Science fiction | Lecturia

Harlan Ellison: I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream

“I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream” is a science fiction horror short story written by Harlan Ellison, published in March 1967 in If magazine, and winner of the Hugo Award in 1968. Set in a post-apocalyptic world, the story tells of the desperate existence of five human survivors trapped in the bowels of a sentient supercomputer called AM. The machine, created by humans during the war, has exterminated almost all of humanity and keeps these five alive to torture them relentlessly. In this underground hell, there is no longer any trace of hope.

Ray Bradbury: The Long Years

In “The Long Years,” a short story by Ray Bradbury published on September 15, 1948, in Maclean’s and later collected in The Martian Chronicles (1950), Mr. Hathaway and his family are the only inhabitants of a desolate Mars. Twenty years ago, the Great War on Earth left the red planet a tomb. When Mars was evacuated, Hathaway and his family, who were engaged in archaeological studies in the mountains, were left behind. Since then, they have lived in a state of waiting, hoping for the return of a rocket to take them back to civilization. One day, a light in the sky seems to herald the end of their long wait, offering them renewed hope of rescue and a return home.

Ray Bradbury: Night Meeting

“Night Meeting” is a short story by Ray Bradbury, published in 1950 in The Martian Chronicles. Set on Mars, colonized by humans, the story follows Tomás Gómez, an Earth colonist traveling along an old Martian road on his way to a party. On his way, he stops to contemplate the beauty and tranquility of the night landscape. However, his journey takes an unusual turn when he encounters an enigmatic Martian. Although they try to greet each other cordially and communicate, they soon discover that something insurmountable separates them.

Isaac Asimov: Big Game

In “Big Game,” a short story by Isaac Asimov published in Before the Golden Age (1974), a group of friends in a bar discuss a time machine that has sent a mouse into the future without any harmful effects. The conversation takes an unexpected turn when one of them, Hornby, claims to have traveled to the past and discovered the true cause of the dinosaurs’ extinction. With his account, Hornby challenges common theories and proposes a surprising and unconventional explanation for the fate of these prehistoric creatures, leaving his friends intrigued and questioning what they thought they knew about ancient history.

Isaac Asimov: Exile to Hell

“Exile to Hell” is a science fiction short story by Isaac Asimov, published in May 1968 in the magazine Analog Science Fiction and Fact. The story is set in a future society where exile is the ultimate punishment for those who threaten its delicate technological existence. While awaiting the verdict in the trial of Anthony Jenkins, a man accused of damaging critical facilities in a fit of rage, two programmers, Dowling and Parkinson, play chess and debate the justice and severity of this punishment. Dowling argues that exile is an effective and necessary deterrent in a world where even minor mistakes can be catastrophic. Parkinson, however, questions the humanity of such a punishment and advocates for more compassionate alternatives.

Arthur C. Clarke: Encounter in the Dawn

“Encounter in the Dawn” is a short story by Arthur C. Clarke, published in June-July 1953 in the magazine Amazing Stories and collected that same year in the anthology Expedition to Earth. It tells the story of three scientists from the distant Galactic Empire who descend on a primitive, fertile, and mysterious planet, where they soon discover signs of intelligent life. Cautiously, one of them attempts to establish contact with a local inhabitant, initiating a bond between two civilizations separated by thousands of years of evolution but united by their shared humanity.