Tag Archives: L. Sprague de Camp

L. Sprague de Camp Seeks “Employment”

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L. Sprague and Catherine Crook de Camp

Today, November 27, is the birthday of L. Sprague de Camp (1907-2000). I had the pleasure of meeting Sprague and his lovely wife Catherine on several occasions after they moved to Plano, Texas in the 1990s. They attended some of the local conventions.

I am more than well aware that de Camp isn’t exactly popular in Robert E. Howard fandom because of how he portrayed Howard in his biography Dark Valley Destiny.

But this is my science fiction blog, not my fantasy blog. L. Sprague de Camp wrote plenty of science fiction, especially early in his career. I think he was a better short story writer than novelist, but that’s just me. I’m going to look at one of de Camp’s early science fiction stories today. Continue reading →

How to Divide and Rule

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Divide and Rule
L. Sprague de Camp
originally serialized in Uknown, April and May 1939

Unknown, arguably the greatest fantasy magazine after Weird Tales, did publish some science fiction during its run. Not too surprising given the editor was John W. Campbell, Jr., the editor of Astounding Science Fiction.

Case in point, Divide and Rule by L. Sprague de Camp, who was an accomplished writer in both fantasy and science fiction. I enjoyed this one more than I have some of the other de Camp titles I’ve read in the last few years.

The story takes place a couple of hundred years in the future.  Earth has been subjugated by an alien race known as hoppers.  They’re a cross between a kangaroo and a rat.  After studying Earth’s history, they concluded that the best way to keep humanity from uniting was to divide them up into feudal territories. Continue reading →

John W. Campbell, Jr. at 105

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On this day in 1910, John W. Campbell entered the world.  It was a very different world when he left it on July 11, 1971.  He envisioned much of that world and much of what followed his passing.JohnWCampbell-WhoGoesThere-314x218

John Campbell was arguably the most influential science fiction and fantasy editor of the 20th Century.  (Feel free to disagree in the comments.)  Campbell began writing science fiction for the pulps.  At first he published space opera under his own name.  Not content to be a well regarded writer in the field, he began publishing moody, thoughtful stories under the name Don A. Stuart.  He took the pen name from his wife’s maiden name, Dona Stuart.  His most famous story under either byline is “Who Goes There?” by Don A. Stuart, which was filmed as The Thing From Another World (1951), The Thing (1982), and The Thing (2011). Continue reading →