The best short stories, according to hackers

32 short stories recommended in Hacker News comments over the past year, ranked by how many separate people recommend each one.

All short stories

The Last Question by Isaac AsimovA short Asimov story about a question asked across vast spans of time, recommended for its ending and for how often readers return to it. Some critics find the ending trite and the reveal obtuse.50recommend
There Will Come Soft Rains by Ray BradburyRecommended for its vivid, unsettling story of a smart house that keeps running after its family is gone; critics find the prose flowery and the predictions now dated.27recommend
They're Made Out of Meat by Terry BissonA short, witty story about aliens puzzling over humans that people reread and recommend for its sharp commentary on AI. Critics find the 'made out of meat' wording and the short film adaptation weaker.17recommend
Lena by qntmRecommended as a short, dark science fiction story about whole brain emulation that readers find brilliant and unsettling. Some say it reads as dated now.16recommend
The Machine Stops by E. M. ForsterRecommended as a short, prescient story that anticipated instant messaging, social media and dependence on technology. It is public domain, so it is free to read.15recommend
The Library of Babel by Jorge Luis BorgesBorges's short story imagining a library holding every possible book; people recommend it as inspiring fiction and a fun thought experiment, though it is not really effective at compression.11recommend
Warranty Void If Regenerated by qntmReaders praise its fun, readable writing and strong ideas, often comparing it to Andy Weir. Main caveat: it runs long, and the dialogue is criticized as barren.10recommend
The Feeling of Power by Isaac AsimovPeople recommend this short story for its prediction of a society that has lost the ability to do its own calculations, and it stays with readers long after they finish it.9recommend
The Egg by Andy WeirA short philosophical story that readers call a classic and enjoy rereading, offering comfort about feeling lost. Some critics find its ideas shallow.9recommend
MMAcevedo by qntmFree short story that people call excellent, prescient about AI, and one of their favourites; critics raised no complaints.9recommend
Sins of the Children by Adrian TchaikovskyReaders praise its alien concepts and engaging writing in this short story, though one found the long paragraphs boring and another called it more fantasy than science fiction.9recommend
The Whispering Earring by Scott AlexanderShort story people cite for thinking about outsourcing thought to AI and cognitive dependence. Critics say it doesn't clearly say what it means.8recommend
Franchise by Isaac AsimovRecommended as an efficient version of the ideas discussed in Lottocracy and voting threads, meaning the 1955 Asimov story.6recommend
The Gentle Seduction by Marc StieglerCommenters enjoyed this story and found it pleasant to read, and one said it can change what you agree with.6recommend
The Truth of Fact, the Truth of Feeling by Ted ChiangRecommended as a short story that explores where memory-recap devices may head, with a Black Mirror comparison.5recommend
The Last Answer by Isaac AsimovRecommended as a darker, richer companion to Asimov's The Last Question, with a lasting 'whoa' effect on readers.5recommend
The Evolution of Human Science by Ted ChiangA short Ted Chiang story that people find prescient, showing answers and technologies arriving without understanding, which they see as relevant to the current age.5recommend
The Paper Menagerie by Ken LiuPeople recommend it as a beautiful short story, written by the translator of The Three-Body Problem, and say they loved it.4recommend
Nightfall by Isaac AsimovPeople recommend Nightfall for its goosebump-inducing short fiction. The one caveat raised is that the first page of a listed edition is an ad for a Robert Silverberg adaptation.4recommend
The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas by Ursula K. Le GuinHacker News readers recommend it as a story to re-read alongside related reading, and some return to it well after a first read.4recommend
Learning to Be Me by Greg EganRecommended for its insight into consciousness and a hard-to-put-down read with a sublime ending.4recommend
Bartleby, the Scrivener by Herman MelvillePeople recommend this short story for its prophetic quality and its strong craft; it is a short, rewarding read.4recommend
The House of Asterion by Jorge Luis BorgesPeople recommend this short story for its beautiful writing and for how its context gives it more weight in hindsight. Critics raised no complaints.4recommend
The Call of Cthulhu by H. P. LovecraftPeople recommend it for its world-building, its use of language and an opening line they consider a standout.3recommend
Tower of Babylon by Ted ChiangPeople recommend it as an excellent story that is worth reading, with no criticism from commenters.3recommend
Crystal Nights by Greg EganCommenters recommend it as a favourite short story, and one links to it often.3recommend
Anxiety Is the Dizziness of Freedom by Ted ChiangPeople recommend it for its story about being drawn into alternate versions of one's own life, and for how strongly it affected some readers.3recommend
Report on an Unidentified Space Station by J. G. BallardPeople recommend it as a haunting short story, and one calls it a favorite. Critics raised no caveats in the quotes gathered.3recommend
The Pedestrian by Ray BradburyPeople recommend this Bradbury short story because it hits harder on rereading and feels apt for modern life. No caveat recurs in the quotes.3recommend
The Nine Billion Names of God by Arthur C. ClarkePeople recall its idea of a machine exhausting a finite list, and a memorable closing line that stays with readers.3recommend
I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream by Harlan EllisonPeople recommend it as older speculative fiction about an AI with locked-in goals, and count it among their favorite short speculative fiction.2recommend
Autofac by Philip K. DickRecommended as a favorite Philip K. Dick short story and a vivid fiction example of runaway self-replicating machines.2recommend