"All forms of biological manipulation will be it for the twenty-first century," predicted award-winning science fiction writer Nancy Kress in an interview with Authors and Artists for Young Adults. "We're on the verge of a biotech explosion. And all these techniques, not just the ones that alter germ-line DNA, will pose ethical questions: tissue engineering, genome recording, patenting discoveries, medical cures. It's fascinating." Kress skillfully conveys that fascination with scientific possibilities and human potential in her work, which includes fantasy, science fiction, and contemporary thrillers. She is perhaps best-known for her "Beggars" trilogy, which examines the various social and political complications that arise when a group of humans are genetically engineered to no longer need sleep. In addition to exploring the various ways in which technology could change what we consider "human," the author has considered such subjects as past-life experiences, reincarnation, and human-alien relations. Her work is...