Re: Clarke at 100

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A fair assessment, I think, of Clarke. I certainly grew up reading him, and
Dennis's choice of examples is excellent. I probably haven't read the "Nine
Billion Names of God' in 60 years but I remember the last line with
clarity. Clarke's prose could range towards pedestrian, but the concepts oh
my!

charley

On Sun, Dec 10, 2017 at 2:35 PM, Dennis Fischer <[email protected]>
wrote:

> Arthur C Clarke at 100: still the king of science fiction
> 2001: A Space Odyssey, Childhood=E2=80=99s End, Arthur C. Clarke=E2=80=99=
s Mysterious
> World =E2=80=A6 one hundred years after his birth, the British writer is =
the
> undisputed master
> [image: Genuine sense of wonder =E2=80=A6 2001: A Space Odyssey.]
>
> <https://www.theguardian.com/books/2017/dec/09/arthur-c-clarke-king-scien=
ce-fiction#img-1>
> Adam Roberts <https://www.theguardian.com/profile/adam-roberts>
> Shares
> 1,508
> Comments347
> <https://www.theguardian.com/books/2017/dec/09/arthur-c-clarke-king-scien=
ce-fiction#comments>
> Born on 16 December 1917, Arthur C Clarke
> <https://www.theguardian.com/books/arthurcclarke> lived long enough to
> see the year he and Stanley Kubrick made cinematically famous with *2001:
> A Space Odyssey*
> <https://www.theguardian.com/film/2014/nov/27/2001-a-space-odyssey-review=
-rerelease>,
> and it seemed for a while as though he might see in his centenary too: he
> was physically active (he had a passion for scuba diving), non-smoking,
> teetotal and always interested in and curious about the world. But having
> survived a bout of polio in 1962, he found the disease returned as
> post-polio syndrome in the 1980s; it eventually killed him in 2008.
> For a while Clarke, Robert Heinlein
> <https://www.theguardian.com/books/booksblog/2009/jan/12/heinlein-hugo-st=
ranger-strange-land>
>  and Isaac Asimov <https://www.theguardian.com/books/isaacasimov> constit=
uted
> the =E2=80=9Cbig three=E2=80=9D, bestriding science fiction like colossi.=
 Like many SF fans
> I grew up reading Clarke. He was, for a time, everywhere: his books
> thronging the shops, he himself popping up on telly to present *Arthur C.
> Clarke=E2=80=99s Mysterious World*. He was a prolific science writer and
> presenter, a rationalist and space flight advocate. But most important wa=
s
> his science fiction. With =E2=80=9CThe Nine Billion Names of God=E2=80=9D=
 (1953), *Childhood=E2=80=99s
> End* (1953) and *2001: A Space Odyssey* (1968) he has a fair claim to
> have produced the best short story, novel and screenplay in 20th-century =
SF.
> Sign up for the Bookmarks email
>
> Read more
>
> <https://www.theguardian.com/info/ng-interactive/2017/mar/30/sign-up-for-=
the-bookmarks-email>
> What all three works share is the ability to construe moments of
> astonishing transcendence out of the careful delineation of scientific or
> technological plausibility. The amazing final line of =E2=80=9CNine Billi=
on Names=E2=80=9D
> (I won=E2=80=99t spoil it, if you don=E2=80=99t know it), the expertly pa=
ced uncovering of
> the mystery of the alien =E2=80=9Coverlords=E2=80=9D who place Earth unde=
r benign
> dictatorship in *Childhood=E2=80=99s End* and the wondrous uplift of *200=
1* =E2=80=93
> this is the genuine strong black coffee of science fiction.
> Not that he lacks detractors. He was an unshowy writer, his prose
> functional rather than beautiful, his characterisation rudimentary. Some =
of
> his short stories are marvellous but many read like five-finger exercises=
,
> often aiming at a humorousness that hasn=E2=80=99t aged well. Towards the=
 end of
> his life Clarke fell into the rut of producing myriad sequels to his
> earlier masterpieces rather than new work. *Rendezvous with Rama* (1973),
> about the appearance in the solar system of a mysterious alien space
> station, vast and seemingly unpiloted, won all the SF awards when it was
> published; but Clarke=E2=80=99s egregious three sequels, co-authored with=
 Gentry
> Lee between 1989 and 1993, neither won nor deserved prizes.
> [image: Arthur C Clarke in 1984.]
