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.
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The “mini-series” was broadcast on the SyFy channel. Disagree about the movie though.
The Fremen followed a zen-sunni tradition. Basically high tech Bedouin. This was much better represented in Lynch’s film. The series fremen looked rather like Eastern European peasants, ‘water fat.’
The feel of the farfreluch houses had a much more authentic feel in the movie.
The series did allow much more of the story to unfold, and without the weirding modules to muddy up the fighting style, the prana-bindu “techniques” came through a bit better.
Fan of both movie (theatrical release, not the Alan Smithee extended cut), and series (would have loved to see God Emperor of Dune on screen!).
.02
KYPD
And where is Vernor Vinge?
As usual, it depends on your definition. Since "Sidewise in Time," by "Murray Leinster" (pen name of Will F. Jenkins), was published in the SF magazine Astounding Stories in 1934, it has been tacitly assumed that alternate history was part of the SF genre. If it looks, walks, and quacks like a duck and associates with ducks, it's a duck. By the same token, if it associates with other SF stories and SF fans accept it, it's SF.
Without taking away from the list, note that it dates from 2009 and many of those listed as still living have left us for the Green Hills across the great divide! Farmer, Harrison, Pohl and Bradbury have all past since this list was compiled. Of the listed authors, only Niven, Silverberg, LeGuin and Ellison are still alive (subject to change without notice!)
For myself, I too would put RAH at the top as he is one that I find myself most re-reading of the list members. Even his most dated novels, like his first juvenile, “Rocketship Galileo”, can be reread if you accept the anachronisms. On the other hand, several of his later juveniles, “Rolling Stones”, “Tunnel in the Sky” and “Have Spacesuit, Will Travel” are all set sufficiently in the future to remain easy reads!
I've read a lot of Jack Chalker. I thought the Well of Souls books were a ton of fun (the first 5, anyway), and thoroughly enjoyed them, and have enjoyed the rest of his books as well. He does seem to have a bit of a fetish for body transformation, Not That There's Anything Wrong With That.
If you haven't read it, check out his singleton novel, "And The Devil Will Drag You Under". Good stuff.
I really don't think Ellison ever wrote a true SF story. Every one of his that I'm aware of is more properly fantasy.
It's (Well of Souls) certainly not hard SF, granted, but I would classify it as science fiction rather than fantasy.
Not top 15 (IMHO), but I'd give him an honorable mention.
Now granted, this does bias the question towards authors with a substantial body of work. As much as I like Charles Pellegrino's "The Killing Star", he's only written a few other books...so there's now way I'd pick him.
Given that, here's my top 5:
5. Harry Turtledove
4. Stephen Baxter
3. Larry Niven
2. Isaac Asimov
1. Robert A. Heinlein
What if it was fantasy authors, instead?
My list:
5. Lawrence Watt-Evans
4. David Eddings
3. Michael Moorcock
2. J. R. R. Tolkien
1. Terry Pratchett
And D-v-d G-rr-ld's name will never be uttered by me until he finishes the damn Chtorr series.
Indeed, I have fallen in love with Aenea, and I can't get up. Most of his other stuff is pretty good too.
E.E. “Doc” Smith books contain many things that the 1960’s Star Trek later used.
No Kilgore Trout?
The Cat Who Walks Through Walls is still the only book that I have ever physically thrown across a room in disgust.
Sturgeon and Vonnegut are both in my list. What more do you want?
S Five is a classic.
I did quite enjoy "Job: A Comedy of Justice".
Understand. Sting was there just for the box office appeal. I liked picard as Gurney Hallek. Agree about the spacing guild, however, the evident power they exercised fit the story.
Agree regarding movies and books. Too much information that is internal (characters thinking in print) to be presented in a visual medium. Closest pass has to be the Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter movies. They even had to split the last Potter book (much the same way the Hunger Games last book) to get good coverage of the story.
My favorite running gag highlighting compressing books into movies is in the Goblet of Fire movie. Filch touches off the cannon early at the start of every event. Turns out the cast and crew was rushing all the time during filming.
Still have copies of both movie and series (Dune) and hoping they ressurect the project for the last of the Dune portion of the stories (Heretics, god emperor, chapterhouse).
Cheers,
KYPD
It has been so long since I read any work done by the writers on the list, I can’t really say who I think were better writers. However I have great fondness for tales told by:
1. Heinlein
2. Herbert
3. Stan Lee/ Jack Kirby
4. Card
5. Asimov
No Brunner, huh?
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