Hogan (World 45)
James Hogan
(1941 – 2010; first SF publication, 1978) writes on a wide range of topics and plots. Many of his stories are almost flights of fancy (time travel, alternate universes, and the like), yet built on a solid scientific foundation.
This combination can be fascinating. He explores the implications of the asteroid belt once having been an occupied planet (the Giants series, beginning with Inherit the Stars ), a self-replicating machine society ( Code of the Lifemaker duo), a repressive Earth’s reaction to visiting aliens, and more. His stories often reflect the premise that substantive scientific experimentation is much more useful than simply taking sides and attacking the other side, a premise he occasionally takes to an extreme.
Genesis Machines
In The Genesis Machine , Clifford and Philipsz collaborate to create a machine that can actually apply the Unified Field Theorem, which makes it … a really powerful device. If used as a weapon, it obsoletes all other weapons, but its creators would much rather use it to power worlds, not destroy them. In Hogan’s fashion, they work to manipulate the world’s political powers into a favorable resolution for mankind. Genesis machines, when used properly, are valuable to any world in the galaxy.