One characteristic is the sense of cosmic insignificance. In space horror short stories, humans often realize how small and powerless they are in the face of the vast cosmos. This can be really terrifying. There's also the use of dark and desolate settings. Space is a cold, unforgiving place, and these stories play on that. For instance, a story might describe a derelict spaceship floating aimlessly, full of shadows and potential danger. And the appearance of unknowable entities is common. These entities can have strange forms and abilities that are beyond human comprehension, like the creatures in 'The Thing' stories.
One characteristic is the ability to quickly create a sense of unease. In a short story, there's not much time to waste, so they often start with a strange or disturbing situation right away. For example, in many of Poe's short horror stories, like 'The Tell - Tale Heart', the narrator's madness is presented from the very beginning.
They are often concise. Each story can quickly set a spooky mood and deliver a scare without a lot of build - up. For example, in 'Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark', many stories start right into the creepy action.
One characteristic is the use of suspense. For example, in 'The Tell - Tale Heart', Poe builds suspense by making the narrator's paranoia about the old man's eye grow gradually. Another is the creation of a sense of unease. In 'The Yellow Wallpaper', the description of the wallpaper and the woman's increasing obsession with it makes the reader feel uncomfortable. Also, often there are elements of the unknown or the supernatural like in 'The Monkey's Paw' where the power of the paw is a mystery.
One great space horror short story book is 'The Thing on the Doorstep' by H.P. Lovecraft. His works often involve otherworldly and terrifying elements in space - like settings. Another is 'Solaris' by Stanislaw Lem, which delves into the psychological horror that can occur in the isolation of space exploration. And 'Alien: Out of the Shadows' is also a good choice as it brings the terrifying Alien concept to short - story form.
Well, one characteristic is the use of sensuality to heighten the horror. For instance, in some stories, the sexual allure of a character might be tied to their menacing nature. It creates a sense of danger and unease that is different from regular horror.
Good space fiction books often have well - developed world - building. They create unique and believable universes, like in 'Dune' where the desert planet and its ecology are so vividly described. Another characteristic is interesting characters. For example, in 'Ender's Game', Ender is a complex and relatable character. Also, they usually explore big ideas such as the future of humanity, like in 'Foundation' series which looks at the rise and fall of civilizations.
A good short horror story often has a strong sense of unease from the start. For example, in 'The Yellow Wallpaper', the main character's fixation on the wallpaper creates an immediate sense of something being wrong. It also has unexpected twists. Like in 'The Landlady' where the seemingly kind landlady has a dark secret about her previous guests.
One characteristic is the quick build - up of suspense. Since they are short, they have to grab the reader's attention fast. For example, in 'The Yellow Wallpaper' by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, the sense of unease starts to grow from the very beginning as the narrator describes the strange wallpaper in her room. Another characteristic is the use of vivid and often grotesque imagery. In 'The Masque of the Red Death' by Edgar Allan Poe, the description of the red - death figure is both vivid and terrifying.
A short horror story meme usually has a creepy and unexpected twist. It's often concise and manages to create a sense of dread in a short amount of text or image.
In 'Seveneves', a major characteristic is the high - concept scientific ideas. It's not just about the story but also about making you think about the implications of a major astronomical event. And it has a large - scale view of humanity's struggle for survival. For example, the different ways people adapt to the new situation after the moon's destruction are really thought - provoking.