Bio: Paul Walker lives and works in the Washington, D.C., area. A former Navy pilot, Paul is now a Navy lawyer (yes, a JAG, just like the TV show!). He has never edited anything other than his high school newspaper and, to this point in his life, his writing has primarily been digested by judges and lawyers. But hey, even Grisham had to start somewhere, right?

Although I have read much of Asimov?s work, I had never read this charming little story before finding it on Fictionwise. This creation is classic Asimov: bringing a singularly unique viewpoint to a subject that is often treated formulaically in science fiction. In this case, the subject is mental telepathy, but not necessarily with other humans as all other science fiction writers envision mental telepathy. Two scientists find a brain pattern in Iowa for their computer-generated model of the perfect telepathic profile. Yet they resist bringing their ?subject? to the attention of the scientific community because the person attached to the brain pattern does not fit their perception, actually stereotype, of a telepathic person. How many potentially critical scientific discoveries due to such shortsighted, ?in the box? thinking? A telling indictment of those that apply the scientific method in an overly rigid manner and fail to challenge their own assumptions.

What if technology could bring you back to life? Raise you up like Lazarus? That is exactly the situation that Larry Niven?s famous protagonist, Beowulf Shaeffer, finds himself in ?Procrustes.? And, like the victims of the mythological Greek highwayman (Procrustes made his victims lay on a long bed and then he stretched them to fit it; he also had a short bed and to get someone to fit the short bed, he cut off their legs), Beowulf finds himself altered, his height shortened by the healing powers of a procrustean autodoc. Four months after he was placed in the autodoc, Beowulf emerges with the memory of being shot by a traveling companion on the very beach he now finds himself. Where is his wife? His kids? And, more importantly, how did he get into the autodoc after his lifeless body hit the sand? Travel with Beowulf as he learns the answers to these questions in this entertaining Niven story that I heartily recommend for those who like a little mystery mixed in with their science fiction.

When I was in London a few years back, I went on the Jack the Ripper walking tour/pub crawl. Mike Resnick's "Redchapel" masterfully evokes that murky, foggy spring night spent stumbling around London's East End. "Redchapel" is another in a series of Teddy Roosevelt "what if" tales, as in: What if a young Teddy Roosevelt was asked to apply his intellect and American ingenuity to solving the mystery of who was killing off the prostitutes in the Whitechapel area. In fact, as the police inspector tells him upfront, there have been so many deaths, that people are referring to the area as "redchapel." Resnick has Teddy tackle the problem with the kind of energy and innovation for which the first famous Roosevelt president was renowned. Not content with the usual police methods, Teddy takes up residence in "redchapel" and develops an intimate familiarity with it by prowling the streets and pubs. Resnick brings Teddy face to face with the Ripper and resolves the dilemma in an innovative manner. Rightly nominated for a Hugo Award this year, "Redchapel" is much more authentic and believable "Bully!", another of Resnick's Teddy Roosevelt stories I read earlier in the year. Recommended for all science fiction fans, although the crime descriptions can be rather graphic.

The time is fast drawing near when the last survivors of the Holocaust will pass away. In ?Kaddish for the Last Survivor,? Michael Burstein anticipates this day and the upheavals it causes in the life of the last survivor?s granddaughter, Sarah. Using the advanced technologies of the near-future, Sarah?s grandfather enlists her help in preserving his memories of the Holocaust. On the way to resolving this personal crisis, Sarah must also deal with her mother who, apparently representative of her generation, previously tried to shield Sarah from the Holocaust. Unlike most other science fiction stories with a point of view or message to get across, the point here is not a subtle one. This story displays its message vividly, openly, and proudly, not unlike the death camp tattoos worn by Holocaust survivors, and which also play a central role in the story. This is a tight, well-written story that I recommend for those who do not mind a very obvious and pointed message in their reading.

If you have ever wondered what on earth could have caused Henry VIII to wreck his marriage, split with the Pope, and cause enormous religious strife in England, then check out ?And Wild For to Hold? by Nancy Kress. The answer, of course, is Anne Boleyn. She is so central to the suffering of so many that she is kidnapped by altruistic time travelers. As Kress portrays Boleyn, she is smart, beautiful, passionate when she wants to be, and coolly controlled all the time?exactly what it must have taken to win the heart of the King of England (even if only temporarily!). The naively altruistic kidnappers are no match for her powers as she wreaks havoc in the future, leading to a trial where this time the cards are stacked in her favor. In a very entertaining story, Kress effectively points out the importance of women in history. Unfortunately, the Alternative History and time travel genres mirror mainstream history in their dearth of stories dealing with the substantial impact of women in history. Recommended for Alt History and time travel fans, as well as those who like strong female characters.

