Which science fiction writer are you?

[ToSeek]

http://paulkienitz.net/skiffy.html

Hal Clement (Harry C. Stubbs)
A quiet and underrated master of "hard science" fiction who, among other things, foresaw integrated circuits back in the 1940s.

[davidlpf]

Isaac Asimov
One of the most prolific writers in history, on any imaginable subject. Cared little for art but created lasting and memorable tales.

[Van Rijn]

Robert A. Heinlein

Beginning with technological action stories and progressing to epics with religious overtones, this take-no-prisoners writer racked up some huge sales numbers.

Surprise, surprise, one of my favorite authors.

But heck, I liked Clement and Asimov as well.

[davidlpf]

I have read alot of Asimov myself.

[jrkeller]

I got

Arthur C. Clarke

who happens to be my favorite sci-fi writer

[Lianachan]

Gregory Benford
A master literary stylist who is also a working scientist.

[ciderman]

I've been identified as
Hal Clement (Harry C. Stubbs)
which is quite funny as I have a echoing abyss in my collection which contains absolutly nothing by him..
He's been on my 'must read' list for years, going to have to advance the plan.

[hhEb09'1]

I got

Arthur C. Clarke

who happens to be my favorite sci-fi writerMe too, but he's far from my favorite writer. Weird, huh?

[SeanF]

E.E. "Doc" Smith
The inventor of space opera. His purple space war tales remain well-read generations later.

[Jim]

Asimov is my favorite, but I'm...

Gregory Benford
A master literary stylist who is also a working scientist.

(The real Greg Benford once took this quiz, and it told him he was Arthur C. Clarke.)

[Musashi]

I got William Gibson. Interesting.

[ToSeek]

I've been trying to rig the quiz to get Asimov. I've managed Clarke, Heinlein, LeGuin, Vonnegut, Pournelle, Benford, Bester, Ayn Rand, and Cordwainer Smith, but no Asimov.

Never mind: if you look at the source code for the page, you can deduce what the possible writers are and how to select for them. (I can't say I entirely agree with the "settings" for Asimov, though.)

[Musashi]

Got him.

Exploration and discovery.

Sociology and anthropology.

Patriotism is foolish... but I suppose I'm rather parochial.

I am so sweet and harmless that nobody could ever wish ill of me.

I'm happily married, so (thank god) I don't have to worry much about that sort of thing now.

When you get onto a subject that I care about, I'll surprise you.

Sort of, but it's as much commercial as artistic.

None of the above.

It is morally wrong to silence yourself just so somebody else can talk.

I have some intriguing theories that might be fruitful.

Hell, it's practically brimming full!

There is surely some leeway.

[Musashi]

Anyone manage to get Ellison? I Found Frank Herbert and Mickey Spillane.

[YankeeJeff]

I got Arthur C. Clarke, my favorite Sci-Fi author...

"Well known for nonfiction science writing and for early promotion of the effort toward space travel, his fiction was often grand and visionary."

[yuzuha]

Another Hal Clement here.

[Gillianren]

"Chip" Delany, who I've never read.

[HenrikOlsen]

I got Benford.

[publius]

Olaf Stapledon, of whom I've never heard, but changing one answer that I wasn't sure of changed me to Ayn Rand. Yep, I've got Randian overtones all over........

-Richard

[Maksutov]

Arthur C. Clarke, one of my favorite writers.

Note: The poll's question section contains what is considered to be adult language by BAUT standards.

[Tobin Dax]

Playing with a few answers, since there are a couple questions where I'm a little of two, I got Clement, Asimov (twice), and Benford. I'll take that. I definitely like the latter two and I like what little of Clement I've read so far.

Edit: ToSeek, if you read the comments at the end of the source code, he's 0 for 2 with the actual writers listed who have taken the test. Neither got themselves as their result.

[Gillianren]

Do we know if any of them are women?

[Uranut]

Gregory Benford:
A master literary stylist who is also a working scientist.

????

[Tobin Dax]

Do we know if any of them are women?

