Poul Anderson was one of the most popular authors of science fiction in the 20th century. He started his career in the Golden Age of Sci-Fi in the 1950s, and was a regular contributor to science fiction magazines that were edited by John W. Campbell. During his lifetime, he received seven Hugo and three Nebula Awards and a Science Fiction Writers of America Grandmaster Award, among other honors.

The Burning Bridge is the story of fleet of ships seeking to colonize a distant planet. The trip is so long that most of the 3,000 passengers are kept in cryogenic sleep. As the fleet approaches the point of no return it receives a short message from Earth which may change everything; but the few that are awake will not have to make a life altering decision for everyone.