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SFX's Top 100 SF&F Authors


Werthead

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Writers I have never heard about before this list:


99. Gwyneth Jones
97. Charles Stross
95. Brian W. Aldiss
94. Ken MacLeod
93. Olaf Stapledon
92. Michael Marshall Smith
91. Jon Courtney Grimwood
89. Jonathan Carroll
84. Kim Stanley Robinson
83. Theodore Sturgeon
80. Joe Haldeman
77. Samuel R. Delaney
76. Charles de Lint
75. Julian May
73. Robert Silverberg
72. Susanna Clarke
70. Larry Niven
69. Alfred Bester
64. Richard Matheson
62. Elizabeth Haydon
58. Jennifer Fallon
56. CJ Cherryh
55. Harlan Ellison
54. Jasper Fforde
53. Octavia Butler
52. J.G. Ballard
51. Robert E. Howard
50. Sherri S. Tepper
48. Mervyn Peake
37. Alan Moore
27. William Gibson
23. John Wyndham
22. Philip Pullman

So many in top 100 and didn't even hear their names, let alone read anything by them.
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I have read...

100. James Herbert
99. Gwyneth Jones
[b]98. Sara Douglass[/b]
97. Charles Stross
[b]96. Terry Goodkind[/b]
95. Brian W. Aldiss
94. Ken MacLeod
93. Olaf Stapledon
[b]92. Michael Marshall Smith[/b]
91. Jon Courtney Grimwood
90. Christopher Priest
[b]89. Jonathan Carroll[/b]
[b]88. Scott Lynch[/b]
87. David Weber
86. M. John Harrison
85. Jacqueline Carey
[b]84. Kim Stanley Robinson[/b]
83. Theodore Sturgeon
[b]82. J.V. Jones[/b]
81. Joe Abercrombie
80. Joe Haldeman
79. Simon Clark
[b]78. George Orwell[/b]
77. Samuel R. Delaney
[b]76. Charles de Lint[/b]
75. Julian May
74. Edgar Rice Burroughs
73. Robert Silverberg
72. Susanna Clarke
71. Stanislaw Lem
70. Larry Niven
69. Alfred Bester
68. Katherine Kerr
67. Jack Vance
66. Harry Harrison
65. Marion Zimmer Bradley
[b]64. Richard Matheson[/b]
[b]63. Dan Simmons[/b]
62. Elizabeth Haydon
[b]61. Terry Brooks[/b]
60. Richard Morgan
59. Stephen Baxter
58. Jennifer Fallon
[b]57. Mercedes Lackey[/b]
56. CJ Cherryh
55. Harlan Ellison
54. Jasper Fforde
53. Octavia Butler
52. J.G. Ballard
51. Robert E. Howard
[b]50. Sherri S. Tepper[/b]
[b]49. H.P. Lovecraft[/b]
[b]48. Mervyn Peake[/b]
[b]47. Jules Verne[/b]
46. Alastair Reynolds
[b]45. Neal Stephenson[/b]
[b]44. Clive Barker[/b]
[b]43. Jim Butcher[/b]
[b]42. Tad Williams[/b]
41. Kurt Vonnegut
40. Trudi Canavan
[b]39. Michael Moorcock[/b]
[b]38. David Eddings[/b]
[b]37. Alan Moore[/b]
36. Orson Scott Card
35. Stephen Donaldson
34. Gene Wolfe
[b]33. China Mieville[/b]
32. Raymond E. Feist
[b]31. Lois McMaster Bujold[/b]
30. Roger Zelazny
29. Anne McCaffrey
[b]28. Steven Erikson[/b]
[b]27. William Gibson[/b]
26. Guy Gavriel Kay
[b]25. CS Lewis[/b]
24. Diana Wynne Jones
23. John Wyndham
[b]22. Philip Pullman[/b]
[b]21. Robin Hobb[/b]
[b]20. Stephen King[/b]
[b]19. Ray Bradbury[/b]
[b]18. Arthur C. Clarke[/b]
[b]17. Robert Jordan[/b]
[b]16. JK Rowling[/b]
[b]15. Robert Heinlein[/b]
[b]14. Frank Herbert[/b]
13. Peter F. Hamilton
12. David Gemmell
11. Ursula K. LeGuin
10. Robert Rankin
[b]9. HG Wells[/b]
[b]8. Philip K. Dick[/b]
7. Iain M. Banks
[b]6. Isaac Asimov[/b]
[b]5. George RR Martin[/b]
4. Douglas Adams
[b]3. Neil Gaiman
2. JRR Tolkien
1. Terry Pratchett[/b]

Pratchett has no business being on top but lists are like that...what can you do?
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[quote name='Inkdaub' post='1409361' date='Jun 21 2008, 12.24']Pratchett has no business being on top but lists are like that...what can you do?[/quote]

