I remember very clearly when science fiction entered my life and sparked my imagination. It was the mid-Fifties, and I got hold of Alfred Bester's "Fondly Fahrenheit." Selected for the Science Fiction Hall of fame, it's the story of the conflicted James Vandeleur and his murderous android who has absorbed its owner's personality - or so it seems. As the viewpoint shifts back and forth between Vandeleur and the android it's hard to tell, but the effect is chilling.

Essentially, when the temperature reaches 91.9 degrees Fahrenheit, the android/Vandeleur malfunctions and young girls get killed. As critics have pointed out, Bester's prose in this story is sometimes corny, but the pace was breathless and compelling. The impact of his tale was immediate and thrilling. It was a story I couldn't forget...a story that told me, "Wow, if this is what it means to be a writer, then I'm in!"

Of course, it took me over 35 years to realize that goal, but "Fondly Fahrenheit" sustained the dream over all that time. I'd like to think that if Alfred Bester were alive today, he'd be immensely proud of his impact of his story upon me and countless other science fiction writers. If you haven't read it, give it a try along with his novel, The Stars My Destination....My latest novel in the Fragger Sparks series is out. It's called The Blood of Fragger Sparks. Give it a try as well.