>
> <https://www.theguardian.com/books/2017/dec/09/arthur-c-clarke-king-scien=
ce-fiction#img-2>
> Facebook
> <https://www.facebook.com/dialog/share?app_id=3D180444840287&href=3Dhttps=
%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fbooks%2F2017%2Fdec%2F09%2Farthur-c-clarke-ki=
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re=3Dhttps%3A%2F%2Fmedia.guim.co.uk%2F496092a5300d8cf6f783a434e3b472ac4e4c6=
082%2F0_236_4200_2521%2F4200.jpg>
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> <https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=3DArthur%20C%20Clarke%20at%20100%3=
A%20still%20the%20king%20of%20science%20fiction&url=3Dhttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.the=
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> Pinterest
> <http://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?description=3DArthur%20C%20C=
larke%20at%20100%3A%20still%20the%20king%20of%20science%20fiction&url=3Dhtt=
ps%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fbooks%2F2017%2Fdec%2F09%2Farthur-c-clarke-=
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dia.guim.co.uk%2F496092a5300d8cf6f783a434e3b472ac4e4c6082%2F0_236_4200_2521=
%2F4200.jpg>
>  Arthur C Clarke in 1984. Photograph: c.MGM/Everett / Rex Features
> Clarke=E2=80=99s own novelisation of his screenplay *2001: A Space Odysse=
y* makes
> an interesting companion piece to the film, from which it differs in many
> respects. But once again the sequel itch struck Clarke in the 1980s: *201=
0:
> Odyssey Two*(1982) was followed by *2061: Odyssey Three* (1987) and when
> number four was published as *3001: The Final Odyssey* (1997) fandom
> breathed a sigh of relief.
> Advertisement
> =E2=80=93=E2=80=93 ADVERTISEMENT =E2=80=93=E2=80=93
> We can take with a pinch of salt his claim to have invented the concept o=
f
> geostationary satellites, where a spacecraft completes one orbit in the
> same 24 hours of the Earth=E2=80=99s turning, so that it occupies a fixed=
 place in
> the sky (this is the principle behind today=E2=80=99s communication satel=
lites that
> enable everything from digital TV to GPS). Clarke certainly did publish a=
n
> article advocating it (Extra-Terrestrial Relays =E2=80=93 Can Rocket Stat=
ions Give
> Worldwide Radio Coverage?) in Wireless World in October 1945. But Slovene
> rocket engineer Herman Poto=C4=8Dnik proposed exactly this idea in 1928, =
and in
> 1942 American science fiction writer George O Smith published a novella, =
*QRM
> =E2=80=93 Interplanetary*, set on a stationary =E2=80=9Crelay station=E2=
=80=9D in space. I=E2=80=99m not
> accusing Clarke of plagiarism, yet the concept was clearly in the air in
> the 1940s.
> But none of this matters. We don=E2=80=99t need to advocate the whole of =
Clarke to
> recognise the best of him, and to acknowledge that his influence continue=
s
> to inform the genre. His plain writing style and meticulous attention to
> detail are there not for their own sake but to provide the most effective
> platform from which to create a genuine sense of wonder.
> Not for nothing is the UK=E2=80=99s premier science fiction prize called =
the Arthur
> C Clarke award <https://www.theguardian.com/books/arthurcclarkeaward>.
> Knighted in 2000, he is properly speaking Sir Arthur; but for the huge
> affection many in SF fandom have for him, he could almost be King Arthur.
