By the way,
Battlestar Galactica slamming through the atmosphere while launching fighters, then FTL jumping before hitting the ground. A great moment in sci-fi? SO SAY WE ALL!
Posted on 12/04/2013 8:13:32 AM PST by Kip Russell
One of the things that makes science fiction so popular is that it means many things to many people. Some people will insist that they are not even reading science fiction when they read a Star Wars novel or a novel dealing with alternate history. That is what makes Sci-Fi so wonderful! It’s easy to love and difficult to define. What other genre has so many sub-genres? You have hard Sci-fi, often times written by people who actually were scientists. There’s Cyber Punk, adventurous Space Opera, Military Sci-Fi, Alternate History, Steam Punk, and even Space Westerns. Something for almost everybody!
In truth, speculative fiction dates back hundreds of years but modern Sci-Fi began to develop as we know it in the 19th century with writers like H.G. Wells and Jules Verne. But it was in 1926 that Sci-fi really began to take off with the creation of the pulp magazine, Amazing Stories, the first publication devoted to science fiction. The magazine survived for nearly 80 years and helped to launch the careers of greats such as Roger Zelanzy, E.E. “Doc” Smith, Jack Williamson, and countless others.
Trying to pick the 15 greatest writers is no easy task. I’ve based my list on a number of factors including body of work, influence, awards won, and staying power. With that in mind my list does tend to weigh heavily towards older writers. Another factor was that I went with writers who are predominantly known for their science fiction. Many great fantasy writers have written exceptional Sci-Fi stories but I decided to go with only those known for their science fiction. Ultimately is was more of a challenge to decide who to keep off rather than who to keep on.
(Excerpt) Read more at mania.com ...
15. Larry Niven
14. Philip Jose' Farmer
13. Robert Silverberg
12. Ursula K. LeGuin
11. Harry Harrison
10. Frederick Pohl
9. Frank Herbert
8. Harlan Ellison
7. Jack Williamson
6. E. E. "Doc" Smith
5. Philip K. Dick
4. Ray Bradbury
3. Robert A. Heinlein
2. Isaac Asimov
1. Arthur C. Clarke
Honorable mentions:
Douglas Adams
Alfred Bester
Ben Bova
Orson Scott Card
Gordon R. Dickson
David Gerrold
Stanislaw Lem
Theodore Sturgeon
Jack Vance
Gene Wolfe
Near exclusions
Roger Zelazny (too much fantasy)
William Gibson (body of work too small)
Harry Turtledove (is alternate history sf?)
Personally, I would switch #'s 1 and 3, putting RAH at the top of the list, and I would put British writer Stephen Baxter in the honorable mentions...but overall, I have a pretty hard time arguing the picks.
You left out Algore.
Edgar Rice Burroughs belongs on the list.
What, no H.G. Wells or Jules Verne?
Joe Haldeman - The Forever War
Apparently #0 and #-1.
Damn you, Sir! I've been beaten to the punch.....again.
It’s a decent list, though I question whether Niven deserves to be lower than slot 8 or so.
Personally Heinlein would be my #1.
He does seem to eliminate beforehand any writer whose works are largely pre-1926. I would put ERB in the "honorable mention" category, his books are still quite readable & enjoyable today.
Decent list. I have read stuff by most of them. However I’d put Gene Wolf and Jack Vance in the top 15.
Here’s a vote for William Gibson.
Edgar Rice Burroughs certainly, as also Jules Verne.
L Neil Smith would be in a personal list, as well as Dean Ing.
RAH didn’t think to highly of A C Clark if memory serves...
Maybe the “top” list should be longer.....
.02,
KYPD
I would put him somewhat higher as well. His work is certainly better written and more well-known today than Harry Harrison's, for instance (Soylent Green/Make Room, Make Room aside).
While he does push my Libertarian-leaning buttons, he's too one-dimensional of a writer to be on my personal list of top authors. Talk about wearing your politics on your sleeve...!
No Cordwainer Smith? FAIL
I would put Robert Heinlein at number 1 and move Frank Herbert closer to 1, maybe 3 or 4. I’d also add Brian Herbert to Honorable mentions for his work completeing the Dune series and the Dune prequels.
I would put Larry Niven in 6th, behind Verne, Wells, Asimov, Heinlein, and Clarke. I would also include Robert Sheckley and Eric Frank Russell, because I enjoy my scifi with a warped sense of humor.
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