NationStates Jolt Archive

No, seriously. This is a real poll.

Obviously, there is a limited amount of choices, so don't complain if I left someone off that you really like. God knows there's an endless amount of sci-fi writers.

And yes, I know, H.P. Lovecraft is considered the father of modern horror, not sci-fi. Nevertheless, his work is very much science fiction, so, there.

As you can plainly see, I voted for Arthur C. Clarke, mostly for his Space Odyssey series, but also for other works such as The Hammer of God and the Rama series.

Heinlein would have been my second choice for no explainable reason except that I've read more of him than Asimov and Lovecraft.

And third would be Adams, because his writing is hilarious. In case you have no idea who he is, he wrote the Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy and its 4 sequels: The Restaurant at the End of the Universe; Life, the Universe, and Everything; So Long and Thanks For All The Fish; and Mostly Harmless.

I guess you would have to break it into a couple of different categories. Best traditional author would be Asimov, Clarke, Niven or LeGuin.

Modern authors, though, are giving them a run for their money with MacCleod and Egan.

Jules Verne

Mr D Adams.

I don't care what you say Im going to complain that Neil Stephenson was left off the list. AHven't you read Snow Crash? If not, you should.

Its not really sci-fi-y until the third book, but in any battle of authors it has to be mervyn peake, whos gormenghast series are the best books ever written.

I voted for Douglas Adams, but my favorite sci fi is without a doubt Kurt Vonnegut. He rules my legs off.

Does Lovecraft really count as sci-fi? I suppose the hard thing about categorising sci-fi is that nearly everything can be sci-fi, or nearly nothing. Depending on the persons preferances.

I apologize for leaving all your favorites off, but I wanted to keep the poll short, and thus, it came down to the five I liked the best, I suppose.

Sci-fi is tough to categorize, I agree. But I think Lovecraft does count, although no one's voted for him yet.

No, seriously. This is a real poll.

Obviously, there is a limited amount of choices, so don't complain if I left someone off that you really like. God knows there's an endless amount of sci-fi writers.
This is why we always leave "Other" as an option...

This is why we always leave "Other" as an option...

Yeah, but when I look at a poll, I like to see decisiveness. :)

The whole Other category is overrated anyway...

Well I have several and they are not on there!

Timothy Zahn
RA Salvator
Harry Turtledove

Just to name a few

I voted for Adams (love that series, if Disney f:eek:s up the movie, they're all dead).

But given a choice, I'd say Orson Scott Card

Well I have several and they are not on there!

Timothy Zahn
RA Salvator
Harry Turtledove

Just to name a few

harry turtledove isnt really a sci-fi writer. some of his works may be considerd but hes more alternate history. and my vote goes to isaac asimov

Stanislaw Lem

Due to the VERY short list, I go with Douglas Adams. For someone that was over looked and would have my vote anywhere, any time - Frank Herbert.

Would Tolkein be considered a sci-fi author? Fantasy is sort of the same as sci-fi (both are always grouped together in bookshops and libraries). So with that, I'm gonna say Philip Pullman....and Robert Jordan. :)

I kept Tolkien separate because it is considered Fantasy. But, as mentioned before, sci-fi is hard to categorize, and I imagine many people would say his work was science fiction.

Robert Jordan's books are monstrous. I never could get into them. I always associate him with Margaret Weiss for some reason. Both of them are the type of sci-fi writers that mass produce one book after the other. Not to say they are bad writers...they certainly aren't. I just don't like their style.

Its not really sci-fi-y until the third book, but in any battle of authors it has to be mervyn peake, whos gormenghast series are the best books ever written.

My god, yes, Gormenghast is brilliant! I love those books, although it's a shame Peake never really got to finish the third book (due to a serious case of death, from which he has not yet recovered).

I am however, an Adams obsessive, so he has my vote all the way :D

Well, it seems like the late Douglas Adams is crushing the competition with the sci-fi/horror author who has the coolest name ever, H.P. Lovecraft, in last place with 0 votes. Interesting...

Adams is hilarious. The last two books kind of drag a little bit, because his humor sometimes gets old and he sidetracks a lot (which is really funny most of the time).

I don't read much sci-fi (I don't read nearly enough, period) but Gibson would have my vote if he was there. :P

Robert A. Heinlein is my vote and first choice,james white, david weber and of course A bertram chandler follow closely.

On the thought of older Sci-Fi authors, the top should be like Jules Verne and H.G. Wells. In the Mid 20th cetnury, Arthur Clarke, Isaac Asimov and Ray Bradbury, as well as Robert Heinlein and of course Frank Herbert. More modern greats would be like Usula K. LeGuin or Orson Scott Card.

H G Wells. War of the Worlds terrified me as a kid....

Jules Verne

H.P.L. however prosaic and tedious his prose could be at times, has put forth better than anyone the idea that science and indeed the human mind cannot handle actual reality. He may have been a pulp hack but no horror or science fiction writer before or since has been able to do so as effectively as he did.

