Do you think that applies for the bulk of Cherryh's SF? I thought Cyteen very hard, just a soft science. Ish. But the Faded Sun and the Company Wars ones not particularly hard.

I forgot Vernor Vinge! He did my favourite aliens, a lovely concept -> character deal.

Niven is a good example: ... Hal Clement(,) ... Mission of Gravity(,) ...Vernor Vinge ... Jack McKinney ... Sarah Zettel (!!) ...CJ Cherryh ...

Back off, geeks! This one is mine!

(eta; CjC: Not particularly hard science, but consistent, in her plebotinum. She definately works from a hard, thorough understanding of historical trends.)

Obviously didn't do his homework on how fruitless most genetic algorithms are....

I wonder what the thoughts are on Moon, where the plot relies on mining drinkable water in ice form under the crust.

I wonder what the thoughts are on Moon, where the plot relies on mining drinkable water in ice form under the crust.

There's this:

[link]

Jack McKinney

Do you mean Jack McDevitt?

Vernor Vinge, the late Anderson, Larry Niven all hard science fiction writers who also do good charterizations and society. Many others too. But Anderson was at least much a fantasy writer as an SF writer. And the others were of a later generations who learned you could not get away with making your (non-sentient) rocket the main character. Of his generation, I think Heinlein was the only "hard" SF writer who did a decent job of characterization, universe building and society building. I should have said "of his generation" and hereby do.

The core is liquid, and there is ice....but water as we know it? And drinkable? We'll give Ed a big glass and if he lives, we'll all go live on the moon.

Allyson, ice is water. All you have to do is melt it.

Well, not all water is potable.

What, they can't bring a Brita with them?