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Zero 9-4: New-Classic Science Fiction Short Stories
The stories you’ve dreamed of; the people you crave to meet; or would love to be. The aliens who’d make you shiver, or laugh. The huge risks of guiding your spacecraft here, or there. The adventures you’d have if only you had the nerve… Or the utter romance of doing that…The humour of orbital disasters and alien conflicts; the perils of ill-advised time-interference; the sheer romance of null-gravity love; the terrors of a leaky hull; the fear of a bullying boss when you’re a thousand light years beyond.; the choices you face in the big, black Vac.Mostly a laugh or a satisfied smile; or maybe a “Yes, get in there”.More from the lighter, laughing side than the dark-dungeoned depths; but they’re all here somewhere.From crackling two-pagers where someone hasn’t quite read the situation right, to sixty-plus sides chronicling what you really have to do if you want to survive on this planet.At the 2039 annual all-species barbecue, it is confidently predicted that these tales will be unanimously voted the funniest and most thought-provoking sci-fi short stories in The Spiral Arm – the famous pub and restaurant on Ganymede – shortly before the Covid38 virus sends us all scuttling and slithering back to our socially-isolated orbits.
Could this be the future of homo sapiens in Cleanup, or Rigged and Ready, or in the poem Together Again?Are the aliens already among us in Betty, Kalai Alaa and Friday Night in Somercotes?What really happened the time his wife said 'Go for a walk, Oscar, dear.'?Dare you immerse yourself in the laughs and trials to come in 'It isn’t easy being a Hero', or 'Holes aren’t my Thing.'?Are you prepared to join the war of the alien genders in Kjid, or Typical Man?If the Foundling in “Kyre” can endure a skyfall into the forest swamp, encounters with a grallator, a pack of hounds, murderous soldiery and a supersensory woman, what destiny might await him, if he can run the gauntlet through the horde of rebel troopers?Is They call the Wind Pariah a premonition of our fate in the grip of the Corona virus?Or is it in the hands of the scientists who believe the formula for space-time manipulation is Zero 9-4?Fourteen illustrations light up the whole continuum.What the readers are “Go on, give yourself treat!”“Loved the sheer variety on offer among the stories.”“Each packs their own punch!”“Believable characters, deftly detailed settings, humour and bone tingling 'Oh My God'! moments!”
Could this be the future of homo sapiens in Cleanup, or Rigged and Ready, or in the poem Together Again?Are the aliens already among us in Betty, Kalai Alaa and Friday Night in Somercotes?What really happened the time his wife said 'Go for a walk, Oscar, dear.'?Dare you immerse yourself in the laughs and trials to come in 'It isn’t easy being a Hero', or 'Holes aren’t my Thing.'?Are you prepared to join the war of the alien genders in Kjid, or Typical Man?If the Foundling in “Kyre” can endure a skyfall into the forest swamp, encounters with a grallator, a pack of hounds, murderous soldiery and a supersensory woman, what destiny might await him, if he can run the gauntlet through the horde of rebel troopers?Is They call the Wind Pariah a premonition of our fate in the grip of the Corona virus?Or is it in the hands of the scientists who believe the formula for space-time manipulation is Zero 9-4?Fourteen illustrations light up the whole continuum.What the readers are “Go on, give yourself treat!”“Loved the sheer variety on offer among the stories.”“Each packs their own punch!”“Believable characters, deftly detailed settings, humour and bone tingling 'Oh My God'! moments!”
226 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 23, 2020
9 people are currently reading
About the author
Trevor Watts
33 books3 followersTrevor is a Nottinghamshire, UK writer. Educated at Old Basford Primary School, Nottingham; High Pavement Grammar School, Nottingham; Hull University, and Nottingham University.
His short stories and poems have frequently won prizes, and he has appeared on television discussing local matters.
As well as the Realms of Kyre medieval fantasy saga, the New-Classic Sci-Fi books, and the OsssOss Series of short stories, he has published many reader-friendly non-fiction books and articles. These are mostly about exploring active volcanoes around the world, and searching for fossilised dinosaur footprints on Yorkshire’s Jurassic coast.
In the 1980s, his Ph.D. research pioneered the use of computers in the education of children with profound learning difficulties. Much of this research was published in educational, medical and computing magazines and journals.
He spent fourteen years at the classroom chalkface; sixteen as headteacher of a special school; and sixteen as an Ofsted school inspector to round it off. At the time, his teacher wife, Chris, joked that it was “Sleeping with the Enemy”.
Now retired, Trevor writes, walks the local footpaths; curses his computers; and loves his wife, the cat and his kids.
His short stories and poems have frequently won prizes, and he has appeared on television discussing local matters.
As well as the Realms of Kyre medieval fantasy saga, the New-Classic Sci-Fi books, and the OsssOss Series of short stories, he has published many reader-friendly non-fiction books and articles. These are mostly about exploring active volcanoes around the world, and searching for fossilised dinosaur footprints on Yorkshire’s Jurassic coast.
In the 1980s, his Ph.D. research pioneered the use of computers in the education of children with profound learning difficulties. Much of this research was published in educational, medical and computing magazines and journals.
He spent fourteen years at the classroom chalkface; sixteen as headteacher of a special school; and sixteen as an Ofsted school inspector to round it off. At the time, his teacher wife, Chris, joked that it was “Sleeping with the Enemy”.
Now retired, Trevor writes, walks the local footpaths; curses his computers; and loves his wife, the cat and his kids.
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
December 24, 2021
This book of short stories was chosen just for that reason - they were short. With a busy life right now, I wanted something that was not too long.
After the first two stories, however, I wished the book was longer! Trevor Watts has a delightful style, giving unexpected twists to the stories, and the individual pieces are a grand selection of small, well-written pieces.
After the first two stories, however, I wished the book was longer! Trevor Watts has a delightful style, giving unexpected twists to the stories, and the individual pieces are a grand selection of small, well-written pieces.
Displaying 1 of 1 review