# Grand-Master of Science Fiction: Runoff **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 25, 2010, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grand-master-of-science-fiction-runoff/561908 "2010-11-25T18:49:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Darth\_Nader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Darth\_Nader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Nader)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2010, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grand-master-of-science-fiction-runoff/561908/81 "2010-11-30T04:47:31Z")
> [@Captain\_Amazing](#): > > I detest Robert Heinlein. I loathe his writing with every fiber of my being… Why? I’m honestly curious. Politics? Style? What he did with your mother? ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2010, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grand-master-of-science-fiction-runoff/561908/82 "2010-11-30T05:09:06Z")
> [@Darth\_Nader](#): > > Why? I’m honestly curious. Politics? Style? What he did with your mother? Combination of all three, I guess. My mother aside, his writing comes across as very “libertarian didactic” to me, and I could just read Ayn Rand for that. I’m ok with a few of his short stories…I liked “The Man Who Sold the Moon” and “Logic of Empire”, but most of his stuff, especially his novels, I find unreadable. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2010, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grand-master-of-science-fiction-runoff/561908/83 "2010-11-30T05:21:46Z")
Given the title of the poll there was only one choice for me. Grand Master = Heinlein. Went back and confirmed, he was in fact the first one named Grand Master back in 1975. Best would be debatable of course and so would favorite. ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Nader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Darth\_Nader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Nader)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2010, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grand-master-of-science-fiction-runoff/561908/84 "2010-11-30T05:52:34Z")
[quote=“Captain\_Amazing, post:82, topic:561908”] his writing comes across as very “libertarian didactic” to me, and I could just read Ayn Rand for that./ [QUOTE] Wow. It’s sort of scary that I could probably tell which books you’ve read just by that post. I hope you get to read all the good ones at some point. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2010, 6:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grand-master-of-science-fiction-runoff/561908/85 "2010-11-30T06:27:06Z")
> [@Darth\_Nader](#): > > Wow. It’s sort of scary that I could probably tell which books you’ve read just by that post. I hope you get to read all the good ones at some point. Stranger in a Strange Land, Starship Troopers, and Job: A Comedy of Justice. Were those your guesses? ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Nader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Darth\_Nader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Nader)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2010, 6:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grand-master-of-science-fiction-runoff/561908/86 "2010-11-30T06:45:16Z")
Yes, yes, and freakin’ yes. At least you haven’t read Number of the Beast or I Will Fear No Evil. Try the “Juveniles”. Really. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2010, 6:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grand-master-of-science-fiction-runoff/561908/87 "2010-11-30T06:58:44Z")
I voted for Silverberg; I’d like to know who else did so we can become Best Friends Forever! ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2010, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grand-master-of-science-fiction-runoff/561908/88 "2010-11-30T14:17:20Z")
> [@Captain\_Amazing](#): > > Stranger in a Strange Land, Starship Troopers, and Job: A Comedy of Justice. Were those your guesses? **Darth Nader** is correct, you should try a few others. I would say _Have Spacesuit will Travel_, \*The Rolling Stones \*and though it is somewhat "libertarian"I would recommend _The Moon is a Harsh Mistress_ of course. Even _Red Planet_, \*[Starman Jones](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starman_Jones) \*and _[Citizen of the Galaxy](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citizen_of_the_Galaxy)_ are great. Here are all of his [juveniles](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heinlein_juveniles). Add to that _Glory Road_ for fun. \*[The Puppet Masters](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Puppet_Masters) \*is also an incredible book. \*Stranger \*is a love it or hate it book. _Starship Troopers_ has a long story behind it and should not be used to judge his work. Job was one of his last books and far from representative. Go try his earlier books please, you’ll be pleasantly surprised I think. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2010, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grand-master-of-science-fiction-runoff/561908/89 "2010-11-30T18:59:22Z")
I’ll be starting the final poll at around approximately noonish on the dot. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Excellent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f19dbf/32.png) [@Mr.Excellent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Excellent)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2010, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grand-master-of-science-fiction-runoff/561908/90 "2010-11-30T19:30:23Z")
> [@Muffin](#): > > Margaret Atwood. Oh, she would be _pissed_ at that nomination. 🙂 [http://www.rifters.com/real/shorts/PeterWatts\_Atwood.pdf](http://www.rifters.com/real/shorts/PeterWatts_Atwood.pdf) ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2010, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grand-master-of-science-fiction-runoff/561908/91 "2010-11-30T20:04:21Z")
[Link to final poll.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=587454) ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2010, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grand-master-of-science-fiction-runoff/561908/92 "2010-11-30T20:07:43Z")
Since the final poll has been posted, I’m closing this one. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grand-master-of-science-fiction-runoff/561908.md?page=4)