Which Science Fiction Writer Are You? -- Tree

This is a question/answer tree for the fun test Which Science Fiction Writer Are You? The test was written by Paul Kienitz. Please do the test before reading further!

Questions and Answers

The questions/answers and the list of authors assigned to a specific answer. Below is descriptions of the authors and summary of the assigned answers.

1. Question: What is the grand theme of life that you focus on most often?

Answer 1.1: Exploration and discovery.
Writers
Isaac Asimov
Arthur C. Clarke
Gregory Benford
Hal Clement
Kurt Vonnegut
H.G. Wells

Answer 1.2: War and conquest.
Writers
E.E. "Doc" Smith
David Brin
Frank Herbert

Answer 1.3: Individuality vs. tyranny.
Writers
Robert A. Heinlein
Ayn Rand

Answer 1.4: Art vs. inner demons.
Writers
Samuel R. Delany
James Tiptree, Jr.

Answer 1.5: Adventure and fun.
Writers
Alfred Bester
Philip José Farmer
Gregory Benford

Answer 1.6: Peace and social justice.
Writers
Ursula K. LeGuin
Cordwainer Smith
John Brunner

Answer 1.7: Rape and mind control.
Writers
Octavia E. Butler

Answer 1.8: Futility and confusion.
Writers
Stanislav Lem
Kurt Vonnegut

Answer 1.9: God.
Writers
Olaf Stapledon
Philip K. Dick

Answer 1.10: Money.
Writers
Jerry Pournelle
Mickey Spillane

2. Question: What kind of science and technology interests you the most?

Answer 2.1: Whatever is big, fast, and/or powerful.
Writers
David Brin
Jerry Pournelle
Stanislav Lem
Robert A. Heinlein
E.E. "Doc" Smith
Jules Verne

Answer 2.2: Fundamental physics and/or astrophysics.
Writers
Isaac Asimov
Arthur C. Clarke
Gregory Benford
Olaf Stapledon
Hal Clement
H.G. Wells

Answer 2.3: Genetics and biology.
Writers
Octavia E. Butler
Cordwainer Smith

Answer 2.4: Sociology and anthropology.
Writers
Isaac Asimov
Frank Herbert
Ursula K. LeGuin
Olaf Stapledon
Ayn Rand
John Brunner

Answer 2.5: Psychology and neurology.
Writers
Alfred Bester
Samuel R. Delany
Philip K. Dick
James Tiptree, Jr.
Kurt Vonnegut

Answer 2.6: Cybernetics.
Writers
William Gibson

Answer 2.7: Martial arts and bullets.
Writers
Philip José Farmer
Jerry Pournelle
Mickey Spillane

3. Question: Are you patriotic?

Answer 3.1: The good old U.S. of A. is the model toward which all other nations should strive.
Writers
David Brin
Jerry Pournelle
Mickey Spillane
Robert A. Heinlein
E.E. "Doc" Smith
Ayn Rand

Answer 3.2: The same, for some other country instead of the States.
Writers
Jules Verne

Answer 3.3: Patriotism is foolish... but I suppose I'm rather parochial.
Writers
Isaac Asimov
Alfred Bester
Octavia E. Butler
Philip José Farmer
Frank Herbert
Samuel R. Delany
Ursula K. LeGuin
William Gibson
Olaf Stapledon
Philip K. Dick
Hal Clement
James Tiptree, Jr.
Kurt Vonnegut
John Brunner

Answer 3.4: I'm a total internationalist and I travel all over.
Writers
Arthur C. Clarke
Gregory Benford
Stanislav Lem
H.G. Wells
Cordwainer Smith

4. Question: How big of an asshole are you?

Answer 4.1: I am so sweet and harmless that nobody could ever wish ill of me.
Writers
Alfred Bester
Octavia E. Butler
Ursula K. LeGuin
Cordwainer Smith

Answer 4.2: I try to practice common courtesy -- which I don't find to be terribly common.
Writers
Isaac Asimov
Philip José Farmer
Samuel R. Delany
William Gibson
Olaf Stapledon
Hal Clement
James Tiptree, Jr.

