One popular one is 'A Princess of Mars' by Edgar Rice Burroughs. It's an early and influential science fiction work that's now in the public domain. Another is 'The Time Machine' by H.G. Wells. These stories have inspired countless other works in the science fiction genre.
Often, they tend to be older works. Since copyright expires over time, many of the copyright - free sci - fi stories were written decades ago. They might have a more classic or retro feel in terms of their themes and writing styles. For example, some might focus on early concepts of space travel or alien encounters that were popular in the past.
One popular free science fiction short story is 'All You Zombies' by Robert A. Heinlein. It's a mind - bending time - travel story. Another is 'The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas' by Ursula K. Le Guin. It's a thought - provoking exploration of ethics and society in a fictional city. And 'Flowers for Algernon' by Daniel Keyes, which, while often considered more in the realm of science - fictional literature, is also freely available in short - story form and tells a poignant tale of intelligence enhancement and its consequences.
Well, 'The War of the Worlds' by H.G. Wells is a very popular one. There are many free audio versions available. Another is '2001: A Space Odyssey'. Its audio adaptation can be found for free in some places. And 'Fahrenheit 451' also has free audio story versions out there.
One popular one is 'The Monkey's Paw' by W. W. Jacobs. This story is also copyright free as it's been in the public domain for a long time. It has a very eerie and suspenseful plot about a magical monkey's paw that grants wishes with unforeseen and often terrifying consequences.
One popular one is 'The Tell - Tale Heart' by Edgar Allan Poe. Since it's in the public domain, it's copyright free. It's a terrifying tale of a man's descent into madness over an old man's 'vulture - like' eye. Another is 'The Monkey's Paw' which is also well - known. It tells a spooky story about a magical paw that grants wishes but with horrible consequences.
One popular one is 'The Scarlet Pimpernel' by Baroness Emmuska Orczy. It's set during the French Revolution and has elements of historical events intertwined with a romantic plot. The main character, Sir Percy Blakeney, is a charming and mysterious figure, and his relationship with his wife adds a romantic touch to the adventure.
Many of the Grimm's Fairy Tales are also copyright - free and very popular. Stories like 'Cinderella', 'Snow White' and 'Hansel and Gretel' have been loved by generations. They are often retold and adapted in different forms. There are also some ancient Greek and Roman myths that are public domain, like the story of Hercules, which are quite popular in different cultures.
You can try websites like Project Gutenberg. It has a large collection of public domain books, including many science fiction stories that are copyright - free. Another option is to look on some indie author platforms where authors may release their work for free under certain licenses.
Well, you could start by checking out websites dedicated to free literature. Some of these sites have a section for science fiction. They source stories that are either self - published by authors who waive their copyright or are from old, expired copyrights. You can also search for science fiction anthologies that are in the public domain. These anthologies often contain multiple stories that can be freely used. Just make sure to double - check the copyright status as it can sometimes be a bit tricky to determine.
One popular one is 'The Martian Chronicles' by Ray Bradbury. There are often free audio versions available. It's a collection of short stories about the colonization of Mars.