Paul J. McAuley a British botanist and award-winning author. A biologist by training, UK science fiction author McAuley writes mostly "hard science fiction", dealing with themes such as biotechnology, alternate history/alternate reality, and space travel. Four Hundred Billion Stars, his first novel, won the Philip K. Dick Award in 1988. Fairyland won the 1996 Arthur C. Clarke Award and the 1997 John W. Campbell Memorial Award for Best SF Novel. "The Temptation of Dr. Stein," won the British Fantasy Award. Pasquale's Angel won the Sidewise Award for Alternate History (Long Form).