Take the test at http://gning.org/skiffy.html for a bit of fun.

What type of science fiction writer are you?

I got Hal Clement, and I think I like that. It sort of rings true.

"A master literary stylist who is also a working scientist."

Lets try again...

All the variations I tried came up with either LeGuin or Hal Clement who I've only vaguely heard of.

... Dr. Jerry Pournelle.

Nice. He was one of the judges for Q3 at WOTF, which I won.

He and Niven have been very important to me, as an SF reader.

I think I'm too happy about that.

KayTi and I have the same issue: I read one of his books, but really couldn't get into it. I'll look through my bookshelf to see which one it was; wonder if it's the same one KayTi didn't like?

Let's all strive to create the day when the next wave of Hatrack newbies takes a test just like this, and some of us come up as the answers.

quote:

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KayTi and I have the same issue: I read one of his books, but really couldn't get into it. I'll look through my bookshelf to see which one it was; wonder if it's the same one KayTi didn't like?

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Actually, kdw, it was Beyond Infinity. I think. I had a really hard time following the story, kept feeling like there was more (I have a feeling it's in a series set in a similar world.) It helped solidify for me what I find problematic with alien-oriented fiction, though. Some writers go all out with their alien stuff, to the point where it's really hard to get one's head around. And Benford's scientific background was really apparent to me in reading the story, so it was denser, took longer to read. I do have to say, though, that there are certain indelible images and impressions I still have from that book, even though it's been several years since I read it. I suppose I have these kinds of impressions of most of the books I've read, but it's funny that I have distinct memories of the content of this book I say I hated. Can't be all that bad, eh?

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So far, to my knowledge, two authors who are among the possible answers have
taken the quiz, and neither came up as themslves. It told Jerry Pournelle
he was Heinlein, and it told Gregory Benford he was Clarke. So the thing's
measured accuracy rate so far is 0%.

Some other authors whom I have heard of but who are not possible answers:
- Joe Haldeman got Cordwainer Smith (and he also took Which Housepaint Are You?)
- Pat Cadigan got Clarke, and Bester on a second try
- Michael Moorcock got LeGuin
- Mary Gentle has reported getting both Stapledon and Delany
- Joel Rosenberg got Farmer
- Neil Gaiman got Delany
- Larry Niven got Farmer
- Emma Bull got Delany
- Samuel R. Delany got LeGuin
Apparently there are many others who have tried it without me finding out the
results. Some further writers whose work I personally am unfamiliar with:
- L. Neil Smith got Herbert
- Michael Burstein got Heinlein
- Laurent Genefort got Asimov
- David Dvorkin got Tiptree
- Charles Stross got Heinlein
-->

And the possible authors you could score asre as follows:

a: Isaac Asimov
b: Alfred Bester
c: Arthur C. Clarke
d: David Brin
e: Octavia E. Butler
f: Philip José Farmer
g: Gregory Benford
h: Frank Herbert
i: Samuel R. Delany
j: Jerry Pournelle
k: Mickey Spillane
l: Ursula LeGuin
m: Stanislav Lem
n: William Gibson
o: Olaf Stapledon
p: Philip K. Dick
q: Hal Clement
r: Robert A. Heinlein
s: E.E. "Doc" Smith
t: James Tiptree, Jr.
u: Jules Verne
v: Kurt Vonnegut
w: H.G. Wells
x: Cordwainer Smith
y: Ayn Rand
z: John Brunner

Um...