# Is Michael McCollum considered a major Sci-fi writer? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 9, 2004, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-michael-mccollum-considered-a-major-sci-fi-writer/244347 "2004-05-09T22:05:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2004, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-michael-mccollum-considered-a-major-sci-fi-writer/244347/1 "2004-05-09T22:05:56Z")
For some reason, 5 of Michal McCollum’s books have ended up in my collection. I have to admit that these are some of my favourite books to grab when I need something to read. Yet, most sci-fi fans I have met don’t care for any of them. I agree they are not as good as many classics are. However, for pulp sci-fi, I think they are great. Opinions? The books I have are: Life Probe Procyon’s Promise Antares Dawn Antares Passage Antares Victory ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2004, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-michael-mccollum-considered-a-major-sci-fi-writer/244347/2 "2004-05-09T22:26:49Z")
Funny, I opened this thread because I had a friend as a kid in Arizona named Mike McCollum. Then I did a web search on him, and they all mention Arizona!!! Then I saw he was born in 1946, which makes him about 23 years too old. Maybe he was my friend’s dad, whom I never met (he lived with his Mom, they were divorced). ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2004, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-michael-mccollum-considered-a-major-sci-fi-writer/244347/3 "2004-05-09T22:42:30Z")
Oh, and to answer your question, “probably not”. I was big into SF ten or fifteen years ago, and I likely would have remembered seeing books by a guy with the same name as my old friend. I don’t recall the name at all, in the SF context. I sent him an email, so maybe I’ll find out for sure if he was my buddy’s dad. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2004, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-michael-mccollum-considered-a-major-sci-fi-writer/244347/4 "2004-05-09T22:45:34Z")
I’m pretty well versed in sf literature, and I’ve never heard of him, either. If he’s a classic writer, he must be a pretty obscure one. ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2004, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-michael-mccollum-considered-a-major-sci-fi-writer/244347/5 "2004-05-10T00:58:57Z")
He’s a minor figure. He’s listed in _The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction_, but the short article says little about him or his works. I’ve never heard of him before, and I’d read a lot of science fiction. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Vorlon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d07c76/32.png) [@The\_Vorlon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Vorlon)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2004, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-michael-mccollum-considered-a-major-sci-fi-writer/244347/6 "2004-05-10T14:51:57Z")
He’s one of my favorites. Alas, he found that mainstream publishing was not as profitable when you are sent to the edges, and he got out. It now appears that he is back, self publishing (better living through technology), so his little universes will go on (wonders off to his web site, CC in hand…).