"In the Upper Room and Other Likely Stories "is the new collection of sixteen fantastic, ironic tales by Terry Bisson. Terry Bisson uses the fantastic genres as do Kurt Vonnegut or Harlan Ellison, and like them, he is one of the strikingly original voices in short fiction today, with an audience that transcends genre. "Particularly delightful," said "The Christian Science Monitor" of his first collection. Bisson writes entertaining and moving stories in a strong and unique voice. They are sharp, witty, subversive, and stylish. For instance: An Office Romance: a story of the private lives of icons on a computer desktop. First Fire: a scientist discovers a way to date burning flame's and tries it on one in an ancient temple, with astonishing results. Macs: clones of murderous criminals, with no human rights, are sent to be the property of their victims' families. From the author of "Bears Discover Fire," one of the most anthologized American short stories of the last decade, this is a collection of stories that originally appeared in sources as diverse as "Asimov's SF, Playboy, Southern Exposure," and "Crank "They are clever, slick, memorable, occasionally profound, and always surprising.