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Arthur C Clarke no longer is amongst us...

He is a legend by skywalkerfamily	Mar 18th, 2008 05:27:07 PM
Now he is the starchild.
One of the true visionaries of the 20th century by Celtican	Mar 18th, 2008 05:27:10 PM
he will be missed
First by Denton56	Mar 18th, 2008 05:27:22 PM
First?
thanks for the great stories by Fineus Fog	Mar 18th, 2008 05:28:18 PM
Mr Clarke. Thus shaping my now imaginative brain
Today the Monolith Opened and it is Full of Stars by OGREISHERE	Mar 18th, 2008 05:30:10 PM
I would like to think that today the monolith opened and there was Kubrick waiting for him. Arthur C. Clarke is now out amongst the stars learning their secrets and seeing the worlds that he imagined. You will be missed here on earth.
Absolute Master of Sci Fi by TwoTonLeither	Mar 18th, 2008 05:31:40 PM
Rama is my absolute favourite book. I used to devour his novels when I was wee.
RIP by Philo	Mar 18th, 2008 05:32:00 PM
A sad, sad day. I grew up with this mans words echoing through my mind. How few of those great imaginations are still with us.
2001 by TattooedBillionaire	Mar 18th, 2008 05:32:22 PM
That there is one of the greatest pieces of cinema ever. R.I.P., Mr. Clarke. Man, two major losses in one day,....sad.
Sixth by Pizza The Hut	Mar 18th, 2008 05:32:24 PM
...and sad.
Adios... by Wookalar	Mar 18th, 2008 05:35:13 PM
to a true master.
"Extraterrestrial Civilizations" by slone13	Mar 18th, 2008 05:37:00 PM
His best non-fiction book, hands down. Completely convinced me that there was life out there in the universe besides us. I highly recommend picking it up.
Wow this sucks. by odo19	Mar 18th, 2008 05:37:13 PM
I always wanted to work with him. Now all the sci-fi greats are gone, Asimov, Heinlein, and the greatest Clarke.
No Fucking Way...damn by ilander66	Mar 18th, 2008 05:37:41 PM
what a sad piece of news. Imagine how different the world would be without his works...damn
Tis a sad day by AMG	Mar 18th, 2008 05:37:43 PM
RIP to a great mind.
Read 2001, 2010, 2061... by Jonas Grumpy	Mar 18th, 2008 05:38:01 PM
Enjoyed all three. Didn't finish 3001. Never read anything else by Clarke. Still, a sad day for literature in general, and sci-fi in particular.
They really need to actually greenlight and fund one of those pr by mukhtabi	Mar 18th, 2008 05:38:25 PM
As a tribute to the Grand Master, if nothing else.
Nooooooooo! by 'Cholera's Ghost	Mar 18th, 2008 05:38:42 PM
The experiences Clarke has given me as a reader have been incomparable. He's a sci-fi a legend, what else can I say?
You can close the pod bay doors now, Hal. by Lazarus Long	Mar 18th, 2008 05:38:50 PM
I've only read a couple Clarke books, but relished interviews with and essays by the man. A brilliant mind. Too bad David Fincher never got Rendezvous With Rama off the ground, that would have been great.
Open the pod bay doors Hal by skywalkerfamily	Mar 18th, 2008 05:39:12 PM
I'm sorry, Dave. I can't do that.
Amazing guy R.I.P by MontyPigeon	Mar 18th, 2008 05:39:21 PM
God bless him.
Roger Ebert said it best: by kwisatzhaderach	Mar 18th, 2008 05:39:22 PM
'Only a few films are transcendent, and work upon our minds and imaginations like music or prayer or a vast belittling landscape. Most movies are about characters with a goal in mind, who obtain it after difficulties either comic or dramatic. “2001: A Space Odyssey'' is not about a goal but about a quest, a need. It says to us: We became men when we learned to think. Our minds have given us the tools to understand where we live and who we are. Now it is time to move on to the next step, to know that we live not on a planet but among the stars, and that we are not flesh but intelligence.' - Although this was written about the film of 2001 it also neatly sums up Arthur C. Clarke's entire oeuvre. He is a giant.
Coincidence... by Silverblade11975	Mar 18th, 2008 05:39:42 PM
I've been reading the Rama series of books and this morning I finished reading Rama Revealed. One of the main characters dies of old age in a grand repository of galactic knowledge. I thought the series was pretty good and the ending was done on a fairly good note. Then a few hours later, I find out that Clarke passes away. Put two and two together and I'm blown away by the coincidence! (Read the first page of Rendezvous With Rama for another eerie coincidence involving a specific date in history.) Needless to say, Arthur Clarke will be greatly missed, and will be regarded as one of the greatest sci-fi authors of his age. Farewell!
he looked great on the oscars a few years back.. by Jugdish	Mar 18th, 2008 05:40:08 PM
RIP brother
Kubrick Joke by ilander66	Mar 18th, 2008 05:41:33 PM
Arthur C clarke gets to the gates of heaven and there is a sign saying 'no writers or directors' St Peter says sorry pal no admission. Then over to one side Arthur sees a scruffy bearded balding man in glasses and a parka scuttling through the gates and says "hey what about him, isnt that Stanley Kubrick?" and St Peter says "no thats god he only THINKS hes Stanley Kubrick"
Loved Rendezvous... by _Maltheus_	Mar 18th, 2008 05:43:03 PM
...but the sequels with that other author helping sucked (Gentry Lee, I think). Never a big fan of Clarke's socialist utopian futures, but he managed some good stories nonetheless.
Inventor of the satellite by ZeroCorpse	Mar 18th, 2008 05:51:36 PM
No kidding. It's sad we have to lose such intelligent minds to the void of death.
"A Fall of Moondust". by arzbest	Mar 18th, 2008 05:54:11 PM
Another great Clarke book. That and "Childhood's End". Classic stuff. I've read his novels and stories since I was 9 years old. A truly sad day.
And sometimes you hvae to weed..... by DontKnowJacK	Mar 18th, 2008 05:54:40 PM
Good Bye Mr. Clarke
A genius has gone. by C Legion	Mar 18th, 2008 05:55:12 PM
But thankfully he has left us with his work. Rest in peace Mr. Clarke, and say hello to Mr. Kubrick for me.
Socialist Utopia ( For _Maltheus_) by Silverblade11975	Mar 18th, 2008 05:56:03 PM
I wasn't too thrilled with those themes either, and to be honest, I don't know if that was Gentry Lee's input or Clarke's. However, I did like the personal interaction between characters, and how each member of the family had distinct personalities instead of being paragraph filler. I was actually interested in every member of the family in the later books. There also were story concepts that I thought were interesting and unique. In a way, you could take the socialist utopia and turn it around by saying that it only works if you were an alien or a robot, but because of the way human nature works, it can never be plausible. It's a stretch anyway. I've heard rumblings that Sam Jackson is trying to find a way to get Rendezvous to the silver screen, I wonder how Clarke's death will impact that if that is not a rumor. Despite the political philosophy injection into the story, I still enjoyed the books. Honoris Causa... Silverblade
i remembered somethng about that mys. yobo.. by foree forehead	Mar 18th, 2008 05:58:27 PM
..was he convicted of anything? just wanted to get it straight before i R.I.P.'d him
WHAT!?!NO! by travis-dane	Mar 18th, 2008 05:59:19 PM
Damn,today is not a good day! Rest in Peace Mr.Clark.Thank you for 2001 and your other GREAT books.
