One of the "Big Three" of science fiction. Clarke's ideas — communications satellites, the space elevator, first contact — shaped the actual future as much as any scientist.
About Arthur C. Clarke
Arthur C. Clarke (1917–2008) was one of the most influential science fiction writers of the 20th century. His 1945 paper proposing geostationary communications satellites became reality 20 years later — Clarke himself received no patent.
Clarke spent the last 50 years of his life in Sri Lanka. He collaborated with Stanley Kubrick on 2001: A Space Odyssey — one of the most unusual creative partnerships in cinema history, as the film and novel were developed simultaneously.
"Clarke's Third Law" — "Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic" — is one of the most quoted ideas in science fiction. His optimism about humanity's future in space made him a counterweight to the darker visions of PKD and Ballard.
Start Here
Childhood's End
Alien overlords arrive and usher in a golden age for humanity — but at what cost? One of the great first contact novels, with a final act that stays with you for years.
A black monolith is found on the Moon. HAL 9000. The Jupiter mission. Developed simultaneously with Kubrick's film — the novel is clearer and more explicit about what it all means.
Both — but in different ways. The film is a visual masterpiece that intentionally withholds explanation. The novel explains everything clearly. Many find the novel more satisfying as a story; the film more satisfying as an experience.
Rendezvous with Rama wins most polls among hardcore sci-fi readers. Childhood's End is the best gateway for general readers. 2001 is the most famous.
The three sequels were co-written with Gentry Lee. They are generally considered inferior to the original. Read Rendezvous with Rama as a standalone if you prefer.
1. When a distinguished scientist says something is possible, they are almost certainly right. When they say it is impossible, they are probably wrong. 2. The only way to discover the limits of the possible is to venture into the impossible. 3. Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.