Is Clarke a good writer?

So, Clarke.

I never found what was good about him. Every time I tried reading his fiction, horribly poor writing hurt my perception. I never ever though he was anything popular, though; but lo(l) and behold, he's dead and now it seems he was very, very loved by the hugest of audiences.

So... was he really good? I only read some random short stories, nonsensically written and on nonsensical subjects, like the one where buddhist monks were calculating all the names of God with a modern computer, and when they were done the STARS STARTED TO SHUT OFF OH MAN SO AMAZING XD .

What is some of his best stuff? I wanna see where the awesome lies. I really wouldn't mind finding myself another awesome writer, seriously. I'm not doing this to read a bit and then scream "I TOLD YOU SO! HE SUCKS FOR REAL!" I just never found anything good in whatever I read by him, but, really, that might have only been because I never really looked.

>>7
That by no means makes him a good writer, I gather.

>>6
|There's a reason why he's considered one the big three science-fiction writers.
Cool! And that reason is?