Science Fiction Writer Arthur C. Clarke Dead at Age 90

foxnews.com ^ | 3-18-08 | Fox News

[dynachrome]

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka — An aide says science fiction writer Arthur C. Clarke has died.

Rohan De Silva says Clarke died early Wednesday after suffering from breathing problems. He was 90-years-old.

Clarke is the author of more than 100 books, including "2001: A Space Odyssey."

[dynachrome]

Fare well to one of the masters of SF.

[dynachrome]

ping

[allmendream]

Adulthood's End.

[dynachrome]

Thanks for the heads up.

[vladimir998]

I loved some of his novels. He’ll be missed.

[BubbaBobTX]

His books were generally very thought provoking and enjoyable to read. He brought me much pleasure as a young man.

[vikingd00d]

First, Gary Gygax and now, Arthur C. Clarke. These are dark days for geeks.

[P8riot]

He'll be back

[trane250]

An intellectual giant. RIP Arthur C. Clarke.

[Filo]

One of the last of the all-time greats.

RIP.

[fieldmarshaldj]

One of the giants. RIP.

[SunTzuWu]

A giant of both the SF and science community. His were some of the first books I can remember checking out from the library. RIP Clarke.

[dynachrome]

I started with Heinlein, but that lead to the others...

[fieldmarshaldj]

[ASOC]

A prolific writer, well rounded and thoughtfull.

The world is a little poorer today.

At least of SF writers, he has the best monument of all - The Clarke Belt.....

[ontap]

I hope somebody asked him to explain the ending of “2001 A Space Odyssey” before he kicked off.

[MS.BEHAVIN]

PING

[patton]

The guy who thought up the idea of a satellite can’t be all bad.

[JRios1968]

It IS full of stars...

[5thGenTexan]

Not just a Sci-fi writer, but a very good engineer. He invented the communications satellite.

I bet he was in on the development of other things that we take for granted today as well.

RIP

[El Gato]

Here is it is, 2008, seven years past 2001. Where is my Pan Am (or I'd settle for American or Delta) space plane ride to the Hilton Hotel on the "Big Wheel".

Sad to see him go. He was one of my three favorites as a youth, the others being Issac Asimov, who I liked more for his science writing than his science fiction, and of course Robert Heinlein.

[irv]

According to the Clarke-Asimov treaty, Arthur Clarke was acknowledged as the world’s greatest science fiction writer and second greatest science writer, while Isaac Asimov was acknowledged as the world’s greatest science writer and second greatest science fiction writer.

Now they’re both gone (and Heinlein too!) and there is no one who can fill their giant shoes.

The era of great hard science fiction is dead.

[liege]

Somewhere, pod bay doors are opening...

[the scotsman]

RIP to a true cultural and scientific giant...

How proud I am to say this great man was British.

[Old Sarge]

Sad to hear this news.

[Syntyr]

DOOOOH DOOOOOOOOOOH DOOOH DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH
BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM

Farewell... ye be missed...

[El Gato]

He invented the communications satellite.

It would be more correct to say that he was the first to think of the idea of a geosynchronous communication sattellite. He was not an engineer though. More of a renasaince man.

But he did spend the latter part of his life, the majority of it actually , on a tropical island in the Indian Ocean. (granted a BIG island, Sri Lanka formerly Ceylon), living there since 1956.

[SevenofNine]

Breaking news Monk

[xtargeter]

He was a giant among the SF authors and will be missed.

[magslinger]

Me, too! Have Spacesuit, Will Travel was the first I read.

[arthurus]

Clarke, Asimov, and Heinlein were the masters of the craft.

[cripplecreek]

3001 A Space Odyssey revisits it with the return of Poole who was found floating in space.

[magslinger]

He was an electron chaser and worked on the development of Ground Controlled Approach Radar during WWII. His novel glide path is semi biographical.

[JimC214]

Ray Bradbury is still alive and kicking.

[magslinger]

Glide Path

[GodBlessRonaldReagan]

I’ve been rereading a lot of ACC’s works lately. I love his simplicity of style and complexity of meaning. He will be missed.

[MadMax, the Grinning Reaper]

Hope he’s not “Solent Green” now.

Somewhere, a Telstar satellite is crying.

[NYFriend]

Actually, I liked Heinlein more than Clark. Starship Troopers, The Moon is a Harsh Mistress, and Stranger in a Strange Land (sorry guys) were really great.

Clark was good, but Hammer of God is still sitting half-read on my bookshelf. Although for that matter, so is Revolt in 2100.

[ASOC]

Geosynchronous satcom is the keystone of modern air superiority...and lets us drive drones in the ‘Stan from little box outside of Las Vegas.

I mean, how cool is that?

[Loyalist]

“Daisy, Daisy, give me your answer do....”

[dynachrome]

“Citizen of the Galaxy” was the first real SF I read.

[Burkean]

Not to speak ill of the dead, but didn’t he admit to having sex with boys?

http://www.indianexpress.com/res/web/pIe/ie/daily/19980202/03350954.html

It all depends on what your definition of pedophile is. He did not consider himself one, even though he admitted to having sex with underage boys.

[Tanniker Smith]

3001 A Space Odyssey revisits it with the return of Poole who was found floating in space.

Oddly enough, I've read 3001, but not 2001 (or any of the others). I won a proof copy of 3001 in a book raffle at a con.

[Brian S. Fitzgerald]

Did he have his body frozen?

[commish]

dam, he didn't make it to 2010.

RIP Aurthur, you were one of the masters.

[Tanniker Smith]

Ray Bradbury is still alive and kicking.

"I'm aware of his work."
-- Martin Prince, The Simpsons

8-)

[Brian S. Fitzgerald]

I wonder what he's seeing now?

[Ronin]

As much as I admired his work, I won’t ever forget my sense of disappointment and disillusionment when I learned of his taste for young boys.

I never could gather much interest in his novels after that, although he still ranks high in the pantheon of science fiction legendary greats.

Oh well. I still salute his passing.

[Brian S. Fitzgerald]

Or was he put into suspended animation?

[Sawdring]

He brought me much pleasure as a young man.

Did you live in Sri Lanka?