L. Sprague de Camp, one of the greatest archaeological voices of the Golden Age of Science Fiction, died Monday in his adopted home of Plano, Texas, just three weeks short of his 93rd birthday.
The deceased was one of the few writers elevated by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America to the rank of "Grand Master," an honor he received in 1978.
De Camp's work in the science fiction genre is distinguished by a concern for linguistics and historical forces -- rare for the time, when most SF writers dealt exclusively in "hard" sciences and engineering.
His most highly regarded works of this type are his pioneering time-travel stories, including the epic Lest Darkness Fall, and the long-running adventure cycle set on the planet Krishna.
Trained as an aeronautical engineer, de Camp was one of the SF writers assigned duty at the Philadelphia Naval Yard during World War II, a now-legendary group that included Robert A. Heinlein and Isaac Asimov. He rose to the rank of lieutenant commander in the Naval Reserve.
Regardless of his success in the hard SF arena, de Camp was best-known -- and best at home -- in the fields of antiquity and light fantasy, in both of which he excelled. His distinguished works in the latter field, in particular, include the "Incompleat Enchanter" and "Gavagan's Bar" series, both co-written with longtime friend Fletcher Pratt.
He was also known for his swords-and-sorcery adventures, especially in the "Conan" cycle he faithfully expanded and edited to keep the legacy of Robert E. Howard alive.
De Camp's body will be cremated and his ashes will join those of his wife and longtime collaborator Catherine, who died in April, at Arlington National Cemetery.
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