Is H. G. Wells the greatest science fiction writer?

[Quokka]

How about how his explorations of the fall of modern civilizastion. Wells' probably wasn't the first person to raise the idea but he's descriptions of civilisation's collapse in The War of the World's must have influenced stories across genres and mediums.

 

[woodsman]

I would say Dune is more read 'outside genre' than most! And yes, believe it or not it's damn hard to just pick up Asimov or Heinlein in the U.K. Clarke less so. I hadn't heard of any of the 'big three' before I joined the chrons, whereas, I had read Verne and Wells and would say, IMHO, Wells was better than all three of them as a wordsmith.

The finest SF writer is surely personal? In which case I'd jump at:
Orwell - 1984 best single SF ever.
And
Ursula K Le Guin - because no other author has made me think so much.

 

[iansales]

There may be two or three titles each by Heinlein and Asimov which you'll normally find on the shelves of your local Waterstone's. Contrast that with Dune, which just about every book shop in the UK carries; and the fifteen or so titles by Philip K Dick which are in print and readily available.

Back in the 1980s, Golden Age US sf authors dominated British bookshops. In those days WH Smith used to be a good bookshop and not a glorified stationery shop, and they'd have shelves of Asimov, Clarke, Heinlein, van Vogt, Vance and the like. Most of those authors' books are hard to find now - Clarke, you can still get, of course. And there's the Vance titles in the Masterworks series. But van Vogt can no longer be found.

 

[Joe Meils]

It's true that Verne was very much the inventor of what we would call today "hard" science fiction. The fact that so many of his ideas about technological hardware have come to pass is a good testament to his attention to details. But Wells, on the other hand, took the "scientific romance" in a different direction: his stories were focused more on what those scientific changes meant to humankind as a whole. "The Time Machine" wasn't about how to travel through time... it was about the possible outcome of human evolution. "The First Men in the Moon" wasn't about the practicality of Cavorite, but rather what living under extreme socialisim (the selenites) would be like.

With Verne, getting there was definitely half the fun. With Wells, it's was more about what you found out once you arrived. The other thing is, although H.G.'s science seems a bit on the "sketchy" side, at the time of it's writing, he was working from the best information available to him. But, science marches on.

I'm sure, in due time, people will look back at some of our science fiction classics being produced today with a bit of a smirk on their faces as well. The science we base our books and films and TV on will become outdated. But, like Shakespeare, will there be an underlying truth about the human condition within their pages, that will keep them relevant in the future?

The rocketship and the aliens are not enough,
nor these spacemen, sketched in rough,
The characters are the essential stuff.

 

[Connavar]

There may be two or three titles each by Heinlein and Asimov which you'll normally find on the shelves of your local Waterstone's. Contrast that with Dune, which just about every book shop in the UK carries; and the fifteen or so titles by Philip K Dick which are in print and readily available.

Back in the 1980s, Golden Age US sf authors dominated British bookshops. In those days WH Smith used to be a good bookshop and not a glorified stationery shop, and they'd have shelves of Asimov, Clarke, Heinlein, van Vogt, Vance and the like. Most of those authors' books are hard to find now - Clarke, you can still get, of course. And there's the Vance titles in the Masterworks series. But van Vogt can no longer be found.

You are correct about Dune and PKD books in chain bookstore. I dont buy my books there but i see how their SF shelfs are and that its a famous modern ones and Dune,PKD and thats about it. Thats because Herbert is classic for the fame of Dune and its like the LOTR of epic sf. Not only in sales but its the most mainstream series.

PKD books are new, he has never been in print in as much before. Thats why he is in chainstores.

I was going after books that was in print that my genre focused bookshop could order for me and get me inside two weeks. The big two of big three had most books in print. PKD had alot too. Thats the important thing for a genre fan.

Who cares about the 10-20 SF books you will find in chainstores. The important thing is the books you can easily get as new paperbacks. Chainstores over here barely have books in english that isnt Crime,Fantasy.


Jack Vance is the real tragedy of SFF. For all his importance to SFF and his quality he can almost be found only in Masterworks,Vor books. Since i rate him as high the best in SF or fantasy i have read it makes me real sad to see that 75% of his work are out of print and will near impossible to collect.

 

[woodsman]

Who cares about the 10-20 SF books you will find in chainstores. The important thing is the books you can easily get as new paperbacks.

Many people care quite a lot actually Conn. How do people perhaps looking for something different find it if it isn't there(i.e. on the shelf in front of them in their local store). People who are already fans of SFF will have heard of authors and so, can order them. If you've never heard of Asimov you're going to struggle to order a book of his.

 

[Xelebes]

Jules Verne outdoes HG Wells on the number of ideas covered, I think. Centre of Earth, Traveling in Space via Rockets, Submarines etc. etc.

 

[Connavar]

Many people care quite a lot actually Conn. How do people perhaps looking for something different find it if it isn't there(i.e. on the shelf in front of them in their local store). People who are already fans of SFF will have heard of authors and so, can order them. If you've never heard of Asimov you're going to struggle to order a book of his.

Yeah but i was thinking about from those already SF fans point of view meaning us.

Those stores arent for us. We have to look for more specialist bookstores or internet sites and not only for a dozen or so books that a chainstore has.

As you say that kind of store targets totally different type of reader.