RIP

[erilyn]

Arthur C Clarke died today.

The first science fiction book my father ever read was Clarke's "Childhood's End" (and when I read it, I remember asking him "and you kept reading it?", cause it freaked me out a bit). My love of science fiction and fantasy has been greatly due to my dad, and Clarke was part of that.

And not just his novels, like Rendezvous with Rama, or his short fiction (The Star is still one of my all time favourite short stories, and one of the most powerful too), but his essays as well. If you've never read Voices from the Sky or Profiles of the Future, I recommend them. He was a visionary.

"Unreason is always a menace...And there is, unfortunately, no reliable cure for it; you cannot buy sanity at the drugstore...The only answer lies in education, and that is merely a palliative, not a panacea, for a college degree is no guarantee of wisdom, as anyone who has ever been near a campus will testify." - Lunatic Fringe (in Voices from the Sky) - Arthur C Clarke.

Comments

[mel-b-angel.livejournal.com]

Thats a really great quote. I dont think I've ever read any of his stuff before, but after reading that, I think I might give him a go. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on him and his work

[erilyn.livejournal.com]

Some of the non-fiction is a bit dry (he was a scientist *g*), but yeah, I definitely recommend checking him out :)

[blueboxers.livejournal.com]

It's sad.

I've only known about him co-writing "2001: A Space Odyssey." I would love to know what else he's written, that I might have heard of or go out and read.

[erilyn.livejournal.com]

He's written a heap - novels, short stories and non-fiction. "Childhoods End" and "Rendezvous with Rama" are probably his novels I remember best, and his short stories are definitely worth checking out as well (like I said, The Star still affects me, and its at least 15 years since I first read it).

I hope you enjoy if you check his stuff out :)

[jjjean65.livejournal.com]

I really like his stories. I prefer old school sci-fi like Clarke, Heinlein and Asimov.

[erilyn.livejournal.com]

He's part of the Golden Age Triumvirate, really. Though I'd add Clifford D Simak to the list as well :)

[turlough]

My dad mailed me this morning about his death. It made me so sad, he was definitely my favourite of the Golden Age Triumvirate (or Foursome since I'm with you about including Simak). I loved his lyrical style and his thoughtfulness, so different from the Asimov's wooden prose and Heinlein's American heartiness.

[erilyn.livejournal.com]

Heh, I read that as "American heartlessness" *g*.

It makes me sad that Simak doesn't seem to be more widely known, I should post some recs for my favourites of his books (though first I'd have to try and pick favourites...)

[turlough]

Well, that fits too :-)

I've always been very fond of Way Station but usually I like Simak's shorter works better than his novels but of course I can't remember any titles right now.

[erilyn.livejournal.com]

That's definitely one of my favourites. I'm not sure if I've read his shorter stuff, I'll have to look see whether we have any.