James P. Hogan

The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, but wiser people are full of doubts.

- James P. Hogan

James. P. Hogan died Monday at the age of 69. He was a science fiction writer in the grand tradition, combining informed and accurate speculation from the cutting edge of science and technology with suspenseful story-telling and living, breathing characters.

Born in London in 1941, he worked as an aeronautical engineer specializing in electronics and digital systems, and for several major computer firms before turning to writing full-time in 1979. His first novel was greeted by Isaac Asimov with the rave, "Pure science fiction ... Arthur Clarke, move over!" and his subsequent work quickly consolidated his reputation as a major SF author. He wrote over a dozen novels including Paths to Otherwhere and Bug Park (both Baen), the "Giants" series (coming soon from Baen), the New York Times bestsellers The Proteus Operation and Endgame Enigma and the Prometheus Award Winner The Multiplex Man (all available from Baen). My own introduction to his work was Code of the Lifemaker (1983) where he fascinatingly tackled some really big questions about the nature of mankind.


Code of the Lifemaker by James P. Hogan. Ballantine Books, New York. 1983