Fractals: The Colors of Infinity by BRUTICUS	Mar 18th, 2008 05:59:49 PM
Anyone else see this? Great documentary on fractal geometry narrated by Arthur C Clarke
This guy was the real deal. by SkinJob69	Mar 18th, 2008 06:00:02 PM
Clarke was the Zeus of the science-fiction pantheon.
someone should option Fountains of Paradise by newc0253	Mar 18th, 2008 06:01:11 PM
i know there's a lot of great Clarke stuff waiting to be made into films, but FoP is one that i've always thought would be great on the big screen. First Gygax, now Clarke. Some giants are dying.
HAL-9000: What is going to happen? by SkinJob69	Mar 18th, 2008 06:03:26 PM
Dave: Something wonderful. HAL-9000: I'm afraid. Dave: Don't be. We'll be together. HAL-9000: Where will we be? Dave: Where I am now.
All These Worlds Are Yours by Dataset	Mar 18th, 2008 06:05:37 PM
The Star short story changed my life. He was a hero of mine and a true genius. The dude helped to invent the satellite. A space shuttle is named after his creation in 2001.
re: Silverblade11975 by _Maltheus_	Mar 18th, 2008 06:06:09 PM
I got the feeling it was more Gentry Lee, but if I recall, Childhood's End had that theme too (been a while). The future they were describing was a nightmare, but I got the impression that Clarke considered it progress. Maybe I interpreted it wrong back then, but whatever. I'm not here to dis Clarke. I've loved a lot of his books and short stories. Not to mention a lot of other books which were clearly influenced by Clarke.
Truly a GIANT of LITERATURE by Proman1984	Mar 18th, 2008 06:08:47 PM
He (along with Ray Bradbury) was pretty much the last remaining giant of the GOLDEN age of science fiction. I've been reading his work since I was a child. How sad that he is gone. He was and forever will be an extreme influence on writers.
thank you yobo by foree forehead	Mar 18th, 2008 06:09:03 PM
will check now
yeeoouuuch by foree forehead	Mar 18th, 2008 06:10:57 PM
people should read that link, ugh!
Mysterious Yobo by Proman1984	Mar 18th, 2008 06:11:50 PM
Go fuck off you shit.
Did he write Blade Runner? by godhatesyou	Mar 18th, 2008 06:14:42 PM
R.I.P Dude.
I'm embarrassed to say... by TMW	Mar 18th, 2008 06:15:20 PM
That I plagiarized one of his older short stories in high school. I've always wanted to write to him & confess (I felt that bad about it), but never got around to it. Consider this my applogy, Mr. Clarke - rest in peace. --------------------------- "I'm still missing and mourning my beloved Chihuahua Pepsi, who left us more than a year ago. I've just heard that dogs aren't allowed in Heaven, so I'm not going there."
They say deaths come in threes... by workshed	Mar 18th, 2008 06:15:54 PM
...Judi Dench, Tony Scott or Will Ferrell. Any of those would do for various justifiable reasons that i can't be bothered to go into at this particular moment. Burt Reynolds would also be a fine addition to the mortality rate.
Yobo and the rest of you yahoos... by BadMrWonka	Mar 18th, 2008 06:16:58 PM
not everything on the net is true, you brain donors...here is the reality: "In early 1998, Clarke was to be made a knight, with Prince Charles visiting Sri Lanka in order to make the investiture. Just before the ceremony, a British tabloid, The Sunday Mirror, claimed in a sensationalist story that Clarke was a paedophile, giving supposed quotations from Clarke about the harmlessness of his predilection for boys. Clarke released a statement saying that "the accusations are such nonsense that I have found it difficult to treat them with the contempt that they deserve." He also said, "I categorically state that The Sunday Mirror's article is grossly defamatory and contains statements which in themselves and by innuendo are quite false, grossly inaccurate and extremely harmful." He later asked that the investiture of his knighthood be delayed "in order to avoid embarrassment to His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales during his visit to Sri Lanka." In answer to the newspaper's allegations, Clarke was investigated by Sri Lankan authorities, who eventually dismissed the accusations. The Sunday Mirror later printed a retraction and Clarke was made a Knight Bachelor on May 26, 2000, in a ceremony in Colombo.] A formal investigation undertaken by Sri Lankan police cleared Clarke in April 1998."
RIP Mr. Clarke by Kloipy	Mar 18th, 2008 06:17:10 PM
this is really sad. He was one of the brilliant minds of our times. Helped me dream of the stars. Thanks for all you did
thank you, mr. clarke by LegoKenobi	Mar 18th, 2008 06:18:51 PM

The pedophile thing is a lie..... by travis-dane	Mar 18th, 2008 06:18:55 PM
Clarke was cleared of all charges by the Sri-Lanka police.
so, to be clear by BadMrWonka	Mar 18th, 2008 06:19:15 PM
he did NOT admit it, he was NOT convicted, and he was never charged with a single crime at all. gotta love the internet. you can find the truth with the same facility and expedience that someone else can find slanderous garbage and believe it.
The newspaper later printed a retraction....... by Riley Martin	Mar 18th, 2008 06:20:15 PM
But you have to wonder if any behind the scenes shenanigans were going on. I mean, they had really specific detailed quotes that he had said about fucking little boys. Would they really print something so inflammatory & libelous as that without knowing the consequences if it wasn't true? I'm thinking the Sunday Mirror got paid off to retract the story and lose the audio tape.
great writer by prbt	Mar 18th, 2008 06:20:47 PM
Not only a great science fiction writer, but a great writer, full-stop. Any aspiring author, in whatever genre, should read Clarke and Asimov to learn how to get ideas across in a beautiful yet precise and efficient manner. (And yeah, the allegations against him were proved false, the Sunday Mirror had to print an apology.)
Thanks BadMrWonka for clearing that up! by travis-dane	Mar 18th, 2008 06:22:01 PM
BBC has the story too.I wanted to post a link,but I cant get the site to load.Sad.
The Sunday Mirror would print anything..... by travis-dane	Mar 18th, 2008 06:24:00 PM
to sell their shitty "Newspaper".
Mysterious Yobo by slone13	Mar 18th, 2008 06:24:42 PM
Check your facts, asshole. And when you're done doing that, make sure you fuck off.
Check out The Trigger Effect by enoodle123	Mar 18th, 2008 06:25:28 PM
written by Clarke and Stephen Baxter. Really inventive, cool stuff.
JUPITER AND BEYOND THE INFINITE by uss cygnus	Mar 18th, 2008 06:25:38 PM
Somewhere, a new star child has been born.
travis-dane by prbt	Mar 18th, 2008 06:25:54 PM
That's true of pretty much any British newspaper you care to mention. Quite often, money from extra sales > money shelled out in damages, so it's worth the risk (in their coke-addled minds).
Absolute legend od Science Fiction by theycallmemrglass	Mar 18th, 2008 06:26:03 PM
Great storyteller, visionary and godfather of SF. Ranks alongside Isaac Asimov as the greatest of all SF authors. As someone mentioned above, his books in the last decade was as co-author with Gentree Lee and others but he was always the visionary and main plot behind the stories. What he allowed his co-authors to do was write the human character depth and relationships which I am sure Clarke would have easily confessed was not his strength. The Rama series was for me the most riveting (I remember waiting agonising years for the final book, Garden of Rama) and Clarke even has the boldness to explain death, god and the universe! RIP Arthur C Clark.
He is now the master of his universe. He doesn't know what to d by Manos	Mar 18th, 2008 06:30:52 PM
...but he'll think of something.
THE FOUNTAINS OF PARADISE, RENDEZVOUS WITH RAMA, IMPERIAL EARTH, by No Respectable Gentleman	Mar 18th, 2008 06:30:52 PM
... all would make great films. But what do we get instead? Another Hulk movie, IRON MAN, and JOURNEY 3-D with Brendan Fraser.
