Bad dream - John Christopher

Part one of three: No date is given but the setting is near future. The main technological development involved is 'Virtual', helmets and other kit which create personal dream worlds for users, which is addictive. The main character is Michael Frodsham, an international rugby star for England with a stunning black American girlfriend Lucy who works for the US State Department. Rather prosaically, his day job is a hospital administrator. His father re-married a German, so Michael is related to Deiter von Frohsteig, a rich German manufacturer of 'Virtual', who wants to employ Michael in an ad campaign. Life is idyllic for Michael. But things start to fray. Britain Awake! activists burn down the European Union HQ in London. Michael's sister Anna's son, Adam, is a BA activist. Things escalate and there are rumours about EU treatment of BA members. Also Michael hears about plans to outsource wards of those hooked on Virtual.

Virtual reality - Keith Roberts

A 'Kaeti' story according to the blurb. The main character though is not Kaeti, but her very chatty daughter, Norma, who dominates this tale of her meeting with her Belgian penpal, Sabby, who is visiting England for the first time. Dialogue and characters are excellent, but, although VR is mentioned in passing, there seems little rationale for it to be in a science fiction magazine.

The ultimate sacrifice - Eric Brown

Real 'Heart of Darkness' feel to this tale as media maven Katerina De Klein arrives on Tarturus, to cover events as its sun starts to go nova. She is really seeking her brother, Robert, who left her alone in an orphanage when she was sixteen to go to Tarturus. The trail leads through government officials, fortune tellers and a man infested with an alien parasite, as she journeys into the jungle interior that others are fleeing.

PauseTime - Mary Soon Lee

Very short and sad. Babies can be 'paused', frozen in time, so that their parents can get on with their lives. The why and the how of 'PauseTime' is never explained and does not make sense anyway but its potential (e.g. to mature sons ahead of daughters) releases the dark side of parenting. ( )