Jack Vance

Jack Vance (1911-2013) was an American science fiction and fantasy author, as well as a jazz musician and painter. He was born in San Francisco and studied mining engineering, physics, journalism, and English at the University of California, Berkeley. Vance began his writing career in the 1940s, contributing jazz reviews to his college paper and publishing science fiction stories in pulp magazines. He served in the Merchant Marine during World War II and worked as an electrician, ceramicist, carpenter, and electrician before establishing himself as a writer in the 1970s. \n \nVance's work often features exotic settings, complex plots, and memorable characters. He was known for his distinctive prose style, which combined poetic language with a wry sense of humor. Vance won several awards for his writing, including the Hugo, Nebula, and Edgar awards. He was inducted into the Science Fiction and Fantasy Hall of Fame in 2001. Vance's most famous works include the "Dying Earth" series, the "Demon Princes" series, the "Alastor" series, and the "Lyonesse" trilogy. He also wrote several mysteries and standalone novels, as well as essays and poetry. Vance's writing has influenced many other authors in the genre, including Gene Wolfe, Michael Shea, and Neil Gaiman. He continued to write and publish books until his death in 2013.