David Brin - The giving plague

Superbly twisty story about Les Adamson, who theorises about the most cunning virus infection strategy ever, narrated by his less ethical co-researcher Forry.

Paul McAuley - Karl and the ogre

Karl and his two colleagues hunt and kill ogres, who are slowly declining in numbers. What appears to be a fantasy scenario morphs into something very different.

Christopher Evans - Artefacts

Vendavo, an artist renowned for his long-lived 'chimeras' - art works powered by emotion - is murdered and suspicion falls on his frustrated disciple, Kumash.

Kim Newman - Famous monsters

Wonderful alternate world romp, in which, after the Second War of the Worlds, aliens get accepted and one reminisces about his film career in Hollywood.

S.M.Baxter - Something for nothing

An empty alien spaceship is discovered on a trans-galactic journey, and becomes a treasure trove of wonders...

Greg Egan - Scatter my ashes

Rather laboured horror story set in in a grim, violent milieux, in which a photographer discovers evidence of a serial murderer called Jack... ( )