Can you recommend the best experimental stories in science fiction?

One well - known story could be 'Frankenstein'. It involves a scientist's experimental creation in a sort of laboratory - like setting. The scientist, Victor Frankenstein, attempts to create life through scientific means in his makeshift 'laboratory'.

One great work is 'The Lottery' by Shirley Jackson. It's a very short story that plays with the reader's expectations and has an unexpected and somewhat disturbing ending. Another is Jorge Luis Borges' short pieces which are often very experimental in terms of their use of time, space and multiple layers of reality.

For beginners, 'If on a winter's night a traveler' by Italo Calvino is a great choice. It's not as overwhelmingly complex as some other experimental works. It has an engaging structure that involves the reader in a unique way. Another good option is 'The House on Mango Street' by Sandra Cisneros. It uses a series of vignettes to tell a story in a rather experimental way, especially in terms of its form and the way it presents the experiences of the main character. 'The Metamorphosis' by Franz Kafka could also be considered experimental in a sense, and it's a relatively accessible read with its strange premise of a man turning into an insect.

One example is 'Solaris' by Stanislaw Lem. It presents a really strange and thought - provoking world with a sentient ocean planet that challenges our understanding of intelligence and communication. Another is 'Neuromancer' by William Gibson. It was very experimental in its exploration of the cyberpunk genre, introducing concepts like cyberspace and hacking in a really immersive way.

Experimental fiction can find a good home in many presses. Farrar, Straus and Giroux has been known to publish some very interesting experimental works. Their editorial vision allows for works that are different from the mainstream. Another press worth mentioning is Soft Skull Press. They often focus on works that are edgy and experimental, exploring new ways of presenting fictional worlds and characters. University presses like Duke University Press also sometimes publish excellent experimental fiction, especially those works that blend academic and creative elements.

I would recommend 'Bartleby, the Scrivener' by Herman Melville. It has a rather unique character in Bartleby who defies the normal expectations of a worker. His repeated response of 'I would prefer not to' is both simple and complex at the same time. Also, 'A Rose for Emily' by William Faulkner is an experimental short story. Faulkner uses a non - linear narrative to tell the story of Emily Grierson, revealing different aspects of her life and the town's relationship with her over time. Additionally, Kafka's 'The Metamorphosis' is a well - known experimental piece where the main character wakes up as an insect, which is a very strange and thought - provoking concept.

One example could be 'If on a winter's night a traveler' by Italo Calvino. It has experimental elements in its narrative structure while also touching on love in an interesting way. The story plays with the relationship between the reader and the text, which gives a unique perspective on love and connection.

One is 'The Yellow Wallpaper' by Charlotte Perkins Gilman. It's an early example of experimental fiction as it delves into the psychological state of the narrator in a very unique way through her descriptions of the wallpaper. Another is Jorge Luis Borges' 'The Garden of Forking Paths' which plays with the concept of time and multiple realities.

Ethics is a common theme. Many such stories, like 'The Island of Dr. Moreau', explore whether it's right to conduct extreme experiments on living beings. It makes the reader question the boundaries of scientific exploration.

One key feature is its innovative concepts. It often explores new scientific ideas or technologies that haven't been fully developed yet in the real world. For example, it might play with concepts like time travel in ways that are completely different from traditional science fiction. Another feature is its willingness to break narrative conventions. It may not follow the typical story structures of a hero's journey or a problem - solution pattern. Instead, it can be more fragmented or abstract in its storytelling.