From Sci-Fi Lists, here's the Top 100 Sci-Fi Books of all time. See if you agree with the top 10 picks:
1. Frank Herbert: Dune (1965)
2. Orson Scott Card: Ender's Game (1985)
3. Isaac Asimov: Foundation (1951)
4. Douglas Adams: Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (1979)
5. George Orwell: 1984 (1949)
6. Robert A. Heinlein: Stranger in a Strange Land (1961)
7. Aldous Huxley: Brave New World (1932)
8. Ray Bradbury: Fahrenheit 451 (1954)
9. William Gibson: Neuromancer (1984)
10. Robert A Heinlein: Starship Troopers (1959)
Dude, I think ted was the only one who knocked Dune here, and he referenced the movie, so... yeah. No one's really saying Herbert is overrated. It's just ted. He barks sometimes.
For example :
Arthur C Clarke - 2001
Herbert - Dune
Philip K D!CK, Heinlein, etc
NB: all of which deserve to be represented.
People voting from a long list of great Sci Fi are just going to pick the 10 they have maybe actually heard of little though read.
And if the great female Sci Fi writers are not part of the choice in voting then there is no surprise that they are not represented.
I like the list for its broad appeal, however it is as silky points out a poularity contest, and not a literary merit based list.
Obviously more Hugo etc award winning authors and works are going to appear merely for the fact they are more widespreadly known and for having won the award in the first place.
Earlier works may not be represented as much either because they are not currently fashionable or in print recently, perhaps the newer generation are fresher in peoples minds.
Just my thoughts...