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! Its 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. Theres 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. Ive 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 ...
And another here. BTT
That's because Lazarus Long and his insufferable, alliteratively named, incest obsessed brood are nowhere to be found.
Pohl has always been better than Clarke. Clarke gets his ranking on most of those lists from his works that went Hollywood and his Knighthood.
Pohl was the better writer AND Clarke has said so many times. In fact his final work was in collaboration with Pohl. One thing I admired about Clarke is that though he was a homosexual, he just didn't make an issue of it. He said it was personal and not part of his work.
BTW personally I would put Clarke in the top eight. But never in the top three. AND if you include earlier writers like Verne and Wells then he slides out of the top ten (If we are including Shelley as SciFi)
And another here. BTT
Me too. "Pattern Recognition" Being my favorite,
Well, what I meant is that the spacing guild weren’t as mutated as that. They weren’t giant fish in tanks, nor did they threaten emperors directly. But your point remains cogent; they were the real power. And would Paul have really destroyed all the spice in the future? It seems just about every sci-fi novel has some element of time travel, doesn’t it?
interesting post
I think the reason I liked the series better was that the the actors better matched the characters I had envisioned in my mind as I read the book than the movie did. A purely personal asthetic thing.
Lists are like opinions are like.....
Purely by the way, I wonder how many times Duncan Idaho was killed throughout that entire set of books...
Global Warming guru Algore wearing his ever present Nobel medal is seen here en-route to an important scientific conference in Nassau hosted by the UN/IPCC where he was to be the keynote speaker.
Topics on the agenda were to have included Finding a Good Bail Bondsman, Not ALL Criminal Lawyers Are Sharks, Changing Careers for Dummies, You Want Fries With That?, How To Encrypt Emails, The Best Prison Jobs, Getting Along With Your Cellmate and Getting Used to Sleeping On Your Back.
A sudden and unfortunate blast of what the scientist in charge of the conference termed global warming caused the meeting to be rescheduled until Algore can be thawed some time next Spring assuming there will BE one.
Our reporter has learned that the influential conservative web site Free Republic has launched a contribution drive to rent a freezer locker in which to keep Gore for the 10 to 15 years estimated it will take for the so-called mainstream media to begin covering the Climategate story.
LOL - its a big number. Duncan was clearly Herbert's favorite character and he's the only one I can think of that appears in every one of the Dune books. You just cant keep a good ghoula down.
I’d like and Angelina Jolie ghoula of my own. Even if the eyes looked a little disturbing.
No Kilgore Trout?
Venus on the half shell. That would be Sturgeon.
Sometimes an idea just peters out, but I have also been waiting forever for that final book in the series.
I am in the add Gibson camp. Not sure about volume of work as a criteria, though. Corey Doctorow deserves inclusion with 8 or 10 books (too busy to go check). Octavia Butler may be too identified with “-isms” & (fill in the blank)politically correct liberal “studies”, but her science fiction is amazing.
My preference is for what I call *sociological science fiction* that explores life and people within a future context or within the context of paranormal abilities.
Maybe “15 Greatest” is too arbitrary.
Hmm, maybe I should brush up on my sci-fi definition. Yeah, I loved it too. Very much took me out of my element, to say the least:)
“If you haven’t read it, check out his singleton novel, “And The Devil Will Drag You Under”. Good stuff.”
I will! I haven’t read him in a long time but I loved the Well of Souls books.
Here’s an essay by conservative sci-fi writer John C. Wright that van Vogt should be looked at as 1/3 of the ‘big three’ of golden age authors instead of either Clarke or Bradbury.
http://www.scifiwright.com/2013/02/the-big-three/
Freegards
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.