Science Fiction author Greg Egan
Greg Egan is an Australian Science Fiction writer, specialising in hard core science combined with speculative conjecture on subjects like the origins and formats of life forms, taking an atheistic viewpoint.
Greg is based in Perth, Western Australia.
Greg Egan's books
Schild's Ladder
Schild's Ladder
Amazon Price: (as of 07/19/2008)
The first Greg Egan book I read was Schild's Ladder. Although the background science and mathematics tends to be a bit difficult to follow at times, the central plot is actually very simple: How important is life? Is all life equally valuable?
Additionally, Egan explores the theme of sexuality by setting this story so far in the future that humans have evolved the ability to experience both "male" and "female" form at different times in their lifetimes. A fascinating story.
Permutation City
Permutation City
Amazon Price: (as of 07/19/2008)
Permutation City, written in 1994, reminded me very much of some of the ideas of The Matrix, which came out four years later. (I wonder if the Warchowsky brother read Egan?) Explored here is the concept of downloading consciousness into a virtual reality refuge, and also an interesting twist on the Creation story (from an atheist viewpoint, of course).
Terranesia
Teranesia
Amazon Price: (as of 07/19/2008)
Terranesia takes the fields of biology, genetics, and mutation as its background, and also explores sexuality.
More Greg Egan books
Have you read any Greg Egan books?
Greg Egan speaking out
Read what Greg Egan has to say about asylum seekers in Australia
- The Razor Wire Looking Glass
- "Four years without freedom is a long sentence in anyone's language. There is no stage in life when a loss like this can be borne without damage; you might as well try to remove a pound of flesh without spilling a drop of blood."
- Letters from the Forgotten
- Greg Egan wrote an article for Melbourne's The Age newspaper regarding Peter Qasim, who had been in immigration detention for over six years. Qasim was finally released in July 2005.
- An appeal from the asylum seekers of Australia
- "We, the imprisoned asylum seekers of Australia, respectfully appeal to the people of the world to hear our story, understand our plight, and come to our assistance."
- Peter Qasim's story
- More information about Kashmiri refugee, Peter Qasim.
- Testimony by nurse "Moira-Jane"
- A nurse describes the horrors of one of the detention centres when she worked there for 12 weeks, including the Woomera riots of August 2000.
What do you think of the Australian asylum situation?
Greg Egan at a Glance
Greg Egan (born 20 August 1961) is an Australian science fiction author.
Egan specialises in hard science fiction stories with mathematical and quantum ontology themes, including the nature of consciousness. Other themes include genetics, simulated reality, mind transfer, sexuality, artificial intelligence, and the superiority of rational naturalism over religion. He is a Hugo Award winner (and has been shortlisted for the Hugos three other times), and has also won the John W Campbell Memorial Award for Best Novel. Some of his earlier short stories feature strong elements of supernatural horror...
Greg Egan's website
- Greg Egan's website
- Official site of Australian Science Fiction writer Greg Egan.
Greg Egan lens guestbook
Do you enjoy hard Science Fiction? Or have a comment about the asylum seekers?