Mysterious World by theycallmemrglass	Mar 18th, 2008 06:31:03 PM
Do anyone remember Arthur C Clarkes Mysterious World? I remember that series was pretty cool (way back in the lates 70s i think) but amusingly at the end of each episode, Clarke always dismisses the whole mystery as something very easily and scientifcally explained. I remember episodes of Big foot, fish falling from the sky, Ufos - he explained it all which was so UN-fantastic!
Yobo by BadMrWonka	Mar 18th, 2008 06:34:20 PM
you have a british tabloid famous for printing false stories to increase circulation. I have 2 governmental inquiries, local police, and the word of the accused declaring his initial alleged confession to be nonexistent... sure you can never know the truth...but I think we can agree I have a bit more of a leg to stand on. or were you just trying to get attention by crapping on someone in their obit talkback. in the case, I guess you've won, right? attention! attention! attention!
Sad indeed by Cobbio	Mar 18th, 2008 06:36:29 PM
"The mass of Rama was at least ten trillion tons; to any spaceman, that was not only awe-inspiring but also a terrifying thought. No wonder that he sometimes felt a sense of insignificance, or even depression, as that cylinder of sculptured, ageless metal filled more and more of the sky." (Rendezvous with Rama, 1972). Thanks, Arthur. Rest in peace.
Here is what the BBC says on the "pedo" thing... by travis-dane	Mar 18th, 2008 06:37:12 PM
http://tinyurl.com/2nrrma
Rama by Ray Gamma	Mar 18th, 2008 06:37:23 PM
I hope this sad news prompts someone talented and powerful to finally get the Rama series on the big screen.
This is a sad day indeed. by Gabba-UK	Mar 18th, 2008 06:37:36 PM
I'm now writing my second obituary TB in less than 4 hrs. I'm afraid to log back onto my computer in the morning! There is nothing I can write that will be even worthy of honouring such a mind and imagination as Clark's so I will simply say Thank You to him and raise a class.
...would love to see a film of... by jimmy rabbitte	Mar 18th, 2008 06:38:39 PM
...The Nine Billion Names of God... So long A.C.C.
"Overhead, without any fuss, the stars were going out." by Dr Lizardo	Mar 18th, 2008 06:39:08 PM
A remarkable writer. Another star just went out.
RIP by theonecalledshoe	Mar 18th, 2008 06:39:31 PM
2010 was my fave for characters and plot. 2001 -second for spoiler the ending vast ride going the otherside-
I have yet to read any. by Larry of Arabia	Mar 18th, 2008 06:40:44 PM
I'm going to add Childhood's End to my list today. God bless you for 2001, one of the brilliant pieces of writing for cinema.
I'M SURE HE'S HAVING A BEER WITH WELLS, SAGAN AND EINSTEIN RIGHT by BurgerTime	Mar 18th, 2008 06:42:12 PM
Boy would I love to be the fly on the wall for THAT conversation. RIP sir. You took us on some fantastic journeys.
No by DamnMichaelBay	Mar 18th, 2008 06:43:33 PM
No
His books may potentially make good films by theycallmemrglass	Mar 18th, 2008 06:44:44 PM
But I dont quite see the films being of box office material. A good director at the helm would at best churn out something like Solaris or Contact. Even 2001 was quite an enigma, but then so was Stanley Kubrick who somehow commanded an audience to be transfixed at Apes grunting for 20 minutes such was his power. If Rendevous with Rama was put on to the big screen then I expect either it will either be similar to Sagan's Contact (one with Jody Foster) or made into a Gung ho film , aka I Robot with some sexy kick ass chick like Uma Thurman and a completely different story.
Rendezvous with Rama... by andyny29	Mar 18th, 2008 06:47:36 PM
is one of the all time great reads period!
Harry, or anyone else monitoring this Talkback ... by C Legion	Mar 18th, 2008 06:48:49 PM
could you please delete the inflammatory posts that consist of regurgitated stories, published by the gutter press, that have been proven to be bullshit? I'm not a fan of censorship, but the fact is many will respond to these "Trolls", thus ruining a forum for people to say how they feel about the passing of a true great.
Hey Harry, how about some editing... by Antz	Mar 18th, 2008 06:54:01 PM
Do we really need the ignorant comments of Yobo here on a page remembering one of the truly great people of our age? I'm all for free speech, but straight out biased character assassination is another thing. All that crap was well disproved by dozens of independant investigations.
I agree with C Legion by kwisatzhaderach	Mar 18th, 2008 06:54:56 PM
Sort it out guys
End of an era, but at least now by Rakafraker	Mar 18th, 2008 06:55:09 PM
maybe there will be more interest in finally getting more big stories adapted for film. That guy sure knew how to dream big. The world is a better place because of folks like that. Someone else mentioned that communication satellites were orginally conceived by Arthur C. Clarke. I read that geosyncronous orbit (stays above the same point on Earth) is named a Clarke orbit. (sigh)
Why want Arthur C Clarke knighted? by theycallmemrglass	Mar 18th, 2008 06:55:10 PM
Everyone knows about the pedo rumour but that was quashed and was never officially charged etc. Did he get even get an OBE, or MBE?
Childhood's End by bswise	Mar 18th, 2008 06:55:59 PM
CE was of the very first adult science fiction novels I ever read, I think when I was around 7 or 8, and it had a profound impact on me. A few years later, I couldn't help noticing that the opening of V, with the arrival of all of the massive saucers, was a complete rip-off! (And ripped again in Independence Day). Yes, we still have much evolving to do before we stop demonizing everything and move on. RIP Arthur C.
i feel stupid by zom-bot.com	Mar 18th, 2008 06:57:40 PM
i thought he had died at least 10 years ago and they made a big deal of it on abc news or something. maybe i was in another dimension.
Rama by rutgerman	Mar 18th, 2008 07:00:49 PM
One of my favorite series. I remember reading the Rama books and dreaming about what it would be like to explore this beautiful mysterious new world. Ah man...I always said that when Clarke or Bradbury died it would be a very very sad day. So today is.
Today we have lost a great man by spidercoz	Mar 18th, 2008 07:01:01 PM
I'm halfway through Firstborn right now. This just kind of ruins it that it's now his last book. Clarke has long been my favorite, even since before I knew who he was. One of my earliest memories is seeing 2001 on tv. Been my favorite movie ever since. I'm still waiting for someone to bring Rendezvous with Rama to the big screen, done right that book would be a phenomenal movie. Sad day. The world is a bit dimmer now.
Gosh... by TroutMaskReplicant	Mar 18th, 2008 07:05:55 PM
Was just reading up on the potentially ill advised Childhood's End film (Akiva Goldsman was rumoured to be involved) and I thought, how long more will he be around? Well, got my answer...
Godspeed.... by Dogma_Jedi	Mar 18th, 2008 07:09:36 PM

RIP ARTHUR C. CLARKE by BringingSexyBack	Mar 18th, 2008 07:10:38 PM
2001 continues to be inspirational, even if mankind never lived up to the potential he envisioned by raping the earth and abusing all its precious resources. Is Yobo running his mouth off again?
C legion by theycallmemrglass	Mar 18th, 2008 07:14:21 PM
These TBs are never really monitored or censored hence the very "liberal" nature of posts. It is ironically, why people like AICN. Of course, it also means to expect insensitive posts. Just ignore them if it bothers you which is all I can advice (which you didnt ask for, I know!). But also consider that some people do believe certain tabloid rumours. Its not their fault. It is their choice. It is also their free will to post whatever they like on TB. I dont mind that they do - its sometimes enlighening to find that some are more naive people then myself so I actually welcome them, as I feel much better for myself knowing I am not them :) Arthur C Clarke passed away today and we celebrate his life with recounting our memories here on TB of reading his books. Let the others believe what they want.
