Friday Free Fiction

A few good freebies!

And don't forget to check out SF Signal, BestScienceFictionStories.com,Variety SF, Free SF Reader, ans SFFaudio for more free fiction links.




Fiction
• At Cosmos: "A Darling Situation" by Lee Michael Ash.
       "Other babies had been genetically tailored, but theirs was the first to receive artificial genes. Genes created from scratch, not taken from other living creatures."

• At Daily Science Fiction: "Heart of Joy" by Kate O'Connor. 
     "How's your ankle, Luci?" Feon Sen, High Chancellor of Carinae, leaned against the wall, watching intently as she braided her dark hair. Luscinia considered the question carefully, studying his reflection in the mirror. He was a man of many words, but his meaning was clearest in the surgically smoothed lines around his eyes and the rhythm his fingers absentmindedly tapped out on his arm. He was asking if she was up to the task he had for her tonight."

• At L5R: "Coils of Madness" by Shawn Carman. Fantasy.
     "The scent of oil was thick in the air, permeating everything that remained within the ruins for more than a handful of hours. The scent had a sort of numbing effect on the senses if one was exposed to it for long enough, although such an unfortunate occurrence could be overcome if one’s will was strong enough." 

• At Strange Horizons: "The Siren" by Bonnie Jo Stufflebeam. 
      "She thought of the ocean, and suddenly she felt a longing for it. She saw herself wading into patches of light, into the crisp foam like her father's shaving cream."

Flash Fiction

• At Daily Science Fiction: "Daughter of Mettle" by Aaron DaMommio. 
• At Strange Horizons: "The Mutant Forests of Mars" by Robert Frazier. Speculative Poem.
• At 365 Tomorrows: "Warped Drive" by Bob Newbell. Science Fiction.
• At 365 Tomorrows: "The Burgarii Collective" by Desmond Hussey. Science Fiction.

Audio Fiction
• At Classic Tales Podcast: "Aladdin and theWonderful Lamp" 3 of 5 from The Arabian Nights.
        "The cunning sultan has had the Princess Badroulboudour married to the Grand Vizier’s son, dashing Aladdin’s hopes. But is Aladdin worried? Not at all. For the wonders of Aladdin’s Wonderful Lamp can overcome the mightiest schemes of the greatest monarchs – with a little cunning of his own."

• At Escape Pod: "Aftermaths" by Lois McMaster Bujold.
     No Description Found.

• At Fantastic Worlds of Edgar Rice Burroughs: "Episode 13 - The Beasts of Tarzan" Adventure.
      "Jane discovers she has stepped into the trap – it is the village of M’ganwazam, the cannibal and friend to Rokoff.  A man enters her hut and the firelight reveals him to be Rokoff himself!"

• At Strange Horizons: "The Siren" by Bonnie Jo Stufflebeam.
     Described Above.

• At Tales to Terrify: "The Woman’s Ghost Story" by Algernon Blackwood.
     "'Who are you?' I repeated quickly and nervously. The fellow was well dressed, youngish and good-looking, but with a face of great sadness. I myself was barely thirty. I am giving you essentials, or I would not mention it. Out of quite ordinary things comes this story. I think that's why it has value."