From: Mike Resnick <[log in to unmask]>
>
>>>H.G.Wells, _The Time Machine_
>>>Robert Heinlein, "All You Zombies"
>>>Alfred Bester, _The Stars My Destination_
>>>Philip Dick. _ Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?_"
>>>Frits Leiber, "Gonna' Roll 'dem Bones" [should be Fritz -- MR]
>>>Roger Zelazny, _ Roadmarks_
>>>Harlan Ellison, "When Jefftie Was Five"
>>>Isaac Asimov, _Foundation_
>>>George Herbert, _Dune_ [should be Frank -- MR]
>>>William Gibson, _Neuromancer_
>
>I disagree almost completely. First off, I think hardly anyone
>reads the Leiber or the Zelazny -now-.
Particularly that Zelazny.
I have to agree. If you trying to compare to Shakespeare you have to
look at a _body_ of work, not a single story or two. For Shakespeare the
mechanics of plot were secondary to character, theme and use of
language.
I'd have to agree with Bradbury, but that's because he wrote Sound of
Summer Running, IMHO, one of the most brilliant short stories ever. His
work transcends genre labels as Shakespeare transcended the poor
reputation of the theater in his day.
Another candidate would be Vonnegut.
You could make a case for Orwell, but he wrote so little.
I'd throw in Delany, but his appeal is more eclectic, I suspect.
mike
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