I also agree with Kwisatzhaderach and the others... by Gabba-UK	Mar 18th, 2008 07:16:09 PM
And not that just because Dune is my fave book by the way.... http://www.empireonline.com/ne ws/story.asp?NID=22209 Some editorial control is needed. This is a giant of a man we are talking about here. He invented communication satellite's and help developed radar for fucks sake!!! Can anyone here even imagine what our world would be like without just one of those two items??? Repeating allegations that were blown out of the water by several investigations just to get noticed in a talk back about a man, who's contribution to science and the world in general makes anything what we might do in our lifetimes seem like the day to day doings of cockroaches, is beyond petty and low, even by the low standards that some in these talk backs seek to achieve.
Arthur C. Clake was/is a giant by DARTH VOODOO	Mar 18th, 2008 07:21:01 PM
He will be missed.
Rest in Peace by jtishere	Mar 18th, 2008 07:21:41 PM
I have read a number of Clarke's works and, regardless of my disdain for his politics, I always appreciated his attention to detail and firm desire to draw the reader into the universe he created. RIP
My Dad said Sri Lanka is a known hotspot for folks who want to h by ThePilgrim	Mar 18th, 2008 07:23:02 PM
My dad was in the army. He used to work in the middle east and in thailand. When he heard that Arthur died and then heard "Sri Lanka" He got a funny look on his face. He turned to me and asked if he AC2 was a child buggerer.. Wow man, if Arthur did... I don't care what kind of mind he had. That's just wrong on so many levels...
God Damm!!! by Queerbait	Mar 18th, 2008 07:24:58 PM
Who's tomorrow, Spielberg & Lucas??? This sucks!!!!
Rest in Peace Mr Clarke, and kwisatzhaderach: by topaz4206	Mar 18th, 2008 07:25:13 PM
Thank you for that wonderful quote -- Ebert is so great at putting my exact emotions into words. May you continue to live among the stars, Mr. Clarke.
One by one the stars began to go out... by Scathing	Mar 18th, 2008 07:25:31 PM

R.I.P. by Neosamurai85	Mar 18th, 2008 07:25:54 PM
I'm sad to say I have yet to read a single book by him. It's not so shocking when one considers how very little science fiction I read, but it is nonetheless a matter which will have to be fixed. 2001 is a film I have defended for years. It is not my favorite film by Kubrick, but it is a great one. For me, Arthur C. Clark will always be that elderly man who hosted television shows about the supernatural. No doubt that is like saying Hitchcock was that guy that hosted those short TV movies. Still, that's what he is for me. In a world of crackpots with aluminum foil helmets, telling me that reptile people are watching us from the skies, he was that one dignified voice asking me to wonder what is beyond our understanding. I look forward to discovering his genius. He will be missed.
Cripes Arthur was knighted. by theycallmemrglass	Mar 18th, 2008 07:27:28 PM
Only just started reading the BBC news tribute and they are refering him as Sir Arthur. Well I'm relieved he was not shunned from this accolade.
Troll posts aside, this is the most moving TB I've read here by SkinJob69	Mar 18th, 2008 07:30:24 PM
Glad I'm not the only one who's so down about Mr. Clarke's passing. Agree with above TB'ers hoping this will spur Hollywood on to adapt more of his material.
The fantastic memories by RokurGepta	Mar 18th, 2008 07:30:42 PM
The first book I read by Sir Arthur C. Clarke was a hardback special edition containing 5 of his books "2001: A Space Odyssey" "The City and the Stars" "The Deep Range" "A Fall of Moondust" "Rendezvous with Rama" It took me all of 3 days to read through all of them. I was only 15 years old at the time. "Rendezvous with Rama" is still on my top 10 favorite books of all time, I had hoped Morgan Freeman would get the movie made before Arthur C. Clarke passed away. Well I have some reading to do, I am going to re-read that book, and cry, there will be tears.... hugs for everyone that wants a hug,
Here is the BBC article again.Clarke was CLEARED of all CHARGES. by travis-dane	Mar 18th, 2008 07:30:47 PM
http://tinyurl.com/2nrrma
Lost a Worldwide Treasure by BillyBatson	Mar 18th, 2008 07:30:56 PM
Clarke wasn't just a sci-fi writer, he was a futurist. While he claimed he didn't "invent" the communications satellite, he certainly brought the concept into the mainstream. It's ironic, I just re-read 3001 last week - it's a great view at what Clarke thought Utopia could be for mankind. And as for the pedophile comments here - sad. All those rumors were laid to rest in the real world a long time ago. HAL's birthday at the University of Illinois - Urbana will be a sad occasion this year.
Why did he move out to Sri Lanka then by ThePilgrim	Mar 18th, 2008 07:33:18 PM
Seriously... Of all the places too move out too. It has the Reputation. Of course the Government would deny it. You have The Royal Family intermixed.
2001 was on the HD channel the other day by chromedome	Mar 18th, 2008 07:34:43 PM
Sat down and could not look away! Holds up great, sfx were still stunning and perfect and exactly to the degree needed to make the story feel real. And the story is just amazing. If you have not seen this for a long time, check it again. You may see it in a different way than the first time. Agree with all who vote for a Rama movie. I loved that novel. I read everything he wrote when I was younger--lost track when the co-authors joined in.... Clarke, Bradbury, Asimov--almost read nothing else when I was young.
So everybody who moves to Sri-Lanka is a pedophile now? by travis-dane	Mar 18th, 2008 07:36:52 PM
He moved there in 1956 I think.Maybe he just liked it there?It was Clarke himself who asked the Ploice and the DA to investigate the charges put up against him.He was found not guilty.
He can never be replaced......... by closeencounter	Mar 18th, 2008 07:39:15 PM
And he will surely be missed. A truly sad day. R.I.P. Sir Clarke.
Arthur C clarke Lived in a by emeraldboy	Mar 18th, 2008 07:42:04 PM
tree house in Sri Lanka. and was a teen prodigy when it came to physics. he hardly ever gave interviews. I remember one where he talked about his early life. it was in boarding school where he dazzled his teachers, not only with his incredible imagination, his gift for advanced physics and his errie ability to make accurate predictions. He Entered a Story contest for a science publication. HE predicted to the exact day, date and time the launch of the first Russian Spy satellite. We will never see his like again. He became a recluse. In sri lanka.
Damn It... by ryanislyin	Mar 18th, 2008 07:44:15 PM
I was working Colombo, Sri Lanka in 2002, and when I went to a gift shop in the hotel I was staying at, I was pleasantly surprised to see all of ACC's books readily available. He helped me love not just Science Fiction, but all forms of reading. Consider me crushed.
Bet it was hard getting into that tree house... by Boba Fat	Mar 18th, 2008 07:46:09 PM
in his wheelchair.
Boba Fat..... by closeencounter	Mar 18th, 2008 07:49:35 PM
Why make such a comment? Or are you really saying you're just a jerk? Please explain.......
If I forget thee oh Earth... by CaptainWalker	Mar 18th, 2008 07:51:23 PM
Farewell old friend. Will any one ever have the courage to option "The Songs of Distant Earth"?
