The English language has been blessed with some of the finest novelists, poets and playwrights to have ever put quill to parchment. Naturally, when thinking of English language writers, the mind quickly turns to the likes of William Shakespeare, Charles Dickens or Earnest Hemmingway. And although it is certainly true that these figures should be referred to when making a metal list of literary greats, there are also many contemporary authors from both England and America who deserve recognition for their body of work.

Born in Liverpool, England on November 13th 1957, Stephen Baxter is one of the most highly regarded and consistent science fiction authors of modern day literature. Heavily influenced by other leading science fiction authors such as H.G Wells and Arthur C. Clarke, Baxter has collected a number of awards for his work and is one of the most prolific authors of the 2st century both in terms of volume of output and critical acclaim.

Using the argument that science fiction, as a literary genre, is dependent on taking people into worlds they can only imagine, and showing them things that will never see in real life; many modern day literary critics have argued that modern day science and technologies are in fact killing science fiction as a genre. It is certainly true that when Lucian wrote True History in the 2nd Century, the thought of space travel was far beyond the imagination of most people.

Although when discussing science fiction it is easy for the mind to wonder straight to scenes of alien invasions, mad scientists and evil robots, there is a lot more to this universally loved genre than space travel and futuristic technologies. Indeed, the success of any piece of great science fiction writing is the ability to explore different existences and worlds in such a rational way that the reader is able to easily suspend their disbelief.