Stephen Michael Stirling is a French-born Canadian-American science fiction and fantasy author. Stirling is probably best known for his Draka series of alternate history novels and the more recent time travel/alternate history Nantucket series and Emberverse series. Stirling's novels are generally conflict-driven and often describe military situations and militaristic cultures. In addition to his books' military, adventure and exploration focus, he often describes societies with cultural values significantly different from modern western views. One of his recurring topics is the influence of the culture on an individual's outlook and values, with a particular emphasis on the idea that most people and societies consider themselves moral. Stirling also has a fascination with technological development, and frequently turns to explorations of this within the context of many of his novels. The Draka for instance, choose and face a different imperative in their conquest of Africa, and turn earlier to breech-loading firearms and steam power than the rest of the Western World. [More at Wikipedia]

September 30th, 1953 in Metz (Age 71)