"Poul Anderson is one of the most highly regarded writers of science fiction of all time, ranking with Clarke, Asimov, Herbert, and Heinlein."
Back cover blurb on Poul Anderson, Past Times (New York, 1984).
I disagree. Anderson ranks higher:
compare Clarke's 2001 with Anderson's Genesis;
compare Asimov's future history and Herbert's Dune series with Anderson's History of Technic Civilization.
Heinlein is in a different category:
it makes sense to read Heinlein's single Future History before Anderson's several future histories, to read Heinlein's three circular causality narratives before Anderson's many time travel works and to read Heinlein's Magic, Inc before Anderson's Operation Otherwhen;
however, Anderson both maintained a high quality of writing and continued to innovate whereas Heinlein did the opposites.
1 comment:
Kaor, Paul!
I agree with your comments here. I would only add I think Herbert's DUNE is interesting enough to justify repeated rereadings, which I have done.
Ad astra! Sean
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