[freedumb2003]

>>Frank Herbert is as genious with science fiction as Tolkien is to fiction.<<

Uhh, that's a little much. Herbert's pretty darn good, but is the top of the second tier. Dune was a very good series but he tends to get pedantic as the series wears on.

The first tier pantheon will always be Asimov, Henlein, Campbell, (MAYBE Bradbury for TMC) and some others.

[Sentis]

Give me a break, Asimov to qoute another master of the art "He's not so big". Anytime I feel bad about writing or fell discouraged in my chosen profession I go read Asimov's first anthology of short stories "Selling Jupiter" it is so bad most third graders write better scifi :)

[Maigrey]

Fredrik Pohl. Up there with Bradbury and Asimov. He is one of the Grandmasters of SF!

[Brookhaven]

Uhh, that's a little much. Herbert's pretty darn good, but is the top of the second tier. Dune was a very good series but he tends to get pedantic as the series wears on.

I agree as far as Herbert's non-Dune work, and the Dune books after the first three.

The first three Dune books are really in a league of their own. The first Dune book has been voted best SF book ever in just about every poll I have seen in the last 30 years. Books 2 and 3 aren't far behind quality wise.