"Sometimes I think we're alone in the universe, by SkinJob69	Mar 18th, 2008 07:52:46 PM
and sometimes I think we're not. In either case the idea is quite staggering."- Arthur C. Clarke
Just amused by our resident capsaholic emeraldboy by Boba Fat	Mar 18th, 2008 07:52:54 PM
Despite todays sad news all around I'm able to retain my sense of humour. How about you?
HE predicted to the exact day, date and time the launch of the f by ThePilgrim	Mar 18th, 2008 07:53:29 PM
Are you sure the Ruskies didn't launch on that day to match it, and where is this little factoid at on the net?
Genius by NudeandAroused	Mar 18th, 2008 07:53:59 PM
A true literary genius. A sad day for all.
"Any sufficiently advanced technology ... by SkinJob69	Mar 18th, 2008 07:57:33 PM
is indistinguishable from magic."-Arthur C. Clarke
"I don't pretend we have all the answers. by SkinJob69	Mar 18th, 2008 08:00:00 PM
But the questions are certainly worth thinking about."- Arthur C. Clarke And with that thought I bid you all a good evening.
Damnit!!! :-( by br1947	Mar 18th, 2008 08:01:27 PM
I think we all knew it was coming, no one lives forever, but damn it still sucks. One of the greatest minds of our age.
The end of era... by Gungan Slayer	Mar 18th, 2008 08:05:24 PM
Sir Arthur's passing marks the end of era for the classic, giant sci-fi writers. A true visionary, he contributed much to society, in the worlds of science, telecommunications, marine biology, and of course literature. Such an awesome guy. He will be missed.
Damn Shame by Semen Stains	Mar 18th, 2008 08:11:17 PM
Sad to see this legend go,but he had a good innings,your work has been a huge influence on me and you shall be greatly missed.
For the benefit of that egregious, drooling imbecile Yobo... by Dave Bowman	Mar 18th, 2008 08:11:33 PM
http://www.island.lk/2000/12/2 0/midwee01.html
sci fi's short eyes by drstinkfinger	Mar 18th, 2008 08:13:29 PM
you people sound like michael jackson supporters...but he was never convicted...waaaaah! why do you think art never left his safe haven, even to be knighted?
Does The Afterlife Look Like The End of 2001? by LaserPants	Mar 18th, 2008 08:19:58 PM
R.I.P. I hope you are enjoying your afterlife so far. Fare thee well.
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!! by Orionsangels	Mar 18th, 2008 08:20:04 PM
I dreaded this day!!! I knew he wasn't gonna live forever, but man! Damn Arhtur. We loved you. I so admired you. I hope you're among the stars and resting in peace.
Oh, he DIED... by Tourist	Mar 18th, 2008 08:20:56 PM
...I thought Chris Hansen and interpol finally busted him. Seriously though, like MJ and Polanski, this perverts works are magnificent enough to outweight his predilictions.
Today's digital FX by kwisatzhaderach	Mar 18th, 2008 08:23:13 PM
look like cartoons compared to 2001. Sad but true.
I just realized... by CloakAndZipper	Mar 18th, 2008 08:24:15 PM
I read Childhood's End when I was somewhere between 11 and 15 (and again years later). I have always recalled it as THE book that woke me up to the power of fiction (and storytelling in general). I just realized that 2001 holds the same place in my mind in the film pantheon. Both were consciousness-expanding experiences. They each in turn showed me how powerful novels and movies can be.
Asimov gone, Herbert gone, Clarke gone by Grammaton Cleric Binks	Mar 18th, 2008 08:26:49 PM
the legends just keep dropping.
RIP Art by RobMota	Mar 18th, 2008 08:33:32 PM
You are still one of the greats and will always be.
This has been a terrible day. Terrible. by Uncapie	Mar 18th, 2008 08:33:35 PM
Not only do we lose two of the greats, but my upstairs neighbor;a computer genius and musician died. Its a very sad day indeed when the ones who create leave us.
R.I.P. Mr. Clark by JaggedSac	Mar 18th, 2008 08:34:13 PM
You were a god among men.
These things come in 3s by Rocklover79	Mar 18th, 2008 08:37:05 PM
Oh God, I'm dreading who's next...
WOW by Lingerdog	Mar 18th, 2008 08:43:31 PM
I gasped aloud when I read the headline. The works of Mr. Clarke are a big part of why I read as much as I do.
Endless imagination by nemoiam	Mar 18th, 2008 08:44:26 PM
When I was 14, I saw 2001 for the first time in a neighborhood theater and fell asleep. I saw it again when I was 30 and re-assessed it the greatest science fiction film ever made (still do). In between those periods I read Clarke's 2001 short story/novel/sequels and then the rest his major fiction and realized that the reason I enjoyed it as an adult was that it't not a kid's movie. And that's alright. The heady originality of Clarke in all his fiction makes me long for a comparable production of Rama or Childhood's End. Someday. It's rare, in my opinion, that any film can recreate the boundless imagination and highbrow excitement of a good science fiction novel. Any throw-away pulpy sci-fi novel from Pohl or Bester has MORE wonder than the last 5 comic-book movies combined. Clarke was the giant among all of them and I will always be grateful for the joy he gave me in those pages. I am sad that there will never be another new word or sequel written by the man. Rest In Peace.
Julia Phillips wrote on Clarke's apparent perviness.. by unit1421	Mar 18th, 2008 08:45:27 PM
Julia Phillips wrote about her meeting with Clarke when trying toget him on as a writer/consultant on Close Encounters of the Third Kind in her book "You'll Never Eat Lunch In This Town Again." She mainly mentions has habit of exposing himself subtly by constantly re-adjusting his wrap, and noted all the young boys hanging around, but saw nothing beyond that.
never quite made 2010... by Maniaq	Mar 18th, 2008 08:46:58 PM
a sad day indeed... one of my favourite stories of his was a short called "History Lesson" - 5 millenia after the Earth has succombed to an ice age and the glaciers have finally stopped moving, the inhabitants of Venus visit and begin an expedition to learn what they can about the now extinct inhabitants of this mysterious ice planet. They uncover a tiny metal box and their greatest scientists try to figure us out - how we lived, what we looked like, etc - from the document contained within. The document is a roll of film and they eventually work out how to make a projector to view the film... "But all this labour, all this research, would be utterly in vain. ... Millions of times in the ages to come those last few words would flash across the screen, and none could ever guess their meaning: A Walt Disney Production" Brilliant!
I don't see how his perviness... by Tourist	Mar 18th, 2008 08:47:31 PM
...Other than being good for a laugh, is really an issue. Do you like 2001? Do you think he did a good job? Whats him diddling third world boys got to do with that?
oh my god! by occula	Mar 18th, 2008 08:47:58 PM
today is a sad day. 2 wonderful artists have left us and now there are holes in the world. at least clark lived a long and magnificent life.
I got a wonderful reply from him a few years ago by skywalkerfamily	Mar 18th, 2008 08:53:46 PM
I sent him a letter, and he signed a copy of 2001 for me, and also enclosed a nice letter and other picture. I was very happy to hear from him since he's my favorite author.
At least the kids got paid by Emperor_was_a_jerk	Mar 18th, 2008 08:56:27 PM
He may, or may not have, enjoyed the company of boys but that dude sure could write a book about spacemen.
Maniaq by kwisatzhaderach	Mar 18th, 2008 08:56:44 PM
What a great story, i'll have to check it out.
He is a Legend... by Damer1	Mar 18th, 2008 08:57:45 PM
A dead legend. Just like all of you clowns. Your day is coming.
Michael Bay's Childhood's End by Itchy	Mar 18th, 2008 08:58:07 PM
Coming Summer 2010. Shit - that thought is so offensive I feel like I raped my own brain.
