Short stories | Lecturia

Émile Zola: Simplice

“Simplice” is a fantastic tale by Émile Zola, first published in 1864 in the collection Contes à Ninon. It tells the story of a naïve and misunderstood prince, son of a brutal king and a vain queen. From a young age, he shows a nature different from those around him: compassionate in war and indifferent to the excesses of the court. His kindness, mistaken for foolishness by those who surround him, distances him from royal expectations and leads him toward nature and its creatures, a refuge where his sensitivity can unfold without fear or reproach.

Roger Zelazny: A Rose for Ecclesiastes

“A Rose for Ecclesiastes” is a short story by Roger Zelazny, published in November 1963 in The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction. It tells the story of Gallinger, a brilliant poet and linguist from Earth who travels to Mars to study the culture of its ancient inhabitants. His extraordinary gift for languages makes him the first human to gain access to the sacred records of the Martians, a matriarchal society built on ancestral texts and traditions laden with symbolism and a somber philosophical background. Fascinated by this legacy, Gallinger enters into a cultural dialogue that will reveal to him an ancient prophecy.

Harlan Ellison: Jeffty Is Five

“Jeffty Is Five” is one of Harlan Ellison’s most awarded stories, first published in July 1977 in The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction. The narrative follows a man who recalls his childhood friend, Jeffty, a boy who seems to be anchored in time. As the years go by and the world changes, Jeffty remains unchanged, with the clear gaze and innocent questions of a five-year-old. This strange condition makes Jeffty a living enigma, a unique and fascinating being who defies the laws of physics and logic.

Robert Bloch: The Secret in the Tomb

“The Secret in the Tomb” is a gothic horror tale written by Robert Bloch and published in Weird Tales in May 1935. It is the author’s first story set within the Cthulhu Mythos, created by H. P. Lovecraft. The narrative follows the last heir of a family of sorcerers, who ventures into the cemetery in search of an ancient and sinister secret hidden within his ancestors’ vault. In this grim and mysterious setting, the protagonist confronts supernatural forces that defy reason, while the macabre and oppressive atmosphere reveals forbidden and hidden terrors.

M. R. James: Lost Hearts

“Lost Hearts” is a gothic tale written by Montague Rhodes James (M. R. James), first published in The Pall Mall Magazine in 1895. The story follows Stephen Elliot, an orphaned boy who arrives at Aswarby Hall, the mansion of his enigmatic distant cousin, Mr. Abney. This solitary scholar, fascinated by ancient religions and esoteric practices, invites the boy to live in his austere residence in Lincolnshire. As Stephen adjusts to his new home, he grows increasingly intrigued by the mysterious atmosphere of the house and the strange sculptures and books that decorate it. Through conversations with the kind housekeeper, Mrs. Bunch, he uncovers unsettling stories about the mansion and begins to suspect that his cousin’s true intentions may be far darker than they seem.

Arthur C. Clarke: Rescue Party

“Rescue Party” is an early science fiction story by Arthur C. Clarke, published in May 1946 in Astounding Science Fiction. An advanced extraterrestrial civilization receives an urgent alert: the sun of a distant system is about to turn into a nova, threatening the life on its third planet. Surprisingly, against all odds, intelligent life has arisen and evolved at great speed on this world. Faced with this critical situation, a rescue ship is dispatched with the mission of saving as many members of the species as possible. However, they face a race against time, as they have only four hours before the star explodes and catastrophe becomes inevitable.