// Hard science fiction

Science fiction you could almost build yourself.

Near-future stories about engineers, physicists and families caught up in discoveries that change everything, with the science kept honest and the characters kept human.

Zero-Point Prop Retro Fold
In print
7 books, 2 series
Kindle Unlimited
Free to read
Next up
Zero-Point Prop Book 6 arrives in October 2026.
Retro Fold cover Zero-Point Prop cover

Series 01 / 5 of 7 out

Zero-Point Prop

It's just a movie prop. Until it powers up for real.

Joseph Wright builds movie props in Atlanta. When AI-generated specs for a sci-fi film's fusion reactor turn out to work, his midnight tests on a soundstage start a chain of breakthroughs that carries humanity toward the stars, and costs him nearly everything along the way.

Start with Book 1
  1. Zero-Point Prop Book 1: Zero-Point Prop cover

    Vol 01

    Zero-Point Prop

    Kindle
  2. Zero-Point Prop Book 2: Stasis Pod cover

    Vol 02

    Stasis Pod

    Kindle
  3. Zero-Point Prop Book 3: Star Drive cover

    Vol 03

    Star Drive

    Kindle
  4. Zero-Point Prop Book 4: Junction cover

    Vol 04

    Junction

    Kindle
  5. Zero-Point Prop Book 5: Reactor cover

    Vol 05

    Reactor

    Kindle
  6. Volume 6 of 7 Classified October 2026

    Vol 06

    Book 6

  7. Volume 7 of 7 Classified Series finale

    Vol 07

    Book 7

Series 02 / 2 of 6 out

Retro Fold

Sometimes going back is the only way forward.

A Cold War physicist at Oak Ridge vanished with his work. Thirty-five years later, fourteen-year-old prodigy Ethan Cole buys the man's old Apple II at an estate sale and finds the hardware, the disks and the equations inside. Finishing what was started is possible now. The question is whether he should.

Start with Book 1
  1. Retro Fold Book 1: Retro Fold cover

    Vol 01

    Retro Fold

    Kindle
  2. Retro Fold Book 2: The Rescue cover

    Vol 02

    The Rescue

    Kindle
  3. Volume 3 of 6 Classified Coming next

    Vol 03

    Book 3

  4. Planned Volumes 4–6

    Vol 04–06

    6-book series

I do love the basic love letter for the Woz and Apple ][ generation of things and the character building has been quite good.
★★★★★ Amazon review
A coming of age story of a very different kind. Two timelines with a fantastic ending.
★★★★★ Amazon review
An excellent and thought provoking work of fiction. The characterizations were superb; unusual in the science fiction universe.
★★★★★ Amazon review

All books are Kindle exclusives and free to read with Kindle Unlimited. Each series starts with Book 1, and the two are independent.

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    Hugh's workbench: an Apple II, oscilloscopes and a soldering station
    Fig. 2 — The workbench

    // About the author

    Hugh Watkins

    Physics degree, forty years writing software, and a lifelong hard SF reader raised on Clarke and Asimov. Hugh writes from a farm in Georgia, where he also restores vintage computers on the workbench.

    More about Hugh, FAQ and contact