdity of war through the lens of two human characters, Fannia and Donnaught, who find themselves stranded on an alien planet inhabited by a unique civilization known for their warrior ethos. In Warrior Race, Fannia and Donnaught's space journey leads them to the planet Cascella, where they discover that the native inhabitants consider suicide as a form of warfare.

A space explorer wearing a force shield encounters a little problem when he makes first contact. Based on a story by Robert Sheckley, this episode of X Minus One originally aired on July 11, 1957.

X Minus One premiered in April 1955 on NBC and ran until January 1958. Like its predecessor series, Dimension X, X Minus One featured stories by the greatest names in modern science fiction: Ray Bradbury, Robert Heinlein, Clifford Simak, Robert Bloch, and many more.

It's out there, and it's name is the Answerer. It knows the answer to everything, if you know how to ask the question.