The Cuckoo's Boys

A decade's worth of prolific short stories are showcased in this compilation of Robert Reed's best work. Among the dozen thought-provoking tales is the never-before-published "Abducted Souls," about a college student who becomes increasingly unsure of himself and his self-worth when the alien abduction he experienced as a child is questioned. Also included is theAsimov's Science Fiction Reader's Choice Awardwinning "Savior," about a military commander who is held accountable for tortuous acts that may have saved the human race. The hot topic of cloning is discussed in futuristic terms in the title tale, "The Cuckoo's Boys," which tells of a lonely genius who clones himself, not once, but millions of times, and of a teacher who tests and challenges three of these clones. Two ageless aliens become friends with Ash, an immortal human, as he strives to help them recover lost memories in "Night of Time," a selection taken from the popularMarrowbook. The collection closes with an afterword by the author, in which he details the genesis of each story.

Robert Reed is the author of more than a dozen novels, including Marrow and The Well of Stars, and a number of stories that have appeared in Asimov''s Science Fiction Magazine, The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, and Science Fiction Age. He lives in Lincoln, Nebraska.