Supermen · Tales of the Posthuman Future

Mind-expanding explorations of the future of the human form

Our bodies and minds are malleable, and only the imagination is the limit to the possible improvements. From genetics to artificial enhancements, humanity will alter the course of its own evolution. Included here are more than twenty stories from the most imaginative writers in the field, including:

Poul Anderson * James Blish * Eric Brown * Ted Chiang * Tony Daniel * Samuel R. Delany * Greg Egan * Joe Haldeman * Geoffrey A. Landis * Paul McAuley * Ian MacLeod * David Marusek * Tom Purdom * Robert Reed * Joanna Russ * Robert Silverberg * Brian Stableford * Bruce Sterling * Charles Stross * Michael Swanwick * Liz Williams * Gene Wolfe * Roger Zelazny

Contents

ix • Preface (Supermen) • essay by uncredited

1 • The Chapter Ends • [Psychotechnic League] • (1954) • novelette by Poul Anderson

18 • Watershed • [Pantropy] • (1955) • shortstory by James Blish

26 • Slow Tuesday Night • (1965) • shortstory by R. A. Lafferty

32 • Aye, and Gomorrah • (1967) • shortstory by Samuel R. Delany (aka Aye, and Gomorrah . . .)

41 • Nobody's Home • (1972) • shortstory by Joanna Russ

54 • The Hero as Werwolf • (1975) • shortstory by Gene Wolfe

66 • Halfjack • (1979) • shortstory by Roger Zelazny

71 • Dancer's in the Time-Flux • shortstory by Robert Silverberg (aka Dancers in the Time-Flux 1983 )

85 • Spook • (1983) • shortstory by Bruce Sterling

97 • Understand • (1991) • novelette by Ted Chiang

125 • None So Blind • (1994) • shortstory by Joe Haldeman

133 • Mortimer Gray's History of Death • (1995) • novella by Brian Stableford (aka Mortimer Gray's "History of Death")

181 • Brother Perfect • [Sister Alice] • (1995) • novella by Robert Reed

223 • A Child of the Dead • (1997) • shortstory by Liz Williams

229 • Nevermore • (1997) • novelette by Ian R. MacLeod

247 • The Wisdom of Old Earth • (1997) • shortstory by Michael Swanwick

255 • TOAST: A Con Report • (1998) • shortstory by Charles Stross

267 • The Gardens of Saturn • (1998) • novelette by Paul J. McAuley

296 • Grist • (1998) • novella by Tony Daniel

342 • Fossil Games • (1999) • novelette by Tom Purdom

373 • The Wedding Album • [Cathy] • (1999) • novella by David Marusek

413 • Steps Along the Way • (1999) • shortstory by Eric Brown

421 • Border Guards • (1999) • novelette by Greg Egan

442 • Epilogue (Supermen) • essay by uncredited

444 • Homo Sapiens Declared Extinct • (1999) • shortstory by Bruce Sterling (aka A.D. 2380: Homo Sapiens Declared Extinct 2001 )

446 • A History of the Human and Post-Human Species • (2000) • shortstory by Geoffrey A. Landis

449 • The Great Goodbye • (2000) • shortstory by Robert Charles Wilson