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Best Science Fiction Stories of H.G. Wells [C]
by H.G. Wells (1966)

An unbeatable lineup of Wells' short fiction classics published from 1894-1901. The full novella version of 'The Invisible Man' is here - in addition to the prototypical sci-fi short stories 'The New Accelerator', 'The Star', 'In the Abyss' and 'The Crystal Egg'. Reading these leaves little doubt as to who is the true father of science fiction, although the collection tends to drift in and out of print.

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The Illustrated Man [C]
by Ray Bradbury (1951)

Bradbury presents himself as a nameless narrator who meets the Illustrated Man,a wanderer whose entire body is a living canvas of exotic tattoos. The illustrations are themselves magically alive, and each proceeds to unfold its own story. Themes include such things as virtual reality, stranded astronauts and invading aliens. Classic stories that are still chillingly effective.

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The Cyberiad [C]
by Stanislaw Lem (1965; English translation 1974)

Short story collection subtitled 'Fables for the Cybernetic Age' centres on "cosmic constructors" Trurl and Klapaucius... robots who try and out-invent each other in a machine-dominated future. Ranging from the prophetic to the surreal, these stories demonstrate Stanislaw Lem's vast talent and remarkable ability to blend meaning and magic into a wholly entertaining and captivating work.

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Dangerous Visions [A]
edited by Harlan Ellison (1967)

The declining popularity of pulpish genre magazines in the mid-60s gave rise to a wave of 'original anthologies' of first-time published short stories. Dangerous Visions was an attempt at collecting together a single volume of cutting edge stories that no-one else would publish. The less-famous 'Again' follow-up was probably closer to the mark, however both are worthwhile.

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The Ship Who Sang [C]
by Anne McCaffrey (1969)

Written during a particularly troubled period in McCaffrey's personal life, The Ship Who Sang is a 'fix-up' collection of of five stories published from 1961 to 1969. A highly intelligent but physically handicapped girl (Helva) becomes the brain of a spaceship. Through Helva's adventures the stories explore the relationship between 'shell people' and the 'brawns' they are teamed with.

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Bloodchild & Other Stories [C]
by Octavia E. Butler (1995)

Writing from a black-feminist perspective, this collection includes Hugo and Nebula winner 'Bloodchild' and 'Speech Sounds', winner of the Hugo Award. 'Amnesty' is a story of a woman named Noah who works to negotiate the tense and co-dependent relationship between humans and a species of invaders. Butler adeptly turns history and imagination into parables of the modern world.

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Stories of Your Life and Others [C]
by Ted Chiang (2002)

Ted Chiang's first published story 'Tower of Babylon' won the Nebula Award in 1990. He has not looked back since then, in the process becoming the most honored young writer in modern SF. This volume contains his first seven stories, plus an eighth story written especially for this volume. All are elegantly written and drenched with compassion for the human condition.

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Exhalation [C]
by Ted Chiang (2019)

The second collection of stories from the modern maestro of sci-fi short fiction. In 'The Merchant and the Alchemist's Gate', a portal through time results in a grapple with past mistakes and the temptation of second chances. 'Exhalation' finds an alien scientist making a shocking discovery with ramifications not just for his own people, but for all of reality.