Of the potential results, the women that I see are:
Octavia E. Butler
Ursula LeGuin
Ayn Rand
(There may be a pseudonym or two that I'm missing, but I really don't think so.)

On a related note, both female authors who reportedly took this quiz got Delany as a result.

[Wolf-S]

I've got Ursula LeGuin.

[Donnie B.]

Greg Benford here. Like several others, I too have not read anything by my supposed doppelganger. Anybody have any recommendations?

[Tensor]

Asimov is my favorite, but I'm...

Gregory Benford
A master literary stylist who is also a working scientist.

(The real Greg Benford once took this quiz, and it told him he was Arthur C. Clarke.)

Heheheheheh, your post decribes me also.

[Tobin Dax]

Greg Benford here. Like several others, I too have not read anything by my supposed doppelganger. Anybody have any recommendations?

The only thing I've read by Benford is his novel Timescape. That was in high school, and I probably didn't appreciate it as much as I should have. Still, I did rather enjoy it and I do recommend it. Your local library more than likely has a copy.

[Gillianren]

Given my personality, there's no way it would've happened, but thank Gods I didn't turn out to be Ayn Rand!

[rudolpho]

Hmm - I got:
H.G. Wells
The first major literary talent to make himself at home in the science fiction field, greatly expanding its popularity

[SeanF]

Am I the only one who's gotten "Doc" Smith so far?

What question did I answer differently than everybody else? :shifty:

[tlbs101]

Another Olaf Stapledon, here.
"Standing outside the science fiction "field", he wrote fictional explorations of the futures of whole species and galaxies."

Now, I have to go look him up.

[One Skunk Todd]

Philip Jose Farmer.

[Argos]

Hal Clement, someone I´ve never heard of.

[ToSeek]

Anyone manage to get Ellison? I Found Frank Herbert and Mickey Spillane.

The list of possible writers are:

a: Isaac Asimov
b: Alfred Bester
c: Arthur C. Clarke
d: David Brin
e: Octavia E. Butler
f: Philip José Farmer
g: Gregory Benford
h: Frank Herbert
i: Samuel R. Delany
j: Jerry Pournelle
k: Mickey Spillane
l: Ursula LeGuin
m: Stanislav Lem
n: William Gibson
o: Olaf Stapledon
p: Philip K. Dick
q: Hal Clement
r: Robert A. Heinlein
s: E.E. "Doc" Smith
t: James Tiptree, Jr.
u: Jules Verne
v: Kurt Vonnegut
w: H.G. Wells
x: Cordwainer Smith
y: Ayn Rand
z: John Brunner

Why Spillane makes the list (did he even write any sf?) and not Ellison is a mystery.

[Fazor]

Philip José Farmer
This prolific author brings surprising depths to he-man adventure tales, and broke science fiction's prudery barrier.

Never heard of him. Altho I don't read much sci-fi. Jules Verne and Ray Bradbury are, however, two of my favorite authors. I see Jules up there but no Ray :( Tis a shame they'd exclude him. Oh well, I'll take my revenge on that website someday. MWAHAHA...sorry.

[Doodler]

Anyone manage to get Ellison? I Found Frank Herbert and Mickey Spillane.

Interesting, that's kinda the one I was looking for. I was surprised by it.

Isaac AsimovOne of the most prolific writers in history, on any imaginable subject. Cared little for art but created lasting and memorable tales.

[Moose]

William Gibson.

[Dave Mitsky]

Does anyone really consider Ayn Rand (Alisa Zinov'yevna Rosenbaum) to be a science fiction writer?

Greg Benford, who I have read, is who came up for me.

Dave Mitsky

[Roy Batty]

I'm also Hal Clement, one of the few I don't recognise.

[ToSeek]

Does anyone really consider Ayn Rand (Alisa Zinov'yevna Rosenbaum) to be a science fiction writer?



You can make an argument that Atlas Shrugged is science fiction, and Anthem definitely is, but if someone asked me to make a list of all the science fiction writers I could think of, she wouldn't be included.

[Gillianren]

I don't think she'd include herself, either.

