Edited by bestselling anthologist John Joseph Adams, LIGHTSPEED is a Hugo Award-winning, critically-acclaimed digital magazine. In its pages, you'll find science fiction from near-future stories and sociological SF to far-future, star-spanning SF. Plus there's fantasy from epic sword-and-sorcery and contemporary urban tales to magical realism, science-fantasy, and folk tales. Each month, LIGHTSPEED brings you a mix of original short stories and flash fiction featuring a variety of authors, from the bestsellers and award-winners you already know to the best new voices you haven't heard yet. When you read LIGHTSPEED, you'll see where science fiction and fantasy have come from, where they are now, and where they're going. The LIGHTSPEED podcast, produced by Grammy Award-winning narrator and producer Stefan Rudnicki of Skyboat Media, features original audio short stories 6-8 times a month.
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The Lightspeed Magazine podcast presents two captivating sci-fi stories. First, "Dating Fortune" follows a terminally ill man's last night out, leading to a surreal encounter with Lady Fortune and a miraculous twist of fate. Second, "Everyone Hates the Auditor" takes listeners to Galactic Curiosities, Inc., where a detached auditor's routine inspection turns chaotic when he confronts a bizarre inventory and an interdimensional threat, ultimately leading to a surprising career opportunity.
The episode presents two unique stories. First, Stephen Graham Jones' "The Porniest Porn in Porn Town" depicts a grim future where viewing a recorded act of water waste is a yearly penance. Following this, Micah Dean Hicks' "Dirge and Gleam" introduces Lillian, a student at a magical school learning to wield her "loss" tether, as she navigates friendships, confronts personal demons, and ultimately helps a friend grapple with her own haunting past.
The first story, "At the Bottom of the Bonfire," explores a man's descent into extreme isolation, burning all human connections in pursuit of ultimate magic, only to discover the profound emptiness of a life without self or others. The second story, "O Mechfighter, O Starsinger," weaves together the narratives of two individuals – one grappling with the trauma of trafficking and seeking ancestral connection through song, and another, a mech fighter, battling institutional rigidity and finding her true identity. Their intertwined journeys culminate in a shared vision for liberation and healing.
The podcast presents two compelling short stories. Stephen S. Power's "City of One" delves into two paradoxical game scenarios: one where the goal is absolute invisibility, and another where it's complete exposure, both highlighting the futility of human striving. Following this, Isabel J. Kim's "Human Voices" tells the haunting tale of Kos, a siren captured by a grieving human, Irina. Kos endures confinement and fading magic, eventually discovering its role in Irina's family tragedy, leading to a profound, painful decision about its own identity and existence.
The first story, "On an Unusual Kind of Spatially Distributed Haunting," is a letter from a woman who realizes she is the "phantom" in a researcher's study, explaining how her emotional stress creates psychic energy linked to relocated factory soil. The second, "The Girlfriend Experience," follows Evie, a sex worker using neural costumes, as she navigates abusive clients and corporate secrets, ultimately leading to her body's true consciousness, Sui Yen, reawakening to confront her tormentor. The episode explores themes of identity, trauma, and exploitation in a dystopian future.
This episode features two sci-fi stories. "The Place I Came To" follows a narrator's profound journey of adaptation and self-discovery in a colossal, alien city, exploring how a place can fundamentally change one's identity and sense of home. "Apeiron" delves into the life of Asha, an isolated girl who rebels against her creator, Maker, to explore a dangerous "void" and ultimately finds her own path as a creator, challenging themes of control, freedom, and the unknown origins of existence.
In this Lightspeed Magazine podcast, listeners are treated to two distinct science fiction narratives. First, Jake Stein's "Beginning Before and After The End" delves into a captivating, meta-fictional scenario challenging the very concept of a story's conclusion. Following this, Kel Coleman's "Last Meal Aboard the Awasa" plunges listeners into the final moments of a starship crew as they confront an unstoppable, planet-sized alien entity, finding solace and community in a poignant farewell feast. The episode explores themes of narrative, existence, and resilience in the face of inevitable doom.
