"Under the Moons of Eden" by Christopher Leeson (cdl25@usa.net). Guest review by Robert (Citizen@GalaxyCorp.com).
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In the 22nd century, humanity is at war with the alien Asymmetrics. During a pitched battle, a human troop transport ship is captured and towed to an alien world. The soldiers are then abandoned on the surface with no way to return home.

The planet seems nice enough - an agreeable climate and an ecology not unlike Earth's. The troop is getting along fairly well until, one day, two men disappear. The next day, two women are found.

This is the sort of story that, for me at least, defines transgender fiction. Christopher's stories tend to explore the emotional consequences of transgendering, and this one does so exceedingly well. The characters are sympathetic and believable; they react and suffer in real, human ways when something inexplicable happens to them. In fact, the tale reads like a good SF novella.

What this story _isn't_ is a silly masturbatory fantasy. There are few sex scenes, and the first doesn't even occur until well over halfway into the story. Though infrequent, the sex is tastefully done and occurs at points that are logical within the context of the tale.

If you enjoy engaging, realistic characters who are forced to come to grips with emotional and mental trauma, then this is the story for you.