Amazon's Kindle Original Stories Offer a Wealth of Short Fiction for Genre Fans

Over the years, Amazon has built a substantial library of short story collections under its Original Stories imprint, often featuring prominent authors in genre fiction. The newest release, "Magic and Mystery," brings together fantasy writers to craft puzzle box mysteries, most involving murder. The collection showcases diverse approaches to the theme, with tales ranging from an armored elderly detective to a grotesque murder weapon at a royal wedding.

Notable stories include Travis Baldree's "Miss Gentle and the Case of the Very Flat Monk," introducing a detective clad in enchanted armor, and Robert Jackson Bennett's "The Lion's Tusk," featuring a uniquely bizarre murder weapon. Heather Fawcett's "A Labyrinth of Honeybees" packs rich worldbuilding into a short read, while Scott Lynch's "The Wizard Who Kept Himself Suspicious" depicts an ancient order of mages reuniting every 13 years. The collection contains seven stories.

Aside from the quality of writing, these collections offer flexibility. Readers can purchase each story individually for about one or two dollars, giving the collection an episodic feel akin to an anthology series like "Black Mirror." This allows readers to sample authors and decide whether to continue. Previous collections have featured authors such as Min Jin Lee, Lauren Beukes, N.K. Jemisin, and Jeff VanderMeer, as well as an original story by Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan that Netflix is adapting into a film.

The main downside is exclusivity. These shorts are largely available only on Amazon's Kindle or through its mobile app, with rare exceptions like del Toro's "The Boy in the Iron Box" receiving a physical release. For many, this remains a compelling reason to keep a Kindle charged, even as physical bookshelves grow.