>



--=20
Charley
Desert Sailor

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<div dir=3D"ltr"><div class=3D"gmail_default" style=3D"font-family:times ne=
w roman,serif;font-size:large">A fair assessment, I think, of Clarke. I cer=
tainly grew up reading him, and Dennis&#39;s choice of examples is excellen=
t. I probably haven&#39;t read the &quot;Nine Billion Names of God&#39; in =
60 years but I remember the last line with clarity. Clarke&#39;s prose coul=
d range towards pedestrian, but the concepts oh my!</div><div class=3D"gmai=
l_default" style=3D"font-family:times new roman,serif;font-size:large"><br>=
</div><div class=3D"gmail_default" style=3D"font-family:times new roman,ser=
if;font-size:large">charley</div></div><div class=3D"gmail_extra"><br><div =
class=3D"gmail_quote">On Sun, Dec 10, 2017 at 2:35 PM, Dennis Fischer <span=
 dir=3D"ltr">&lt;<a href=3D"mailto:[email protected]" target=3D"_blank"=
>[email protected]</a>&gt;</span> wrote:<br><blockquote class=3D"gmail_=
quote" style=3D"margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1=
ex"><div><div style=3D"color:#000;background-color:#fff;font-family:Helveti=
ca Neue,Helvetica,Arial,Lucida Grande,sans-serif;font-size:13px"><div style=
=3D"color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:&quot;Guardian Text Egyptian Web&quot;,=
Georgia,serif;font-size:medium;font-variant-ligatures:common-ligatures" id=
=3D"m_-7397070516020690703yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1512940373117_10679"><header id=
=3D"m_-7397070516020690703yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1512940373117_10680"><div style=
=3D"background-color:rgb(149,28,85)" id=3D"m_-7397070516020690703yui_3_16_0=
_ym19_1_1512940373117_10681"><div style=3D"margin:0px auto;max-width:81.25r=
em;padding-left:1.25rem;padding-right:1.25rem;box-sizing:border-box" id=3D"=
m_-7397070516020690703yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1512940373117_10682"><div style=3D"=
max-width:38.75rem;margin:auto 20rem auto 15rem" id=3D"m_-73970705160206907=
03yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1512940373117_10683"><h1 style=3D"margin-top:0px;margin=
-bottom:0px;font-size:2.25rem;line-height:2.5rem;font-family:&quot;Guardian=
 Egyptian Web&quot;,&quot;Guardian Text Egyptian Web&quot;,Georgia,serif;fo=
nt-weight:200;padding-top:0.375rem;padding-bottom:2.25rem;color:rgb(255,255=
,255)" id=3D"m_-7397070516020690703yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1512940373117_10684">A=
rthur C Clarke at 100: still the king of science fiction</h1></div></div></=
div><div style=3D"color:rgb(255,255,255);background-color:rgb(184,34,102);p=
adding-top:0.375rem" id=3D"m_-7397070516020690703yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_15129403=
73117_10685"><div style=3D"margin:0px auto;max-width:81.25rem;padding-left:=
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690703yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1512940373117_10686"><div style=3D"max-width:38.75r=
em;margin:auto 20rem auto 15rem" id=3D"m_-7397070516020690703yui_3_16_0_ym1=
9_1_1512940373117_10687"><div style=3D"font-size:1.125rem;line-height:1.375=
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ian Web&quot;,Georgia,serif;margin-bottom:1.5rem" id=3D"m_-7397070516020690=
703yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1512940373117_10688"><div style=3D"margin-bottom:0.5re=
m" id=3D"m_-7397070516020690703yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1512940373117_10689">2001:=
 A Space Odyssey, Childhood=E2=80=99s End, Arthur C. Clarke=E2=80=99s Myste=
rious World =E2=80=A6 one hundred years after his birth, the British writer=
 is the undisputed master</div></div></div></div></div></header></div><div =
style=3D"padding-top:1.5rem;color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:&quot;Guardian =
Text Egyptian Web&quot;,Georgia,serif;font-size:medium;font-variant-ligatur=
es:common-ligatures" id=3D"m_-7397070516020690703yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_15129403=
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690703yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1512940373117_10691"><div style=3D"min-height:17.25=
rem;max-width:38.75rem;margin:auto 20rem auto 15rem" id=3D"m_-7397070516020=
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px;margin-right:0px" id=3D"m_-7397070516020690703yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_15129403=
73117_10694"></div><figure style=3D"margin:0px" id=3D"m_-739707051602069070=
3yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1512940373117_10695"><a href=3D"https://www.theguardian.=
