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Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine
January 2002

This month's issue of Asimov's features a Reflections column by Robert Silverberg who talks about Poul Anderson, who died in 2001.

Stories featured in this issue are:

• "The Longest Way Home (Part 3 of 3)" by Robert Silverberg. The continuation of the story of a young boy trying to make his way back home across an unknown landscape. With his identity known to one of his rescuers, he is determined to push on and return to his home. But the journey is far from over even when he does reach home.
• "Oracles" by Robert Reed. An interesting take on the usual tale about mankind meeting aliens. A former Science Fiction writer is at a conference with various aliens when he receives an offer that could change the course of development of mankind. Should he take it and what are the consequences if he doesn't?
• "Men in the Rain" by Esther M. Friesner. An interesting tale about a old man who can see ghosts, especially of his old Vietnam veteran friend. Things take a dramatic turn when he ends up in the middle of a confrontation between his caregiver and her abusive boyfriend and learns how the dead can influence the living.
• "Gandhi Box" by Daniel Abraham. A cautionary tale about a device installed into probationary and reformed criminals. It talks to them and gives suggestions to alter their violent behaviour. But does it really work and what if the criminal is willing to do anything to bypass its suggestions?
• "The Safety of the Herd" by James Van Pelt. An intriguing story set on on a overpopulated Earth where people rub shoulders with each other. This, naturally enough, leads to confrontations between people who can't stand other people pushing and shoving. But when one detective goes to resolve a situation at a biological lab, he discovers just what one of the scientist is working on and the consequences it could have on our behaviour.
• "Walking in Circles" by Steven Utley. One of a series of stories about a group of people travelling back to prehistoric mid-Paleozoic times. As they set about collecting specimens, one of them fantasies about a relationship with another.

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