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Comet, v. 1, issue 1, January-February 1940

Page 11

FAVORITE AUTHORS -- A LITTLE RATING
by JAMES TILLMAN
%%%%%%%%%%%%%
Of course every one has his own ideas about which stf. author is the best, but any fan will acknowledge that certain ones such as Smith, Campbell, Taine, Verrill, Weinbaum, and quite a few more are outstanding. One evening recently I was browsing thru my card index of science fiction magazines, when an idea of rating authors struck me.

I went thru my file, and chose the three best stories in each issue and ranked these in order. I gave the author of the best in each issue five points, the second three points, and the third one point. The final result was like this:

1. Campbell
1sts: 25
2nds: 14
3rds: 3
Total: 170

2. Smith
1sts: 24
2nds: 8
3rds: 6
Total: 129

3. Williamson
1sts: 15
2nds: 11
3rds: 5
Total: 115

4. Ceblentz
1sts: 16
2nds: 4
3rds: 5
Total: 95

5. Weinbaum
1sts: 13
2nds: 6
3rds: 8
Total: 86

6. Bruer
1sts: 10
2nds: 5
3rds: 3
Total: 70

7. Verrill
1sts: 11
2nds: 3
3rds: 3
Total: 67

8. Binder
1sts: 10
2nds: 3
3rds: 7
Total: 66

9. Gallun
1sts: 5
2nds: 7
3rds: 8
Total: 54

10. Jones
1sts: 7
2nds: 5
3rds: 3
Total: 54

11. Taine
1sts; 10
2nds: 1
3rds: 1
Total: 54

Now some of this surprised me considerably. I don't like Binder stories that well for example. And I had supposed that Smith should have been ahead of Campbell. Campbell's stories under the name of Stuart, however, turned the trick.

Another Madison fan, named Brian Michelus, rated the authors as follows by the same system:

1. Smith
1sts: 26
2nds: 1
3rds: 0
Total: 133

2. Campbell
1sts: 19
2nds: 7
3rds: 10
Total: 96

3. Schachner
1sts: 15
2nds: 10
3rds: 4
Total: 89

4. Williamson
1sts: 13
2nds: 12
3rds: 2
Total: 88

5. Weinbaum
1sts: 13
2nds: 6
3rds: 4
Total: 87

How he got Schachner way up there I don't know, but he did. Otherwise they are very much alike, and I am wondering if most of the fans wouldn't produce a good deal the same results.

Other well known authors ranked as follows: Lenster - 29, Manning - 40, Hamilton - 31, Vincent - 35, Pratt -25, Keller -41, Cloukey - 23, and the newcomer, Hubbard - 29.

Keller's low score is the fault of the 1937 flood, which washed out part of my collection, and most of the stories along with it. My file only includes those stories which I have. These figures are based on some 240 magazines.

Of course the method of ranking the authors rewards those that write many stories unduly. Some excellent authros made lower scores

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FAVORITE AUTHORS -- A LITTLE RATING by JAMES TILLMAN %%%%%%%%%%%%% Of course every one has his own ideas about which stf. author is the best, but any fan will acknowledge that certain ones such as Smith, Campbell, Taine, Verrill, Weinbaum, and quite a few more are outstanding. One evening recently I was browsing thru my card index of science fiction magazines, when an idea of rating authors struck me. I went thru my file, and chose the three best stories in each issue and ranked these in order. I gave the author of the best in each issue five points, the second three points, and the third one point. The final result was like this: 1. Campbell 1sts: 25 2nds: 14 3rds: 3 Total: 170 2. Smith 1sts: 24 2nds: 8 3rds: 6 Total: 129 3. Williamson 1sts: 15 2nds: 11 3rds: 5 Total: 115 4. Ceblentz 1sts: 16 2nds: 4 3rds: 5 Total: 95 5. Weinbaum 1sts: 13 2nds: 6 3rds: 8 Total: 86 6. Bruer 1sts: 10 2nds: 5 3rds: 3 Total: 70 7. Verrill 1sts: 11 2nds: 3 3rds: 3 Total: 67 8. Binder 1sts: 10 2nds: 3 3rds: 7 Total: 66 9. Gallun 1sts: 5 2nds: 7 3rds: 8 Total: 54 10. Jones 1sts: 7 2nds: 5 3rds: 3 Total: 54 11. Taine 1sts; 10 2nds: 1 3rds: 1 Total: 54 Now some of this surprised me considerably. I don't like Binder stories that well for example. And I had supposed that Smith should have been ahead of Campbell. Campbell's stories under the name of Stuart, however, turned the trick. Another Madison fan, named Brian Michelus, rated the authors as follows by the same system: 1. Smith 1sts: 26 2nds: 1 3rds: 0 Total: 133 2. Campbell 1sts: 19 2nds: 7 3rds: 10 Total: 96 3. Schachner 1sts: 15 2nds: 10 3rds: 4 Total: 89 4. Williamson 1sts: 13 2nds: 12 3rds: 2 Total: 88 5. Weinbaum 1sts: 13 2nds: 6 3rds: 4 Total: 87 How he got Schachner way up there I don't know, but he did. Otherwise they are very much alike, and I am wondering if most of the fans wouldn't produce a good deal the same results. Other well known authors ranked as follows: Lenster - 29, Manning - 40, Hamilton - 31, Vincent - 35, Pratt -25, Keller -41, Cloukey - 23, and the newcomer, Hubbard - 29. Keller's low score is the fault of the 1937 flood, which washed out part of my collection, and most of the stories along with it. My file only includes those stories which I have. These figures are based on some 240 magazines. Of course the method of ranking the authors rewards those that write many stories unduly. Some excellent authros made lower scores (continued on next page)