Who Is The Undisputed Master Of Science Fiction Literature?

Just a random thought I guess. Which author has the greatest influence in science fiction literature? I don't read much science fiction novels.

Being master as in Harry Turtledove being hailed as master of alternate history, Stephen King as master of the horror genre, Tolkien in fantasy, and Shakespeare in romance/drama, etc etc

Frank Herbert..........

@judasnixon: I knew someone was going to say that. What are his works aside from Dune?

I'd say H.G. Wells or Jules Verne. But i suppose it also depends on your personal preference, there's no best writer.

@aiden_cross: I do agree there is no best writer. I just wanna know people's opinions on who has the greatest influence in the genre.

19th Century: Jules Vernes and HG Wells

20th Century: writers from the golden age (imo): Isaac Asimov, AE Van Vogt, PK Dick, Simack, Bradbury, Sturgeon etc...

Recent ones: Ian M Banks, Vernor Vinge, Neal Stephenson and a few others.

Right now, I don't see any obvious leader of opinion, just less and less people reading high quality novels while more and more are enjoying vampires, werewolves and co.

Probably H.G. Wells/Jules Verne just for being one of the earlier writers and having such influence on SF literature as a whole.

There is no undisputed master.

I agree so much with this I guess.

L. Ron Hubbard

I just fell off my chair and cracked a rib laughing so hard lol

Philip K. Dick

@comicstooge: The Scientology guy? Lol.

It might be Herbert just in terms of popularizing it to some degree but I don't think any one author stands above all the rest as the undisputed master. Dick's work in recent years has been made into like 10-15 movies at least. Lovecraft deserves mention also as does Clarke.

@lordraiden: @mandarinestro: He told his stories so well that they turned into a cult. Top that, Herbert

I wouldn't really call Lovecraft Sci-Fi overall

I'd say H.G. Wells

Arther C. Clark or Isaac Asimov.

Thank god someone said Asimov, he created space opera as we know it. The Foundation Cycle IS to sci fi what Lord of the Rings is to fantasy.

The Big Three: Arthur C Clarke, Isaac Asimov and Robert A Heinlein.

@jonny_anonymous: He was my second choice for sure.

@shootingnova: @spambot: @lunacyde: Lovecraft created his own subgenre called weird horror/Lovecraftian.

+1

@maccyd: He did but he was also an influence on the sci fi genre.

@spambot: I know it's just strange to nominate him as the ultimate sci fi influence when he went and carved a different path, mixing horror and sci-fi into a new subgenre.

@maccyd: I wasn't really nominating him. I had already stated I didn't think there was anyone deserving of the title of undisputed master and was just mentioning some writers who had an influence in the field.

@spambot: Oh, my mistake. SciFi is a really diverse genre and each writer nominated tends to specialise in a particular area. Even the masters in the other genres mentioned in the OP are questionable such as Poe and Lovecraft for Horror (you could debate Stoker or Shelley as well).

I want to say Lovecraft but I'm not really sure if he falls into the SciFi category.

So I'm going with L. Ron Hubbard and his works on dianetics and thetans. Those were some good stories.

Agreed. When the fluck did you come back? SMH everytime I leave the vine for a short bit all the cool people come back....