Famous Canadian Science Fiction Writers

Vote for Your Favourite Canadian Science Fiction Writers

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 1 
William Gibson
(Science-Fiction Writer Known for His Novel ‘Neuromancer’ and a Pinoeer of 'Cyberpunk' Genre)
William Gibson
10
Birthdate: March 17, 1948
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Conway, South Carolina, United States

William Gibson is an American-Canadian essayist and speculative fiction writer. He is widely credited with pioneering cyberpunk, a science fiction subgenre. His early works, which he produced during the late-1970s and early-1980s, helped create an iconography for the information age even before the dawn of the Internet in the 1990s. William Gibson is also credited with coining the term cyberspace.

 2 
James Doohan
(Screenwriter, Television actor, Film actor, Actor, Novelist, Science fiction writer)
James Doohan
10
Birthdate: March 3, 1920
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Vancouver
Died: July 20, 2005

Canadian actor James Doohan was initially a soldier in the Canadian army and had even sustained injuries in World War II. He later soared to fame with his Saturn Award-nominated role of Montgomery Scott in the Star Trek film and TV franchise. He also voiced the character in various video games.

 3 
Cory Doctorow
(Blogger, Journalist, and Science Fiction Author Who Served as Co-editor of the Blog Boing Boing)
Cory Doctorow
3
Birthdate: July 17, 1971
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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 4 
A. E. van Vogt
(One of the Most Popular and Influential Practitioners of Science Fiction Writers in the Mid-20th Century)
A. E. van Vogt
6
Birthdate: April 26, 1912
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Gretna, Canada
Died: January 26, 2000

A. E. van Vogt was a Canadian author whose bizarre narrative style had a major impact on many future science fiction writers like Philip K. Dick. One of the most influential and popular science fiction writers of the mid-twentieth century, van Vogt was inducted into the Science Fiction and Fantasy Hall of Fame in 1996.

 5 
Peter Watts
(Science Fiction Author Who Specializes in Hard Science Fiction)
Peter Watts
2
Birthdate: January 25, 1958
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Calgary, Canada
 6 
Douglas Coupland
(Canadian Novelist, Designer and Visual Artist)
Douglas Coupland
6
Birthdate: December 30, 1961
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: CFB Baden–Soellingen, Germany

Douglas Coupland is a Canadian novelist and artist who popularized the term “Generation X” mentioned in his international bestseller Generation X: Tales for an Accelerated Culture. He has published several novels, collections of short stories, and works of non-fiction. His art is frequently exhibited at the Vancouver Art Gallery and the Museum of Contemporary Canadian Art. 

 7 
Vaclav Smil
(Czech-Canadian Scientist and Policy Analyst)
Vaclav Smil
4
Birthdate: December 9, 1943
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Pilsen, Czechia

One of Foreign Policy’s Top 100 Global Thinkers in 2010, Czech-Canadian scientist and University of Manitoba professor Vaclav Smil perhaps developed his love for the environment while living among the Bohemian Forest in childhood. Apart from studying energy and environmental change, he also pens books such as Energy and Civilization.

 8 
Gordon Korman
(Canadian Author of Children's and Young Adult Fiction Books)
Gordon Korman
10
Birthdate: October 23, 1963
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Montreal, Canada

Gordon Korman is a Canadian American author who has written over 80 fiction books. Over a career spanning 40 years, Korman has sold over 28 million books and has been featured at the top on The New York Times Best Seller list. Some of his works, such as the Monday Night Football Club series, have been adapted into TV series.

 9 
Robert J. Sawyer
(Science fiction writer, Screenwriter, Writer)
Robert J. Sawyer
1
Birthdate: April 29, 1960
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Ottawa

Robert J. Sawyer is a Canadian writer whose short fiction has appeared in popular magazines like On Spec, Amazing Stories, and Analog Science Fiction and Fact. An ardent supporter of Canadian science fiction, Sawyer played a key role in the establishment of the Canadian Region of SFWA. He has won many awards like the Hugo Award and the Nebula Award.

 10 
Ed Greenwood
(Fantasy writer and the original creator of the Forgotten Realms game world)
Ed Greenwood
2
Birthdate: July 21, 1959
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Canada
 11 
Spider Robinson
(Novelist, Writer, Science fiction writer)
Spider Robinson
1
Birthdate: November 24, 1948
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: New York City

Spider Robinson is a musician and science fiction author best known for his humorous stories and hard science fiction. Over the course of his illustrious career, Spider Robinson has won many prestigious awards, such as the Hugo Award, John W. Campbell Award, and Nebula Award. At the 2018 World Science Fiction Convention, Spider Robinson was named a Guest of Honor.

 12 
Simon Newcomb
(Astronomer, Mathematician, Economist, Novelist, Writer, Teacher, University teacher, Science fiction writer)
Simon Newcomb
3
Birthdate: March 12, 1835
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Nova Scotia
Died: July 11, 1909

Initially a herbalist’s apprentice, Simon Newcomb later deviated to mathematics and astronomy. Born to a schoolteacher, he had loved math since age 5 but wasn’t formally educated. He later joined Harvard University, taught math at the US Navy, detected locations of celestial bodies, and wrote a science-fiction novel, too.

 13 
Gordon R. Dickson
(Canadian-American Science Fiction Writer Best Known for His 'Childe Cycle' and 'Dragon Knight' Series)
Gordon R. Dickson
3
Birthdate: November 1, 1923
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Edmonton, Canada
Died: January 31, 2001

Gordon R. Dickson was an influential science fiction writer whose 1969 novel Wolfling inspired the creation of the lightsaber, a sword showcased in the Star Wars franchise. During his illustrious career, Dickson won many prestigious awards, including three Hugo Awards and a Nebula Award. In 2000, he was inducted into the Science Fiction and Fantasy Hall of Fame. 

 14 
Silvia Moreno-Garcia
(Novelist and Science fiction writer)
Silvia Moreno-Garcia
0
Birthdate: April 25, 1981
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Baja California, Mexico
 15 
Kenneth Oppel
(Writer, Science fiction writer, Children's writer)
Kenneth Oppel
1
Birthdate: August 31, 1967
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Port Alberni

Author of numerous books for young adults, Kenneth Oppel is an award-winning Canadian writer, especially known for his bestselling children's trilogy Silverwing, which sold over a million copies worldwide and Airborn, which earned him numerous awards and nominations. Some of his other important works are Half Brother, This Dark Endeavor, Such Wicked Intent, The Boundless, and The Nest etc.  

 16 
Judith Merril
(American-Canadian Science Fiction Writer, Editor and Political Activist)
Judith Merril
3
Birthdate: January 21, 1923
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Boston, Massachusetts, United States
Died: September 12, 1997

Sci-fi author Judith Josephine Grossman, better known by her pen-name, Judith Merril, is also known for editing several anthologies. After her father’s suicide, she was raised by her mother in the Bronx. That Only A Mother remains one of her best-known short stories and has been part of many anthologies.