I thought he was already dead by WolfmanNards	Mar 18th, 2008 08:59:50 PM
this site never talked about him before. I thought maybe he died a long time ago.
A rich, wonderful, important life. by la_sith	Mar 18th, 2008 08:59:50 PM
Kubrick is my personal god, but 2001 was as much Arthur's as it was Stanley's, and I think ol' Kube would admit that. He had so much that he brought to the table, such a rich imagination, and we will never see the likes of him again. Sad indeed, but 90 years is a wonderful life. Rest in peace.
YOBO is an idiot by Demode	Mar 18th, 2008 09:01:03 PM
I was wondering who would be the first asshole in this talkback to say something negative. As usual, it was YOBO. I legend dis, and he brings up lies about the man who was proven to be innocent. It takes a truly small man to be such a huge asshole.
YOBO is an idiot! by Demode	Mar 18th, 2008 09:02:49 PM
I was wondering who would be the first asshole in this talkback to say something negative. As usual, it was YOBO. I legend dies, and he brings up lies about a man who was proven to be innocent. It takes a truly small man to be such a huge asshole.
A sad sad day indeed by B2	Mar 18th, 2008 09:19:07 PM

real science contributions: Geostationary orbit theory by George Newman	Mar 18th, 2008 09:20:28 PM
for satellite technology Thank Jesus for Arthur C Clarke.
Not a pedophile? Try telling that to my pooper! by Suckitdorks	Mar 18th, 2008 09:20:49 PM
I haven't sat down since 1983.
Jeez, you people by skywalkerfamily	Mar 18th, 2008 09:22:25 PM
Sad.
2010 is the only novel of his that I have read. by George Newman	Mar 18th, 2008 09:27:44 PM
senior year of high school in Reading Class, I saw it on the shelf. I had watched 2001 several times, but never watched 2010. My dad had recommended it in years past but i never made time to watch it. Great book; helped my feeble mind gain a better grasp on what happened in the first film (still havent read first book)
one less voice for science vs superstition by bacci40	Mar 18th, 2008 09:28:45 PM
if you havent seen it yet, find his doc series that goes after faith healers, etc...truly brilliant....i am sad, but he lived a full and brilliant life
2001, 2010, and 3001 will be his most famous works by Yeti	Mar 18th, 2008 09:35:17 PM
But there were many, many more.
I really did hope he might be... by Roguewriter	Mar 18th, 2008 09:36:46 PM
... one of the Grand Masters of SF who would live long enough to see medical and health technology breakthroughs that would extend life far beyond current norms. Alas, it was not to be. (And now there is only Bradbury, no? Gods, the world moves on...) A grand, gentle man, decent and good to the end, was Arthur Clarke. The world is lessened by his absence. If you'd like to honor the man, read these shorts online, and remember his name to the stars tonight: "The Star" http://lucis.net/stuff/clarke/ star_clarke.html and "The Nine Billion Names of God" http://www.geocities.com/rojod os/docs/9000000000.htm
Some of the flowery grade school... by Tourist	Mar 18th, 2008 09:52:03 PM
...faux words of grief on these talkbacks whenever someone you have never met dies is gag worthy. Yeah, sucks that he died...because, you know, he was only a sprightly 90 years old, whose best work was...well...far behind him...Look, his army of little house boys who were actually personally touched and loved by Arthur can mourn enough for everyone. You don't have to keep pretending.
Wow. by Evil Chicken	Mar 18th, 2008 09:56:11 PM
That headline stopped me in my tracks. …Wow. I’d like to think his works would live forever. Wow.
I wanted to meet him when I was younger by Utamoh	Mar 18th, 2008 09:57:40 PM
His were the first science fiction stories that got me into the genre. I started with "Against the Fall of Night', and then read "Childhood's End" then saw 2001. Truly a visionary writer. Sad news.
Yobo is a dumb fuck of the highest order by DoctorWho?	Mar 18th, 2008 10:04:00 PM
Anyone with half a brain who reads this site with any regularity knows that. Anyway. Check out Beyond The Fall Of Night. And Zero Corpse, don't be so afraid of the "void of death". I sure it's "...something wonderful."
non fiction books by side_swipe	Mar 18th, 2008 10:08:28 PM
hi guys, you should read some of his non-fiction stuff. if you can get a copy of "how the world was one" its a great read. it chronicled how we got from the telegraph to this website
R.I.P by Zodou	Mar 18th, 2008 10:13:33 PM
R.I.P Sir Clarke. You were one of the brightest and most forward thinking. Sad that some of us are so short sighted.
If someone says 'He's gone into the monolith full of stars' or.. by Han Cholo	Mar 18th, 2008 10:21:23 PM
some other stupid reference to 2001, I'm gonna kill someone. Yeah he was a great sci-fi author, try coming up with a tribute that takes some of the imagination he used to create the classics he wrote, damn.
2001 is a damn good book by Rupee88	Mar 18th, 2008 10:24:13 PM
I just started listening the audiobook of it again last week...just super entertaining and quite brilliant.
It was only two decades ago I met him... by rowee	Mar 18th, 2008 10:25:17 PM
and even got to push him around in his wheelchair! Such a beautiful mind! He shared his passion for the sea and space with me. He went diving with my mother many years ago. Sri Lanka is such a beautiful country that I'd settle there if it wasn't the conflict with the Tamil tigers. Maybe one day...
I remember when Alec Guiness died... by Han Cholo	Mar 18th, 2008 10:25:36 PM
People were saying stupid shit like "He's become more powerful than you can possibly imagine' or 'He's become one with the force.' When people say shit like that it makes me want to puke. Please don't do it anymore.
I'm gonna cry when George Lucas dies. by skywalkerfamily	Mar 18th, 2008 10:29:02 PM
Man, he created Star Wars.
TOO SOON!!! by BlackIronPrison	Mar 18th, 2008 10:33:00 PM
Just finished 2061; was about to open 3001 when i heard this terrible news. Been on quite a 2001 bender for a couple months now. Sad way to cap it off though. I'll read Rendevous with Rama next. He really was a great man. We need more like him...
RIP Sir Arthur by codymr	Mar 18th, 2008 10:37:39 PM
Clarke was introduced to me as a 12 year old. I was a kid who loved movies and comics and TV and music, but was not an avid reader. My parents and teachers did all they could to get me to read, but nothing stuck. Then a teacher of mine introduced me to Childhood's End and told me he was one of the guys behind 2001. I read it and at that moment I realized why I had not liked reading much... the stories I was forced to read were too simple. I'm the first to admit I'm no genius, but Clarke's books had scope and a sense of wonder that much of the stuff I was reading up to that point did not. Thank you Sir Arthur for the gift of books.
"The timeless instant passed... by drompter	Mar 18th, 2008 10:39:10 PM
...the pendulum reversed its swing. In an empty room, floating amid the fires of a double star twenty thousand light years from Earth, a baby opened its eyes and begun to cry." Goodbye Master.
RIP Easy as Cake by chuknchez	Mar 18th, 2008 10:45:09 PM
2010 better than 2001. True visionary
A.C.Clarke by BobbyZ	Mar 18th, 2008 10:53:45 PM
A sad day for everyone....but a happy day for children everywhere.
Mysterious World by Shoegeezer	Mar 18th, 2008 11:03:17 PM
Just finished watching the new DVD of this show, really holds up well, crystal skull and all. Clarke added a lot of credibility to quite a few daffy subjects, still better than anything the Discovery Chanel pumps out these days.
