"The Dead" is a science fiction

Science fiction

Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...

 short story

Short story

A short story is a work of fiction that is usually written in prose, often in narrative format. This format tends to be more pointed than longer works of fiction, such as novellas and novels. Short story definitions based on length differ somewhat, even among professional writers, in part because...

 published in 1996 by Michael Swanwick

Michael Swanwick

Michael Swanwick is an American science fiction author. Based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, he began publishing in the early 1980s.-Biography:...

. It was nominated for the 1997 Hugo Award for Best Short Story

Hugo Award for Best Short Story

The Hugo Awards are given every year by the World Science Fiction Society for the best science fiction or fantasy works and achievements of the previous year. The award is named after Hugo Gernsback, the founder of the pioneering science fiction magazine Amazing Stories, and was once officially...

 and for the 1997 Nebula Award for Best Short Story

Nebula Award for Best Short Story

Winners of the '“Nebula Award for Best Short Story”'. The stated year is that of publication; awards are given in the following year. Winning titles are listed first, with other nominees listed below.-Winners and nominees:-External links:* *...

.

Plot summary

The story follows Donald, a man who is being courted by a new company which has the ability to bring dead people back to life as the "living dead". The premise is that the "living dead" can be sold as a cheap and reliable work force. Donald isn't sure that will work out too well, so the company sends an agent named Sam (his former lover) to convince him of the idea. As they visit different locations around the city Donald begins to see the repercussions of an all-"living dead" work force.

External links

• The Dead at BestScienceFictionStories.com - a review of the short story.