Jack Williamson

[j d worthington]

I'd also suggest Pohl's shorter works. My personal favorite, I think, would be "Day One Million"; that is a masterful use of prose technique counterpointing content... absolutely brilliant! (Though I'm also very fond of "The Day After the Day the Martians Came"... also a very quiet piece that goes for the jugular...)

 

[nomadman]

I picked up Reign of Wizardry the other day. So far it's a blast. Here are a couple of quotes:

The Cretan archers loosed a storm of arrows. Slung stones hummed, burning sulphur made a suffocating reek. A gang of Cretan marines flung grapnel hooks, then crouched waiting with their nets and tridents to swarm aboard.

The bronze beak retreated, and water poured into the Cretan galley. It listed sluggishly, a wave poured over the heavy prow, and it went down with chained slaves shrieking at the oars.

The hulls crashed. Grapnels caught and ropes whipped tight. Bows twanged and slung stones drummed on shields. Smoke of sulphur and cordage and human flesh made a choking stench.

His sword flashed. He heard a crackling sound, and saw a flash of blue, and caught a stinging odor. But the red-dripping silver vessel pitched out of dying hands into the sea. Severed clean, the priest's head followed it.

Hell, all these are just from the first two chapters!