Who do you think is the GREATEST LIVING (SFF&horror) author?

[rai]

I would like to hear who people consider the greatest living SFF&H author and why.

I will give my answer next.

This does not have to be someone you like best, but more of someone who can be argued that he/she is the greatest (or one of the greatest).

It is important that you give some facts to back it up.

I could said Babe Ruth was the best baseball player of all time, that would be something I could defend with facts although someone else could say Barry Bonds and not be laughed at because he has some facts in his favor.

That is not a correct example because Babe Ruth is dead, I wanted to say this is only for LIVING authors. I may have another thread later about all time dead. But for this thread just LIVING authors.

I would like to limit this to just living authors of Sci-fi, Fantasy and Horror. So this leaves out people like Tom Clancy, Norah Roberts (etc.).

 

[rai]

My vote goes to the King of Horror (pun), what Elvis is to Music this man is to Horror, none other than Stephen King.

my facts, type the word "Stephen" into Google and he's the third name listed.

His books have sold more than 350Million copies, he is the master of both the short and long form, he has sold over 49 books etc..

In fact Stephen King almost was killed and almost retired from writing in 1999 and in just since then has quite a body of work including a great post-apoc/zombie novel (Cell) and a very good Sci-Fi book (Under the Dome) as well as a new book due out this year.

I would call Stephen King the writing equivalent of "Old Faithful" he keeps on writing and I keep on reading after almost 40 years he still has "IT" (pun intended).

 

[J-Sun]

I can't speak to fantasy or horror. And I think for "greatest living", seniority would have to be given an edge, as someone may produce a brilliant year's or decade's work but I guess multiple decades would count for more in something like this. The only living New-Wave-or-earlier SF (maybe with some F) authors that come to my mind (aside from Moorcock - and I know there are a lot more) are

• Harlan Ellison
• Carol Emshwiller
• Ursula K. Le Guin
• Katherine MacLean
• Frederik Pohl
• Robert Silverberg
• Norman Spinrad
• Jack Vance

In terms of pure writing, I might be tempted to give it Carol Emswhiller but I know Vance makes quite a case, too, and will be some people's picks. In terms of size and quality and consistency of overall impact, I'd think it'd be between Ellison, Pohl, and Silverberg. However, Ellison is pretty purely a short fiction writer, while Pohl and Silverberg excel at everything. I suppose Silverberg's bulk of quality (allowing for some not-so-quality, too) would give him the edge, though I want to make a pitch for Pohl anyway.

However, the hottest most important recent author is probably Greg Egan. And who knows where someone like Ted Chiang will end up if he can somehow keep it up. But that seems like apples and oranges at this point.

So probably Robert Silverberg. He's been writing for about 60 years, has published hundreds upon hundreds of stories, dozens-to-hundreds of novels, many non-fiction works, won a zillion awards, done much quality editing, been made a Grand Master of the SFWA, sold lots of books including the popular Majipoor SF/F series (IMO, it started as a sort of SF but apparently became fantasy, showing he can hit both markets), and has managed to have success as a 50s-60s word factory "hack", a 60s-70s "literary author", and has continued to have more balanced success since.

And, no, he's not my favorite, but I like a lot of his stuff a lot.

 

[K. Riehl]

Ursula K. Le Guin wins the contest.

Lathe of Heaven, Dispossessed, Left Hand of Darkness, Wizard of Earthsea, Word for World is Forest, Five Hugo's, Six Nebula's. Nineteen Locus Magazine awards.

She redefined Science Fiction ushering in sociological themes, wrote great literature disguised as Fantasy, inspired dozens of female author's, mentored dozens more.

Ansible, coined in Rocannon's World 1966, has been adopted by many Science Fiction writers as the default term for faster than light communication

Kurt Vonnegut described her as, "the greatest living American author, regardless of genre.."

Her poetry is amazing too

 

[Parson]

C. J. Cherryth would have to be considered for the overall brilliance of a long career. I could only see this distinction given to someone with decades of work published.

 

[Stephen Palmer]

Gene Wolfe.

He just is.

 

[Mouse]

I answered Neil Gaiman, gave reasons, and then the site threw a wobbly. Now my lunch break is over and I have to get back on with my work. But really, you should all know why Neil Gaiman is the best.

 

[rai]

I don't want to be rude but, I have never heard of Carol Emshwiller or Katherine MacLean in my entire life.

Shouldn't a cretirea of being a greatest living author be that you are somewhat known?

If this was rock music with groups the Beatles and the Rollling Stones and then someone nominated Canned Heat.

 

[Fried Egg]

Do we mean the best living author who is still producing great work or simple who has produced the best work in their lifetime and happens to still be alive?

 

[Kierkegaurdian]

Gene Wolfe.

He just is.

I have to second that. I think Ursula K. LeGuin would agree, incidentally. So would Gaiman, since I saw he was also mentioned.

His books are incredibly complex, beautifully written, and so full of ideas that they demand second and third readings. I think you would be hard-pressed to find a living author who is more highly-regarded by his peers.

