Book excerpt: From the Icelandic coast of Vík, where a Troll ship waits entombed in stone for the hand of the artist to free it, to a boy who, with the help of his alien friend, learns to create entire worlds, the stories in Pen-Ultimate showcase tales of fantastic visions, alien perceptions, and emerging awareness. This speculative fiction anthology contains eleven stories written by graduates of the Boston area Ultimate SF Writing Workshop. All proceeds from the sale of the book will be donated to the SFWA (Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America) emergency medical fund.