Answer 4.3: I do not believe someone of my stature should have to suffer fools gladly.
Writers
Arthur C. Clarke
Gregory Benford
Frank Herbert
Stanislav Lem
Philip K. Dick
Robert A. Heinlein
E.E. "Doc" Smith
Jules Verne
Kurt Vonnegut
H.G. Wells
John Brunner

Answer 4.4: I'll shit on you like you've never been shit on before.
Writers
David Brin
Jerry Pournelle

Answer 4.5: I can take a dildo the size of a Louisville Slugger.
Writers
Mickey Spillane
Ayn Rand

5. Question: Are you a total dork when dealing with the opposite sex?

Answer 5.1: I'm so smooth, I couldn't possibly be a science fiction writer anyway.
Writers
Alfred Bester
Mickey Spillane

Answer 5.2: I'm happily married, so (thank god) I don't have to worry much about that sort of thing now.
Writers
Philip José Farmer
Frank Herbert
Ursula K. LeGuin
Hal Clement
Robert A. Heinlein
E.E. "Doc" Smith
James Tiptree, Jr.
Cordwainer Smith

Answer 5.3: The ladies warn each other to avoid me when I'm drunk.
Writers
Jerry Pournelle
Stanislav Lem
H.G. Wells
Ayn Rand

Answer 5.4: I probably offend a lot more people than I realize I do.
Writers
Isaac Asimov
Arthur C. Clarke
David Brin
Gregory Benford
William Gibson
Philip K. Dick
Jules Verne
Kurt Vonnegut
John Brunner

Answer 5.5: I just avoid people as much as possible.
Writers
Octavia E. Butler
Olaf Stapledon

Answer 5.6: I am the opposite sex.
Writers
Samuel R. Delany
James Tiptree, Jr.
James Tiptree, Jr.

6. Question: Are you loud and flamboyant?

Answer 6.1: Hell yes. Lets all go out for drinks! But put some better threads on first, OK?
Writers
Alfred Bester
David Brin
Jerry Pournelle
Mickey Spillane
Philip K. Dick
Robert A. Heinlein

Answer 6.2: When you get onto a subject that I care about, I'll surprise you.
Writers
Arthur C. Clarke
Gregory Benford
Frank Herbert
Samuel R. Delany
Stanislav Lem
William Gibson
E.E. "Doc" Smith
Jules Verne
Kurt Vonnegut
H.G. Wells
Ayn Rand
John Brunner

Answer 6.3: I'm more comfortable disappearing into the background.
Writers
Isaac Asimov
Octavia E. Butler
Philip José Farmer
Ursula K. LeGuin
Olaf Stapledon
Hal Clement
James Tiptree, Jr.
Cordwainer Smith

7. Question: Do you consider what you do to be art?

Answer 7.1: Yes. I take my art very seriously.
Writers
Octavia E. Butler
Gregory Benford
Samuel R. Delany
Ursula K. LeGuin
Olaf Stapledon
James Tiptree, Jr.
Kurt Vonnegut
Cordwainer Smith

Answer 7.2: Sort of, but it's as much commercial as artistic.
Writers
Alfred Bester
Arthur C. Clarke
Frank Herbert
Stanislav Lem
Philip K. Dick
Jules Verne
H.G. Wells
Ayn Rand
John Brunner

Answer 7.3: It's a craft, and I take pride in being a professional.
Writers
Isaac Asimov
David Brin
Philip José Farmer
Jerry Pournelle
William Gibson
Hal Clement
Robert A. Heinlein
E.E. "Doc" Smith

Answer 7.4: It's a nice scam -- I wonder how much longer people will pay me to do this?
Writers
Mickey Spillane

8. Question: Who did you vote for in the 2000 presidential election?

Answer 8.1: Al.
Writers
David Brin
Gregory Benford
William Gibson
James Tiptree, Jr.

Answer 8.2: George.
Writers
Philip José Farmer
Robert A. Heinlein
E.E. "Doc" Smith

Answer 8.3: Ralph.
Writers
Octavia E. Butler
Frank Herbert
Samuel R. Delany
Ursula K. LeGuin
Philip K. Dick
Kurt Vonnegut

Answer 8.4: Pat.
Writers
Jerry Pournelle
Mickey Spillane
Ayn Rand

Answer 8.5: None of the above.
Writers
Isaac Asimov
Alfred Bester
Arthur C. Clarke
Stanislav Lem
Olaf Stapledon
Hal Clement
Jules Verne
H.G. Wells
Cordwainer Smith
John Brunner

9. Question: Are you a blabbermouth?

Answer 9.1: It is morally wrong to silence yourself just so somebody else can talk.
Writers
Isaac Asimov
Philip José Farmer
Philip K. Dick
Jules Verne
H.G. Wells