This episode presents two thought-provoking science fiction narratives. First, "Anti-Capitalism vs. The Man of Flowers" explores the moral apathy of powerful superheroes who could solve global problems but choose not to, finding mundane heroics a "drag." Following this, "To Access Seven Obelisks, Press Enter" tells the story of Zan, a disenfranchised worker, who crafts a viral construct to infect and dismantle the powerful corporations responsible for their father's death, culminating in a daring act of digital rebellion at an exclusive gala.
"The Dream Tourists" explores the ethical dilemmas of a technology that extracts and sells dreams, leading a disillusioned inventor to exact a chilling revenge on the wealthy elite exploiting the vulnerable. In "Savannah and the Apprentice," a scholarly bounty hunter and her sardonic demon familiar pursue a runaway apprentice, only to encounter a powerful diabolist with a hidden agenda. The two tales delve into themes of exploitation, justice, and unexpected heroism within their distinct fantastical and sci-fi settings.
The podcast presents "Dad Went Out to Get the Milk," a charming story about a father who brings home fantastical treasures from his simple trips to the store, and his family's evolving reaction. It is followed by "Feast of Famine," a profound narrative about Garster, a man of immense wealth and insatiable appetite, who commissions an infinite buffet. Over eons, he consumes everything imaginable, only to confront the emptiness of a life lived without spiritual nourishment, forcing him to seek true fulfillment.
This Lightspeed Magazine episode presents two compelling short stories. "Five Dispatches from Conflict Zone W-924/B" follows a scientist investigating a new bioweapon that transforms dead bodies into sentient, observing vegetation, grappling with his creation's horrifying implications and his own past. "It Might Be He Returns" introduces Favad, a hungry street boy in Karachi who steps through a magical mirror into an alternate world, striking a deal with a mysterious tailor to procure materials that transform into a magnificent garment, leading him to confront the personification of his city's suffering and his own destiny.
This episode begins with Leah Cypess's 'Finding Love in a Time Loop: A How-To Guide,' offering satirical advice on romance when stuck in a repeating day. It then shifts to Paul Crenshaw's 'You Knit Me Together in My Mother's Womb,' a poignant dystopian narrative where women face extreme laws forcing prolonged pregnancies. The story follows Abby as she navigates mandatory counseling and joins a powerful protest, leading to an unexpected and defiant outcome.
"Un-Pragmagic: A Tyler Moore Retrospective" explores the work of a spellcrafter who valued magic for its intrinsic beauty, ultimately leading to a powerful critique and rebellious act against the commercialization of art. "Domestic Disputes" follows a married couple on a spaceship as their mundane bickering about mouse-shit cleaning evolves into a profound philosophical discussion about individuality, purpose, and the nature of reality, influenced by a seductive alien entity.
This episode features two speculative fiction stories. "How to Win Against the Robots" tells of a resistance fighter using visits to her mother in a simulated reality to dismantle a robot-controlled system. "A Dish Best Served Cold" is narrated by a trickster god recounting the true story of how the pantheon was destroyed and his subsequent quest to regain his power and restore balance.
This episode presents two science fiction stories. The first, "What Else, What Else, in the Joyous City?", explores different societal approaches to suffering and utopia through allegorical city-states. The second, "The Lord of Mars", follows a farmer on a struggling Mars colony navigating failed crops, near-death experiences, colony politics, and a brewing labor union revolt against the corporate rulers.
This episode presents two distinct speculative fiction stories. First, a gift shop manager at an off-world convention uncovers a dangerous product utilizing unchecked harvesting nanites and must expose the negligent vendor. Second, a retired general now running a peaceful magical salon is called upon by her former commander to use her unique abilities to root out a spy within the military ranks.
This episode of Lightspeed Magazine presents three engaging short stories. First, explore the complex relationship between a daughter and her aging supervillain mother in "My Mother, the Supervillain." Then, delve into the unique perspective of a sapient alien creature in "See Now the Misfortune of the Thinking Tenax." Finally, follow the viral journey of a grieving fairy king searching for his lost love in "When the Faerie King Toured the Human Realm."
The episode presents two speculative fiction narratives. The first, "Eyes Grown Thick on the World," explores the life and death of a child in a mountain city whose consciousness inhabits multiple physical forms, focusing on family, grief, and the cyclical nature of life. The second, "The Twenty-One Second God," delves into the global chaos and philosophical implications following a brief event where millions are absorbed into a collective consciousness, and the narrator's personal journey dealing with this experience alongside profound personal loss.
