Best sci-fi author of all time?

[Timsvs]

who do you think is the best sci-fi author of all time? i'm not sure if i could say who i like the best, i don't read heeps..but i'm still curious to see what everyone else thinks..also anyone know any good books (other then dune) that u would recommend for me to read? thanx

[Gunseng_Harkonnen]

I think the best is Frank Herbert. And not only becouse he wrote my favourite book - Dune. He had unical writing style, he wrote interesting story and wise story that is difficult do it. I think good is Harry Harrison too. I don`t know if I can call his book "Eden" sf but its not fantasy too. Its something on the middle.  

[Usul]

I also think Frank Herbert as I don't read any other sci fi (unless you count Warhammer 40000 fiction).

[TMA_1]

I think frank herbert is because not only are his Dune books good but his books based on other universes might even be better. They are in my eyes. destination:void. the godmakers, the jesus incident, whipping star. all sorts of them and they are amazing reading. get them at a used book store they are cheap as heck usually. They are worth more then they sell them for. Also Aurther C. Clark is amazing.

[Inhuien]

Frank is indeed a fantastic writer, but there's so many more that are as good as him.

For s/f of a more modern feel try the like of Iain M Banks, But be careful he writes under the name of Iain Bank as well but its not s/f.

And another fav is a chap called Peter F Hamilton. This chap writes BIG, his last trilogy had about 3500 pages. Heavyy!!

Gunseng_Harkonnen its nice to here that some else likes MR Harrison have you tried the "Stainless Steel Rat" books? Some of the funniest S/F you can find.

Oh one more, Stephen Baxter's fab as well.

[TMA_1]

oooh also I love isaac asimov

[Caid Ivik]

Oh, read Land-Overland Trilogy by Bob Shaw! That's tough! Also Gibson's Neuromancer... Also one czech Ondrej Neff wrote some good things, very good universes are too in Asimov's Foundations or artificially made Battletech.

But as says Dune fanatic, Herbert's best.

[gryphon]

I don't have "a best author". There are a lot of good ones.

Some times even the writing of the book is verry bad but the story on it self is great, just badly written.

[nemafakei]

Herbert, Pratchett, Tolkein.

The first is deep, the second is funny, the third is descriptive. Three key things that are necessary at different times.

[Frodo_I]

did Tolken do sci fi??? i thought he was only fantasy

Anyways, my favorite of all time is Issac Assimov.  Assimov is the "Tolkenn" of sci fi, producing over 200 books in his life time, coining the phrase "robotics", "laws of robotics", "psychohistory", and others

Assimov also has great short stories, and there's plenty of compilation books out there of his stories.

If you get bored with older sci -fi reading (although i personally believe older reading is prerequisite to the new books) you can try reading authors like Greg Bear, Walter John Williams, Iain M. Banks, Timothy Zahn, Jack McDevitt, and William Gibson

Orson Scott Card and Greg Bear are older writers, but they have new books that smack of inventiveness

William Gibson coined the phrases "Cyberpunk" and "matrix"

i've read alot of Sci Fi by my standards and if you love TRUE sci fi and MYSTERY together in a book you have to get "EXCESSION" written by Iain M. Banks.  It will turn your preconcieved notions about robots upside down.

[TMA_1]

Well frodo you seem to know your books.lol where is aurther c clark???? and anyways he said tolkein because fantasy and sci fi are kinda brothers in the fiction deparment:-)

[Vanguard3000]

In no particular order:

-Frank Herbert (Dune Chronicles, etc)

-Harlan Ellison (I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream, other short stories)

-Philip K. Dick (Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep - the book "Blade Runner" is based on)

-Douglas Adams (Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy)

-Robert J. Sawyer (Calculating God)

-Isaac Asimov (I, Robot)

-Others

[DjCiD]

ah 42 the answer

The Ultimate More Than Compleat Hitchhikers Guide. All of the series in one big nicely leather bound... it even has the sash for book mark.

[exatreide]

yep i got that to  ;D actuly i borowd it from gila but still its mine till i'm done.  :P

[Frodo_I]

Well frodo you seem to know your books.lol where is aurther c clark???? and anyways he said tolkein because fantasy and sci fi are kinda brothers in the fiction deparment:-)

Aurther C. Clark.  Yeah i think he's a lot like Ben Bova though so i didn't mention him.  I could have mentioned Ursula K  Le Guin also but she is old and i mentioned three old writers already

[jacobdouds]

Okay.

