Bio: Robert J. Sawyer, Canadian science-fiction writer (http://www.sfwriter.com), author of the Nebula Award-winning novel THE TERMINAL EXPERIMENT, and the Hugo Award finalists STARPLEX, FRAMESHIFT, FACTORING HUMANITY, and CALCULATING GOD -- as well as as several short stories available through Fictionwise. His latest project is the "Neanderthal Parallax" trilogy, consisting of HOMINIDS, HUMANS, and HYBRIDS.

First, I should tell you that I know Nick DiChario well (the Nidichar starships in my "Wiping Out," available here through Fictionwise, are named after him). Even so, this is one of my favorite SF stories of all time, and it was no surprise to me (although it was to Nick!) that it was included in the recent anthology THE BEST ALTERNATE HISTORY STORIES OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY. As a Canadian, it takes a lot to get anything about the Kennedys to resonate with me -- they just aren't part of the Canadian mythos -- but this story, about a brain-damaged JFK who survived the attempt on his life in Dallas, is incredibly moving, and beautifully executed, with not a wasted word. Poignant and powerful.

A perfect example of the classic "idea" story in SF. As workers at the Smithsonian prepare a time capsule to be buried in 2000 AD, a scientist tries to resurrect voices from 1000 AD. No action -- just talking heads (and a couple of other things that talk!) -- but it shows exactly why that sort of story can be so exciting and powerful in SF. Bonus: an afterword in which Benford discusses the science in the story, and why the story was rejected by David Hartwell.

A touching story told from the point of view of a bonobo chimpanzee. Makes an interesting contrast with Robert Silverberg's "Pope of the Chimps."

Barry Malzberg gets more than his far share of "poor" ratings here on Fictionwise, in my humble opinion. His stories are uniformly excellent, ambitious, and stylistically inventive -- although I can certainly see why they're not to everyone's taste (which is quite a different thing to being poor stories). Malzberg has long been recognized as a writer's writer -- admired by almost everyone working in the SF field, but never making the mark with the general reading public that he deserves to. You'll see exactly why in this brilliant little piece about a man dying of AIDS: there's nothing easy or sugar-coated here, just some very powerful writing.

Mike Resnick reveals why he's one of the most honored writers in the field with this terrific, poignant tale, about a proud tourist guide, showing the ancient sights of his alien world to a family from Earth. It's a haunting tale, and richly deserved every award it won.

One of the hardest types of science fiction to write convincingly is a story about the far, far future of humanity, much evolved from its present state. But Walter Jon Williams pulls it off brilliantly here. A note: he's using the term "Dinosaurs" metaphorically; don't expect to see any in this story. But even though dinosaurs almost always improve a story, this one is exellent as is.

I had to mull this one over for a couple of days before deciding that I did, in fact, love it. The opening, about a computer-entertainment director doing King Lear goes on quite long, but ultimately it is necessary to the story. This is actually a very poignant piece about Isaac Asimov himself; for a man famous for his ego, he reveals some startling humility here. "Gold" is metafiction -- fiction ABOUT fiction, that acknowledges with a wink and a nod that it IS fiction. In this case, the reading experience will be enhanced substantially if you've read Asimov's Hugo-winning novel The Gods Themselves."

For fans of Larry Niven, Arthur C. Clarke, and Hal Clement, Moffitt provides a tour de force of big-ideas SF and fascinating aliens (his Cygnans from this book are featured in the famed BARLOWE'S GUIDE TO EXTRATERRESTRIALS). Although its 1970s roots show, it's still a very enjoyable read from an author who, inexplicably, didn't go on to be a big name. Recommended.

This was the very first piece I read from Fictionwise, and after now reading over a hundred, it still resonates with me as one of the very best. Sometimes Egan is rather devoid of emotion, but not here: this powerful story about religious belief in conflict with science is a masterpiece. It may offend some, but I found it compelling and deeply moving.

This lengthy piece -- a Hugo nominee as I write this -- was written before September 11, 2001, but has some fascinating additional resonances since that tragic date. Allen Steele has done something too few American writers are willing to do: put a spotlight on the growing loss of freedom in his country. At the same time, his Great Escape-style plot about hijacking Earth's first starship works really well, even if the notion of anyone taking over any kind of ship is enough to give most people the willies these days. I'm already jealous enough of Allen as it is for having two Hugos -- and there's an excellent chance that he'll take home his third for this story.

Disclaimer: I'm the Sawyer after whom the main character is named (and his first name, Jason, is after the AI in my novel GOLDEN FLEECE). That said, I still honestly think this is a terrific story. Despite the title, it's only peripherally a riff on the classic "The Cold Equations" by Tom Godwin -- although it does ask a 21st-century version of the tough question about who you should save when you can't save everyone, with a very nice AI twist. Burstein won the John W. Campbell Award for best new writer a few years ago -- and you can see why in stories like this one.

I went to see "A Beautiful Mind," after its star Russell Crowe lost the Academy Award to Denzel Washington. On the way out of the theater, I said to my wife, "I haven't seen Denzel Washington's performance yet, but it must have been absolutely unbelievably fabulous to have beat out Crowe." Well, I feel the same way about "To Kiss the Star." It was up for the Nebula Award, but didn't win. I haven't read the work that did win yet, but, again, it must have been absolutely unbelievably fabulous to beat out "To Kiss the Star." This is a beautiful, poignant, moving story of a soaring mind trapped in a damaged body. Read it.

Dann is a fabulously evocative writer. This story -- a current Nebula finalist, as I write this review -- is absolutely compelling, telling of a man rich enough to create his own rules (if you own a diamond the size of a mountain, a little trifle like the Emancipation Proclamation doesn't prevent you from still keeping slaves just for the fun of it, and if your spoiled daughters want boyfriends, why, just abduct some square-jawed soldiers for them, and then kill them when the girls grow tired of them). The story is set shortly after World War I, and has rich characters, lots of action, and quite a bit of humor. A really enchanting read.

Jim Morrow has guts, I'll give him that. This story will surely be offensive to some, but in its brilliant exploration of the Roman Catholic doctrine on the sacredness of even unborn human life, "Auspicious Eggs" is in the best tradition of "if this goes on" science fiction speculation. If you haven't read Morrow before (author of the religiously themed novels ONLY BEGOTTEN DAUGHTER and TOWING JEHOVAH), this is a great place to start.

A very clever, well-researched story about Galileo and the Roman Catholic Church. Imagine if the Instruments were not Instruments of Torture, but, well ... Texas Instruments products. This story makes an interesting pairing with Isaac Asimov's "Gold." A quick read with a great sting in its tail.

The GLOBE AND MAIL: CANADA'S NATIONAL NEWSPAPER asked two dozen promiment Canadians to pick their favorite books of 2002. Mine was Ted Chiang's collection STORIES OF YOUR LIFE, which includes the Hugo winning "Hell is the Absence of God." My editor at Tor, David G. Hartwell, says this was the best single SF story of 2002; I can't say I disagree with him.

Dislcaimer: Richard used to be my own literary agent. He's one of the top names in the field, and the agent most in touch with the ebook revolution. Beyond that, he's a truly gifted humorist, as this wonderful piece shows.

An astonishingly eye-opening, and ultimately very uplifting, book. We hear constantly that humans are nothing more than natural-born killers; it's very refreshing, especially in these trying times, to see someone so eloquently make the opposite case. An important and very readable book.

A first story is always exciting, because you might be in on the ground floor of the Next Big Thing. Paul E. Martens is fabulously evocative, if a bit dark for some tastes. Give this one a try, and keep your eyes peeled for more by him.