Not to disparage (because I like some less than hard scifi) but you can't mention Tatja Grimm in the same breath with hard scifi unless your interpretation of the term is quite broad.

No matter I have liked all VV's work soft or hard and looking forward to his new Fairmont High novel.

For great fun I also enjoy Peter F. Hamilton who might not make the cut with some hard scifi purists. I enjoyed the Night's Dawn trilogy so much I may reread it. That is highly unusual for me. There are probably no more than a half dozen books that have earned a reread by me. I am glad to see him mentioned in such good company.

I know many (including Fox) will disagree with me on Greg Bear. I am currently reading Darwin's radio and it is a love hate read. Something like chewing a tasty but extremely tough piece of meat. The plot is great but the up close and personal daily life of a biologist bogs down a bit for me.

Ben Bova: Any port in a storm but Mars was a lot like watching grass grow and his casanovas are not believable