# Arthur C. Clarke passes away **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 18, 2008, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arthur-c-clarke-passes-away/441843 "2008-03-18T21:56:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Dervorin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Dervorin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dervorin)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2008, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arthur-c-clarke-passes-away/441843/1 "2008-03-18T21:56:49Z")
Arthur C. Clarke has died at the age of 90. [The Latest News from the UK and Around the World | Sky News](http://news.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30200-1309902,00.html) Clarke was the author who turned me to science fiction, and I always liked his hard-science writing; lots of technology and ideas. Perhaps the writing itself wasn’t the greatest, and definitely some books were better than others, but I will always have a fond recollection of Rendezvous With Rama, Islands in the Sky and Against the Fall of Night, among many others. RIP Mr. Clarke. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2008, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arthur-c-clarke-passes-away/441843/2 "2008-03-18T21:58:40Z")
Read many of his books, and thoroughly enjoyed them. We lost a good one with his passing. RIP indeed. ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2008, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arthur-c-clarke-passes-away/441843/3 "2008-03-18T22:00:00Z")
A Sci-Fi titan has passed. [Arthur C. Clarke](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_C._Clarke) ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2008, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arthur-c-clarke-passes-away/441843/4 "2008-03-18T22:02:52Z")
The last of the Big Three. A giant passes. I’m sure Isaac and Bob have a seat for him somewhere. ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2008, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arthur-c-clarke-passes-away/441843/5 "2008-03-18T22:05:46Z")
Curse you and your nimble fingers! You done beated me! ---
**Author:** ![Astroboy14](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/df705f/32.png) [@Astroboy14](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Astroboy14)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2008, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arthur-c-clarke-passes-away/441843/6 "2008-03-18T22:07:06Z")
One of the greats. RIP. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2008, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arthur-c-clarke-passes-away/441843/7 "2008-03-18T22:07:23Z")
Man, when I was a teen I read sci-fi almost exclusively. These guys were at the top of the list, for sure. At least he lived to see 2001 and then some. ---
**Author:** ![Pushkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ee59a6/32.png) [@Pushkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pushkin)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2008, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arthur-c-clarke-passes-away/441843/8 "2008-03-18T22:12:15Z")
Sad to hear that, I quite enjoyed his short story collections. Also, thanks for 2001. ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2008, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arthur-c-clarke-passes-away/441843/9 "2008-03-18T22:13:23Z")
I’ve been thinking (and dreading) of this for the past few years. Was hoping he could make it to 2010. Yes, one of the master of masters (There have been other “Grandmasters”, but Asimov, Heinlien and Clarke were the 3 biggest…) Open the pod bay doors , HAL… Brian ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2008, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arthur-c-clarke-passes-away/441843/10 "2008-03-18T22:14:29Z")
Damn! We knew it was coming, but still. Somewhere in the back of my mind I nourished the feeble hope that I might one day travel to Sri Lanka and thank Mr. Clarke for three things: [ul] [li]All the excellent fiction he has given us[/li][li]Geosynchronous satellites for telecommunications[/li][li]His work on radar[/li][/ul] At least his work is immortal. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2008, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arthur-c-clarke-passes-away/441843/11 "2008-03-18T22:16:11Z")
Goodbye, Mr Clarke. You were a good writer, & a gifted scientist. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2008, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arthur-c-clarke-passes-away/441843/12 "2008-03-18T22:16:15Z")
Suggest [thread merger.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=460261) ---
**Author:** ![SkipMagic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skipmagic/32/20706_2.png) [@SkipMagic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SkipMagic)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2008, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arthur-c-clarke-passes-away/441843/13 "2008-03-18T22:21:02Z")
Threads merged. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2008, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arthur-c-clarke-passes-away/441843/14 "2008-03-18T22:22:40Z")
[QUOTE=silenus] The last of the Big Three. A giant passes. I’m sure Isaac and Bob have a seat for him somewhere. [/QUOTE] Let’s not forget Ray. I loved his stuff! Never did quite get to Bob, but maybe this year. ---
**Author:** ![Scuba\_Ben](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/278dde/32.png) [@Scuba\_Ben](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scuba_Ben)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2008, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arthur-c-clarke-passes-away/441843/15 "2008-03-18T22:23:32Z")
Gary Gygax, Arthur C. Clarke… this isn’t a good year for intellectual icons. ---
**Author:** ![Icerigger](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icerigger/32/432_2.png) [@Icerigger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icerigger)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2008, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arthur-c-clarke-passes-away/441843/16 "2008-03-18T22:29:57Z")
Yes, I am in tears for he was my favorite. His “A Fall of Moondust” has a special place in my heart, I try to read it once a year for old times sake. It will be very hard to open it again. Rest in Peace Sir Arthur, you reached into the future for us all. ☹☹☹☹ ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_Rhosis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d9b06d/32.png) [@Sir\_Rhosis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_Rhosis)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2008, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arthur-c-clarke-passes-away/441843/17 "2008-03-18T22:34:13Z")
RIP. I was thrilled when he made it to 2001, and glad that he had several more years left. Sir Rhosis ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2008, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arthur-c-clarke-passes-away/441843/18 "2008-03-18T22:39:12Z")
Arthur C Clarke was still alive? I had no idea. I’ve yet to pick up any of his books, but I know the impact he had on sci-fi everywhere. R.I.P. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2008, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arthur-c-clarke-passes-away/441843/19 "2008-03-18T22:41:16Z")
I almost had a chance to talk with him once, sort of – at an American Library Association conference, there was a panel on [space elevator](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_elevator) technology where Clarke (author of [_Fountains of Paradise_](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fountains_of_paradise)) was scheduled to speak (from Sri Lanka) by videolink. But something went wrong with the transmission. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![jimmmy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/73ab20/32.png) [@jimmmy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jimmmy)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2008, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arthur-c-clarke-passes-away/441843/20 "2008-03-18T22:42:31Z")
Maybe he’s just in a another state like, maybe a [Star Child](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Bowman) ? - In the end of the 2001 movie, David Bowman is led through a metamorphosis from a material being to an energy-like being. This state, and David Bowman’s incarnation of himself in this state, is referred to in the 2001 book as the Star Child.\* He fired my imagination in his books and in his piping up from time to time on Science issues and I will miss him. He added alot to our world I think [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arthur-c-clarke-passes-away/441843.md?page=2)