20 Collectible Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Authors
In a two-part post, SF Bookworm lists these 20 Collectible Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Authors…authors who are deemed to be “highly influential and therefore worthy of collecting”:
- Isaac Asimov
- Robert Bloch
- John Brunner
- Edgar Rice Burroughs
- C.J. Cherryh
- Glen Cook
- Philip K. Dick
- Harlan Ellison
- Robert Heinlein
- William Gibson
- Fritz Leiber
- Michael Moorcock
- Andre Norton
- Frederik Pohl
- Terry Pratchett
- Theodore Sturgeon
- Jack Vance
- Roger Zelazny
A nice list, to be sure, but as a confessed biblioholic I find it way too short. 
Subjective lists also lead me to ask the inevitably pointless ranking-related questions… No Brian Aldiss? No Iain Banks? No Campbell; John for sf, Ramsey for horror? No Lester del Rey or C.M. Kornbluth? No Ursula K. Le Guin, C.S. Lewis or C.L. Moore? How about Smiths Cordwainer and E.E. “Doc”? No Tiptree, Tolkien or Wolfe?
No Perry Rhodan or
Clifford D Simak :-$
Jim
If the list includes SF, Fantasy and Horror where’s:
Stephen King
Neil Gaiman
Dan Simmons
Orson Scott Card
M John Harrison
Arthur C Clarke
What, no Bradbury? And I bought that limited and signed edition of the Martian Chronicles from Hill House…
No Poul Anderson? Blasphemy! I’d add Gordon R. Dickson, Alfred Bester, and Arthur C. Clarke too.
A list that really doesn’t reflect reality. Ever price Ben Bova’s “The Star Conquerors”?
There’s a “Doc” Smith novel on eBay now going for $500.00+! Early Gene Wolfe novels do well.
Forget about buying first editions of anything early by Clarke, or getting a good early edition of 2001!
Some of Campbell’s stuff commands high prices.
Certain imprints are sought. John C. Winston Books young adult SF line. Fantasy Press. Gnome Press. Even obscure stuff from those imprivnts do well.
Heh. Just remembered another one. See how much early stuff, say “The Outsider” goes for (H.P. Lovecraft). If I had a time machine…
I want the following useless lists:
The Top SF Signal Posters
The Top Comment Board Commneters
The Top 5 emoticons
The Top Opinion Polls (which should include a poll)
I fear that we will too late learn that the Technological Singularity will come with a price, and that price will be an internet where Top Five/Ten/One Hundred Lists will outnumber all other forms of content.
This will also affect language. We may develop into race that can communicate complex concepts only through numbered lists, sorta like the ST:TNG episode Darmok did with metaphors.
Signed,
Jeff
5: Scottish
4: Tall
3: Curmudgeon
2: Love Machine
1: Fanboy
Where is Jack Williamson? Damon Knight? Clark Ashton Smith?
I think our combined list is much better.
Blessings
Richard