Code of the Lifemaker

ASKER OF FORBIDDEN QUESTIONS

Thirg, the notorious philosopher, knows the world is not what it seems. His world is not flat, as the priests proclaim, but a sphere-and perhaps there are other worlds on the other side of the sky; with alien-beings upon them. But to the kings and churchmen who rule his world, such ideas are heretical . : . and dangerous. Soon Thirg is forced to flee to rival nation, the only bastion of free thought his planet has ever known.

When aliens do arrive, Thirg's beliefs are vindicated-or so he thinks. But the strange beings called humans plan to exploit his planet's resources, even if it means betraying Thirg's new home to its deadliest enemies. Only one man among the humans; Karl Zambendorf, can stop his fellow Terrans from enslaving Thirg's people:

Too bad Zambendorf is a con man ....

Praise for a Science Fiction Superstar:

"Pure science fiction . . . Arthur Clarke, move over." -Isaac Asimov on Hogan's Inherit the Stars.

"Much though it hurts me to say so, Isaac you are right. Welcome, Jim Hogan, to the hardcore science fiction club." -Arthur C. Clarke on Hogan's Code of the Lifernaker

"Hogan skillfully draws the reader into a fascinating philosophic.al and theological debate without ever forgetting he's supposed to entertain and tell a good story. " -Newsday

Cover art by Stephen Hickman

Paperback

This is a work of fiction. All the characters and events portrayed in this book are fictional, and any resemblance to real people or incidents is purely coincidental.

First Baen printing, March 2002

Distributed by Simon & Schuster
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Printed in the United States of America

ISBN: 0-7434-3526-5

A Baen Books Original
Baen Publishing Enterprises
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Production by Windhaven Press
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Electronic version by WebWrights
http://www.webwrights.com

To IRIS, and long overdue

By JAMES P. HOGAN

Inherit the Stars
The Genesis Machine
The Gentle Giants of Ganymede
The Two Faces of Tomorrow
Thrice Upon a Time
Giants' Star
Voyage from Yesteryear
Code of the Lifemaker
The Proteus Operation
Endgame Enigma
The Mirror Maze
The Infinity Gambit
Entoverse
The Multiplex Man
Realtime Interrupt
Minds, Machines & Evolution
The Immortality Option
Paths to Otherwhere
Bug Park

Star Child
Rockets, Redheads & Revolution
Cradle of Saturn
The Legend That Was Earth
Martian Knightlife
Code of the Lifemaker