I’ve always considered P.K. Dick one if the big names. RIP Bradbury, I’m doing a reread of my favourite Bradbury tomes this week
BenjaminJune 6, 2012 11:29 am
Gotta agree with Richard that PKD deserves to be up there but while I’m not a big fan of Bradbury his passing should be noted and respected.
PatJune 6, 2012 11:55 am
Yet, while not being a fan of sci-fi at the time (not till several years later), his stories were the first I took any interest in.
ClaireJune 6, 2012 12:20 pm
I’d definitely agree that Phillip K. Dick is one of the biggest of the biggies when it comes to influence (esp. on other creative people). But I wouldn’t put him in any Big Four simply because he was always more of an “intellectual’s intellectual” when it came to the popularity of his writing. I’d guess that every reasonably well-read Joe or Josephine of their era knew Heinlein, Asimov, Clarke, and Bradbury, even if J & J weren’t SF fans.
Dick I’d put more in the category of a J.G. Ballard or a Walter M. Miller, for connoisseurs, not a household name.
JoelJune 6, 2012 1:41 pm
Except for Fahrenheit 451, I can’t say I was a fan. But yeah, when I was a kid there were four big names (well – if we don’t include John Campbell. and way back when I’d have added Andre Norton but her work didn’t have that kind of staying power) and his was one.
Of course I wasn’t a fan of Clarke, either – in fact over time I grew to despise the man but he did write some great fiction.
Matt, anotherJune 6, 2012 1:41 pm
RIP Mr. Bradbury. I only really enjoyed reading Heinlein and Asimov and for Asimove only the Robot related stories. Bradbury’s short stories were good and interesting, but his major stuff to me was kind of ponderous and not his best.
Carl-BearJune 6, 2012 2:20 pm
I like Bradbury’s work well enough, but I miss James P. Hogan more.
A.G.June 6, 2012 10:45 pm
Truly the end of an era. The last generation of writers not heavily influenced by electronic media.
LauraJune 12, 2012 6:52 pm
Live forever, Ray! I lift my dandelion wine in toast to you…
I’ve always considered P.K. Dick one if the big names. RIP Bradbury, I’m doing a reread of my favourite Bradbury tomes this week
Gotta agree with Richard that PKD deserves to be up there but while I’m not a big fan of Bradbury his passing should be noted and respected.
Yet, while not being a fan of sci-fi at the time (not till several years later), his stories were the first I took any interest in.
I’d definitely agree that Phillip K. Dick is one of the biggest of the biggies when it comes to influence (esp. on other creative people). But I wouldn’t put him in any Big Four simply because he was always more of an “intellectual’s intellectual” when it came to the popularity of his writing. I’d guess that every reasonably well-read Joe or Josephine of their era knew Heinlein, Asimov, Clarke, and Bradbury, even if J & J weren’t SF fans.
Dick I’d put more in the category of a J.G. Ballard or a Walter M. Miller, for connoisseurs, not a household name.
Except for Fahrenheit 451, I can’t say I was a fan. But yeah, when I was a kid there were four big names (well – if we don’t include John Campbell. and way back when I’d have added Andre Norton but her work didn’t have that kind of staying power) and his was one.
Of course I wasn’t a fan of Clarke, either – in fact over time I grew to despise the man but he did write some great fiction.
RIP Mr. Bradbury. I only really enjoyed reading Heinlein and Asimov and for Asimove only the Robot related stories. Bradbury’s short stories were good and interesting, but his major stuff to me was kind of ponderous and not his best.
I like Bradbury’s work well enough, but I miss James P. Hogan more.
Truly the end of an era. The last generation of writers not heavily influenced by electronic media.
Live forever, Ray! I lift my dandelion wine in toast to you…