com/books/2017/dec/09/arthur-c-clarke-king-science-fiction#img-1" style=3D"=
color:rgb(0,86,137);text-decoration-line:none" id=3D"m_-7397070516020690703=
yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1512940373117_10696" target=3D"_blank"><div style=3D"widt=
h:620px;padding-bottom:372.359px;overflow:hidden" id=3D"m_-7397070516020690=
703yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1512940373117_10697"><u></u><u></u><u></u><u></u><u></=
u><u></u><u></u><u></u><u></u><u></u><u></u><img alt=3D"Genuine sense of wo=
nder =E2=80=A6 2001: A Space Odyssey." src=3D"https://i.guim.co.uk/img/medi=
a/6d97af7601e429c4653e575c870936575ebca385/487_0_2158_1296/master/2158.jpg?=
w=3D300&amp;q=3D55&amp;auto=3Dformat&amp;usm=3D12&amp;fit=3Dmax&amp;s=3Dfe7=
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al;display:block;width:620px;min-height:372.359px" id=3D"m_-739707051602069=
0703yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1512940373117_10709"><u></u></div></a></figure><div s=
tyle=3D"min-height:2.25rem;margin-bottom:1rem;margin-left:0;width:13.75rem"=
 id=3D"m_-7397070516020690703yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1512940373117_10718"><div st=
yle=3D"float:left;margin-right:0.9375rem" id=3D"m_-7397070516020690703yui_3=
_16_0_ym19_1_1512940373117_10719"></div><div style=3D"font-size:1rem;font-w=
eight:bold;padding-top:0.125rem;line-height:1.375rem;color:rgb(118,118,118)=
;clear:both;border-top:0.0625rem dotted rgb(223,223,223);box-sizing:border-=
box;padding-bottom:0.75rem;min-height:3rem" id=3D"m_-7397070516020690703yui=
_3_16_0_ym19_1_1512940373117_10720"><span id=3D"m_-7397070516020690703yui_3=
_16_0_ym19_1_1512940373117_10721"><a rel=3D"author" href=3D"https://www.the=
guardian.com/profile/adam-roberts" style=3D"color:rgb(149,28,85);text-decor=
ation-line:none" id=3D"m_-7397070516020690703yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_151294037311=
7_10722" target=3D"_blank"><span id=3D"m_-7397070516020690703yui_3_16_0_ym1=
9_1_1512940373117_10723">Adam Roberts</span></a></span></div><div style=3D"=
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_3_16_0_ym19_1_1512940373117_10729"><div style=3D"padding-bottom:0.1875rem;=
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020690703yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1512940373117_10755"><div title=3D"Facebook: 150=
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3><div style=3D"font-size:1.125rem;line-height:1.125rem;font-family:&quot;G=
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0690703yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1512940373117_10763"><a href=3D"https://www.thegua=
rdian.com/books/2017/dec/09/arthur-c-clarke-king-science-fiction#comments" =
style=3D"color:rgb(149,28,85);text-decoration-line:none;display:block" id=
=3D"m_-7397070516020690703yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1512940373117_10764" target=3D"=
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pan id=3D"m_-7397070516020690703yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1512940373117_10769">Comm=
ents</span></h3><span style=3D"font-size:1.125rem;line-height:1.125rem;font=
-family:&quot;Guardian Text Sans Web&quot;,&quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Helve=
tica,Arial,&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;,sans-serif;font-weight:bold;letter-spa=
cing:-0.0625rem;padding-top:0.15rem;display:block" id=3D"m_-739707051602069=
0703yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1512940373117_10770">347</span></a></div></div></div>=
</div><div style=3D"word-wrap:break-word" id=3D"m_-7397070516020690703yui_3=
_16_0_ym19_1_1512940373117_10771"><div style=3D"margin-bottom:1rem" id=3D"m=
_-7397070516020690703yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1512940373117_10772"><span style=3D"=
font-family:&quot;Guardian Egyptian Web&quot;,&quot;Guardian Text Egyptian =
Web&quot;,Georgia,serif;float:left;display:inline-block;text-transform:uppe=
rcase;box-sizing:border-box;min-height:4.5rem;padding-top:0.0625rem;margin-=
right:0.3125rem;color:rgb(149,28,85)" id=3D"m_-7397070516020690703yui_3_16_=
0_ym19_1_1512940373117_10773"><span style=3D"font-size:5.25rem;line-height:=
4.25rem;display:inline-block;vertical-align:text-top" id=3D"m_-739707051602=
0690703yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1512940373117_10774">B</span></span>orn on 16 Dece=
mber 1917,=C2=A0<a href=3D"https://www.theguardian.com/books/arthurcclarke"=
 title=3D"" style=3D"color:rgb(0,86,137);border-bottom:0.0625rem solid rgb(=
220,220,220);text-decoration-line:none!important" id=3D"m_-7397070516020690=
703yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1512940373117_10775" target=3D"_blank">Arthur C Clarke=
</a>=C2=A0lived long enough to see the year he and Stanley Kubrick made cin=
ematically famous with=C2=A0<a href=3D"https://www.theguardian.com/film/201=
4/nov/27/2001-a-space-odyssey-review-rerelease" title=3D"" style=3D"color:r=
gb(0,86,137);border-bottom:0.0625rem solid rgb(220,220,220);text-decoration=
-line:none!important" id=3D"m_-7397070516020690703yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1512940=
373117_10776" target=3D"_blank"><em id=3D"m_-7397070516020690703yui_3_16_0_=
ym19_1_1512940373117_10777">2001: A Space Odyssey</em></a>, and it seemed f=
or a while as though he might see in his centenary too: he was physically a=
ctive (he had a passion for scuba diving), non-smoking, teetotal and always=
 interested in and curious about the world. But having survived a bout of p=
olio in 1962, he found the disease returned as post-polio syndrome in the 1=
980s; it eventually killed him in 2008.</div><div style=3D"margin-bottom:1r=
em" id=3D"m_-7397070516020690703yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1512940373117_10778">For =
a while Clarke,=C2=A0<a href=3D"https://www.theguardian.com/books/booksblog=
/2009/jan/12/heinlein-hugo-stranger-strange-land" title=3D"" style=3D"color=
:rgb(0,86,137);border-bottom:0.0625rem solid rgb(220,220,220);text-decorati=
on-line:none!important" id=3D"m_-7397070516020690703yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_15129=
40373117_10779" target=3D"_blank">Robert Heinlein</a>=C2=A0and=C2=A0<a href=
=3D"https://www.theguardian.com/books/isaacasimov" title=3D"" style=3D"colo=
r:rgb(0,86,137);border-bottom:0.0625rem solid rgb(220,220,220);text-decorat=
ion-line:none!important" id=3D"m_-7397070516020690703yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1512=
940373117_10780" target=3D"_blank">Isaac Asimov</a>=C2=A0constituted the =
=E2=80=9Cbig three=E2=80=9D, bestriding science fiction like colossi. Like =
many SF fans I grew up reading Clarke. He was, for a time, everywhere: his =
books thronging the shops, he himself popping up on telly to present=C2=A0<=
em id=3D"m_-7397070516020690703yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1512940373117_10781">Arthu=
r C. Clarke=E2=80=99s Mysterious World</em>. He was a prolific science writ=
er and presenter, a rationalist and space flight advocate. But most importa=
nt was his science fiction. With =E2=80=9CThe Nine Billion Names of God=E2=
=80=9D (1953),=C2=A0<em id=3D"m_-7397070516020690703yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_15129=
40373117_10782">Childhood=E2=80=99s End</em>=C2=A0(1953) and=C2=A0<em id=3D=
"m_-7397070516020690703yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1512940373117_10783">2001: A Space=
 Odyssey</em>=C2=A0(1968) he has a fair claim to have produced the best sho=
rt story, novel and screenplay in 20th-century SF.</div><aside style=3D"flo=
at:left;margin:0.3125rem 1.25rem 0.75rem 0;clear:both;width:13.75rem" id=3D=
"m_-7397070516020690703yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1512940373117_10784"><div style=3D=
"background-color:rgb(246,246,246);margin:0px;overflow:hidden" id=3D"m_-739=
7070516020690703yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1512940373117_10785"><div id=3D"m_-739707=
0516020690703yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1512940373117_10786"><div style=3D"width:220=
px;padding-bottom:132px;overflow:hidden;background-color:rgba(0,0,0,0.1)" i=
d=3D"m_-7397070516020690703yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1512940373117_10787"><img src=
=3D"https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/aefbb95d412e62514bb3a5c9bdb47f23127f75ad=
/1826_0_1399_840/master/1399.png?w=3D460&amp;q=3D55&amp;auto=3Dformat&amp;u=
sm=3D12&amp;fit=3Dmax&amp;s=3De1b44d43ba71b8dc61949ea4f1f5f51a" style=3D"bo=
rder-width:0px;border-style:initial;width:220px;min-height:132px" id=3D"m_-=
7397070516020690703yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1512940373117_10788"></div><div style=
=3D"font-size:1.25rem;line-height:1.5rem;font-family:&quot;Guardian Egyptia=
n Web&quot;,&quot;Guardian Text Egyptian Web&quot;,Georgia,serif;padding:0.=
25rem 0.3125rem 0.5em;box-sizing:border-box;min-height:2.25rem" id=3D"m_-73=
97070516020690703yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1512940373117_10789"><h1 style=3D"margin=
-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-style:inherit;font-variant:inherit;font-wei=
ght:inherit;font-stretch:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line=
-height:inherit" id=3D"m_-7397070516020690703yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_151294037311=