The five Hitchhikers guide to the Galaxy books by Douglas Adams.

Battlefield -Earth- by L.Ron Hubbard

and

The Mote In God's Eye by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle

-'A spellbinder, a swashbuckler...and a brilliant approach to that fascinating problem - first contact with aliens'-

Frank Herbert, author of Dune

These are all good reads. Especially the last one, as recommended by Frank Herbert himself.

[jacobdouds]

The ultimate answer to life, the universe and everything is ... 42.

So whats the question?

I love the Hitchhikers books.

Also.

The His Dark Materials Trilogy by Phillup Pullman.

1) The Northen Lights/Golden Compass

2) The subtle knife

3) The amber Spyglass.

Brilliant books.

I have a cat named after Asimov.

AND THE BEST POSSIBLE BOOK TO EXPAND YOUR MIND IS...

Flatland By Edwin A. Abbott

This was written almost 100 years ago. Yet it is still advanced for our time. It discusses the possibilitys of alternate dimensions as in 2D 3D ect... Narrated by a character from 2D land called flatland called A. Square.

When a being from 3D comes, his name the Sphere, and tries to explain to Square the possibilities of up and down, Square struggles with a new concept shows how we human react to new things. When he finally understands, he visits 1D land, or lineland, and 0D land, the singualar entity that thinks he himself exists. And how Square tries to comprehend and suggest to sphere the possibilities of the 4D. Showing that even people who think they are advanced, still cannot bear a new concept.

READ IT NOW!!!!

Worth it, trust me.

[DjCiD]

uumm whats 6 x 7

how many roads must a man travel down before he becomes a man

how many years till EmpBFD is sequeled

all answers 42  ;D

I have 6 books in my hitchhikers guilde

• The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy
  
• The Restaurant at the End of the Universe
  
• Life, the Universe and Everything
  
• So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish
  
• Young Zaphod Plays it Safe
  
• Mostly Harmless
  

with all the new special effects n stuff in movies nowadays I'd love to see the guide put to a movie  ;D  Hey they redid Spiderman  ;D  ahh hell just give me my babel fish and an electric sub-etha signaling device my towel and a few bags of peanuts and I'll be just fine  ;D

[Caid Ivik]

Read Karel Capek's Rossum's Universal Robots! Word "robot" was created in 20's by him (in czech it means "working machine").

[Frodo_I]

If you like reading about robots read Issac Assimov's "Foundation" series of books

He defines the famous "3 laws of robotics" and then just when you think he can't do any more he defines the controversial "Zeroth law"

He also goes on about aliens and "sentient worlds".  His idea of the "positronic brain" is actually getting some credit today with the research being done into "biological chips" for computers

[jacobdouds]

uumm whats 6 x 7

how many roads must a man travel down before he becomes a man

how many years till EmpBFD is sequeled

all answers 42

[Lord J]

Harry Turtledove has got to be one of the best authors I've ever read, along with, of course, Larry Niven and Jerry Pournell.  Jacob, did you ever read the sequel?  "The Gripping Hand"  Another of thier best works and jaunts into alien cultures.  I personally prefer Kevin J. Anderson and Bryan Herbert's writing styles to Frank Herbert's.  I enjoy the storyline of Dune and it's subsequent sequels, but it seems more written for the writer than the reader.  "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" is a great book, and I have "Restaurant at the End of the Universe" sitting on my bedside table waiting patiently, but I fell in love with "Red Dwarf" long before the Guide even entered my universe.  I must also agree with Gunseng about Harry Harrison, definatly one of the best Sci-Fi contributors this side of Dean Koontz.

[jacobdouds]

I haven't read their Sequal, thank you for pointing it out.

HHGTTG are great comedy books, but have a crappy Ending.

I love Marvin the Manic Depressent Robot. Who turns out 13milllion times older then the universe in the later books.

[DjCiD]

um, Young Zaphod Plays it Safe, isn't in the same series as the other 5 books in a trilogy of 4.

if its not in the same series why did Adams put it in this nicely leather bound with the other 5?

are you saying he did a seperate series of 4 books and one of them is named  Young Zaphod Plays It Safe  ???

just a little confused on what your saying...  :-/

[Vanguard3000]

I love Marvin the Manic Depressent Robot. Who turns out 13milllion times older then the universe in the later books.

ACtually,  believe he's 37 times the age of the universe.  But I agree, Marvin rules.  I always puctured him as being like that depressing guy who plays Ray's cousin on Everybody Loves Raymond.  :)