One Lamp is a new anthology of the best from The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, offering chilling glimpses of the future. Edited by Gordon Van Gelder, the long-time magazine editor, these stories span a broad range of the time periods and heroes of this world's past. This collection of alternate history stories takes readers to different outcomes of World War II (of course) but also to a past where Phillip K. Dick and Richard Nixon met.

In "Delenda Est," the Roman Empire falls early and the people of Gaul take over. A time traveler and his partner must try to reset history, but the traveler cannot stop himself from falling for the beautiful Gaul maiden, Deirdre. "Two Dooms," the first story in this collection, follows an atom bomb scientist stuck in fascist America who is trying to negotiate with Nazis.

This anthology doesn't feature a collection of unknown writers. Alfred Bester and Poul Anderson both have contributions. Famed alternate history writer Harry Turtledove offers a story where Germany conquers India, and with it, Gandhi. This collection challenges every aspect of history, changing and shaping it into stories that are both wonderful and disturbing.

- Rambles
written by Valerie Frankel
published 17 April 2004