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.

I wouldn't have thought it possible at this late date for someone to come up with another seminal short-short in the SF field, the equal of Clarke's THE STAR or Asimov's own THE LAST QUESTION, but the good doctor has done it here. Robopsychologist Susan Calvin is back, and at her best (but you don't need to have read any of Asimov's other robot stories to enjoy this one). A treat, short and sweet.

It's probably sacrilegious to say it, but I've never been much of a fan of Heinlein -- too jingoistic and right-wing for my tastes. But this is a simply charming, fast-paced novel about a flamboyant two-bit actor who stumbles into the job of impersonating the most powerful man in the solar system. Heinlein's characterization often seems glib and superficial to me, but his main actor character is nuanced and fascinating, and everything in the book about the theatrical world rings true. Lots of fun, and a good reminder of how short novels really were the ideal form for SF.

You shouldn't need me to tell you about this story, one of the most lauded pieces of short SF from the 1990s. But if you've missed reading it up to now, here's your chance. Resnick tells of aliens visiting Olduvai Gorge long after humanity is extinct. Resnick's signature mix of Africana and pointed social comment are very much in evidence in this piece -- and the motley crew of aliens he's put together rivals Larry Niven at his best.

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.

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.

Classic Ellison -- what more need be said? If you haven't read it already, you're in for a treat!

One of the great things about the eBook revolution is the availability of older material. Certainly, it's allowing me to catch up on some stories I should have read years ago -- such as this gem from the late George Alec Effinger. What a masterful work! The entire history of quantum mechanics condensed to 10,000 words, and made a powerful character story, to boot.

There simply is no better history of science fiction available. The Panshins love the genre, and take you on an illuminating tour. Highly recommended.

An unusual ANALOG-style hard-SF story from Ellison. Chilling, but absolutely first rate.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Harlan Ellison has written lots of great stories, but this is one of his very best. The most self-reflection we usually get is looking at ourselves in the mirror each morning. Here, a man actually meets himself -- and has to admit that he doesn't really like what he sees. Powerful and punchy.

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.

A wonderfully entertaining story. STAR TREK fans will see some of the seeds of the classic "Requiem for Methuselah" episode in this novelette that predates that episode by 30 years. Not all golden-age SF holds up well, but this fun, enchanting story does, and de Camp does a great job of slipping in information about the debates (still ongoing!) about the relationship between Neanderthals and Cro-Magnons. Indeed, it's interesting to see how little has really changed in our knowledge of Neanderthals in the 60-odd years that have passed. Funny and touching.

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."

The birth of religion among captive chimps! A fascinating story, very well told. Equally good, but very different, is Mike Resnick's "Barnaby in Exile." "Pope of the Chimps" also makes an interesting contrast with Silverberg's own story about a robot pope, "Good News from the Vatican."

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.

I happen to think that Frederik Pohl's GATEWAY is the finest science-fiction novel ever written -- but I've got to say that it owes one heck of a lot to Robert Silverberg's older "Going Down Smooth." The idea of whacko artificial intelligences, and of using a computer psychologist to treat human patients has never been done so neatly as in this nasty little piece. Well worth reading (as, of course, Silverberg usually is).

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.

What a hoot! A truly funny story. Laura Resnick clearly has her father Mike Resnick's deft comic touch.

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.