Analog Science Fiction & Fact

Grayson George is a digital art grad student who makes mediocre fractal art. Late one night, he discovers a computer program that created a masterpiece, entrancing everyone who sees it. Grayson claims the program's spectacular work, and all of its subsequent artworks, as his own. How long will Grayson continue living a lie? Find out in “Genius, Borrowed and Brief,” read and written by Julia Darcey.

Sirina is a house cleaner who’ll take care of your typical dust, cobwebs, and all other varieties of filth, but if you’re dealing with anything that’s spilling over transdimensionally, she’s the one you’ll want to call. When a local real estate agent asks Sirina to take on her latest project, Sirina happily obliges, but quickly finds herself in a sticky situation. Find out why Sirina is “Lady Ballistic: Fast and Accurate Cleaning,” read and written by Alex Jablokov.

Missing dogs, bushes growing metallic berries, and university researchers vanishing without a trace. These are but some of a few incidents surrounding a swamp in northern British Columbia, where a local man believes he might be able to solve the mystery behind these strange phenomena. This is “It Eats Metal,” read and written by Mark Ferguson

When two South Philly cops walk into a Nepalese bakery, one starts grilling the owner, Missus Singh, about rogue robots that might be helping her, while the other can’t stop thinking about how good a bear claw would be right about now. Will this good cop/bad cop duo discover the secret behind Missus Singh’s scrumptious sweets? Tune in to hear the conclusion of this police encounter that is anything but ordinary in Ryan Hunke’s “Bad Cop, No Donut,” narrated by Glen Melin.

Rosalina has just begun working at a migrant camp with her parents when before long a swarm of small, bee-like machines starts following her wherever she goes, sparking a media sensation. Here is “Mariposa de Hierro” read and written by Matt McHugh.

With Earth long destroyed by war and ecological disaster, Ernie, Kate, and Harv are humans who have started new lives on a far-flung exoplanet. With scarce options for good food or money, the trio decides to embark on a project that may net them a little cash, and remind them of what life back home used to be like. This is “The Eiffel Tower of Trappist-1b,” read and written by Jeff Reynolds.

Meadow is a curious teenager who has spent her entire life on a large space ship. She thirsts for adventure, or at least a break from her overbearing mother.One day, she meets an artist who is desperately trying to clean-up a spill of small, colorful beads—not an easy task in zero-g, and a serious violation of safety code that Meadow’s mom is eager to report.Will Meadow be able to protect her new acquaintance and learn about herself in the process? Find out in “The Carina Nebula,” read and written by Kelsey Hutton

Laxi is an alien visitor from the noble house of vlarg who doesn’t like to conquer planets by force—at least not at first. Invasion and domination are boring, conventional, and these days even the elders on their home planet agree. Instead, Laxi prefers to spend time on the world they intend to capture, sowing instability from within before making their big move. Earth, however, is proving to be a bigger challenge than expected, but Laxi may have just come up with the right marketing scheme. This is “What Women Want,” read and written by Katherine Tunning.

K3RA is an android programmed to pursue efficiency in everything it does, from working factory floors to killing its designers’ enemies. When it encounters a sluggish soybean farmer just after suffering a wartime wound, K3RA comes to a realization that may bring peace to the world. Here is “Maximum Efficiency,” read and written by Holly Schofield.

Our July/August podcast is a special double feature: First, Melanie Harding-Shaw reads "My Nascent Garden," in which an AI navigates a complicated relationship; then Geoffrey Hart narrates his tale "Risky Harvest," telling the story of a harvest event that is intertwined with mating and survival.

Why are Huiling and her metal exoskeleton—and research partner—being hunted by the Feds? And the state? And where does a long-ago lover fit into the picture? Please enjoy “Nirvana or Bust” from our March/April 2022 issue read & written by Michael Swanwick.

While life on Earth may not always be safe or easy, traveling the space ways comes with its own host of hazards. There’s space junk. Sub-zero temperatures. And not to mention a complete lack of oxygen. In this piece from our November/December issue, a mech finds himself dragged into a daring rescue mission on Saturn’s icy moon Enceladus. Author Bill Frank gives an inspired reading of his story, "Moon Unit."

Jer is the governor’s nestling and his Consortium colony’s legal administrator. When the judicant shows up and starts questioning how things are run around here, it becomes clear that Jer is something else too: a very dangerous lawyer. Find out why in “Mandatory Arbitration,” from Analog’s July/August issue, written and read by Leonard Richardson.