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>> I might be unusual in the sense that in my teens I absolutely adored Asimov as a writer of non-fiction rather than as a sci-fi author. That's because he was
by akashshah87 10mo ago
>> I might be unusual in the sense that in my teens I absolutely adored Asimov as a writer of non-fiction rather than as a sci-fi author.
That's because he was only the second-best sci-fi writer but the best science writer in the world at the time [Clarke-Asimov Treaty of Park Avenue|https://sfandfantasy.co.uk/php/the-big-3.php https://sfandfantasy.co.uk/php/the-big-3.php]
- srean 10mo agoHa! I did not know about this. Arthur C Clarke was indeed my favourite at that time (even now). Asimov, however, killed it with his two goosebump-good shorts, Nightfall and Last Question.
- pavel_lishin 10mo agoI don't remember reading any Clarke short stories, though I do remember a few books favorably - but Asimov's stories were incredible, and stick with me to this day. I should get a few more of his short story collections for the kiddo, I think I have a few of his non-fiction ones on a bookshelf somewhere.
- addaon 10mo ago> I don't remember reading any Clarke short stories Stop what you’re doing and read The Star.
- pavel_lishin 10mo agoOh yeah, I remember that one! I forgot that Clarke wrote it.
- throwaway81523 10mo agoThe 9 billion names of God is very famous.
- zem 10mo agobrilliant stories both, but my two favourite asimov shorts are "profession" (I really, really love the trope that a regimented society depends on outcasts and outsiders for any sort of innovation) and "the martian way" (one of his more minor shorts, but it captures the joy and optimism of golden age solar system exploration fiction like nothing else I've read)
- lo_zamoyski 10mo agoIf Lem was there, he would likely have agreed to dedicate his books to "the best third-rate scifi writers", given his generally critical view of American/Western scifi as naive, "commercial trash", and shallow entertainment.
- srean 10mo agoToo bad that I wouldn't be able to read Lem in the original. It's not an easy language to learn, is what I hear.
- __rito__ 10mo agoNot all Western sci-fi are gadget dangling spaceship displays. That might have appeared as the trend to Lem, and I don't blame him. I have only Solaris that's by him, and gotta admit- it's on another level.