Wednesday, March 19, 2008

Obituary: Arthur C. Clarke

The last of the big three* is no more. After prolific and esteemed career, Sir Arthur C. Clarke has passed away in Sri Lanka at age 90.

As a Science Fiction writer, Clarke was most famous for his novel 2001: A Space Odyssey and for collaborating with the insane director Stanley Kubrick on a crap movie adaptation.

Unfortunately, as his books were too long, I'll never read him, unless I'm confined to a stockade for a few years. However I'm only too aware of his contributions to modern science fiction including the influence he has obviously had over the likes of Lucas, Roddenberry, Speilberg and Straczynski.

Not all of Clarke's ideas are in the world of Sci-Fi. It was he who first theorised in 1945 that geostationary satellites would be ideal telecommunications relays. It was through his love of real science that gave a credibility and a believability to his writings unmatched by any other science fiction author.

I finish now with a quote from the man himself:
"How inappropriate to call this planet Earth, when clearly it is Ocean."

*Asimov, Heinlein and Clarke

Source: Civilian Overseer

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Who are the other members of this big three???

Anonymous said...

Asimov and Heinlein. Their names are written in the article. Follow the asterisk.

Anonymous said...

All 3 are missed. Not found anything more contemporary I've enjoyed as much.

Anonymous said...

You could always try the short stories ;-)

Anonymous said...

I am really sad about this mans death, no not Arthur,but Captain Birdseye,he also passed away in the last few days (L.T).At least when the captain spoke you knew that what he said was true,not like C.Clarke going on about Apes been in homes from the 60's on.

Constance said...

I've never seen where he's written it, but supposedly Heinlein said "an armed society is a polite society."

It's quotes like these and authors like David Weber and Eric Flint that make me wonder why I get nothing but crickets when I mention books!

Anonymous said...

Constance, I haven't been online for a few days so rest assured that you are not getting 'crickets' from me, i get the same reaction from the colonel, I think it's a gender thing! Even if our tastes are different in the written word at least we read something other than COMICS, oops sorry, graphic novels. Broaden your horizons gentlemen, just for us?? Pretty please??? Not working! If George Doubleya or General Conway told you to you’d do it though….hmmm????

Anonymous said...

Sith Apologist, I quote to you from LOCUS, the magazine of the science fiction and fantasy field, January 2008:

(This is in the "Books Sold" section)
"A collection of ROBERT A. HEINLEIN's unpublished television scripts and outlines went to William K. Schafer at Subterranean Press via Eleanor Wood."

You might be seeing something Heinlein-esque in the future!


Pints, I think that the Colonel should start his own online book club. Specializing in very short fiction!