Answer 9.2: I'm such a fascinating talker, folks are glad to let me do more of the talking.
Writers
Arthur C. Clarke
Frank Herbert
Samuel R. Delany
Jerry Pournelle
Mickey Spillane
Robert A. Heinlein
Kurt Vonnegut
John Brunner

Answer 9.3: God gave us two ears and only one mouth, so we could listen more than we talk.
Writers
David Brin
Octavia E. Butler
Gregory Benford
Ursula K. LeGuin
Stanislav Lem
William Gibson
Hal Clement
E.E. "Doc" Smith
Ayn Rand

Answer 9.4: Just call me Silent Cal.
Writers
Alfred Bester
Olaf Stapledon
James Tiptree, Jr.
Cordwainer Smith

10. Question: Do you have the answers?

Answer 10.1: I'm all about questions, not answers.
Writers
Isaac Asimov
Octavia E. Butler
Samuel R. Delany
Stanislav Lem
William Gibson
Olaf Stapledon
Philip K. Dick
Hal Clement
James Tiptree, Jr.

Answer 10.2: I have some intriguing theories that might be fruitful.
Writers
Alfred Bester
Arthur C. Clarke
David Brin
Philip José Farmer
Gregory Benford
Ursula K. LeGuin
Robert A. Heinlein
Jules Verne
Kurt Vonnegut
Cordwainer Smith

Answer 10.3: I can tell you the real solutions to social problems, which people are blinding themselves to.
Writers
Frank Herbert
H.G. Wells
Ayn Rand
John Brunner

Answer 10.4: Anyone with any sense knows the right answers, unless they're some kind of traitorous pinko.
Writers
Jerry Pournelle
Mickey Spillane
E.E. "Doc" Smith

11. Question: Half empty, or half full?

Answer 11.1: Hell, it's practically brimming full!
Writers
Isaac Asimov
Alfred Bester
Arthur C. Clarke
David Brin
Philip José Farmer
Jerry Pournelle
Robert A. Heinlein
E.E. "Doc" Smith
Cordwainer Smith
Ayn Rand

Answer 11.2: The half-empty glass is a symbol of the emptiness of existence.
Writers
Octavia E. Butler
Samuel R. Delany
Mickey Spillane
Stanislav Lem
William Gibson
Olaf Stapledon
Philip K. Dick
James Tiptree, Jr.
Jules Verne
Kurt Vonnegut

Answer 11.3: The glass is twice the necessary size.
Writers
Gregory Benford
Frank Herbert
Ursula K. LeGuin
Hal Clement
H.G. Wells
John Brunner

Descriptions of authors

Descriptions of the authors and the answers assigned to the authors.

Isaac Asimov
One of the most prolific writers in history, on any imaginable subject. Cared little for art but created lasting and memorable tales.
Answers: 1.1 2.2 2.4 3.3 4.2 5.4 6.3 7.3 8.5 9.1 10.1 11.1

Alfred Bester
A pyrotechnic talent who put only a small portion of his energy into writing.
Answers: 1.5 2.5 3.3 4.1 5.1 6.1 7.2 8.5 9.4 10.2 11.1

Arthur C. Clarke
Well known for nonfiction science writing and for early promotion of the effort toward space travel, his fiction was often grand and visionary.
Answers: 1.1 2.2 3.4 4.3 5.4 6.2 7.2 8.5 9.2 10.2 11.1

David Brin
Bestselling producer of impossible-to-put-down epic adventures in a far-flung future.
Answers: 1.2 2.1 3.1 4.4 5.4 6.1 7.3 8.1 9.3 10.2 11.1

Octavia E. Butler
A voice truly unique in all of literature.
Answers: 1.7 2.3 3.3 4.1 5.5 6.3 7.1 8.3 9.3 10.1 11.2

Philip José Farmer
This prolific author brings surprising depths to he-man adventure tales, and broke science fiction's prudery barrier.
Answers: 1.5 2.7 3.3 4.2 5.2 6.3 7.3 8.2 9.1 10.2 11.1

Gregory Benford
A master literary stylist who is also a working scientist.
Answers: 1.1 1.5 2.2 3.4 4.3 5.4 6.2 7.1 8.1 9.3 10.2 11.3

Frank Herbert
His style is often stilted, but he created what some consider the greatest SF novel of all time.
Answers: 1.2 2.4 3.3 4.3 5.2 6.2 7.2 8.3 9.2 10.3 11.3

Samuel R. Delany
Few have had such broad commercial success with aggressively experimental prose techniques.
Answers: 1.4 2.5 3.3 4.2 5.6 6.2 7.1 8.3 9.2 10.1 11.2

