The Final Odyssey

"Life is just one big banana. Science fiction allows us all to peel open the reality and discover the yellow truth inside.8221;

8220;Life is just one big banana. Science fiction allows us all to peel open the reality and discover the yellow truth inside.8221;

It was a science fiction convention in New York in the 8217;60s. Isaac Asimov and Arthur C. Clarke were in a taxi, vigorously arguing about which of them, or Ray Bradbury, was the better writer. Finally, they came to an agreement 8212; they would refer to themselves always alphabetically 8212; as ABC. Gleefully, Asimov pointed out that even then, his name came first!

In a sense, this story sums up the situation of Sir Arthur C. Clarke, who died at the age of 90 in Sri Lanka, having just put the finishing touches to his last novel, a collaboration with Frederik Pohl. For much of his active writing life, Clarke was overshadowed by his great rival. While his contribution to science fiction was always recognised and acknowledged, its true scale became apparent only after Asimov8217;s death.

Clarke was born in Somerset in 1917, and received a first class degree in physics at King8217;s College. During World War II, he was a member of the team that developed the radar. Interestingly, Clarke was also the originator of the geo-stationary satellite, without which today8217;s communications systems are inconceivable. Clarke8217;s fascination with science fiction was born after reading Astounding Stories. In 1937, he wrote his first science fiction story 8212; 8216;Against The Fall Of Night8217; 8212; which was accepted after many revisions, only in 1948. With it, Clarke immediately established himself in the realm of science fiction.

Clarke poured out a prodigious number of stories and novels, including 8216;The Nine Billion Names of God8217; and Childhood8217;s End, about first contact with aliens. His short story 8216;Sentinel8217; formed the basis of 2001: A Space Odyssey, possibly the greatest science fiction movie ever, and the world was never the same again. In 1969, Clarke wrote NASA8217;s official book about the moon landing. Clarke produced science documentaries, essays, and non-fiction, after moving to Sri Lanka. Age and illness took its toll 8212; paralysed from the waist down by a form of polio, Clarke ended his incessant travels. Forced to stop writing stories because he did not have the time, he concentrated on novels, mentoring the next generation of science fiction writers, with whom he also collaborated.

The magic of Clarke8217;s science lay in its compulsive fusion of hard science with wonderful writing 8212; genuinely science fiction. His characters were believable and human, with a sense of humour and love for adventure. A little like Arthur C. Clarke himself.