L. Sprague de Camp (1907–2000)

When we think of the writers who comprised the golden age of SF, names like Isaac Asimov, Robert Heinlein, L. Ron Hubbard, Lester del Rey, and Ted Sturgeon might be the first to spring to mind. There were many others, but to my dismay, they’re fading into the brume of antiquity—folks like Henry Kuttner, Clifford Simak, A.E. Van Vogt, Fritz Leiber, and L. Sprague de Camp to name a few.

Which is why I’m always excited to peruse used book shops and book dealer tables at conventions. I never fail to leave without a stack of golden age gems. One such recent find is the The Best of L. Sprague de Camp. Known in his time as a humor writer in the fields of SF and fantasy, the stately de Camp was also a historian, scientist, and engineer, all of which influenced his fiction.

This “Best of” compilation is an eclectic showcase of de Camp’s humor and intellect. My favorites include:

“The Command” - A chemically altered bear that can read, reason, and even operate some machinery, stops an evil chemist and his henchmen bent on world domination.

“Nothing in the Rules” - The desperate coach of a woman’s swim team knows they cannot beat the opposition without an advantage, but his solution is downright mythical.

“The Hardwood Pile” - Loggers cut down a Norwegian Maple that happened to be home of a wood nymph. After all attempts to reason with the company owner fail, the nymph uses her magical abilities to ensure he can’t sell the lumber made from her tree.

“The Reluctant Shaman” - The indigenous American owner of a trinket shop is burdened with temporary custody of the legendary Gahunga, elemental beings of the Seneca tribe who use their magic in the service of their caretaker. However, when the shop owner asks them to drum up more business for his shop, he soon regrets it.

“A Gun for Dinosaur” - Things go sideways when a time-traveling dinosaur hunter takes two clients back to the Late Mesozoic era. One customer is too small in stature to handle a dinosaur gun and the other is a belligerent hothead who disregards the guide’s advice and fires at every creature he sees.

“The Emperor’s Fan” - The Emperor of Kuromon comes into possession of a magical fan. Simply wave it at an enemy and watch them disappear, but what happens when the fan falls into the hands of an unexpected adversary?

“Two Yards of Dragon” - In order to achieve knighthood and win the hand of a lovely maiden, a young man travels far from home to slay a dragon and return with two yards of its hide. Little does he know that dragons are now protected game, he has no hunting license, and worse, dragons are out of season.… (mer)