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Top 15 Greatest Science Fiction Writers of All-Time
http://www.mania.com ^ | Jan 30, 2009 | Tim Janson

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 ...


TOPICS: Books/Literature
KEYWORDS: heinlein; sciencefiction
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To: AD from SpringBay
Here’s a vote for William Gibson.

And another here. BTT

121 posted on 12/04/2013 10:47:51 AM PST by Billthedrill
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To: Kip Russell
I did quite enjoy "Job: A Comedy of Justice".

That's because Lazarus Long and his insufferable, alliteratively named, incest obsessed brood are nowhere to be found.

122 posted on 12/04/2013 10:51:06 AM PST by Notary Sojac (Mi tio es enfermo, pero la carretera es verde!)
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To: Kip Russell
"Interesting, most wouldn't put Pohl that high; the "Big Three" are traditionally Heinlein, Clarke, and Asimov."

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)

123 posted on 12/04/2013 10:52:54 AM PST by Mad Dawgg (If you're going to deny my 1st Amendment rights then I must proceed to the 2nd one...)
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To: Billthedrill; AD from SpringBay
Here’s a vote for William Gibson.

And another here. BTT

Me too. "Pattern Recognition" Being my favorite,

124 posted on 12/04/2013 10:58:39 AM PST by Mad Dawgg (If you're going to deny my 1st Amendment rights then I must proceed to the 2nd one...)
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To: petro45acp

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?


125 posted on 12/04/2013 11:00:02 AM PST by Telepathic Intruder (The only thing the Left has learned from the failures of socialism is not to call it that)
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To: Kip Russell

interesting post


126 posted on 12/04/2013 11:03:00 AM PST by DollyCali (Don't tell God how big your storm is... tell your storm how BIG your God is!)
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To: petro45acp
"Disagree about the movie though."

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.

127 posted on 12/04/2013 11:04:39 AM PST by circlecity
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To: Kip Russell

Lists are like opinions are like.....


128 posted on 12/04/2013 11:08:03 AM PST by S.O.S121.500 (Case back hoe for sale or trade for diesel wood chipper....Enforce the Bill of Rights. It's the Law!)
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To: circlecity

Purely by the way, I wonder how many times Duncan Idaho was killed throughout that entire set of books...


129 posted on 12/04/2013 11:18:48 AM PST by Telepathic Intruder (The only thing the Left has learned from the failures of socialism is not to call it that)
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To: Trapped Behind Enemy Lines
Sorry, I meant to write ALGORE!
Photobucket

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.


130 posted on 12/04/2013 11:19:40 AM PST by Dick Bachert (Ignorance is NOT BLISS. It is the ROAD TO SERFDOM! We're on a ROAD TRIP!!)
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To: Trapped Behind Enemy Lines
 photo JayCarneysfatherliescopy_zpsaf6e0e3c.jpg

131 posted on 12/04/2013 11:21:23 AM PST by Dick Bachert (Ignorance is NOT BLISS. It is the ROAD TO SERFDOM! We're on a ROAD TRIP!!)
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To: Telepathic Intruder
"I wonder how many times Duncan Idaho was killed throughout that entire set of books..."

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.

132 posted on 12/04/2013 11:30:24 AM PST by circlecity
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To: circlecity

I’d like and Angelina Jolie ghoula of my own. Even if the eyes looked a little disturbing.


133 posted on 12/04/2013 11:37:42 AM PST by Telepathic Intruder (The only thing the Left has learned from the failures of socialism is not to call it that)
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To: CrazyIvan

No Kilgore Trout?

Venus on the half shell. That would be Sturgeon.


134 posted on 12/04/2013 11:58:39 AM PST by theneanderthal
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To: Notary Sojac

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.


135 posted on 12/04/2013 12:11:48 PM PST by reformedliberal
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To: ShadowAce

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:)


136 posted on 12/04/2013 12:20:36 PM PST by Beowulf9
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To: Kip Russell

“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.


137 posted on 12/04/2013 12:21:23 PM PST by Beowulf9
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To: Kip Russell
No on the list but one of the greatest: A.E. van Vogt. Here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A._E._van_Vogt#Novels
138 posted on 12/04/2013 12:22:51 PM PST by MasterGunner01
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To: MasterGunner01
Concur on Van Vogt. Slan was a beautiful piece of work. The Weapon Shops of Isher contained a phrase I remember since I read it as a teenager: "The right to buy weapons is the right to be free."
139 posted on 12/04/2013 12:27:35 PM PST by Billthedrill
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To: Notary Sojac

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


140 posted on 12/04/2013 12:50:11 PM PST by Ransomed
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