Long-renowned as the pre-eminent photographer of the Civil War (though most of the real work was done by others), this story uses a time travel variation to place Brady in other, future wars. Ripped from his own time, he experiences Hiroshima, yet doesn't comprehend it. He is immersed in Vietnam as the napalm washes over him. He experiences the ravages of war in his time-traveling dreams even as his professional life is savaged in his own time, saddled with debt and eventual bankruptcy. Through all the trials and travails, his wife remains by his side, supportive and helpful, knowing of the greatness that awaits because she, too, has seen the Gallery of His Dreams.

The best part about writing science fiction is the ability to bring your dreams to life, even if only fleetingly in the mind of the reader. In ?Cosmic Corkscrew,? Michael A. Burstein gives voice to one of his dreams: to travel back to 1938 to meet young Isaac Asimov who is about to have his first story submission rejected, after which the story was apparently consigned to the dustbin of history. The mission for Burstein (or you or me) as the protagonist is to bring a copy of that long-lost story to the future. Along the way we get to encounter a sliver of the life of young Isaac Asimov, soda jerk, chemist and science fiction writer extraordinaire. All in all, an entertaining little science fiction ?short.?

I enjoyed this story so much when I first read it in Asimov?s that I purchased a copy for my handheld! This is a story that I will read again and again. Gardner Dozois presents a compelling portrait of the effects of age on both the body and mind of Charles Czudak, aging author and minor celebrity. Meanwhile, the crush of time (or are they time travelers?) is carrying him toward a decision with drastic consequences for his life and the survival of the human species: repudiate his life?s work and live to see the stars, or die the pain-wracked death that awaits him on earth. Along the way Czudak must contend with the ghosts of the past and the shadows of the future. Dozois has created a carefully crafted and powerful story that I strongly recommend to all those who love living.

This is an absolutely wonderful Alternate History story. Set in a little-known corner of the Civil War, ?Argonautica? is a raucous story that rolls along as smoothly as the rivers upon which much of the action takes place. Although not populated with lots of famous people, as is ?No Spot of Ground?, the characters in ?Argonautica? are more entertaining. Walter Jon Williams has filled this story with some memorable characters, and, more importantly, two really well-developed characterizations for the protagonists?Jase and Melia. Instead of a Golden Fleece, Jase is after gold bullion hidden by the Confederate government in the wilds of Mississippi. He is guided by Melia, the wild child daughter of the former governor that hid the bullion. With $65 million in gold at stake, there is plenty of treachery and danger afoot, not the least of which are the lethal plants and potions in Melia?s little black bag. This is another great one for Civil War buffs and those who enjoy well-written Alternate History stories.

Time takes a holiday in this new short story from Kage Baker. Fans of Ms. Baker?s ?The Company? series will find much to enjoy in this non-Company story. Rather than being simply set in the past, Time plays a much more central role in the plot of this story. Dolliver finds himself in dire straits on Christmas Eve until he wanders into Navarro Lodge and discovers that his life could get much worse?he could not exist! In the time sump of Navarro Lodge, 1928, he meets a fellow lost soul from the present whose fate will also be decided in Navarro Lodge that night. Along the way, we are treated to a descriptive tour de force, as the two characters act as our prism for viewing not only the events from that long ago Christmas Eve, but also the richness and complexity of the lodge and its inhabitants. The story so overwhelms the senses that the time paradox presented does not become apparent until long after you have stopped reading. A must read for those who like stories rich in detail, as well as those looking for a unique ?time travel? angle.

What if Edgar Allan Poe had not died on a bender in Baltimore in 1849, but lived to become a Confederate general during the Civil War? That fascinating premise is the subject of this well-researched alternate history story by Walter Jon Williams. Poe has survived Pickett?s charge at Gettysburg and now finds himself temporarily in command of Pickett?s division and at the pivotal point in a make or break battle with Grant?s army. Along the way he encounters a host of legendary characters, including Robert E. Lee, Walt Whitman, and Jefferson Davis. Williams artfully illustrates Poe?s fascination with the themes of death, youthful beauty, and violence in the context of the Civil War. Civil War buffs (such as myself) and Poe fans of all stripes will find much to like in this story, including two live ravens that accompany Poe on the battlefield. Highly recommended for those who enjoy Alternate History stories.