Jerry Pournelle
This old-fashioned writer may be the most unapologetic capitalist in the field. He has also been influential in many other fields, from space policy to the computer industry.
Answers: 1.10 2.1 2.7 3.1 4.4 5.3 6.1 7.3 8.4 9.2 10.4 11.1

Mickey Spillane
A tremendously successful writer of extreme over-the-top hard boiled detective novels, who occasionally dabbled in science fictional elements (badly).
Answers: 1.10 2.7 3.1 4.5 5.1 6.1 7.4 8.4 9.2 10.4 11.2

Ursula K. LeGuin
Perhaps the most admired writing talent in the science fiction field.
Answers: 1.6 2.4 3.3 4.1 5.2 6.3 7.1 8.3 9.3 10.2 11.3

Stanislav Lem
This pessimistic Pole has spent a whole career telling ironic stories of futility and frustration. Yet he is also a master of wordplay so witty that it sparkles even when translated into English.
Answers: 1.8 2.1 3.4 4.3 5.3 6.2 7.2 8.5 9.3 10.1 11.2

William Gibson
The chief instigator of the "cyberpunk" wave of the 1980s, his razzle-dazzle futuristic intrigues were, for a while, the most imitated work in science fiction.
Answers: 2.6 3.3 4.2 5.4 6.2 7.3 8.1 9.3 10.1 11.2

Olaf Stapledon
Standing outside the science fiction "field", he wrote fictional explorations of the futures of whole species and galaxies.
Answers: 1.9 2.2 2.4 3.3 4.2 5.5 6.3 7.1 8.5 9.4 10.1 11.2

Philip K. Dick
The brilliant yet trashy master of the reality warp always left you unsure of what was real, but never forgot compassion.
Answers: 1.9 2.5 3.3 4.3 5.4 6.1 7.2 8.3 9.1 10.1 11.2

Hal Clement
(Harry C. Stubbs) A quiet and underrated master of "hard science" fiction who, among other things, foresaw integrated circuits back in the 1940s.
Answers: 1.1 2.2 3.3 4.2 5.2 6.3 7.3 8.5 9.3 10.1 11.3

Robert A. Heinlein
Beginning with technological action stories and progressing to epics with religious overtones, this take-no-prisoners writer racked up some huge sales numbers.
Answers: 1.3 2.1 3.1 4.3 5.2 6.1 7.3 8.2 9.2 10.2 11.1

E.E. "Doc" Smith
The inventor of space opera. His purple space war tales remain well-read generations later.
Answers: 1.2 2.1 3.1 4.3 5.2 6.2 7.3 8.2 9.3 10.4 11.1

James Tiptree, Jr.
(Alice B. Sheldon) In the 1970s she was perhaps the most memorable, and one of the most popular, short story writers. Her real life was as fantastic as her fiction.
Answers: 1.4 2.5 3.3 4.2 5.2 5.6 5.6 6.3 7.1 8.1 9.4 10.1 11.2

Jules Verne
The 19th century Frenchman who made science fiction into a successful commercial genre.
Answers: 2.1 3.2 4.3 5.4 6.2 7.2 8.5 9.1 10.2 11.2

Kurt Vonnegut
For years, this unique creator of absurd and haunting tales denied that he had anything to do with science fiction.
Answers: 1.1 1.8 2.5 3.3 4.3 5.4 6.2 7.1 8.3 9.2 10.2 11.2

H.G. Wells
The first major literary talent to make himself at home in the science fiction field, greatly expanding its popularity.
Answers: 1.1 2.2 3.4 4.3 5.3 6.2 7.2 8.5 9.1 10.3 11.3

Cordwainer Smith
(Paul M.A. Linebarger) This inimitably unique storyteller created a future with so many deep layers of history that all the world we know is practically lost in it.
Answers: 1.6 2.3 3.4 4.1 5.2 6.3 7.1 8.5 9.4 10.2 11.1

Ayn Rand
(Alissa Rosenbaum) This charismatic cult leader used science fiction as one of her recruiting tools for new converts.
Answers: 1.3 2.4 3.1 4.5 5.3 6.2 7.2 8.4 9.3 10.3 11.1

John Brunner
His best known works are dystopias -- vivid realizations of the futures we want to avoid.
Answers: 1.6 2.4 3.3 4.3 5.4 6.2 7.2 8.5 9.2 10.3 11.3

This tree was created by Hakan Kjellerstrand