Arthur C. Clarke

Gary Westfahl, formerly of the University of La Verne and the University of California, Riverside, has now retired to focus exclusively on research and writing. His many books on science fiction include William Gibson and Hugo Gernsback and the Century of Science Fiction.

"The book offers a fresh perspective on Clarke and some thought-provoking readings of his fiction. . . . This study should prompt other scholars to follow up on Westfahl's interesting opening assertions about the unique nature of Clarke's storytelling skills and prose style. " --Fafnir "This is the most insightful analysis of Clarke I have seen. It has many gems, such as this irresistible pearl: 'Clarke's characters anticipate the way that more and more people now live their lives. Clarke's characters, then, may someday be regarded as his most significant prediction of the future, making him seem more like a twenty-first century writer than a twentieth-century writer--perhaps the greatest compliment one can imagine for a science fiction writer.' His scaffold leading to this is of the highest quality."--Gregory Benford ​"The legacy of Sir Arthur has finally been given justice, and therefore this guide is to be wholeheartedly recommended."--SFFWorld "Gary Westfahl's compact critical biography closely yet succinctly examines everything from Clarke's British childhood through his last years on the island of Sri Lanka, his juvenilia through the numerous 'collaborations' that fill the last pages of his bibliography." --Shepherd Express “A well-considered reevaluation of Arthur C. Clarke’s legacy. . . . His analysis is most valuable in its scope, ranging beyond Clarke’s major works and considering his myriad stories, his less successful novels, his nonfiction, and even his juvenilia.”--Booklist "Westfahl successfully relocates the context of Clarke's work, which in turn allows him to bring a fresh perspective even to oft-analyzed texts." --InterGalactic Medicine Show "Gary Westfahl's Arthur C. Clarke (2018) fills the gap by offering a much-needed survey of Clarke's entire oeuvre, from his juvenilia to his many collaborations. This book will provide a useful starting place for future conversations about Clarke." --Science Fiction Studies