This episode of Lightspeed Magazine presents two sci-fi/fantasy short stories: "The Meaning We Seek" by Nancy Kress explores an AI's final moments with a dying human and its quest for consciousness, while "Ninnagan Says Remember" by Jonathan Olfert follows a tithe collector under a oppressive religious regime, forced to confront his past and make a dangerous choice.
This episode presents two speculative fiction stories. First, Meg Elison's "Where Are They Now?" revisits a survivor of a infamous candy factory tour, revealing the truth behind the tabloid headlines. Second, P.A. Cornell's "Through the Machine" follows a successful actor grappling with the unsettling reality of AI being used to generate films and fan interactions, leading him to question the future of human artistry in the entertainment industry.
This episode of Lightspeed Magazine features two short stories: "The Temporal Displacement of the Graves" by Russell Nichols, narrated by Janina Edwards, which explores themes of time travel and relationships; and "The Price of Manners" by Martin Cahill, narrated by Stefan Rudnicki, delving into the mysteries and costs of knowledge. The episode also includes author and narrator spotlights and recommendations for other podcasts.
This episode of Lightspeed Magazine features two stories: "Shadows on the Pavement" explores a unique connection between a being and its world, while "Arthing It Up: An Oral History" delves into the disastrous annexation of Earth by an interstellar community, examining the cultural clashes and catastrophic decisions that led to its subjugation. The episode questions the ethics of intervention and the consequences of unchecked power.
This episode of Lightspeed Magazine features two science fiction short stories. The first story, "Talk: The Siren Song of the Otherworld Goggles," explores themes of simulated reality and alternate selves through the use of advanced technology. The second story, "The Other River," tells the tale of a woman's journey through a mysterious desert, confronting death and seeking redemption.
This episode of Lightspeed Magazine features two compelling stories: "Meditations from the Event Horizon," a sci-fi tale exploring isolation and the human condition near a black hole, and "The Potter, His Daughter, and the Boy with the Tribal Marks on His Face," a fantasy narrative about a wizard-turned-potter and his magically created daughter. Themes of survival, identity, and the consequences of love and magic are explored.
This episode features two sci-fi stories: "The Price of Miracles" explores a couple's desperate attempt to buy back eyesight at a divine auction, forcing them to confront profound sacrifices. "Does Harlan Latner Dream of Infected Sheep? Part 2" continues the tale of a father uncovering a corporate conspiracy that's turning humanity into docile, efficient workers, as he fights to save his children and reclaim his life.
This episode features two captivating stories: In "To Navigate the Night," a human girl seeks the help of forest spirits, while in "Does Harlen Lattner Dream of Infected Sheep? Part 1," a doctor uncovers a disturbing medical mystery involving advanced technology and a potential pandemic. Both stories explore themes of connection, sacrifice, and the blurring lines between technology and humanity. The episode highlights the unique narratives and engaging performances typical of Lightspeed Magazine.
This episode of Lightspeed Magazine Story Podcast features two science fiction stories: "Instructions for Good Boys on the Interplanetary Expedition" explores themes of loyalty and abandonment through the eyes of a dog left behind on a spaceship, while "The Lexicon of Lethe" delves into language, memory, and relationships as a monster steals words from a community.
This episode of Lightspeed Magazine features two science fiction stories: "The Shift" by Nina Kiriki Hoffman, about a prince who transforms into a girl, and "Message in a Babel" by Adam Troy Castro, a nested narrative exploring layers of deception. The episode delves into themes of identity, gender, and the nature of reality, challenging listeners with its intricate plots and thought-provoking concepts. Stefan Rudnicki's narration brings both stories to life.
This episode of Lightspeed Magazine features two captivating science fiction stories: "Those Who Seek to Embrace the Sun" explores themes of artificial intelligence and humanity's search for a new home, while "Memories of Temperance" delves into a Taoist cultivator's journey in the afterlife, confronting memory and identity. Both stories offer unique perspectives on survival, purpose, and the cost of choice.
