Last month we celebrated the pioneering spirit with the all-new anthology The Founder Effect, which explores how the early settlers of a distant planet shape the culture and society that follows in their footsteps. We asked which character from Baen Books would you bring along on your space colonization mission and why. Congratulations to Dave Otto. He wins a copy of the anthology, signed by the editors!

My entry for the pioneering contest would be Michael Sterns from 1633. He seems flexible enough in the mind to adapt to just about anything and strong enough in resolve to tackle just about anything. Any man that can put together a community after the ring of fire, take on a terriccio and win, and deal with the politics of the time AND win over the prettiest girl around gets my vote for leader of any space colonization mission or any other colonization anywhere anytime.