Ten stories from 1983. Favorites:
“Knight Of Shallows” (novelette) – Rand B. Lee – Roger Carl Shapiro is sent into alternate universes to get rid of himself. His persona is known as Roger-Rogue. He kills people. A lot of it takes place in Key West, Florida. It’s a good combination of crime story with SF.
“Spending A Day At The Lottery Fair” – Frederik Pohl – America is overcrowded. One answer to the problem is the Hall of Life and Death. Two foreign tourists try and understand what’s going on.
“In The Face Of My Enemy” (novella) – Joseph H. Delaney – Kim Ryan is sent by the UN to do an ecological survey on the planet Campbell. The planet is run by Solar Minerals. The last thing the company wants is interference. They provide Kim with a bodyguard who appears clueless. He’s an Indian named Kah-Sih-Omah or Casey. The two take off in a skimmer. It’s been sabotaged and they crash. The story follows their adventures and discoveries and makes for a very entertaining read.
“The Nanny” (novelette) – Thomas Wylde – Eismann is taking a ship to Alpha Centauri. He’s supposed to land on an Earth type planet and plant the seeds of humanity. Since he’s in charge of the eggs he refers to himself as a nanny. He’s also the Last Man. Earth is destroying itself and his mission is the last hope for humanity to survive. He comes out of suspended animation eighteen years early and discovers the freezing unit with the zygotes has been destroyed. He saves two, a male and a female. The last few lines of the story are terrific.
Other authors: Greg Bear, Isaac Asimov, Don Sakers, Tanith Lee, Mary Gentle and Robert Silverberg.
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