The Most Famous Science Fiction Authors

How can you measure the fame of one person? Is someone famous or just well-known? Within the world of Science Fiction literature there are five authors who I would say are more widely known than their counterparts, although this may not make them famous. At the peak of their profession, I would argue that HG Wells, Jules Verne, Isaac Asimov, Robert A Heinlein and Arthur C Clarke are the most famous.

HG (Herbert George) Wells is now perceived to be one of the fathers of science fiction. The 19th and 20th century English writer, started by writing factual science essay to earn a small living to supplement the wages of a tutor. Wells soon found that there was more money to be made in the writing of short stories for magazines, and by 1895 he was well established as a contributor to a number of popular magazines. 1895 was the year, though, that his career started to take off, as it was the year that "The Time Machine"; and "The Island of Dr. Moreau" were first published. Wells soon had a large popular following for his scientific romances’ and he became one of the most successful writers of his time. There was further success with the novels of “The Invisible Man” (1897) and “The War of the Worlds” (1898).

HG Wells - F Hollyer - PD-life-70

Wells’ science fiction novels are as readable today as they were when they were first published. There may be flaws in the science behind the novels, but Wells has managed to transcend his own work to become a science fiction character himself. Wells, as a character, has appeared in episodes of Doctor Who and Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman. His influence on science fiction is still felt today, as he influences the work of new authors, as well as the continued production of Hollywood films based on his novels.

Jules Gabriel Verne, shares the accolade of founding father of science fiction with Wells, although during their lifetimes they were fierce rivals. At an initial disadvantage of a more limited reading base, as his novels were written in French, his worldwide popularity grew as his works were translated. His works have had a better reputation based on the accuracy of the science involved, but they are mostly recognised of being more prophetic than Wells’. In fact his work made prophecies about modern Paris and even air conditioning for cars.

Jules Verne - Nadar (1820-1910) - PD-life-70

Verne would write about air, space and underwater travel and exploration decades before they became feasible. Verne wrote many classics; “Journey to the Centre of the Earth” (1864), “Twenty Thousand Leagues under the Sea” (1870) and “The Mysterious Island” (1874) are all science fiction classics. Verne is perhaps done less well than Wells in the modern popular media, although many of his books were turned into films in the 1950′s and 1960′s there has been less Hollywood interest in recent years.

Within modern science fiction writing, Isaac Asimov is considered to be one of the “big three”. The Russian born, American science fiction writer is acknowledged as one of the best, and one of the most prolific writing more than 450 books and some 90,000 letters, short-stories and postcards. Asimov was not just a fiction writer though and in his own right was a well known writer of non-fiction science and history books.

Isaac Asimov - Phillip Leonian - PD Library of Congress

Within the genre of science fiction, Asimov is best known for his series, “Foundation”, “Galactic Empire” and “Robot”. The last of which was recently made into a film “I,Robot” with Will Smith. In writing his fiction work, Asimov claimed every major science fiction award going. In addition to his accuracy in terms of science, Asimov is best known for his “Three Laws of Robotics”;

• A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.
• A robot must obey orders given to it by human beings, except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.
• A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.

Sir Arthur C (Charles) Clarke is the best known living science fiction writer. The British writer has written over 75 books as well as hundreds of short stories, and is perhaps most well known for the Odyssey series. “2001: A Space Odyssey” (1951) has been acclaimed as one of the best science fiction novels and films ever, although the sequels; “2010: Odyssey Two” (1982), “2061: Odyssey Three” (1988), “3001: The Final Odyssey” (1997), are less well known. “Childhood’s End” (1953), another of his early works, has been acclaimed as one of the premier pieces of science fiction ever written.

Arthur C Clarke - Amy Marash - Released into PD

Clarke is another member of the “Big Three”, and is often credited with the inception of geostationary communications satellites, although I prefer to think of him as one of the contributors to “Eagle” and “Dan Dare”.

The last of the “Big Three’, Robert A (Anson) Heinlein, the American writer, was the best selling of his generation. Heinlein is credited with setting the standards of plausibility thus raising the level of science fiction writing. In individual terms, his novels are not as well known as his rivals, although “Starship Trooper” (1959) was turned into a 1990′s movie. Though not as well known, they are of critical acclaim and in the 1950′s and 1960′s Heinlein won four Hugo Awards for best science fiction novels.

Robert A Heinlein - PD US Fed Govt

In improving the standards of science fiction, with science and engineering being within the realms of possibility, Heinlein managed to break modern science fiction into mainstream literature.

There is any number of writers that could be added to this list, and some of my favourites are outside of those previously listed. Russell T Davies is one of my favourites due to his success with Doctor
Who, work that includes novels although he was not the Doctor’s original creator. Douglas Adams, with his “Trilogy of Five, The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy" brings a lighter side to the world of science fiction. Finally Frank Herbert brings one of the best series of works in his “Dune” novels. I am sure every fan of science fiction could make their own list of famous writers, and within the list I am sure there would be many of my favourite.

Copyright - First Published 22nd February 2008