Twelve stories from 1989.
Favorites: “The Magic Bullet” – Brian Stableford – A scientist has created what he calls MB viruses. The MB stands for magic bullet. He’s trying to create the genetic engineering of mammals. Someone has firebombed his lab killing all the mice. At his apartment a sniper put a couple bullets in him. He’s barely hanging on. His work came up with a surprising result.
“Chiprunner” – Robert Silverberg – A fifteen year old genius is anorexic. He’s sent to a psychiatrist. He tells him all he wants to do is disappear so he can get into a microchip.
“Death Ship” – Barrington J. Bayley – This is a good take on time travel. Maybe there is no such thing as the past.
“Dogwalker” – A man was shot by a stray bullet when he was nine. Now all his life he looks like he’s just about twelve. A pimp named Dogwalker hires him to get the password of a Federal official’s computer. Dogwalker wants to steal what are called green cards. They’re worth a lot of money.
“Surrender” – Lucius Shepard – All about a reporter who covers wherever there’s a war. In Guatemala he discovers an experimental farm. This is a combination of Shepard’s usual cynicism about politics and war and a horrific experiment on the Indians of the country.
“War Fever” – J.G.Ballard – Ryan is a young soldier fighting in Lebanon’s civil war. He comes up with an idea for peace involving the UN peacekeeping force. The rest of the world is at peace so why not here. He finds out why.
Other authors: Gregory Benford, Brian W.Aldiss, James Morrow, Lisa Tuttle and Judith Moffett.