Rest In Peace by DarthFloyd	Mar 18th, 2008 11:33:53 PM
I was a child of Star Wars and other popcorn sci-fi growing up when I was initially introduced to 2001. Upon the conclusion of the movie, I immediately found a copy of the book and immersed myself in it. Shortly after that, 2010 was released in hardcover, and I read that from cover to cover. Not only did I understand everything that happened, I wound up explaining what happened to a couple of my elementary school teachers who had seen the original 2001 and had no clue what the hell the end was about. Rest In Peace.
Rest In Peace by BrightEyes	Mar 18th, 2008 11:48:15 PM
. 2001 will always stand as the greatest.
See ya, Arthur C.! by TheGhostWhoLurks	Mar 19th, 2008 12:05:55 AM
Thanks for all of the cool stories over the years... you'll be missed even by those who thought you'd passed on years ago. :)
Good Innings by proper	Mar 19th, 2008 12:12:25 AM
Shoegeezer= Arthur C Clark's Mysterious World scared the living crap out of me when I was a kid,I'd like to watch that again.
- by proper	Mar 19th, 2008 12:21:29 AM
Mr Glass=Arthur may of debunked some of that stuff but the damage was done :).
dammit... by modern_lovers	Mar 19th, 2008 12:26:20 AM
dammit. this is awful. i pray hollywood doesn't use this as a catalyst to rush into making shitty movie versions of his brilliant stories. rama II - rama harder.
Arthur C. Clarke by WhatNot	Mar 19th, 2008 12:32:24 AM
First Sci-Fi book I ever read was Islands in the Sky, Quickly followed by all the rest. R.I.P.
Goodbye Master... by Tourist	Mar 19th, 2008 12:57:58 AM
...What the fuck are you drompter? Hervé Villechaize? Oh! Sorry, you were one of his special boys. The garish overstatements spewed forth in these obits are almost as tasteless as mentioning his NAMBLAism.
Does anyone else get the feeling... by samsquanch	Mar 19th, 2008 02:08:18 AM
That every time one of these great men dies, there's a little less talent in the world? I'm not such a cynical bastard, but I have a hard time believing that there are any latent Arthur C Clarkes among us today...
RIP SIR! by Frye777	Mar 19th, 2008 02:19:58 AM
RIP SIR!
A true genius - gone forever by Motoko Kusanagi	Mar 19th, 2008 02:25:36 AM
sad
Tourist by bacci40	Mar 19th, 2008 02:42:52 AM
i hope you die with your head firmly up george bush's ass, so i can piss on both your graves at the same time...tourist is the reason that abortion should be mandatory
Used to love 'Arthur C. Clarke's... by pokadoo	Mar 19th, 2008 02:49:36 AM
Mysterious World'. Spooky Sci-Fi.
Two of the GREATEST A.C.C. books STILL.... by Playkins	Mar 19th, 2008 02:56:32 AM
...haven't been made into movies. Childhood's End and Rendevous With Rama. RWR would make a FANTASTIC exploration thriller, and CE would be a great sci-fi drama film.
Xiphos: by Playkins	Mar 19th, 2008 02:58:21 AM
You are among my most envied. Clarke would have topped the list of people I would most want to converse with.
One more thing: Regarding his alleged Pedophilia: by Playkins	Mar 19th, 2008 03:02:48 AM
I hate to even acknowledge this, but since it was brought up: From what I've read/understood, the charges stemmed from comments he made that were taken out of context, not any of his actions. He was investigated and cleared.
Sunday Mirror is bullshit journalism by fisheater	Mar 19th, 2008 04:43:29 AM
Hes a bloody brilliant futurist, who predicted so much that has actually come to pass. Thanks for 2001 mate, the best science fiction film and maybe the best film ever made.
The way he wrote about the future by David Cloverfield	Mar 19th, 2008 05:00:01 AM
I don't feel he was wrong, I feel we let him down. The things he imagined can still come true. Great writer, great mind. They don't make them like him anymore.
When I was 13 I read 2001, 2010, 2061 by NomoredirtyjokespleaseweareYanks	Mar 19th, 2008 05:12:42 AM
Thankyou Mr Clarke for expanding my mind more than I thought possible.
another cool dude gone. by ironic_name	Mar 19th, 2008 05:20:46 AM
R.I.P. time for him to experience the universe first hand.
wow by foree forehead	Mar 19th, 2008 05:52:08 AM
i don't remember him being cleared of the charges about the story i initially asked yobo to clarify. i guess for the sunday mirror: job done, then. sad i did not want one shred of truth in those quotes. R.I.P.
Off topic: Sam Raimi to do next Jack Ryan flick!?! by SkinJob69	Mar 19th, 2008 06:34:35 AM
http://tinyurl.com/24skts
oops- meant to post that to another board- sorry by SkinJob69	Mar 19th, 2008 06:35:39 AM

The irony is he made it long past 2001. by Grammaton Cleric Binks	Mar 19th, 2008 07:13:22 AM
Too bad we're trying to perfect stuff like the clapper, and instant this or powdered that instead of reaching for the stars.
Fare thee well into the great unknown by Kentucky Colonel	Mar 19th, 2008 07:27:12 AM
The world will never be the same. I hope I live to see your space elevators, constructed with the diamond core that may lie beneath the gasseous surface of Jupiter. Farewell, Rama.
Damn It by Abominable Snowcone	Mar 19th, 2008 07:46:34 AM
A true legend, a terrible loss. To the stars with you, Mr. Clarke. Your work here shall be preserved, remembered and enjoyed for generations. If they don't name a space vehicle or program after him, for shame.
When 2001 was released... by Moonwatcher	Mar 19th, 2008 08:01:00 AM
it was like all the planets were lined up and everything right came together. Clarke could write about anything and everything, and make it all understandable. And how many knew about his humor? His Tales From the White Hart is a wonderful collection of short stories that are the other side of his talent. I wish I could have met him; maybe in the next life I'll be able to thank him. God bless you, Arthur. You will be missed.
Space Elevator by mastidon	Mar 19th, 2008 08:17:35 AM
If we ever want to really go to deep space, we need to build ships in space. And the only way to do that is by building a space elevator. Arthur C. Clarke was the first person I ever heard mention that and there is no doubt he was right. He was true visionairy in a world filled with followers. He will be more than missed. RIP
I wonder if 3001 will get filmed by Sithdan	Mar 19th, 2008 08:37:25 AM
I would think they should skip the events that transpired in 2061 and go straight to 3001: The Final Odyssey. That particular book garnered mixed reviews, but I enjoyed it.
Godamnit fuck March 18 by purplepurple	Mar 19th, 2008 08:42:49 AM
What a shitty shitty day. At least he had a long productive life and we can enjoy his work as long as they print books. In to the beyond Mr Clarke, see what the universe looks from the outside.
RIP Arthur Clarke. by raw_bean	Mar 19th, 2008 08:56:50 AM
That is one hell of a loss to humanity. :(
As for all the idiots raving about paedophilia... by raw_bean	Mar 19th, 2008 08:59:06 AM
...I was going to respond, but really, you guys just aren't even worth the effort. None of the nonsense you spout can touch the great man that has passed or cause any serious dent in the impression he's left, so why bother?
Why hasn't 2061 been adapted for film yet? by SpyGuy	Mar 19th, 2008 09:11:59 AM
We're served shit on a silver platter like 10,000 B.C. but we're still waiting for a 2061 movie? What the hell, people...
My God. Its full of tears. by ArcadianDS	Mar 19th, 2008 09:31:31 AM
Very sad day.
