While he's focusing on (slightly older) US sci-fi, I think he's talking about all sci-fi (he himself is a modern British sci-fi writer, and he seems to be including himself in the list of people that weird billionaires shouldn't be taking influence from). In terms of good non-US sci-fi, a few I like:
- Iain M Banks (his non-scifi stuff, as Iain Banks, was also good)
- Alastair Reynolds
- Ken MacLeod
- Peter Hamilton (mixed feelings about this recommendation; there are aspects of his work I find extremely irritating, but he is _very_ good at _properly_ alien aliens)
- Charlie Stross (the author of the article)
There are plenty of good American sci-fi writers as well, of course. I think it would be fair to say that British sci-fi writers tend to be more cynical/less utopian than Americans, though this isn't as pronounced as it used to be (American sci-fi is no longer as "wow! spaceships!" as it used to be).
- Iain M Banks (his non-scifi stuff, as Iain Banks, was also good)
- Alastair Reynolds
- Ken MacLeod
- Peter Hamilton (mixed feelings about this recommendation; there are aspects of his work I find extremely irritating, but he is _very_ good at _properly_ alien aliens)
- Charlie Stross (the author of the article)
There are plenty of good American sci-fi writers as well, of course. I think it would be fair to say that British sci-fi writers tend to be more cynical/less utopian than Americans, though this isn't as pronounced as it used to be (American sci-fi is no longer as "wow! spaceships!" as it used to be).