[JohnW]

Gregory Benford
I've only read one of his books (Timequake), which I thought rated a resounding OK.

[JohnW]

Of the potential results, the women that I see are:
Octavia E. Butler
Ursula LeGuin
Ayn Rand
(There may be a pseudonym or two that I'm missing, but I really don't think so.)
You missed one: James Tiptree Jr.

[Tobin Dax]

You missed one: James Tiptree Jr.

I said I would. The anthology I have that I first saw that in is in my office (since I've lent it to an office mate who has never really read much SF before). I'll have to try to remember to take a look at that tomorrow.

[Occam]

Hal Clement
Funny, I always saw myself as a Larry Niven - and why isn't he on the list?!

[mike alexander]

Hah. I'm Alice Sheldon, apparently.

Yes, that makes sense. I rather like that.

Wouldn't have minded Theodore Sturgeon, either.

[sarongsong]

Alfred Bester---new to me http://bautforum.com/images/icons/icon10.gif...Why Spillane makes the list (did he even write any sf?) and not Ellison is a mystery.Kiss Me Deadly (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0048261/) , filmed in less than 3 weeks, became a surprisingly outstanding thriller...

[JonClarke]

Arthur Clarke, which suits me very well.

I though Rand wrote drivel, not SF.

Jon

[Cugel]

I turned out to be Olaf Stapledon.
Just because Jack Vance is missing on the list I guess.

[eburacum45]

I am Hal Clement, evidently;
I've only read Mission of Gravity and wanted to rewrite it so that it worked in real life. I wanted to be Olaf Stapledon.

[Ilya]

Greg Benford.

Who happens to be my FAVORITE* SF writer!

Maybe the quiz's author is on to something :)

*Until last few months, anyway. Now that I discovered Alastair Reynolds, that may no longer be true. But Benford and Reynold are rather similar.

[Ilya]

Never mind: if you look at the source code for the page, you can deduce what the possible writers are and how to select for them. (I can't say I entirely agree with the "settings" for Asimov, though.)
Speaking of source code, it contains an unintended (or perhaps intended) horrible pun. Read the line with the word "Slugger".

[ToSeek]

Alfred Bester---new to me

Bester didn't write a lot (he was a full-time editor for most of his career), but just about every word was golden. If you have time for a novel, try The Stars My Destination (Tiger, Tiger in some editions). If you're short on time, try to track down "Fondly Fahrenheit" or "The Men Who Murdered Mohammed" or - my personal favorite - "They Don't Make Life Like They Used To"* or, well, just about anything, really.

*Available online here (http://www.scifi.com/scifiction/classics/classics_archive/bester/index.html).

[Fazor]

Hmm...Bradbury also had a short story called "Tiger, tiger" (IIRC) and of course one of his best know works is "Fahrenheit 451". Wonder if one is a fan of the other, or if those are both just coincidences.

[mike alexander]

Bester. Amen. I was rearranging some books and ran across his collection "Starlight", and ended up sitting down and rereading it."The Pi Man", "Oddy and Id", "Hobson's Choice"...

And ToSeek is totally right, if you haven't read "The Stars My Destination" - go out and find it! Gully Foyle's gutter rant from the statue of Eros in Piccadilly Circus never fails to take my breath away. And the Scientific People never fail to crack me up. Quant Suff!

[Moose]

Bester didn't write a lot

... Too busy chasing down rogue telepaths.

[Donnie B.]

... Too busy chasing down rogue telepaths.... or trying to fix a bad reg couple on Serenity.

[Gillianren]

Hmm...Bradbury also had a short story called "Tiger, tiger" (IIRC) and of course one of his best know works is "Fahrenheit 451". Wonder if one is a fan of the other, or if those are both just coincidences.

It's a reference to a William Blake poem, though Blake spelled it "Tyger."

[Moose]

... or trying to fix a bad reg couple on Serenity.

Is that what they're calling frolicking with hot shade-tree mechanics in the 'Verse these days?

