Very short science fiction stories

Very short science fiction stories are a relatively rare type of science fiction short stories that are no more than a few thousand words long, and often much shorter. As such, they can be a type of flash fiction.

Paradoxically, their brevity may increase the shocking first impression of the single fantastical idea the story seeks to express.

Concept

Such stories often have sensational premises worthy of many pages of story and explanation, but the author chose to trade length for quality and impact. The most famous example is Knock, written by Fredric Brown (who wrote many other short SF stories). In a few words it describes the unthinkable predicament of "the last man on earth", who suddenly hears a knock on his door. It is not explained how he became the last man, or what is knocking on the door. The reader has to use their imagination, but by implication the two questions may be related.

Even shorter SF stories have been written using only six words.

Meaning

Ultra-short SF stories can portray the most extreme concepts in a few sentences. Their short length gives less time for suspension of disbelief to fail. The author can combine all their ideas in a small space, making the most extreme ideas seem more plausible for the short duration of the story. The tales rely on twist endings (often the end of the world), and may have attributes of jokes or urban legends. Afterward, the reader typically is left wanting to know more about the story situation, and especially what happened after the shocking ending (as with the short stories of Roald Dahl).

Examples

• "The Advent on Channel Twelve" by C.M. Kornbluth appears to depict how a cartoon character somehow came alive through mass culture and took over the world.

• "Plaything" by Larry Niven depicts a realistically described Mars probe sent from Earth, from the viewpoint of profoundly alien but hyper-intelligent Martians.

• "Bohassian Learns" by William Rotsler depicts the strange birth experience of an all-powerful mutant baby that apparently takes over the world through psionic mind control.

• "Present Perfect" by Thomas F. Monteleone has a self-referential and recursive plot, where the author character starts reading the story he is a part of.

Bibliography

• "100 Great Science Fiction Short Short stories" (1978) edited by Isaac Asimov et al; ISBN: 0-380-50773-0