If Clarke and his writings interest you, there are many other science fiction authors worth exploring û even though many are now hard to come by as the book shops increasingly concentrate on a handful of best-sellers. This list of starter suggestions is by no means exclusive, but here some names worth your attention.

• Asimov, Isaac û The prolific AsimovÆs greatest concepts were his excellent robot stories, and the 1950s Foundation trilogy. Always packed with ideas and adventure, if short on three dimensional characters.
• Blish, James û sadly forgotten, James Blish was one of those rare hybrids who could produce science fiction about people or about technology. His landmark books are the cities in flight series, with the fascinating concept of spindizzy motors that lift whole cities into space, and the soul searching, thematically link books Black Easter, A Case of Conscience and Doctor Mirabilis.
• Bradbury, Ray û BradburyÆs science fiction is like nothing else. His closest to pure SF is Fahrenheit 451, but most of his books, even those with apparent science fiction content like The Martian Chronicles and The Illustrated Man, veer into fantasy. HeÆs at his best when conjuring up the fears and delights of small town boyhood û as in the wonderful Something Wicked This Way Comes.
• Heinlein, Robert û once a huge name, Heinlein is less visible on the shelves these days, possibly because his technocratic viewpoint has lost popularity. He had three distinct phases û his early space operas, his middle work, which broadened to have more people involvement, and his later, sprawling stuff that got positively odd. He was probably at his best in The Moon is a Harsh Mistress. Stranger in the Strange Land marked the move to his third phase, but is still tightly written enough to be worth reading.
• Pohl, Fred û Pohl rarely fails to entertain. He has written plenty of straight stories, like his alien encounter series beginning with Gateway, but itÆs probably for the dry humour of books like The Space Merchants (with Cyril Kornbluth) that he is best known.
• Roberts, Keith û the doyen of alternative futures, Roberts paints a glorious picture of civilisations where history has diverted from our own. Present days where steam is the most advanced form of power, or huge manned kites are a major feature of a feudalistic society are richly portrayed. Try Pavane, Kite World or Molly Zero.
• Wolfe, Gene û really a fantasy writer, Wolfe does overlap into science fiction. His writing is very evocative, and often drops inadequate characters into impossible situations. A real delight. My favourites is There Are Doors, but itÆs hard to go wrong with Wolfe.