RIP, Arthur C. Clark

I am probably the last person in the US and on LJ to learn that Arthur C. Clark died Tuesday at the age of 90. This is a blow to his legions of fans around the world, and I'm no exception. Clark, along with Isaac Asimov and Robert Heinlein, was my tutor in the fine art of science fiction all through junior high. I abandoned Heinlein at some point during high school when I finally figured out what a sexist old fart he was, and Asimov abandoned science fiction for science fact, but Clark was always there, a true master of the genre. Somehow he managed to keep a balance between the real science and the adventure, while creating characters who were real, believable people (with all that implies). I have no idea how he managed that, but I'm very grateful he did. Thank you, sir, from the nerdy young girl and the scientist she became.

I think it may be time to read Childhood's End again.