Should you wish to see me frozen by indecision, ask me to choose between SFF and history. And while I certainly have favourite historical eras and people, the truth is I am a magpie: I can get excited about pretty much any bit of history if it’s presented well. So this essay, which gives a brief survey of some key post-WW2 science fiction authors, was always going to appeal to me. Bring in the different ways that each looks at issues of war and empire, and then also the ways in which they have influenced later writers, and you have an intriguing look at one facet of modern science fiction.