Bio: Amy J. Poppenga lives in Tallahassee, Florida with her Sweetie and a multitude of over-sized, exceptionally needy pets. She has written for Break magazine and has been a guest reviewer for Spicy Green Iguana (SpicyGreenIguana.com). You can also see her reviews on her website, Reviewlutions (www.reviewlutions.com). Look for Amy elsewhere on the web and in print in the very near future.

What if you could plan everything about your children in advance, from physical attributes to propensities toward certain talents? What if you could choose whether or not you wanted your child to sleep? This might seem like a ridiculous concept when the child is a baby, but what about when he/she gets older? Imagine if, in your adult years or your young brain-like-a-sponge years, you didn't need to sleep, never even got tired. Suddenly you'd have plenty of time to do all the things you ever wanted to do. But if these "sleepless" people have so much more time to do things, are they super-intelligent and superhuman? Some might think so and fear them, others might think so and hate them. In Beggars in Spain, Nancy Kress has created a realistic future in which there are the "Sleepers" and the "Sleepless." The best thing about this story is that it's realistic sci-fi. Kress paints humanity into her characters, making them real despite their surroundings or circumstances. This was my first reading of Kress' work, but I can assure you it won't be my last. This is a must read for fiction and sci-fi lovers alike.

What if you could foresee your future, but each time you did, it changed? Maybe the first time you predicted wealth, prosperity, and happiness, but your next premonition indicated that you would die poor and alone? Would you allow these ever-changing premonitions to dictate your actions? Meet Jehan, an Islamic girl barely yet a woman. During her life she is either raped or not, damned or saved, kills a man or is killed. Also meet Jehan, an Islamic woman in her late 20's, brilliant, and privy to the innermost dealings of the greatest scientific minds of the mid-1920's. Who, when, and where is Jehan really? And how can someone so young have so many memories? In "Schrodinger's Kitten" by George Alec Effinger, the reader is told the same story several times each with a slightly different twist. As the same story plays out through different means with different ends, Jehan struggles to get a grasp on what is part of her reality and what is a premonition. And are they really premonitions or the distant memories of many Jehans long dead? In this work of science fiction with bits of historical fiction thrown in, Effinger has created a thought-provoking tale sure to appeal to sci-fi buffs, physicists, and fiction readers alike.

My brother and I were once driving down the road in St. Petersburg, Florida and we saw a church sign that said, "It won't be so funny in hell." Well, ain't that the truth? In "Gilgamesh in the Outback," Robert Silverberg explores a Hell that grows and changes along with its inhabitants, a myriad of well-known historical figures. From well-known Authors to Queens and from famous doctors to heroes, Hell has them all. And what do all these people do in Hell? Essentially the same things they did before death. Former rulers fight to rule. Alcoholics drink like fish at the corner bar, and Gilgamesh hunts hell-beasts in the Outback. With entertaining insight into historical facts and strange twists of events, we see each character living his own version of hell and shudder at how similar to life some versions seem to be. With Silverberg's quick wit and entertaining style, he has created a hell that can't help but be amusing. Whether it's inner turmoil or outward sadness, each character is vividly drawn with humor and realism. With a cast of characters including H.P. Lovecraft, Robert E. Howard, Gilgamesh, and Dr. Schweitzer, to name a few, this is a truly entertaining read that suggests that maybe it just might be so funny in Hell after all.

What would you do if you had to choose between certain death and eternal life? The knee-jerk reaction would be to say "I want to live forever," cut and dry, plain and simple. But what if eternal life came with a price? What if it meant having to denounce your life's work and essentially say that everything you ever believed in was wrong? Would it be worth the price? In A Knight of Ghosts and Shadows, by Gardner Dozois, these are the questions that Charles must answer. As he feels the life slipping from his body, he must make the most difficult choice of his life. But is it possible to think clearly when you know your time is short? Can you be certain that such a choice is being made intelligently and not just because the fear of death has taken over? This is a complex story full of imagination and imagery. Dozois paints a vivid picture of a complex world in which most anything can happen. This is a great story and a must read.

Robert Silverberg is a master at blending sci-fi with history, and "Thebes of the Hundred Gates" is a prime example. When Edward Davis goes back 35 centuries in search of two individuals lost in a previous time jump, he is amazed at what he finds. With Silverberg's skill at providing intricate detail, he recreates eighteenth Dynasty Egypt and takes us into the lives of individual Egyptians going about their daily lives. From the elaborate temples to the City of the Dead, Silverberg makes us feel as if we ourselves have been dropped into ancient Egypt. The intriguing plot line that unfolds as Edward spends 30 days in the distant past is only the icing on the cake. There are writers who are barely able to describe the present in a realistic tone, but then there are the Robert Silverbergs who thrive on imagination and create their own amazing truths. Thebes of the Hundred Gates is a must read.

What if you lived in a perfect world filled with fun and imagination and learning? A land without crime or hatred or pain in which no one ever died? Would this "perfect" world really be so perfect? And in whose eyes? Daddy's World by Walter Jon Williams is a fascinating tale of a fantasy world that's perhaps too good to be true. Are never-ending innocence and a lack of change or growth really all they're cracked up to be? And how healthy is it to keep a child from having any knowledge of the real world outside? Whether the world he creates is heaven or hell, Williams is a master at imagery, bringing the reader through a cycle of emotions that few authors can establish in a lengthy novel, let alone a short story. Daddy's World is a surprisingly emotional tale well worth a read.

How many of us were picked on, spit on, and just plain treated like dirt when we were kids? And how many of us always dreamed (or still dream) of someday meeting the adult versions of the kids who picked on us, only to find that they peaked in elementary school, or high school, or junior high, while we just kept getting better with age? Well, in "The Spider in the Hairdo", Michael A. Burstein has created a lovable, believable young character who gets the last laugh in what is possibly the most macabre feel-good tale on record. When an alien spider reaches earth, he happens upon Peggy, our chubby, dorky 9th grade heroine who wants nothing more than to be popular. It's a common tale of loser turned princess?or so you might think. In this finely tuned piece, Burstein has created a far from typical, unpredictable story that will make you want to laugh, cry, and cringe all within a compact narrative about 30 pages long. It's a fast and enjoyable read with such realistic characters that even the alien spider will feel like the arachnid next door. Guaranteed to give you the heebie-jeebies, "The Spider in the Hairdo" is a must read.

"Katherine's Story" is a tale of a city girl thrown into the Southern country where little is as she'd imagined it would be. When Katherine encounters another high society woman stuck in Hicksville, USA, instead of being thrilled to find another like herself, she is fearful of what she will someday become. Kage Baker has created a chillingly real tale in "Katherine's Story". With impressive imagery and a realistic main character, the reader can't help but feel sympathy for her and disgust for her new extended family. All in all, a sad and beautiful tale that's well worth the read.