On the thought of older Sci-Fi authors, the top should be like Jules Verne and H.G. Wells. In the Mid 20th cetnury, Arthur Clarke, Isaac Asimov and Ray Bradbury, as well as Robert Heinlein and of course Frank Herbert. More modern greats would be like Usula K. LeGuin or Orson Scott Card.

Weren't LeGuin Asimov, Clarke and Bradbury all writing around the same time?

Asimov is overrated.

I like Peter David, author of Imzadi and the "New Frontier" series. Never had the chance to read Adams, though.

For someone that was over looked and would have my vote anywhere, any time - Frank Herbert.
Hear hear!
How dare you leave off the author who is argued by many as the best sci-fi author ever?

To express my outrage and dismay I will proceed to say OMG and WTF several times.

OMG WTF! OMG! WTF! OMG OMG OMG WTF WTF WTF!

Iain M Banks' culture series is fantastic

I'm not sure if you would count him as "Sci-Fi" but I enjoy Franz Kafka.

i wouldnt count Kafka as sci fi but he certainly tells a good tale. I read 'The Trial' last year and loved it. I have a copy of 'Metamorphosis' waiting to be read but i already have a couple of books on the go so no time yet to get stuck in.

I'm a Heinlein fan, but if I had to choose anyone else...Theodore Sturgeon...no...Asimov...no...John Brunner...shit!

Ok, Heinlein it is. I have a particular liking for the book Glory Road.

i have to go with Heinlein, but it's not a very clearcut decision.

the rest of my top 5:
2) Stephenson
3) Donaldson (Gap series)
4) Herbert
5) Card (I'm actually quite partial to Treason, not just the Ender series)

Asimov is overrated.

I like Peter David, author of Imzadi and the "New Frontier" series. Never had the chance to read Adams, though.

If you ever get a chance you have got to come to Shore Leave convention in Hunt Valley, MD. He attends that con every year. He's a real great guy to talk with. He also used to write the Young Justice Comic series.

Of the ones listed I really like Heinlein the best. It was just the best vision socially speaking as far as I am concerned. if I could get that socity and Trek technology... :cool:

BTW Fantasy and Sci-Fi are defantly seperate, but they are "cousins". They're usually grouped together because a) a lot of the authors do both and b) a lot of the purchesers buy both

OMG. How could I have forgotten Kurt Vonnegut?

I'm a bad, bad sci-fi nut.

Asimov is overrated.

I like Peter David, author of Imzadi and the "New Frontier" series. Never had the chance to read Adams, though.

I forgot about Peter David! He wrote the book a B5 movie was based on called "In th Beginning"

I'm surprised that Frank Herbert isn't on the list. Isn't Dune considered by many to be sci-fi's ultimate achievement?

I'm surprised that Frank Herbert isn't on the list. Isn't Dune considered by many to be sci-fi's ultimate achievement?

Well, by it's publicity quotes at the back cover at least... :)
Really though, it does seem outrageous that Frank Herbert isn't on the list. Dune is one of the best SciFi creations ever written. It's ability to blend Science Fiction with Political Intrigue, Religious Manipulation, and the analogy of a scarce substance with which civilization requires to survive (an analogy for Oil in our current world). It was a brilliant tale of not only a future society, but of life today in some aspects...

Well, by it's publicity quotes at the back cover at least... :)

Haha, I just checked out my copy. It's "supreme achievement", but that's still funny. Anyway.




Really though, it does seem outrageous that Frank Herbert isn't on the list. Dune is one of the best SciFi creations ever written. It's ability to blend Science Fiction with Political Intrigue, Religious Manipulation, and the analogy of a scarce substance with which civilization requires to survive (an analogy for Oil in our current world). It was a brilliant tale of not only a future society, but of life today in some aspects...

Absolutely. The greatness of Dune is that it portrayed a futuristic society that people today could realistically imagine. It wasn't so far-fetched technologically as to seem unachieveable by people today. It was a perfect blend of past, present, and future.

Adams... and you all forgot the Salmon of doubt. Everyone forgets the salmon of doubt.


Of the modern writers that you can (sometimes) find in the shelfs of abominations like Coles, I like David Weber (the early Harrington novels were TERRIFIC... the later ones are numberwanking), David Drake (Who can forget hammer's slammers?), Lois Mcmaster Bujold (excelent space opera... and kudos to Miles Vorkosigan, her stunted, hyperactive, brilliant, infuration, 4-foot-something protagonist who's bones constantly shatter and who, at the age of 18, accidently started a mercenary navy and won a war). Eric Freer and David Flint are funny, but not good. Ringo's a numberwaker. At the top, though there's Zahn... he could be brilliant. Christopher anvil, anyone? Spider robinson?

I like the older writers too, like Clark and Asimov (first three foundations, only, and the first of the robot books) and it was Starship Troopers that origionally hooked me on military sci fi. For world building, even better than Herbert in my opinion, I go with Lois Mcmaster Bujold...

Doug from the list available for the poll, but I have a soft spot for Peter F Hamilton ... yeah, yeah, take your tech-wank whine away, it IS sci-fi after all ... ;)