[mike alexander]

Bester's novel was published as "The Stars My Destination" in the US and as "Tyger, Tyger!" in the UK. The first section of the novel starts with the quotation from Blake; the second with a quotation from Tom 'O Bedlam. Both are beautifully woven into the story.

It should be obvious where this particular novel sits on my shelf of the best.

[Neverfly]

Hal Clement

and i know nothing about him:neutral:

[Fazor]

It's a reference to a William Blake poem, though Blake spelled it "Tyger."

Ah, yes. That was in the first short story collection of his I read. I've since read some 100+ of his other works. I'm a Bradburholic, I suppose. (Altho, as one comedian would point out, there's no such thing as "Bradburhol." ;) ) He's just such a wonderful writer.

[mike alexander]

Neverfly wrote:

Hal Clement

and i know nothing about him

Larry Niven described him best: Worldsmith


'Mission of Gravity', 'Needle', 'Close to Critical', 'Raindrop'......

[Neverfly]

Neverfly wrote:



Larry Niven described him best: Worldsmith


'Mission of Gravity', 'Needle', 'Close to Critical', 'Raindrop'......

Sounds Complimentary..
i may need to do some Reading :think:

[Celestial Mechanic]

Gregory Benford. I've never heard of him. Suppose I'll have to look up his work.

[GeorgeLeRoyTirebiter]

Stanislav Lem.

I'm surprised that so far I'm the only one sufficiently pessimistic/cynical.

[Strider1974]

John Brunner
His best known works are dystopias -- vivid realizations of the futures we want to avoid.

I have never read him, guess I will have to look him up

[satori]

I'm surprised that so far I'm the only one sufficiently pessimistic/cynical


You are an optimist GeorgeLeRoyTrilobiter if you think you will ever get correctly addressed to with that kind of a name.

Originaly I wanted to share my pessimism with you...

[GeorgeLeRoyTirebiter]

You are an optimist GeorgeLeRoyTrilobiter if you think you will ever get correctly addressed to with that kind of a name.

Originaly I wanted to share my pessimism with you...

Unless you're the right age (and I'm not) it's a rather obscure name. Originally, it was a dog. It was later applied to an incarnation of The Everyman. After passing through the five stages of life (on television, no less) he regains his lost youth. The last we see of him, he's chasing an ice-cream truck up in the hills...

"Wait for me! Hey, mister, I got a nickel. Wait for me!"

[Celestial Mechanic]

Unless you're the right age (and I'm not) it's a rather obscure name. Originally, it was a dog. It was later applied to an incarnation of The Everyman. After passing through the five stages of life (on television, no less) he regains his lost youth. The last we see of him, he's chasing an ice-cream truck up in the hills...

"Wait for me! Hey, mister, I got a nickel. Wait for me!"
For those of you of the wrong age, George Leroy Tirebiter is the main character of the 1970 Firesign Theater album, Don't Crush That Dwarf, Hand Me the Pliers. In it he is a mature man watching late-night televison and sees himself as an old man on a game show ("Stab From the Past"), as a teenager in the movie "High School Madness", and as a young man in the Korean War movie "Parallel Hell". He switches between the two movies (and other things) on the television until ultimately the trial scenes of both movies annihilate one another.

[mike alexander]

"Forward, into the past!"

[Neverfly]

of course its a likely scheme- and we arent REALLY like these authors..
But it inspires us to go buy books.....:whistle:

[greenfeather]

I got William Gibson. Interesting.

Me too. And he's definitely NOT my fave! I HATe cyberpunk!

I'd have rather got Theodore Sturgeon.

[Neverfly]

ok Admit it.....
Who got Dr Seuss?

[Disinfo Agent]

Kurt Vonnegut

For years, this unique creator of absurd and haunting tales denied that he had anything to do with science fiction.
Silly, but fun quiz.

[Dngrsone]

Hal Clement (Harry C. Stubbs)

A quiet and underrated master of "hard science" fiction who, among other things, foresaw integrated circuits back in the 1940s.

I've not heard of him... will have to go looking for some of his work now to putin the TBR pile.