Showing results by author "Robert Sheckley" in All Categories

Twenty-four of the greatest science fiction stories of all time in this fourth sci-fi short story collection, including works by Jerry Dunham, Emmett Dowell, James Causey, Gordon Randall Garrett, James A. Cox, Phyllis Sterling Smith, Richard A. Sternbach, Robert Sheckley, E. G. Von Wald, Keith Laumer, Jerome Bixby, Frederik Pohl, Roger Dee, Arnold Marmore, James H. Schmitz, Lester del Rey, Cordwainer Smith, Ray Bradbury, and Philip K. Dick.

Want to be immortal? You can be in AD 2110. Just go to the Hereafter Insurance Corporation and hook yourself up to the Machine. There’s nothing to fear. That is, if it happens to be working right, and if nobody slips another mind into your body when you’re not looking, and if you’re not on a poltergeist hatelist.

In Diplomatic Immunity by Robert Sheckley, Earth faces an enigmatic visitor from the stars whose very nature defies logic and science. A wry and suspenseful meditation on alien power, human defiance, and the fine line between diplomacy and domination, this classic sci-fi tale blends sharp satire with big-idea speculation. Perfect for fans of thought-provoking, twist-laden storytelling.

In a future where therapy is automated and absurdity reigns, Bad Medicine by Robert Sheckley delivers a razor-sharp satire of mental health, technology, and the human condition.

Set in a futuristic world of interplanetary travel and moral regulation, this darkly humorous sci-fi tale explores the perils of trading authentic human connection for artificial pleasure. When Ralph Garvey activates his mysterious companion, he gets far more than he bargained for—sparking a suspenseful, satirical battle for survival.

Ready for a story? Here's a selection of some of the finest science fiction shorts of recent years, including stories from Arthur C. Clarke, Isaac Asimov, William Gibson, Robert Sheckley, Terry Bisson, Avram Davidson, and Philip K. Dick.

Dimension of Miracles is a satirical science fiction novel first published by Dell in 1968. It's about Tom Carmody, a New Yorker who, thanks to a computer error, wins the main prize in the Intergalactic Sweepstakes. Tom claims his prize before the error is discovered and is allowed to keep it. However, since Tom is a human from Earth without galactic status and no space traveling experience, he has no homing instinct that can guide him back to Earth once his odyssey begins - and the galactic lottery organizers cannot transport him home.

Prospector’s Special by Robert Sheckley is a gripping sci-fi adventure that blends biting satire with raw human determination. When Tom Morrison’s sandcar fails and his supplies dwindle, he must face Venus’s deadly terrain—and his own ambition—armed with nothing but grit and a bizarre robotic mailman.

Step into a haunting post-apocalyptic world where imagination is the only tool left to reshape reality. Proof of the Pudding by Robert Sheckley is a thought-provoking science fiction tale that explores the boundaries of creation, perception, and human connection.

Set in a world where every comfort and convenience comes at a staggering cost, the story follows Carrin, an ordinary man crushed beneath the weight of debt in a society obsessed with technological luxury. As he reflects on the tragic suicide of a neighbor and prepares for a visit from a relentless finance agent, Carrin confronts the unsettling truth about consumerism, inherited debt, and the price of happiness.

Untouched by Human Hands consists of 13 stories of beings who dwell on the strange borders of reality. Some of these stories tell of people you know or of events that might happen - but haven't yet. Some will take you to the furthermost reaches of the sky and to planets whose names are unknown this side of Arcturus. And some - perhaps the richest and most memorable of these stories - open into the interior of strange minds to reveal the reflection of ourselves.

Interstellar travel to alien worlds is too expensive for Marvin, a college student in need of a good vacation. And so he signs up for what he can afford: a mind swap, in which his consciousness is swapped into the body of an alien life-form. Unfortunately, Marvin finds himself in the body of an interstellar criminal—a body that he has to vacate, fast.

All secret agents need to look out for William Nye, now known as Agent X. His recruitment was simple and his legend is brilliant but un-earned. Somehow, he thinks he's the best there is and we all know how pride goeth before a fall. The master of SF hilarity and biting social satire creates a spy world that has gathered praise from the greats of the genre.

When two space travelers encounter a planet of proud warriors with a bizarre concept of honor, diplomacy takes an unexpected turn. Sheckley's signature wit and social commentary shine in this clever exploration of alien values and human folly.

Beside Still Waters by Robert Sheckley is a quietly powerful science fiction novella that explores the nature of companionship, memory, and human longing in the loneliness of deep space.

Step into a chilling future where warfare isn’t just fought with weapons—but with the mind. The Hour of Battle by Robert Sheckley delivers a gripping tale of suspense, set against the vast backdrop of deep space.

Step into the mind of Anders in Warm by Robert Sheckley—a hauntingly cerebral sci-fi tale that delves into the boundaries of love, perception, and identity. As a mysterious voice invades his thoughts, Anders is forced to question the very fabric of reality during what should be a simple evening with the woman he adores. Set against a backdrop of mid-century science fiction, Sheckley’s story masterfully blurs the line between the known and the unknowable, inviting readers into a surreal journey of existential unraveling.

The Journey of Joenes, also published as Journey Beyond Tomorrow, tells the tale of a picaresque journey through an imagined future taken by a naive and innocent man unprepared for the wonders and oddities he encounters. Sheckley examines the present through the distorting lens of a future wonderfully skewed from and yet darkly, hilariously, similar to our own world.

Alastair Crompton skilled nosologist at Psychosmell, Inc. sniffs out something he's been missing his whole life - his other selves. His disturbed psyche was divided into three parts and the other parts were implanted in other bodies on other planets. His obsession to re-unite himself leads to disturbing discovers about the underpinnings of the society he lives in, personal conflicts, a vastly destructive war and a shocking ultimate revelation.

In 2092, the world's ecology is in ruins, drought and famine are widespread and survival is a never-ending challenge. Harold Erdman leaves his dying community with one goal, to make his way to Esmeralda, an island paradise run by the Huntworld Corporation which has turned public murder, among willing competitors, into a thriving and lucrative business. Can he survive the journey and then the many rounds of deadly competition on his way to the Big Payoff.