Could not agree more.
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To keep the long lists coming,
I have read and finished (mostly at least one novel, some authors only in one or two short stories):

100. James Herbert
99. Gwyneth Jones
98. Sara Douglass
[b]97. Charles Stross[/b]
96. Terry Goodkind
95. Brian W. Aldiss
94. Ken MacLeod
[b]93. Olaf Stapledon[/b]
92. Michael Marshall Smith
91. Jon Courtney Grimwood
90. Christopher Priest
89. Jonathan Carroll
[b]88. Scott Lynch[/b]
[b]87. David Weber[/b]
86. M. John Harrison
85. Jacqueline Carey
84. Kim Stanley Robinson
83. Theodore Sturgeon
[b]82. J.V. Jones[/b]
[b]81. Joe Abercrombie
80. Joe Haldeman[/b]
79. Simon Clark
[b]78. George Orwell[/b]
77. Samuel R. Delaney
[b]76. Charles de Lint[/b]
[b]75. Julian May[/b]
74. Edgar Rice Burroughs
73. Robert Silverberg
72. Susanna Clarke
71. Stanislaw Lem
[b]70. Larry Niven[/b]
69. Alfred Bester
[b]68. Katherine Kerr
67. Jack Vance
66. Harry Harrison
65. Marion Zimmer Bradley[/b]
64. Richard Matheson
[b]63. Dan Simmons[/b]
62. Elizabeth Haydon
61. Terry Brooks
[b]60. Richard Morgan
59. Stephen Baxter[/b]
58. Jennifer Fallon
57. Mercedes Lackey
[b]56. CJ Cherryh[/b]
55. Harlan Ellison
[b]54. Jasper Fforde[/b]
53. Octavia Butler
52. J.G. Ballard
[b]51. Robert E. Howard[/b]
[b]50. Sherri S. Tepper[/b]
[b]49. H.P. Lovecraft
48. Mervyn Peake
47. Jules Verne
46. Alastair Reynolds
45. Neal Stephenson
44. Clive Barker
43. Jim Butcher[/b]
[b]42. Tad Williams
41. Kurt Vonnegut[/b]
40. Trudi Canavan
[b]39. Michael Moorcock
38. David Eddings[/b]
37. Alan Moore
[b]36. Orson Scott Card
35. Stephen Donaldson
34. Gene Wolfe[/b]
33. China Mieville
[b]32. Raymond E. Feist
31. Lois McMaster Bujold
30. Roger Zelazny
29. Anne McCaffrey
28. Steven Erikson
27. William Gibson[/b]
26. Guy Gavriel Kay
[b]25. CS Lewis[/b]
24. Diana Wynne Jones
[b]23. John Wyndham
22. Philip Pullman
21. Robin Hobb
20. Stephen King[/b]
[b]19. Ray Bradbury
18. Arthur C. Clarke
17. Robert Jordan
16. JK Rowling
15. Robert Heinlein
14. Frank Herbert
13. Peter F. Hamilton
12. David Gemmell
11. Ursula K. LeGuin
10. Robert Rankin
9. HG Wells
8. Philip K. Dick
7. Iain M. Banks
6. Isaac Asimov
5. George RR Martin
4. Douglas Adams
3. Neil Gaiman
2. JRR Tolkien
1. Terry Pratchett[/b]
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100. James Herbert
99. Gwyneth Jones
[b]98. Sara Douglass
97. Charles Stross
96. Terry Goodkind
95. Brian W. Aldiss
94. Ken MacLeod[/b]
93. Olaf Stapledon
92. Michael Marshall Smith
91. Jon Courtney Grimwood
[b]90. Christopher Priest[/b]
89. Jonathan Carroll
[b]88. Scott Lynch[/b]
87. David Weber
86. M. John Harrison
[b]85. Jacqueline Carey
84. Kim Stanley Robinson[/b]
83. Theodore Sturgeon
[b]82. J.V. Jones
81. Joe Abercrombie
80. Joe Haldeman[/b]
79. Simon Clark
[b]78. George Orwell
77. Samuel R. Delaney
76. Charles de Lint[/b]
75. Julian May
[b]74. Edgar Rice Burroughs
73. Robert Silverberg
72. Susanna Clarke
71. Stanislaw Lem
70. Larry Niven
69. Alfred Bester
68. Katherine Kerr
67. Jack Vance[/b]
66. Harry Harrison
[b]65. Marion Zimmer Bradley
64. Richard Matheson
63. Dan Simmons[/b]
62. Elizabeth Haydon
[b]61. Terry Brooks
60. Richard Morgan[/b]
59. Stephen Baxter
58. Jennifer Fallon
[b]57. Mercedes Lackey[/b]
[b]56. CJ Cherryh
55. Harlan Ellison
54. Jasper Fforde
53. Octavia Butler
52. J.G. Ballard
51. Robert E. Howard
50. Sherri S. Tepper
49. H.P. Lovecraft[/b]
48. Mervyn Peake
[b]47. Jules Verne
46. Alastair Reynolds
45. Neal Stephenson
44. Clive Barker
43. Jim Butcher
42. Tad Williams
41. Kurt Vonnegut[/b]
40. Trudi Canavan
[b]39. Michael Moorcock
38. David Eddings
37. Alan Moore
36. Orson Scott Card
35. Stephen Donaldson
34. Gene Wolfe
33. China Mieville
32. Raymond E. Feist
31. Lois McMaster Bujold
30. Roger Zelazny
29. Anne McCaffrey
28. Steven Erikson
27. William Gibson
26. Guy Gavriel Kay
25. CS Lewis[/b]
24. Diana Wynne Jones
23. John Wyndham
[b]22. Philip Pullman
21. Robin Hobb
20. Stephen King
19. Ray Bradbury
18. Arthur C. Clarke
17. Robert Jordan
16. JK Rowling
15. Robert Heinlein
14. Frank Herbert
13. Peter F. Hamilton
12. David Gemmell
11. Ursula K. LeGuin[/b]
10. Robert Rankin
[b]9. HG Wells
8. Philip K. Dick
7. Iain M. Banks
6. Isaac Asimov
5. George RR Martin
4. Douglas Adams
3. Neil Gaiman
2. JRR Tolkien
1. Terry Pratchett[/b]
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[quote name='Isis' post='1409330' date='Jun 21 2008, 11.03']I've only read 45/100. Does that make me half cool? Or half uncool? :unsure:[/quote]

