Editors' Choice:
"Cyborg Isle" by Maren N. Law is the editor's pick as the winning theme story for May/June. Congratulations Mary!
This theme prompt, Gothic Sci-Fi, ended on June 15th, with the final accepted entry published on July 17th. We published ten stories with dark themes and threatening villains of all shapes and species. Stylistically, some of these were reminiscent of famous gothic writers like Sir Walter Scott, Edgar Allan Poe, and Mary Shelley.
Our winning story this time is refreshingly different in form: it's a poem! Specifically, it's a narrative poem in the style of the famous Scottish writer Sir Walter Scott. Now, we don't want to encourage everyone to go write 1,000-word sci-fi stories using iambic tetrameter and rhymed couplets. It's hard! And it's time-consuming for the author and the editors. But in this case, it was a perfect choice.
Cyborg Isle: A Tale of Post-Human Fear and Adventure
Gather around for a haunting tale whispered only on All Souls’ Night, when the veil between worlds is thinnest. Journey to Cyborg Isle, where under a full moon's eerie glow, the bridge to the land of the cyborgs beckons only the worthy to return to the living.
On this fateful night, Carsulla and the deceitful Finndore embarked on their quest. As they crossed into the mysterious land of cyborg serpents and ancient secrets, the weight of old prophecies and forbidden knowledge guided their steps.
Amidst treachery and the eerie beauty of Shellcave, they uncovered a treasure trove of ancient coins and vibrant gems. But betrayal lurked close. In a tale woven with spectral whispers and moonlit paths, Carsulla's courage and purity shone through, leading her to the treasure and back into the world of the living.
If you haven't read "Cyborg Isle" yet, will you dare to join the dance of the cyborgs? Support our SFS family and click the link below. Don't forget to give a rocket or five if you like it!
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Honorable Mentions
The editors agree there are three other theme stories that deserve mention this time as excellent examples of gothic sci-fi:
"A Proper Heart" by Nina Miller
"Fool's Gold" by Andrew Leonard "Thistle and the Primrose" by Jim Dutton
Of course, you should read all of this month's prompt stories to appreciate and enjoy the variety of ways our writers chose to treat this common theme. Here's a full list:
Title | Author | Release Date |
Dale E. Lehman | June 17, 2024 | |
Russell Mickler | June 20, 2024 | |
Wade Newhouse | June 24, 2024 | |
Jim Dutton | June 25, 2024 | |
Nina Miller | June 26, 2024 | |
Randall Andrews | June 27, 2024 | |
Jeff Currier | July 8, 2024 | |
Mary Lawton | July 9, 2024 | |
Andrew Leonard | July 16, 2024 | |
sd hodos | July 17, 2024 |
Next Theme Prompt
The next theme prompt, This Mortal Coil, was announced in July and will end at midnight on August 15. Check it out, and send us your liveliest thoughts on death, or the lack thereof!
To allow sufficient time to publish all the accepted theme stories before announcing the editors' choice, we ask you to please complete any necessary revisions within one week of receiving editorial comments.
If you are a subscriber to our site, you can click on that little rocket icon at the end of a story (up to five times) to express your appreciation to the author. Each month, we award a cash prize to the story that has the most rocket blasts.
You can read each of these amazing stories, plus a new one every weekday, for less than the cost of a cyborg's scale. All you have to do is,
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