Top 10 Iconic Figures in Sci-Fi Literature

#10: Michael Crichton

This Harvard-educated writer once plagiarized George Orwell in college, but only to expose the unfair grading techniques of one of his professors. By 1969, the 6’9” Michael Crichton had published “The Andromeda Strain,” which became the first of many sci-fi novels to be adapted for the big screen. By combining his medical knowledge with a passion for writing, the Chicago born novelist composed classics like “Jurassic Park, “Congo” and “Sphere” before his 2008 death. Gifted and versatile, Crichton even directed several films. He was and is a major influence in the sci-fi genre.

#9: William Gibson

Cyberpunk and the phrase “noir prophet” go hand-in-hand when describing this living legend of the sci-fi genre. By exploding onto the literary world with 1984’s “Neuromancer,” a story about a down and out hacker, Gibson won the sci-fi “Triple Crown” – the Nebula, Hugo and Philip K. Dick Awards. It’s sold more than 6 million copies, giving enthusiastic readers a heavy dose of mind stimulation they would never forget. And the hits kept on coming when Gibson managed to innovate the “steampunk” genre with “The Difference Engine” in 1988. Cyberpunk. Noir Prophet. Steampunk. There’s a cool nickname out there that hasn’t even been discovered yet…and it belongs to William Gibson.

#8: George Orwell

His real name was Eric Arthur Blair, and he created a dystopian legend that freaked out paranoid citizens of the world after “Nineteen Eighty-Four.” With that one work alone, George Orwell reached iconic status, but unfortunately he would pass away just seven months after its publication. His imagination left a firm imprint on the sci-fi genre, and his linguistic approach proved that sometimes less is more. Sayings and phrases he originated, like ‘doublethink,’ ‘cold war,’ and ‘thought police,’ are part of everyday language. His resume extends far beyond his famous “Big Brother” novel, but for sci-fi lovers, it’s the work that will always endure.

#7: Arthur C. Clarke

As one of the “Big 3” writers of science fiction, this British novelist predicted online banking and also penned the screenplay for Stanley Kubrick’s “2001: A Space Odyssey.” Although his dreams of space travel were never achieved, Arthur C. Clarke actually discovered an ancient temple in Sri Lanka where he lived the last 50 years of his life. He’s been called “The Prophet of the Space Age” and helped sci-fi fanatics embrace their inherent nerdery. He’s also one reason why many recognize that science can be cool. “2001” is the work for which he is most known, but Clarke’s subsequent novels expanded on that story’s premise, thus establishing a lasting legacy for all to enjoy.

#6: Ray Bradbury

Inspired by Edgar Allen Poe and thrilled by Hollywood stars, this Midwestern writer achieved both his literary and Tinsel Town dreams. After moving to Hollywood as a teenager, Ray Bradbury sought out famous writers and ultimately published “The Martian Chronicles” the year he turned 30 years old. Before long, French New Wave filmmaker Francois Truffaut brought Bradbury’s work to a wider audience by memorably adapting his 1953 novel “Fahrenheit 451.” Bradbury’s writing career continued for more than 60 years, and although he didn’t identify himself as a sci-fi writer, he’s been tabbed as a “Midwest Surrealist.”

#5: Douglas Adams

This British novelist created “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy” as a BBC radio comedy in 1978 and published a book of the same name at only 27 years of age. Douglas Adams once claimed that inspiration came from a drunken night under the Austrian stars, and his musings on science, religion and technology reached numerous media platforms. In fact, the “Hitchhiker” franchise became a pop culture sensation, and just a few years after Adams’ untimely death, a new generation was introduced to his work through a feature film.

#4: Philip K. Dick

This sci-fi legend made our list but what list is he really on? Philip K. Dick questioned our existence as human beings and created alternate settings to explore the relationship between perceived truths and the unsolved mysteries of life. Many awards were presented during his lifetime, but the author’s popularity heightened after his 1982 death. That’s when “Blade Runner” and “Total Recall,” film adaptions of his stories, were released. His post-modernist views inspired the essence of modern Sci-Fi and equally mysterious writers like the late Roberto Bolaño. If you’ve won the Philip K. Dick Award, you’ve won something truly special.

#3: Jules Verne

This French author has been called one of the Fathers of Science Fiction and has influenced explorers, astronauts, surrealists and, of course, novelists. Today, everybody knows about a fish called Nemo, but he gets his name from Verne’s Captain Nemo and 1870’s “Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea.” Verne also traveled underground, notably in his “Journey to the Center of the Earth,” which may have been scientifically flawed but demonstrated the overwhelming power of imagination. He took us on wild adventures and proved just how fun literature can be.

#2: Isaac Asimov

Prolific and proficient in the ways of sci-fi, this Boston University professor became another of the “Big 3” writers of his genre. Isaac Asimov’s “Foundation” series about a Galactic Empire spanned thirty years, and his enormous contributions to science fiction literature earned him the one-time Hugo Award for the “Best All-Time Series.” His 1941 short story “Nightfall” announced a shift in sci-fi writing towards the human element. Like many other giants of the genre, his work was eventually adapted for the big screen. But perhaps his most fitting tribute came in 1981, when an asteroid was named after the Russian-American author.

Before we read up on our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions:
- Robert A. Heinlein
- Orson Scott Card
- Pierre Boulle

#1: H. G. Wells

As the 20th century approached, this English writer rattled off four important sci-fi novels, “The Time Machine,” “The Island of Dr. Moreau,” “The Invisible Man” and “The War of the Worlds.” Undoubtedly the Big Poppa of science fiction, Wells wrote “War of the Worlds” forty years before Orson Welles shocked the world with his infamous radio broadcast. Herbert George Wells heavily influenced both American and British writers during his lifetime, even as he moved away from sci-fi later in his life. As George Orwell once said, H.G. Wells was “too sane to understand the modern world.”

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