Since his first novel was published in 1985, S. M. Stirling has established himself as an author adept at writing along the broad generic spectrum that includes science fiction and fantasy. With significant works in fantasy, military science fiction, and alternate history, Stirling creates vividly detailed and well-developed worlds, ranging from a post-apocalyptic barbarian culture that wields magic to a technologically advanced alternate universe in which different species of humans have been created through genetic engineering. In addition to his versatility in genre and setting, Stirling presents well-developed (and developing) characters who, in addition to futuristic external conflicts, face internal battles relevant to life today. One of the masters of the battle scene, he has sometimes been criticized for being too graphically violent. While these realistic descriptions of violence, occasionally accompanied by equally realistic descriptions of sex, are intended for a mature audience, they are secondary to the characters...