 

[rai]

...who has produced the best work in their lifetime and happens to still be alive?

I think that would qualify, let me say like Elton John as an example. He may not be producing quality like he was 30 years ago but he would be considered one of the greatest recording artists and has more than 50 top-40 hits.

That is what I am looking for. Not just a name but with a reason why it can be argued he/she is one of the greatest.

If you can give some facts or why he/she is the greatest writer.

 

[Parson]

I think that would qualify, let me say like Elton John as an example. He may not be producing quality like he was 30 years ago but he would be considered one of the greatest recording artists and has more than 50 top-40 hits.

That is what I am looking for. Not just a name but with a reason why it can be argued he/she is one of the greatest.

If you can give some facts or why he/she is the greatest writer.

Okay, C.J. Cherryth should be considered the greatest living S.F. writer because she writes densely interesting characters. And she creates truly alien characters whose motivations and scruples are not natural to humans, but logical in their own way. Examples? Faded Sun trilogy, Pride of Chanur series, Foreigner Series, etc. I rest my case.

 

[Chaoticheart]

Okay, C.J. Cherryth should be considered the greatest living S.F. writer because she writes densely interesting characters. And she creates truly alien characters whose motivations and scruples are not natural to humans, but logical in their own way. Examples? Faded Sun trilogy, Pride of Chanur series, Foreigner Series, etc. I rest my case.

Agreed.

 

[J-Sun]

I don't want to be rude but, I have never heard of Carol Emshwiller or Katherine MacLean in my entire life.

Shouldn't a cretirea of being a greatest living author be that you are somewhat known?

The only living New-Wave-or-earlier SF (maybe with some F) authors that come to my mind

I don't want to be rude, either, but what about that says either were the greatest living author? The list was merely of eligible candidates. However, if you like very clever strangely hard SF primarily from just past Astounding's golden age, but fitting right in with it, I heartily recommend the collection The Diploids by SFWA Author Emeritus Katherine MacLean and you could also check out her Nebula winning story "Missing Man", fixed up into a Nebula-nominated novel of the same name. If you like brilliantly written more avant-garde SF/F and want to hear of someone whose been given the World Fantasy Award for Life Achievement and won a WFA for her collection The Start of the End of It All, a PKD for her novel The Mount, and Nebulas for "Creature" and "I Live with You", then look into Carol Emshwiller.

 

[woodsman]

Yup totally agree with the Sun, I don't think sales can be taken as a fact of greatness. It really depends what your yardstick is.

I wouldn't argue with Wolfe or Silverberg as already mentioned but Le Guin would rank above them for me; personally. A Wizard of Earthsea makes me sad every time I read it, knowing I'll never me able to do what she does with so few words. I've found almost all of her work challenging on some level; a book I pause whilst reading to think over some of the concepts etc.

To move away from text a little - I'll throw Alan Moore a bone for revolutionizing his chosen medium and being delightfully strange.

On a side note and in the hope that Hoopy doesn't drop by - I'm not a huge fan of King. Struggled to read what I have read of his work and never really found it horrifying.

 

[HoopyFrood]

On a side note and in the hope that Hoopy doesn't drop by - I'm not a huge fan of King. Struggled to read what I have read of his work and never really found it horrifying.

Gasp!!

It's all right. I'll let you off -- this time.





Although despite being a big fan of the guy, I don't know whether I would consider him the GREATEST author. He's certainly prolific, popular, can spin a damn fine yarn, has written in all aforementioned genres...but I don't know, it feels like something's missing in order to consider someone the greatest...

 

[clovis-man]

Okay, C.J. Cherryth should be considered the greatest living S.F. writer because she writes densely interesting characters. And she creates truly alien characters whose motivations and scruples are not natural to humans, but logical in their own way. Examples? Faded Sun trilogy, Pride of Chanur series, Foreigner Series, etc. I rest my case.

Performing an inventory of books I've read on Goodreads.com revealed that I have read far more of Carolyn Janice Cherry than any other author except, perhaps Arthur Conan Doyle (sticking with the three part name style). However, over the years I have found some of her work to be quite uneven in terms of its style and substance. So I am quite fond of a great deal of her output and not happy with some other work. Some I'm just luke warm about. But I will always give her a try.

Perhaps part of my problem is that she is so prolific. She'll seemingly write about anything. If you don't believe me, just check out her blog:

http://www.cherryh.com/WaveWithoutAShore/

 

[rai]

I'm surprised a certain heavyweight fantasy writer has not been mentioned.

 

[jojajihisc]

King's factory-like production of novels, Le Guin's list of accolades and Silverberg's output and still lengthier mix of SF and F (an important edge over the more homogenous King) are all hard to argue against. For me Silverberg would get the vote perhaps only because I've read the most by him.

 

[GOLLUM]

HMM..my head hurts thinking about this but for SFF I pick Gene Wolfe with honourable mentions to Adam Roberts, Gaiman, Le Guin, M John Harrison, Ted Chaing and Patricia McKillip and for horror I have to go for Thomas Ligotti....