7_10790"><a style=3D"color:inherit;text-decoration-line:none" id=3D"m_-7397=
070516020690703yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1512940373117_10791">Sign up for the Bookm=
arks email</a></h1></div><div style=3D"padding-left:0.3125rem" id=3D"m_-739=
7070516020690703yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1512940373117_10792"><div style=3D"displa=
y:inline-block" id=3D"m_-7397070516020690703yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1512940373117=
_10793"><span id=3D"m_-7397070516020690703yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1512940373117_1=
0794"><u></u><u></u><u></u><u></u></span></div>=C2=A0<div style=3D"font-siz=
e:0.875rem;font-family:&quot;Guardian Egyptian Web&quot;,&quot;Guardian Tex=
t Egyptian Web&quot;,Georgia,serif;display:inline-block;min-height:1.875rem=
;line-height:1.625rem;padding-left:0.125rem;vertical-align:top;color:rgb(0,=
86,137)" id=3D"m_-7397070516020690703yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1512940373117_10797"=
>Read more</div></div><a href=3D"https://www.theguardian.com/info/ng-intera=
ctive/2017/mar/30/sign-up-for-the-bookmarks-email" style=3D"color:inherit;t=
ext-decoration-line:none;overflow:hidden;text-indent:200%;white-space:nowra=
p;opacity:0" id=3D"m_-7397070516020690703yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1512940373117_10=
798" target=3D"_blank"></a></div></div></aside><div style=3D"margin-bottom:=
1rem" id=3D"m_-7397070516020690703yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1512940373117_10799">Wh=
at all three works share is the ability to construe moments of astonishing =
transcendence out of the careful delineation of scientific or technological=
 plausibility. The amazing final line of =E2=80=9CNine Billion Names=E2=80=
=9D (I won=E2=80=99t spoil it, if you don=E2=80=99t know it), the expertly =
paced uncovering of the mystery of the alien =E2=80=9Coverlords=E2=80=9D wh=
o place Earth under benign dictatorship in=C2=A0<em id=3D"m_-73970705160206=
90703yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1512940373117_10800">Childhood=E2=80=99s End</em>=C2=
=A0and the wondrous uplift of=C2=A0<em id=3D"m_-7397070516020690703yui_3_16=
_0_ym19_1_1512940373117_10801">2001</em>=C2=A0=E2=80=93 this is the genuine=
 strong black coffee of science fiction.</div><div style=3D"margin-bottom:1=
rem" id=3D"m_-7397070516020690703yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1512940373117_10802">Not=
 that he lacks detractors. He was an unshowy writer, his prose functional r=
ather than beautiful, his characterisation rudimentary. Some of his short s=
tories are marvellous but many read like five-finger exercises, often aimin=
g at a humorousness that hasn=E2=80=99t aged well. Towards the end of his l=
ife Clarke fell into the rut of producing myriad sequels to his earlier mas=
terpieces rather than new work.=C2=A0<em id=3D"m_-7397070516020690703yui_3_=
16_0_ym19_1_1512940373117_10803">Rendezvous with Rama</em>=C2=A0(1973), abo=
ut the appearance in the solar system of a mysterious alien space station, =
vast and seemingly unpiloted, won all the SF awards when it was published; =
but Clarke=E2=80=99s egregious three sequels, co-authored with Gentry Lee b=
etween 1989 and 1993, neither won nor deserved prizes.</div><figure style=
=3D"margin:1rem 0px 0.75rem" id=3D"m_-7397070516020690703yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_=
1512940373117_10804"><a href=3D"https://www.theguardian.com/books/2017/dec/=
09/arthur-c-clarke-king-science-fiction#img-2" style=3D"color:rgb(0,86,137)=
;text-decoration-line:none" id=3D"m_-7397070516020690703yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1=
512940373117_10805" target=3D"_blank"><div style=3D"width:620px;padding-bot=
tom:372.109px;overflow:hidden" id=3D"m_-7397070516020690703yui_3_16_0_ym19_=
1_1512940373117_10806"><u></u><u></u><u></u><u></u><u></u><u></u><u></u><im=
g alt=3D"Arthur C Clarke in 1984." src=3D"https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/49=
6092a5300d8cf6f783a434e3b472ac4e4c6082/0_236_4200_2521/master/4200.jpg?w=3D=
300&amp;q=3D55&amp;auto=3Dformat&amp;usm=3D12&amp;fit=3Dmax&amp;s=3D929ddc8=
d90f8c75115dcba78efbd3053" style=3D"border-width:0px;border-style:initial;d=
isplay:block;width:620px;min-height:372.109px" id=3D"m_-7397070516020690703=
yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1512940373117_10814"><u></u></div><span style=3D"border-r=
adius:62.5rem;display:inline-block;vertical-align:middle;width:2.75rem;min-=
height:2.75rem;background-color:rgba(51,51,51,0.6);margin:0.625rem" id=3D"m=
