James Tiptree, Jr. wrote “Love is the plan the plan is death” and the January issue of Asimov’s takes both states to heart with several tales exploring love before, during, and after death by some of science fiction’s greatest talents. We begin with Damien Broderick, and his first story for Asimov’s in over twenty-four years: “Uncle Bones,” a funny, and somewhat disconcerting, tale of a young man’s troubled relationship with his uncle. The trouble is that his uncle’s, well, dead, though not exactly . . . and that’s only part of the problem! Mary Rosenblum returns with a taut tale of the future’s nature preserves and the lengths some people are willing to go for a little morbid entertainment in “Lion Walk.” If you think you have relationship problems, why not let Will McIntosh defrost a hapless “Bridesicle,” still trying to find true love amongst all the stiffs of the future, to put things into perspective; while Nancy Kress’s heroine takes on the ultimate technological control freak in “Unintended Behavior.” Of course, they can’t all be pre- and post-mortem fantasies: Larry Niven laments the loss of more than a simple moon base in “Passing Perry Crater Base, Time Uncertain”; Robert R. Chase presents the complications of negotiating with aliens “Five Thousand Light Years from Birdland”; and E. Salih, making a strong Asimov’s debut, not to mention his first fiction sale, sends one determined collector far back in time to acquire “Messiah Excelsa” by any means necessary.

Robert Silverberg contemplates the true meaning of “Hic Rhodus, Hic Salta” in his Reflections column; James Patrick Kelly invites us to “Hear Now” in On the Net; Paul Di Filippo brings us “On Books”; plus an array of poetry you’re sure to enjoy. Look for our January issue at your newsstand on November 11, 2008. Or you can subscribe to Asimov’s—by mail or online, in varying formats, including downloadable forms, by going to our website, www.asimovs.com. We’re also now available on Amazon.com’s Kindle!