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Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine
June 1998

This month's issue of Asimov's starts with a rare editorial from Gardner Dozois on the change in the size of the magazine (it used to be digest size, now it is larger). It also says that the a web site for the magazine has been set up at (http://www.asimovs.com/).

Next, in Silverberg's Reflections column, he looks at how 'Science-Fictional' the world has become. It is hard to realise that in less than a century, everything from cars to radios to computers to rockets have been invented or developed. He wonders whether in his old age, he will be able to handle the changes in the next century, much like his father had to handle the changes that occurred in this century.

Stories featured in this issue are:

"17" by Paul J. McAuley is set on a world constantly bombarded by meteorites and where most of the colonist have to work in dismal conditions in factories that produce food. One of them, who just calls herself '17' aspires to go 'out' into space and meets a former spacer who agrees to help her. But her journey is filled with danger from fellow workers and an alien who hunts in the factory.
"Lovestory" by James Patrick Kelley is his look at a society that has three sexes; one male, one female and one nurse. It concentrates on a family whose female as 'deserted' to meet with aliens who only have two sexes. When she returns to the family, it is with a secret that can affect her entire society.
"The Moon Girl" by M. Shayne Bell is a story set in a manuscript discovered in a abandoned museum in Africa and details the encounter between a British explorer and the strange wife of a King.
"Target of Opportunity" by Stephen Dedman is set in the dinosaur era among a group of time travelers, some of whom are tourist who stop there before visiting other eras. Events become strange when a guide spots a dinosaur carrying what looks like a bamboo stick who use is not apparent until the end of the story. It's use will make you wonder why you didn't see it coming.
"Red" by Sarah Clemens is set during the American Civil War in the South and looks at the strange grandmother of a child who may have strange magical powers.
"The Days of Solomon Gursky" by Ian McDonald is initially set in the same scenario as McDonald's book, The Terminal Cafe. Here, immortality is achieved not by the living but by the dead; dead people are 'resurrected' by introducing nanomachines into them. Here, McDonald takes the super-long view of their lives through day entries of one Solomon Gursky who lives billions of years.

[Home Page][Index of Reviews][May 1998][July 1998]

Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine June 1998

Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine
June 1998