_-7397070516020690703yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1512940373117_10815"><u></u><u></u><=
u></u><u></u></span></a><div style=3D"margin-top:0.5rem" id=3D"m_-739707051=
6020690703yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1512940373117_10818"><a href=3D"https://www.fac=
ebook.com/dialog/share?app_id=3D180444840287&amp;href=3Dhttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.t=
heguardian.com%2Fbooks%2F2017%2Fdec%2F09%2Farthur-c-clarke-king-science-fic=
tion%3FCMP%3Dshare_btn_fb%26page%3Dwith%3Aimg-2%23img-2&amp;picture=3Dhttps=
%3A%2F%2Fmedia.guim.co.uk%2F496092a5300d8cf6f783a434e3b472ac4e4c6082%2F0_23=
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border:0.0625rem solid rgb(48,103,163);margin-right:0.3125rem;width:1.5rem;=
min-height:1.5rem;box-sizing:border-box" id=3D"m_-7397070516020690703yui_3_=
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6020690703yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1512940373117_10820"><u></u><u></u><u></u><u></=
u></span><span id=3D"m_-7397070516020690703yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1512940373117_=
10823">Facebook</span></a><a href=3D"https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=
=3DArthur%20C%20Clarke%20at%20100%3A%20still%20the%20king%20of%20science%20=
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703yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1512940373117_10825"><u></u><u></u><u></u><u></u></spa=
n><span id=3D"m_-7397070516020690703yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1512940373117_10828">=
Twitter</span></a><a href=3D"http://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?de=
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%2Fdec%2F09%2Farthur-c-clarke-king-science-fiction%3Fpage%3Dwith%3Aimg-2%23=
img-2&amp;media=3Dhttps%3A%2F%2Fmedia.guim.co.uk%2F496092a5300d8cf6f783a434=
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ign:middle;float:left;border:0.0625rem solid rgb(185,37,44);margin-right:0.=
3125rem;width:1.5rem;min-height:1.5rem;box-sizing:border-box" id=3D"m_-7397=
070516020690703yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1512940373117_10829" target=3D"_blank"><sp=
an id=3D"m_-7397070516020690703yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1512940373117_10830"><u></=
u><u></u><u></u><u></u></span><span id=3D"m_-7397070516020690703yui_3_16_0_=
ym19_1_1512940373117_10833">Pinterest</span></a></div><figcaption style=3D"=
font-size:0.75rem;line-height:1rem;font-family:&quot;Guardian Text Sans Web=
&quot;,&quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Helvetica,Arial,&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;=
,sans-serif;color:rgb(118,118,118);padding-top:0.5rem;max-width:32.5rem" id=
=3D"m_-7397070516020690703yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1512940373117_10834"><span styl=
e=3D"border-radius:62.5rem;display:inline-block;vertical-align:middle;margi=
n-right:0.125rem;width:0.875rem;min-height:0.875rem;background-color:rgb(18=
9,189,189)" id=3D"m_-7397070516020690703yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1512940373117_108=
35"><u></u><u></u><u></u><u></u></span>=C2=A0Arthur C Clarke in 1984. Photo=
graph: c.MGM/Everett / Rex Features</figcaption></figure><div style=3D"marg=
in-bottom:1rem" id=3D"m_-7397070516020690703yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1512940373117=
_10838">Clarke=E2=80=99s own novelisation of his screenplay=C2=A0<em id=3D"=
m_-7397070516020690703yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1512940373117_10839">2001: A Space =
Odyssey</em>=C2=A0makes an interesting companion piece to the film, from wh=
ich it differs in many respects. But once again the sequel itch struck Clar=
ke in the 1980s:=C2=A0<em id=3D"m_-7397070516020690703yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_151=
2940373117_10840">2010: Odyssey Two</em>(1982) was followed by=C2=A0<em id=
=3D"m_-7397070516020690703yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1512940373117_10841">2061: Odys=
sey Three</em>=C2=A0(1987) and when number four was published as=C2=A0<em i=
d=3D"m_-7397070516020690703yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1512940373117_10842">3001: The=
 Final Odyssey</em>=C2=A0(1997) fandom breathed a sigh of relief.</div><div=
 style=3D"overflow:initial;width:18.75rem;margin:0.25rem auto 0.75rem 1.25r=
em;min-width:18.75rem;min-height:17.125rem;text-align:center;background-col=
or:rgb(246,246,246);float:right" id=3D"m_-7397070516020690703yui_3_16_0_ym1=
9_1_1512940373117_10843"><div style=3D"font-size:0.75rem;line-height:1.25re=
m;min-height:1.5rem;margin:0px auto;padding:0px 0.5rem;border-top:0.0625rem=
