Robert Hoskins (1933 - 1993) was an American science fiction writer. This is the first of three science fiction adventure novels he wrote which comprise his "Stars" trilogy (the others were "To Control the Stars" (1977) and "To Escape the Stars" (1978). All take place in a future where ancient "stargates" are used to transport between worlds; an idea perhaps serving as inspiration for the 1994 movie and later TV series.