Stephen Michael Stirling (born Sep 30, 1953) science fiction and fantasy author who was born in France. Stirling is well known for his Draka series of alternate history novels and his later 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 an emphasis on the idea that most people and societies consider themselves moral Less