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Alternate History

5 free-to-read stories tagged “Alternate History”

Kaiju Agonistes

Scott Lynch Uncanny 2025 Novelette Science Fiction 12,993 words

"[Time Reference Unavailable]—August, 1946 The watchseed is planted in a watery hemisphere of a watery world. The place spins around a yellow star, wearing its magnetic field like a proud little hat. It’s ridiculous with life. Hence, a watchseed, with the...

Alternate HistoryCorporate PowerSatirical

Content warnings 4

misogynyracismviolencewar

Burn the Ships

Alberto Yáñez New Suns 2019 Novelette Alternate History Fantasy 7,688 words

European invaders with near-modern technology conquered a Mexico where the magic really worked, but the natives are preparing a rebellion.

Alternate HistoryRevengeDefiant

Content warnings 3

genocidegoreviolence

Down in the Dim Kingdoms

Tobias S. Buckell Lightspeed 2026

The airship’s spotlights played off the vast rocky sides of the shaft that plunged deep into the Earth’s core through the lithosphere and eventually to our destination: the Center of the Earth! I yawned. We fell so slowly, the sides of the shaft several...

Alternate HistoryAmbitionSardonic

Content warnings 3

deathgoreviolence

Escape Pod 858: Pen Pal (Part 1 of 2)

Grant Canterbury Escape Pod 2022 ♪ audio

Pen Pal By Grant Canterbury December Third, 1996 Meliari Thulissia General Delivery Tharsis Station Dear Meliari, Hello!! My name is Mary and I am nine years old. I got your name for a pen pal and they said you were the first pen pal on Mars. This is the...

Alternate HistoryFriendshipEarnest

Content warnings 2

deathviolence

Escape Pod 859: Pen Pal (Part 2 of 2)

Grant Canterbury Escape Pod 2022 ♪ audio

(Continued from Part 1) Pen Pal By Grant Canterbury August 8, 2005 Meliari Thulissia General Delivery Tharsis Station Dear Thu, Well I officially graduated from high school! And I have been itching to get out into the world for a long time but right now...

Alternate HistoryFriendshipHistorical USA

Content warnings 3

deathdeath-of-a-loved-onewar