Rama... by ema13	Mar 19th, 2008 09:51:34 AM
Rama is still an active project with Morgan Freeman... they are working on a new script... EMA
I heard Harry liked A.C.Clark so much by ArcadianDS	Mar 19th, 2008 09:52:14 AM
that he's going to dig him up for sex. right harry? Oh wait - we can't use that as a catch phrase? I thought that was your whole point, Harry.
the Rama movie... by modern_lovers	Mar 19th, 2008 10:31:14 AM
has been in development heck for years, all the while with Morgan Freeman's name attached to it, and, at times, David Fincher. Supposedly they are still wanting to do it, but the last I've heard mention of it was last August. Just bear in mind that no matter how hard they try, they will likely fail to capture the magic of ACC's book. If they manage to simultaneously mindfuck and give me vertigo when they show Rama's interior, I'll be pretty happy. I'm just so tired of favorite stories by favorite writers being turned into dim-witted bullshit popcorn fare. Visions of "Paycheck" are floating through my troubled mind...
Just watched the video... by spidercoz	Mar 19th, 2008 10:41:53 AM
Thank you, Harry, for posting that. By the end I was crying like a little girl. I don't think I realized until now what a massive influence he's been on my life.
Only on AICN Talkbacks can... by finky089	Mar 19th, 2008 11:29:38 AM
you find someone with the handle of "Semen Stains" sincerely lament the passing of a great author and sci-fi mind. hahaha - I love this place
My God! It's full of stars!! by Billyeveryteen	Mar 19th, 2008 12:27:01 PM
Indeed, Sir.
John Carter project moving forward by Automaton Overlord	Mar 19th, 2008 01:24:10 PM
[from Dark Horizons] According to Jim Hill Media, in order to fill those potential holes in its schedule, the studio is moving forward quickly on its plans to do a trilogy of films based on Edgar Rice Burroughs' "John Carter of Mars" books. Mark Andrews has allegedly already completed a first pass on a screenplay for the first film in the proposed "Mars" series and both Pixar and Disney execs have reportedly responded very enthusiastically to Andrews' script. The first film was already on the books for a 2012 release, but if the report is accurate (and JHM is usually infallible) then we might see it a year or two earlier depending upon how Narnia goes. Personally I want to see "The Silver Chair" made I have to say.
Clarke survived longer than Pan Am! by skywalkerfamily	Mar 19th, 2008 01:56:34 PM
Pan Am! Heh, I still laugh when I see that.
R.I.P Master Clarke by PsimonSez	Mar 19th, 2008 02:20:11 PM
I just recently re-read 3001 and still find it to be a fascinating and inspiring work of Science Fiction. I am truly saddened by the news and the universe is a little dimmer without Arthur in it. He will be forever missed.
No Hard Evidence, But... by Roboteer	Mar 19th, 2008 03:17:42 PM
You can't take away his spectacular accomplishments, but I would feel better about Sir Clarke if he ever explained, beyond loving the people, why he decided to live in a hot, wet, isolated, human rights abusive locale like Sri Lanka which for many years was torn by civil war. I wouldn't think it the first choice or 20th choice of an English gentleman. And why he never married or consorted with women. If we need to separate the man from his work, then L Ron Hubbard should get a pass too. "Life is just one big banana. Science fiction allows us all to peel open the reality and discover the yellow truth inside." A C Clarke
Married by ema13	Mar 19th, 2008 03:23:48 PM
Actually he was married, then got divorced. Also, didn't he move to Sri Lanka in like 1958? Maybe things were different then.. other than the heat. Eric
D.G. Dickblood by Automaton Overlord	Mar 19th, 2008 03:45:02 PM
Thanks for the tip, DelToro looks awesome as the wolfman. I'm so glad it's a classic "short-snout" wolfman. No CG bullshit or robotic mouth. Just plain acting and make-up.
Something Wonderful... by LennyNero123199	Mar 19th, 2008 05:31:23 PM
2001: A Space Odyssey was the very first film I ever purchased when I started building my original film library many years ago (on VHS!), and it remains one of my top five all time favorite films to this day. Thank you Mr. Clarke for one of the best science fiction epics of all time (alongside the Dune novels) Kubrick's milestone film based on his and your screenplay was imaginative, intelligent and wondrous... one might even go so far as to say that the short story on which 2001 was based, the novelization, film and subsequent sequels were all part of "something wonderful", an amazing epic I feel lucky to have experienced. The film itself was far ahead of its time and remains superior to much of the pathetic shlock that passes for science fiction today. Thank you Mr. Clarke... you will be missed. RIP.
i know who tourist is by aestheticity	Mar 19th, 2008 06:40:57 PM
i just wanted him to know that. he may know who i am, but the key issue is, i also know where he lives, works and goes out, and he doesnt know that about me. i can provide these details privately to anyone interested, but i wont do it lightly. lets wait for the day he really pisses someone off with the blatant trolling of various internet destinations that hes spent ten years inflating his own sociopathic ego with. its happened before, but seemingly no matter the personal cost of the outcome, he always returns to it. also; there are usernames regular visitors learn to expect gushing sewage from. theres no 'mute' or ignore function, so you just kind of skip a post automatically with your eyes when you see the name.
RIP, Mr. Clarke. by successor	Mar 19th, 2008 06:58:51 PM
Rendezvous with Rama was one of the first books I read that opened my mind to the possibilities of science fiction. It's a damn shame that he's gone. But the man's legacy will last long after him.
He was my life-long favorite writer by mpd1958	Mar 19th, 2008 07:21:44 PM
Starting when I was in Junior High School, I read every novel, short story, and non-fiction work that Mr. Clarke ever produced. More than Asimov, more than Heinlein, more than Bradbury, his classic sc-fi produced the elusive "sense of wonder" that good sci-fi creates in a reader. My real sense of sadness at his passing is greatly increased by his well-publicized atheism; I'm afraid he's not in Heaven today, but somewhere much less pleasant.
Just Found Out by psychedelic	Mar 19th, 2008 07:52:20 PM
The death of of Arthur C. Clarke feels more like the passing of a family friend than another celebrity who kicked the bucket. Sir Clarke's work was a subject of discussion in my family for as long as I can remember. I recall seeing parts of 2001 as a young child. Audiobooks of Childhood's End and Rendezvous With Rama were played in the car during summer family vacation road trips. His words incited the imagination and future possibilites of this world. His life contributions will be present for a long time to come.
2001 makes me cry like a starchild! by FILMFUNK	Mar 19th, 2008 08:00:55 PM
Please be joking about a remake with the Fresh Prince! This is sad news indeed but he had a good kick at the ball unlike the tragic Mingella dude - too soon!
A Visionary who shaped the future by G100	Mar 19th, 2008 10:52:40 PM
Arthur C Clarke did not just talk the talk, he helped build the space age with his papers on extra-terrestrial relays in space that paved the way for the satellite revolution. Childhoods End, Rama and City and the Stars are bona fide classics of the Genre which few can touch and his short stories are also wonderful little pieces like the 9 Billion names of God and of course The Sentinel. Inspired by Olaf Stapledon he in turn inspired the likes of Greg Bear and many other greats too. Science fiction simply would not be the shape it is without him, nor would science fiction movies. A very great loss. Oh and the type of dribbling retards who believe everything the British Tabloids say despite them actually ADMITTING it was bulllsh*t and retracting the story would do well to consider that yesterdays British Tabloids were full of Grovelling apologies for the unbelievable slurs and libelous innuendo peddled as news about the McCann missing child tragedy. The Tabloids LIE. Almost all the time. Get it ? Still, the type of scum that tries to smear, gossip and lie about someone with easily disproved tabloid trash mere hours after the person has died are at least a stark demonstration of how low and how pathetic, attention starved social inadequates can get if left untreated. They are to be pitied.

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