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Topic ClosedSci Fi writers
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Poll Question: Pick your favorite sci fi writer, will you?
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Vibrationbaby View Drop Down
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Points: 6898 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 12 2011 at 11:20
Whoops, I screwed up the poll. I selected Douglas Adams as " other " I'm currently re-reading the two Dirk Gently novels. Hilariously cool Cool
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Points: 15745 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 12 2011 at 11:58
Originally posted by el böthy el böthy wrote:

Damn, I´m stupid as f**k! I love Orwell, 1984 is one of my favorite books, why did I leave him out of this poll?!?!?!Angry Well, there is always the "other" option
 
Well, you probably left Orwell out because he's not a sci-fi author. Wink
 
But since now I know you liked 1984, do get a collection of short stories by J.G. Ballard. I've read 'Bilenio' and it's freaking fantastic, though you can only find that in used stores.
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Points: 16122 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 12 2011 at 13:01
Some fantastic authors on this list.  Douglas Adams gets my vote, though his style is pretty far removed from most of these authors, I am just in love with his works.  Hitchhiker's Guide has to be my favorite book series ever written.

But that was tough choosing over people like Orson Scott Card, Asimov, Philip K. Dick, Frank Herbert, Robert A. Heinlein, Wells, Verne... all authors I have read multiple works of and thoroughly enjoyed.
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Points: 10616 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 12 2011 at 14:14
I still have to try out Douglas Adams. Not long ago I read an article in my newspaper about his HGTTG, which sounded like I was really missing something. It's top of my list now of books-to-read.
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Points: 28772 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 12 2011 at 20:44
Check this out if you've got time...interesting "map" someone made of the history of sci-fi: http://scimaps.org/submissions/7-digital_libraries/maps/thumbs/024_LG.jpg

Warning: the image is rather big; 4400x2364 big.
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Points: 782 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 12 2011 at 22:14
Interesting list! I hate to do it, but might I just point out a couple of things. First, the dearth of female writers in the list. Lois McMaster Bujold, for example, shares with Heinlein the honour of winning four Hugo awards. Julian May's 'Saga of the Exiles/Galactic Milieu' dual series was one of the greatest stories of the 1980s. Mary Doria Russell's 'The Sparrow' is the best anthropological discourse in SF I've ever read. Margaret Atwood, despite her claims she doesn't write SF, is consistently brilliant, as is Doris Lessing. Then there are 'softer' scifi writers like McCaffrey and Norton.

And second, the relative absence of contemporary writers. Of this list probably only Banks is still writing, let alone at the top of his game. One could suggest William Gibson, Chariie Stross, Alastair Reynolds, Cory Doctorow, Elizabeth Moon, Peter Hamilton, C.J. Cherryh, Connie Willis, Sherri S. Tepper and Joan D. Vinge. I've met many of these authors, have been on panels with some of them, and treasure their life and works. This is all without getting into fantasy writers, whom some consider part of sf and others hate with a passion.

As much as I grew up with the Asimovs, 'Doc' Smiths and Clarkes, in my view modern writers have built on this excellent foundation and are producing superb work. I'd encourage you to try some!
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Points: 34076 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 12 2011 at 22:20
I have read one Sci-Fi book by Hamilton, first part of the Greg Mandel trilogie, Mindstar Rising and I enjoyd it, but im still a Sci-Fi noooob, more a fantasy buff,
 
I have yet to read you books Russelk, but they are on the very top of my reading list Tongue
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Points: 14258 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 12 2011 at 22:25
One guess...
Answer to Life.png
 
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Points: 782 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 12 2011 at 22:29
Hi Aginor! If you're going to read one of mine, start with the one in my avatar.

Hamilton's best stuff comes after the Mandel future detective stuff. His sprawling scifi/horror Nights Dawn trilogy is superb (though could have done with an edit, and has a bit of a deus ex machina ending) and the Commonwealth Saga that followed it was even better. His Void trilogy disappointed me, I'll admit.
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Points: 11420 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 12 2011 at 22:33
Can't say I'm a great lover of the genre but Iain M. Banks has written some quality stuff.
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Points: 34076 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 12 2011 at 22:38
ok I will
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
and im an evil Forsaken btw, be awere my mighty and wicked Trollocs, i made em...
 
I like Aginor becouse he is underrated and REALLY strong in the one power only an  inch lower then Lews Therin/Rand al'Thor and Ishamael, on the same level as Demandred.
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Points: 782 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 12 2011 at 22:39
Oh yes Aginor, I know who you are.

And on that note, Sanderson has really done a great job! Dare I say it, far better than Jordan...
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Points: 34076 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 12 2011 at 22:47
I agree, he is good he have brought back some life into the story, but I still mourn Roberts passing  Cry, he made me appreciate epic fantasy (outside Tolkien), made me an avvid reader of complex storys and he's carachters are woven into me, I love other writers as well and I also can side with those who critisise (i can see the arguments) but still, I can't help but love his universe and charcaters (they have a soul so ta speak).
 
Rand, Mat and Perrin are all part of me somehow, I have much of Perrin, I want more of Mat, and I wont some Saidin (without taint) to spice up life... Evil Smile
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Points: 89372 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 12 2011 at 23:20
H.G. Wells.

I cannot believe there's no love for him here.

He was a genius with the genre.  A pioneer too (even if Verne was earlier) and ahead of his time.  I prefer his style of SF to most others.  I'm not into Space Opera SF or really much SF set in Space or on other planets (there are exceptions, of course).  I much prefer Earth-based SF with intelligent stories.  I also like post-apocalyptic which for some reason never seem to be lumped in as SF.

I love Vonnegut too but he's not pure SF as such.
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Points: 2888 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 13 2011 at 01:01
Off the list, LEM by a long way. Read/own nearly everything that's been translated into English. I tend to like stuff with a psychological slant, hence you could add, Samuel R. Delany to my list, who seems to sh*t some people off. Something like Babel-17 an interesting enough look into the power of language. Also some of Ursula K. Le Guin's more sobering 'n' serious works; some of Hainish Cycle works are coming to mind.   

Gene Wolfe's been a recent-ish read, interesting use of experimental structure, written in an un-sci-fi, manner and for most parts skirts 'round the cliches which dissuade me from reading more from the genre.   

Edited by Apsalar - March 13 2011 at 01:57
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russellk View Drop Down
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Points: 782 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 13 2011 at 01:51
And presumably Steven Erikson, given your avatar :)
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Points: 2888 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 13 2011 at 03:01
Username? And yes, the series has a nostalgic hold over my adolescence years, especially that particular character who I saw eye to eye with.   
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Points: 13183 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 13 2011 at 08:43
I like the political aspects of Herbert's Dune. Very Machiavellian.
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Points: 1240 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 13 2011 at 09:10
I can't bellieve there's only one vote to Philip k. Dick, the greatest of all time!

And where is William Gibson? Bruce Sterling? And Kurt Vonnegut?

Solaris, form Lem, is great, and Childhood End form Clarke is one of the best books I ever read.

Ray Bradbury and Robert Heinlein are masters too.
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el böthy View Drop Down
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Points: 6336 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 13 2011 at 11:39
I must say I do not share the general love there seems to be around Bradbury. Aside from Fahrenheit I find him simplistic and a bit superficial, specially The Illustrated Man. Some of The Martian Cronicles stories are excellent, but others are just plain forgettable.
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