James P. Hogan is a science fiction author with a decided libertarian tilt. He's also what I'd call a Promethian. I'm not sure who it was I read who made the distinction (Isaac Asimov?) but I once read people can be divided into Luddites, who are anti-technology (often anti-science as well, but often environmentalists who claim to be science advocates fall into this category) and Promethians, who laud science and technology as the way for humans not just to survive, but triumph. That pretty much embodies the spirit of these short pieces, one a short biography of the author, 11 short essays on such subjects as nuclear power, AI, and continental drift, a dozen short stories, and the Prologue to his novel, Code of the Lifemaker. I do enjoy Hogan as a novelist, but he isn't the science or short story writer Isaac Asimov was--or even Robert Heinlein. I enjoyed most of the pieces--and four are standouts. I really liked the twist and basic premises of "Till Death Do Us Part" and "Assassin." Both interestingly enough dealt with avatars and novel forms of transport. And I thought "Silver Shoes for a Princess" and "Making Light" were brilliant pieces--both in a way about Creationism versus Evolution but not heavy-handed at all. Hogan handled the themes with charm and humor. If all the pieces were of the quality of those two stories, I'd be rating this anthology five stars and keeping the book on my shelves. But as it is...
