[Sudetenland]

Most of the folks I know that read sci-fi would describe Bradbury as the English Teacher's (or Librarian's) concept of what a science fiction writer was. He was never considered "real sci-fi."

I liked some of his work, but I found most of his work to be pretentious.

To be certain, his writing was not sci-fi in the same vein as his peers. The fiction of van Vogt, Asimov, Clarke, Heinlein, Doc Smith, Russell, Piper, Laumer, and most of those Campbell featured in his magazines tended to be more focused on the "science" portion of science fiction. Bradbury was more about the "fiction" than about the science--much like Ellison.

Probably not explaining the difference very well, but that has always been the general perception. There have always been sci-fi authors that teachers like and those that sci-fi readers like--they are rarely the same.

All that being said, he did have a profound effect on the genre's becoming accepted as "legitimate." Sad to see him leave us.

[Bon of Babble]

I’m glad you mentioned Ellison, I was waiting for his name to appear.

My dad LOVE science fiction — but he was also a physicist and despised when writers would break the laws of physics— that would be the last thing he’d EVER read by that author. He’d grumble and say “That guy needs to get educated!!”

(never heard this about Asimov, BTW).

Bon

[Cowman]

Bradbury was more about the "fiction" than about the science--much like Ellison

Bradbury himself said that he didn't write science fiction but science fantasy. I do think he used fiction better than most. You may even be able to equate the carnival in Something Wicked This Way Comes as the Progressive movement promising all sorts of things and pulling people into their trap.