Jules Verne was one of the early and very influential science fiction authors. His works like 'Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea' and 'Around the World in Eighty Days' were full of imaginative concepts for his time. Another is H.G. Wells, who wrote 'The War of the Worlds' and 'The Time Machine'. His works often explored scientific and social ideas in a fictional context.
H.G. Wells is also crucial. His 'The War of the Worlds' is a classic. It explored the idea of an alien invasion, which was a very new concept at that time. His works often had a social and political commentary within the science - fiction framework.
Many early science fiction works were set in the near future or in unknown, exotic locations. E.T.A. Hoffmann's works often had a setting that was both familiar and strange, which added to the sense of the unknown. And they were often used as a vehicle to comment on society. Verne, for example, in his works, sometimes subtly critiqued the society of his time through his descriptions of different cultures and technological advancements.
One of the early greats was Mary Shelley. She wrote 'Frankenstein', which can be considered an early form of science fiction as it dealt with the idea of creating life through scientific means. Edgar Allan Poe also dabbled in science - fictional ideas in some of his works, though he is more known for his horror stories. These authors were pioneers in the field of science fiction, laying the groundwork for future generations of writers.
Octavia Butler was a very important author. Her works like 'Kindred' and 'Dawn' are considered classics in early black science fiction. She was great at exploring complex themes like race, power, and identity in a science - fiction context.
Kurd Lasswitz was a prominent figure in early German science fiction. His works often explored scientific concepts in an imaginative way. Another well - known author was Hanns Heinz Ewers, who wrote stories with elements of the supernatural and science fiction. Otto Witt was also among the early German science fiction authors, contributing to the development of the genre in its early days.
Yevgeny Zamyatin, although his works were sometimes controversial, was also part of early Soviet literature that had elements of science fiction. His most famous work 'We' had dystopian elements which were different from the more utopian - leaning science fiction of some of his contemporaries, but it still contributed to the overall landscape of early Soviet science - fictional thought.
One of the important early authors was Osamu Tezuka. He is often considered the 'Godfather of Manga' and his works had significant science - fiction elements. His stories like 'Astro Boy' were not only popular in Japan but also globally, and they introduced many science - fictional concepts to a wide audience.
Jules Verne was a very notable one. His works are considered classics in early science fiction. H.G. Wells was another. His books like 'The War of the Worlds' and 'The Time Machine' were extremely influential.