Free Fiction Smuggled Past the Gnaerkieans

Another decent sized haul of free coolness from around the web. Brought to you by wandering starship QuasarDragon and its friendly, though quite deranged, captain. As always hailing frequencies are open for comments and suggestions, moderated to prevent hijacking by Gnaerkiean space pirates.





E-Fiction
At Lightspeed Magazine, "Breakaway, Backdown" by James Patrick Kelley. Originally published in Asimov’s Science Fiction (1996)

"I had…have this friend, Elena, who could make a krill and tomato sandwich with her feet, but she had that operation that changes your big toe into a thumb."

Available online and in an MP3 download HERE.



Beneath Ceaseless Skies has its 63rd issue out with:

"The Ghost of Shinoda Forest" by Richard Parks
"I didn’t know how Kenji found me. I didn’t know what possessed him to look. Yet there he was, coming up the mountain trail to what was left of Enfusa Temple. "

Online HERE.

"Dirt Witch" by Eljay Daley.
"The house was bigger on the inside, as Dorota expected from a witch. What she didn't expect, in the flickering candlelight, was the filth."

Online HERE.

And in the Audio Fiction section, "Silent, Still, and Cold" by Kris Dikeman (from issue #62)
"The place where Ameos should stand is taken by another boy. We are fewer now."

In Mp3 download HERE.



Kindle Only. At Amazon.com, Star Wars: Lost Tribe of the Sith #6 Sentinel is now available as a free Kindle download.

"Cast into slavery by the machinations of the Sith, Ori Kitai believes she’s found her way back into the Lost Tribe—and perhaps a whole lot more. Ori’s discovery of a second starship gives her the opportunity to avenge the humiliations heaped on her family by the decrepit Grand Lord."

Available HERE [via SF Signal]





At Munseys and Project Gutenberg, "First Man" by Clyde Brown from Galaxy Science Fiction (April 1958). Illustrated by comic book great Wally Wood.

"He obstinately wanted no part in achieving the goal of generations—but the goal with equal obstinacy wanted all of him!"

Online and in ebook downloads at Munseys and Project Gutenberg.




At Daily Science Fiction, "Tonight With Words Unspoken" by Jeff Samson

"I was always the first to fall asleep. Sometimes she'd have to lay awake with me for hours. Stroking my hair. Rubbing my temples. Reading to me from old books we'd find in stores that smelled of leather and dust. Or singing to me in whispers. Her breath a gentle, sweet current on my ear. Quieting my stubborn head."

Online HERE.


At Wizards of the Coast, Eberron fiction "Arena of Shadows" by Sarah Zettel.

It had started out well enough. Gaining entrance to Duke Arisor's palace had proven trivial. This was peaceful, ordered Fairhaven, after all. The duke trusted the queen's law and the governor's vigilance. Kalev only needed to bribe one guard to leave one gate in the outer wall open.

In a free PDF download HERE.



Didn't know how far back to go on this one, so here is the cool world sf that they have posted so far this year.

• Dance Dance Revolution, by Charlie Human, South Africa (February 22nd, 2011)
• Borrowed Time, by Stephen Kotowych, Canada (February 15th, 2011)
• Sand, Crushed Shells, Chicken Feathers, by Eliza Victoria, Philippines (February 8th, 2011)
• Seas of the World, by Ekaterina Sedia, Russia/US (February 2nd, 2011)
• LAPINS, by Michael Haulica (translated by Adriana Mosoiu), Romania (January 25th, 2011)
• An Orbital Flight With A Small Surprise, Pyotr Kowalczyk, Poland (January 18th, 2011)
• Thirstlands, by Nick Wood, South Africa (January 11th, 2010)

All are free online at The World SF Blog.


Audio Fiction
At Scott Sigler.com, TUESDAY TERROR Episode #01 "a podcast of Sigler fan-fiction stories. These are not stories by Scott. They are written by Junkies just like you, and are about elements from all over the Siglerverse."

In MP3 download HERE.


Serial Fiction
At Pathfinder, part four, the conclusion, of "The Ghosts of Broken Blades" by Monte Cook.

"Roubris had no idea what to do with the information he'd just gained. The spirit trapped in the sword leading them to the temple in the Worldwound was not that of a slain warrior, but instead a demon. Can you trust a demon? Ever? It seemed like a bad idea."

Online HERE.



At Book View Cafe, episode 22 of "Fires of Nuala " by Katharine Eliska Kimbriel.

"A lost colony founded by stranded scientists, the people of the planet Nuala have battled high levels of ground radiation and mutated microbes. After stabilizing their technology and their genes, they reached back into space in search of traders to buy their rare materials and sell them healthy genetic swatches."

Online HERE. or start from the beginning here.



At Kat and Mouse: Guns For Hire, part four of "Date Knight" by Abner Senires.

"I looked back at Kitchen Man. He was reciting something about a lake of fire. His left hand still held the deadman's switch."

Online HERE. Or star with part one here.




Video
At the Internet Archive, two episodes of the 1950's horror anthology Lights Out. Less than perfect quality files, but watchable.

"Devil in Glencairn" is available streaming and for download HERE.

"Dark Image" is available streaming and for download HERE.



Other Coolness
I know this has been around a little while, but it's the first time I've seen it. A very cool photoshop of the Firefly crew dressed in Starfleet uniforms. Mega-Nerdgasm! Love It - My wall paper. I found this at Helgas Galactische Funkbunde.

Also Nerd Bastards continues along this line with Ten Fights Between Firefly / Star Trek characters Nerdbastards Want to See. Both are PG-13ish.