the top 5 writers currently

[AwsomeSpace]

in your opinion, who are the top 5 sci-fi writers currently?

[suciul]

A. Reynolds, PF Hamilton, IM Banks, Adam Roberts and then a tie between Greg Egan and Paul McAuley

[B5B7]

That looks pretty spot on. Incidentally they are all (except for Greg Egan - Australian) British.

[Werthead]

Peter F. Hamilton, Alastair Reynolds and Kim Stanley Robinson for sure.

Richard Morgan's out of SF for the next couple of years, so not him at the moment. Not Neal Asher or David Weber (appreciably medicore, sometimes entertaining, at best). Hannu Rajaniemi needs a few more books under his belt before he can join such a list with confidence. Iain Banks had a few lean years of releasing sub-par books but is showing signs of a return to form, so he could gain a place if his next book continues that trend. If Existence is as good as his old stuff, then David Brin may also start circling around the top tier again. Dan Abnett is more science fantasy than SF, which rules him off such a list (although Embedded hints at good things if he writes more traditional SF) despite his strong writing skills. Chris Priest's new book is fantasy and hasn't written anything else for a decade, so I can't include him (yet). I haven't read Lois McMaster Bujold, Jaine Fenn or Liz Williams yet.

So the fourth and fifth positions I would, with some reluctance as both have ongoing issues in their writing which needed to be addressed, give to Adam Roberts and Neal Stephenson.

[kennychaffin]

Who?

[kennychaffin]

What about those listed here:
http://io9.com/5423847/20-best-scien...-of-the-decade

only one in common is Iain M Banks

[Lazerus]

(In no particular order)

Peter Hamilton
Alastair Reynolds
Neal Asher
Jack Mcdevitt


I can only think of four, because none of the others I've read recently belong on the list.

I sincerely don't get the love for Iain M. Banks. Based on threads here, I read Consider Phlebas. Although it did have some interesting ideas, after the books conclusion, I found the story pointless. I have no desire to repeat that experience.

[Danogzilla]

(In no particular order)

Peter Hamilton
Alastair Reynolds
Neal Asher
Jack Mcdevitt


I can only think of four, because none of the others I've read recently belong on the list.

I sincerely don't get the love for Iain M. Banks. Based on threads here, I read Consider Phlebas. Although it did have some interesting ideas, after the books conclusion, I found the story pointless. I have no desire to repeat that experience.

I'm a Banks pompom waver, so I am forced to recommend you read Player of Games too. It's the second in the series and much more indicative of the series as a whole.

I've never read McDevitt. Might give him a go soon.

[Colonel Worf]

My favorites right now that I go to time and time again:

Stephen Baxter
Jack McDevitt
John Scalzi

[TooNice]

John Scalzi's a clear number 1 for me. Next I'd say Richard K Morgan, Iain M Banks and Peter F Hamilton. Not sure who I'd put at number 5. Maybe Paolo Bacigalupi or Tobias S Buckell.

[psikeyhackr]

I'm a Banks pompom waver, so I am forced to recommend you read Player of Games too. It's the second in the series and much more indicative of the series as a whole.

I've never read McDevitt. Might give him a go soon.

Player of Games is the only Banks' book I have finished of the three I tried. And I think I only finished it because i was a chess addict in high school. This reviewer gives it a 9 out of 10 but I am wavering between 6 and 7.

http://www.eyrie.org/~eagle/reviews/...-105356-2.html

This is curious since I agree with Alberry on giving 9's to Komarr and A Civil Campaign by Bujold. But Allberry says nothing about the science in the sci-fi stories he reviews so I presume we are operating on different value systems and happened to synchronize on those.

But people do not discuss the ideas they find in the books or authors they say are good. The Old Man's War series is good about displaying behind the scenes machinations and underhanded politics of government but you need to read all three books because it does not show up much in the first book which explains the Old Man universe.

psik