 solid rgb(223,223,223);color:rgb(110,110,110);text-align:left;box-sizing:b=
order-box;font-family:&quot;Guardian Text Sans Web&quot;,&quot;Helvetica Ne=
ue&quot;,Helvetica,Arial,&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;,sans-serif" id=3D"m_-739=
7070516020690703yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1512940373117_10844">Advertisement</div><=
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=3D"margin:0px!important;padding:0px!important;border:0px!important;line-he=
ight:normal!important;letter-spacing:initial!important;min-width:initial!im=
portant;min-height:initial!important;box-sizing:initial!important;min-heigh=
t:20px!important" id=3D"m_-7397070516020690703yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_15129403731=
17_10857"><div style=3D"margin:0px!important;padding:0px!important;border:0=
px!important;line-height:normal!important;letter-spacing:initial!important;=
min-width:initial!important;min-height:initial!important;box-sizing:initial=
!important;min-height:2px!important;width:0px!important;background-color:rg=
b(11,187,239)!important" id=3D"m_-7397070516020690703yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1512=
940373117_10858"></div><img src=3D"https://video.unrulymedia.com/native/unm=
iss-sound-button-muted.svg" style=3D"border-width:0px!important;border-styl=
e:initial!important;margin:0px!important;padding:0px!important;line-height:=
normal!important;letter-spacing:initial!important;min-width:initial!importa=
nt;min-height:initial!important;box-sizing:initial!important;width:20px!imp=
ortant;min-height:20px!important;opacity:0.25!important;float:right!importa=
nt;background:black!important;border-radius:50%!important;display:inline-bl=
ock!important" id=3D"m_-7397070516020690703yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1512940373117_=
10859"></div></div></div></div><div style=3D"margin-bottom:1rem" id=3D"m_-7=
397070516020690703yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1512940373117_10860">We can take with a=
 pinch of salt his claim to have invented the concept of geostationary sate=
llites, where a spacecraft completes one orbit in the same 24 hours of the =
Earth=E2=80=99s turning, so that it occupies a fixed place in the sky (this=
 is the principle behind today=E2=80=99s communication satellites that enab=
le everything from digital TV to GPS). Clarke certainly did publish an arti=
cle advocating it (Extra-Terrestrial Relays =E2=80=93 Can Rocket Stations G=
ive Worldwide Radio Coverage?) in Wireless World in=C2=A0October 1945. But =
Slovene rocket engineer Herman Poto=C4=8Dnik proposed exactly this idea in =
1928, and in 1942 American science fiction writer George O Smith published =
a novella,=C2=A0<em id=3D"m_-7397070516020690703yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_151294037=
3117_10861">QRM =E2=80=93 Interplanetary</em>, set on a stationary =E2=80=
=9Crelay station=E2=80=9D in space. I=E2=80=99m not accusing Clarke of plag=
iarism, yet the concept was clearly in the air in the 1940s.</div><div styl=
e=3D"margin-bottom:1rem" id=3D"m_-7397070516020690703yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1512=
940373117_10862">But none of this matters. We don=E2=80=99t need to advocat=
e the whole of Clarke to recognise the best of him, and to acknowledge that=
 his influence continues to inform the genre. His plain writing style and m=
eticulous attention to detail are there not for their own sake but to provi=
de the most effective platform from which to create a genuine sense of wond=
er.</div><div style=3D"margin-bottom:1rem" dir=3D"ltr" id=3D"m_-73970705160=
20690703yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1512940373117_10863">Not for nothing is the UK=E2=
=80=99s premier science fiction prize called the=C2=A0<a href=3D"https://ww=
w.theguardian.com/books/arthurcclarkeaward" title=3D"" style=3D"color:rgb(0=
,86,137);border-bottom:0.0625rem solid rgb(220,220,220);text-decoration-lin=
e:none!important" id=3D"m_-7397070516020690703yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_15129403731=
17_10864" target=3D"_blank">Arthur C=C2=A0Clarke award</a>. Knighted in 200=
0, he is=C2=A0properly speaking Sir Arthur; but for=C2=A0the huge affection=
 many in SF fandom have for him, he could almost be King Arthur.</div></div=
></div></div></div></div></div></blockquote></div><br><br clear=3D"all"><di=
v><br></div>-- <br><div class=3D"gmail_signature" data-smartmail=3D"gmail_s=
ignature"><div dir=3D"ltr"><div><font face=3D"times new roman, serif" size=
=3D"4">Charley<br>Desert Sailor</font></div></div></div>
</div>

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