I've read about 50 of them as well.

[quote]the more I look at that list, the madder I get. It's missing some crucial authors (where the motherfuck is Walter M. Miller, for instance?)[/quote]

I think Tim Powers should be on the list as well.
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[quote name='williamjm' post='1409478' date='Jun 21 2008, 11.18']I think Tim Powers should be on the list as well.[/quote]

Absolutely.
[quote]I am saddened but unsurprised by the exclusion of Jeffs Vandermeer and Ford, and Scott Bakkar of course.[/quote]

This, too. :(
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Walter Miller basically wrote only one work of any note (but what a great book it was). I think some might consider him a "one hit wonder" rather than a "great" author, and I admit, it's hard to argue against that.
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[quote name='Gazprom United' post='1409471' date='Jun 21 2008, 11.06']the more I look at that list, the madder I get. It's missing some crucial authors (where the mother[i]fuck[/i] is Walter M. Miller, for instance?)[/quote]
[quote]Walter Miller basically wrote only one work of any note (but what a great book it was). I think some might consider him a "one hit wonder" rather than a "great" author, and I admit, it's hard to argue against that.[/quote]
Aside: I've heard he was quite the short story writer, but I have only read [i]A Canticle for Leibowitz.[/i]

I am very surprised that Tim Powers is not on the list.
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[quote name='Ran' post='1409533' date='Jun 21 2008, 12.19']Walter Miller basically wrote only one work of any note (but what a great book it was). I think some might consider him a "one hit wonder" rather than a "great" author, and I admit, it's hard to argue against that.[/quote]

There are authors on that list who wrote NO good books (let alone an absolute classic of the genre), and 1 is still greater than zero. But, apparently for some (i.e., those voting in that poll), quantity trumps quality. I absolutely disagree with such approaches.
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I would tend to assume everyone who voted for an author on the list believed they were voting for someone who wrote good books, and that it helped someone be a "top" author to have written more than one (subjectively good) book.

Personally, [i]A Canticle for Leibowitz[/i] is the sort of book I rate highly in the genre, but as far as _authors_ go Miller is more of a footnote. I don't think I'd have him in a "Top 100" SF/F author list.
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From this list, I own unread books by 24 of the authors. I have seen a play written by, but have never read anything by, one of the authors (John Wyndham). I have never read and have no immediate plans to read 48 of the authors. I've read either novels or short stories by the other 27.

... I need to get reading.
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I think Pratchett being at the top of the list makes a good deal of sense. In the UK, Pratchett has Mainstream popularity, and I've capitalised 'Mainstream' for a reason. Quite often, I have mentioned to people that I enjoy reading fantasy, and instead of "So stuff like the Lord of the Rings", I find I'm more likely to get "Oh, like Pratchett!". His books are funny, entertaining, and socially relevant. He is without a doubt the best satirist I have read, and he has a written a tremendous amount with few dips in quality. I suppose if you don't like the humour in his novels, I can understand that you would find it odd that he is so high, but just because his books are comedic doesn't make them any less important or any less worthy of praise than the other authors on the list. If anything, the depth and bredth of the socially relevant satire on display in the Discworld novels makes him more important in my eyes.

Sir Thursday
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