Arthur C. Clarke, RIP

[SteveMB]

Another one of the masters has left us:


COLOMBO, Sri Lanka - An aide says science fiction writer Arthur C. Clarke has died.

Rohan De Silva says Clarke died early Wednesday after suffering from breathing problems. He was 90.

Clarke is the author of more than 100 books, including “2001: A Space Odyssey.” That work became the basis of the 1968 film of the same name, and spawned three book sequels.

Full story (MSNBC). (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23697230/)

[Archonic Energy]

oh...
erm...

In Memory i'll re-read "Rendez-vous with Rama"
followed by "Cradle"
:smallfrown:

[dish]

I wish I could write it as well as PNH on Making Light, but instead I'll just direct you there to see what he says about Arthur C. Clarke (http://nielsenhayden.com/makinglight/archives/010077.htmlhttp://nielsenhayden.com/makinglight/archives/010077.html). The last of the heroic age of 20th century science-fiction writers. One who wrote about what happens when humans are confronted with the cosmic.

May he find the future full of stars.

[caw]

:smallfrown:

i think i'll reread the nine billion names of god

[Skippy]

You will be missed, Master of Sci-Fi.

[Eita]

In my mind he was to sci-fi what Tolkien was to fantasy. He shall be missed.

*lowers the volume and plays 'Another One Bites the Dust' in the most respectful tone possible*

[Serpentine]

Wait... He was still alive?! :smallconfused: :smalleek:
I'm sorry to say I haven't read any of his stuff so far as I know. He wrote Race Around the World and The Time Machine and The Lost World, right? Yeah. Definitely stuff I need to read.

In my mind he was to sci-fi what Tolkien was to fantasy. He shall be missed.Really? What about Isaac Asimov then, where would he fit in? Not to belittle Clarke or anything, I just would've picked Asimov for that position, and am curious as to where you think he'd stand.

[Castaras]

:frown:

*makes note to read dolphin island when she gets home*

[WalkingTarget]

Wait... He was still alive?! :smallconfused: :smalleek:
I'm sorry to say I haven't read any of his stuff so far as I know. He wrote Race Around the World and The Time Machine and The Lost World, right? Yeah. Definitely stuff I need to read.
Really? What about Isaac Asimov then, where would he fit in? Not to belittle Clarke or anything, I just would've picked Asimov for that position, and am curious as to where you think he'd stand.

Time Machine was H.G. Wells, Lost World was Arthur Conan Doyle, dunno what this Race Around the World is.

Clarke is probably most widely known for 2001: A Space Odyssey but wrote something like 100 books. He, Asimov, and Heinlein were the "Big Three" of Sci-Fi from their generation. He was the last of them left at the age of 90.

[Serpentine]

Bugger. Bugger bugger bugger. Oh, I know! Journey to the Centre of the Earth and 20,000 Leagues? Were they him? Or were they more H.G. Wells? :smallsigh:

[WalkingTarget]

Bugger. Bugger bugger bugger. Oh, I know! Journey to the Centre of the Earth and 20,000 Leagues? Were they him? Or were they more H.G. Wells? :smallsigh:

Both Jules Verne.

His Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_C._Clarke) page lists most of the stuff he wrote. :smallsmile:

[InaVegt]

Journey around the world in 80 days (Race around the world is not a book wiki knows, but I assumed you meant this one) was by Jules Verne too.

Jules Verne was a brilliant author, and I've read many of his works.

I like the journey to the moon best, as it speaks to my inner physicist.

[Serpentine]

BUGGER. I fail at popular culture :smallfrown: Ah well, looking at that list there's not much I'm interested in reading anyway. I just checked a collection of short scifi stories called World Zero Minus I have, though, and he wrote one of the ones in it: Before Eden. I remember that being a pretty good story (about the first landing on Venus).

[WalkingTarget]

If you have no interest in reading 2001, I'd at least suggest Childhood's End (fairly quick read, good story).

Other people tell me that Rendezvous with Rama is excellent as well, but I haven't read it.

[Rumda]

BUGGER. I fail at popular culture :smallfrown: Ah well, looking at that list there's not much I'm interested in reading anyway. I just checked a collection of short scifi stories called World Zero Minus I have, though, and he wrote one of the ones in it: Before Eden. I remember that being a pretty good story (about the first landing on Venus).
yeah a lot of his short stories are good but then again considering he wrote hundreds of them over a period of over 60 years that's hardly surprising