7 of the Best Science Fiction Short Stories Over the Past 30 Years

Science Fiction is a genre uniquely suited for short fiction. Historically, great science fiction writers used the short story medium to communicate elegant ideas without complex characters. Stories like Isaac Asimov's "Nightfall" and Arthur C. Clarke's "Nine Billion Names of God" function because the ideas are so strong, though the characters could be anyone. Over the last 30 years a new generation of writers have used science fiction short stories to introduce characters that are integral and organic parts of the ideas they are communicating. Below I've chosen seven stories that I found had powerful and moving effects beyond making me think "wow, what a cool idea." They are also all award winners or nominees and regularly appear in collections of the best science fiction. Obviously, I have not read every science fiction short story every written nor could I include all my favorites in this list. If you like science fiction and are looking for stories that might make you think in a different way, you really can't go wrong with these seven. If you have other science fiction short stories you'd like to recommend, please leave a comment for me below.

"Sandkings," George R R Martin (1979) Hugo Winner, Nebula Nominee

Perhaps the best science fiction story of all time--at least in the top ten. A wealthy and cruel exotic-pet collector purchases a colony of insect-like Sandkings. There are four different-colored factions of these semi-intelligent creatures, and they battle each other for food and their owner's entertainment. They also worship their collector, even though he is cruel and punishing. This is a great science fiction short story in the classic vein of Isaac Asimov and Arthur C. Clarke, driven by plot and ideas and featuring a last-minute twist. It is addictive and powerful.

"Speech Sounds," Octavia Butler (1983) Hugo Winner