Joseph’s Comments (group member since Oct 24, 2012)

Joseph’s comments from the Sword & Sorcery: "An earthier sort of fantasy" group.

S.E. wrote: "Thanks, Sean. Yes, I am reading Cugel's wayfaring in "The Eyes of the Overlord" (published 1966). Given the 16yrs span since the previous installment (1950, The Dying Earth), I am struck with the remarkably consistent pacing, tone, and themes.

Never heard of the tribute collection."

There was also A Quest For Simbilis by Michael Shea -- a Vance-authorized sequel to Eyes of the Overworld, although I suppose it was "decanonized" when Vance subsequently wrote Cugel's Saga. I think Shea has a better grasp on Vance than most, but I prefer Shea's own stuff -- Nifft the Lean and In Yana in particular, both of which I'd recommend to Vance fans.

Sean wrote: "S.E. wrote: "Has anyone ever read this tribute collection?

Songs of the Dying Earth Stories in Honour of Jack Vance "

Not yet, although it's on my shelf. I have to admit I've gotten a little skeptical about these kinds of anthologies over the years -- seems like there's often more "miss" than "hit".

Not entirely on-topic, but a couple of the better examples that I found were William Hope Hodgson's Night Lands, Volume I: Eternal Love and William Hope Hodgson's Night Lands Volume 2: Nightmares of the Fall, both edited by Andy W. Robertson. I think they probably worked because Hodgson's original Night Land is almost unreadable.

Just started The Revelations of Zang by John R. Fultz -- decided it was time for a nice weird-fantasy story-cycle a la Dunsany, Lovecraft or Smith.

Decisions, decisions ... Maybe it's finally time for The Clockwork Vampire Chronicles. Or Matthias Thulmann: Witch Hunter (Warhammer).

S.E. wrote: "Joseph, wow... I had no idea the connection was that clear! Thanks for clueing me in on Gygax."

You're welcome! Vance even made it into the game, after a fashion -- Gygax used the name "VECNA" (anagram of Vance) for a legendary undead wizard. (Although I never noticed the anagram until it was pointed out recently.)

S.E. wrote: "Just finished The Dying Earth (review here = http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...). I was struck by two main things: (1) Vance's influential naming of magic items/spells...and (2) his "b..."

Yep, definitely agree. Gary Gygax specifically cited Vance as an inspiration for the D&D spell "memorization" mechanic and lifted any number of spell and item names more or less directly from Vance.

I actually think Morrowind had the most interesting world just because it was something other than the standard Western elf/dwarf/orc fantasy tropes. But I spent most of my 8-10 hours in Morrowind hitting mudcrabs with sticks. I should revisit it at some point because I know there's a whole lot more to the world.

My other thing (and this is entirely me) is that I don't really like first-person melee combat, especially when they're trying to be "realistic" with the swinging & blocking. I think that's one of the reasons I like Amalur -- it's third-person, with kind of fast-paced action combat.

I haven't quite been able to get into any of the Elder Scrolls games yet -- usually, I prefer something with a little more structure, like Dragon Age or the Witcher. But I'm currently playing through Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning, which I think is kind of a training-wheels open-world game, so I may have to revisit Elder Scrolls once I have more of a taste for it.

Having said that, I love all of the Elder Scrolls soundtracks, all of which I think are now available on iTunes.

And speaking of the VIE ...

http://www.goodreads.com/photo/user/5...

Sean wrote: "Anyone have the omnibus already? http://www.jackvance.com/ebooks/shop/... Does it come as one ebook or do they send you all the books?"

I'm not certain -- I had actually bought all of the individual titles before they started releasing the omnibus collections. I'd recommend emailing them to ask -- they've always been really responsive when I've talked to them in the past, and have been more than willing to help me out.

S.E. wrote: "Hey Joseph, I know that bookstore. I went to a U-Minn Engineering course there in Coating and had a free afternoon. Found it.. and got a half dozen books...and had to pull myself away from the cardboard/bin of rolled up Frazetta prints."

They're still alive and well. I've been going there for the past 23 years now, as can be attested by some of the photos on my profile page.

I discovered Vance -- well, the first three Dying Earth books, at least -- back in college and just devoured them. I was very lucky in my timing -- I moved to the Twin Cities in 1990, when I could, every week, go to Uncle Hugo's Science Fiction Bookstore and come back with grocery sacks full of used Vance DAW paperbacks. (And the complete Wagner Kane series, but that's a different topic ...)

And given what happened today in 1936, it seemed appropriate to start The Best of Robert E. Howard: Crimson Shadows.

http://thewertzone.blogspot.co.uk/201...

Fletcher wrote: "He moved effortlessly between sci-fi and fantasy. Now I need to track down some of his mysteries."

Pretty much his entire catalog is available electronically, either from the Usual Suspects or directly at www.jackvance.com. And I believe Subterranean did some really nice (and expensive) collections of his mysteries.

I read my first Vance mystery a year or two back --
The Dark Ocean. My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

It's not S&S, but last night I started reading The Moon Moth and Other Stories -- I think The Moon Moth is about as perfect a summation of Vance's strengths and style as you're likely to find.

And I also need to revisit the Dying Earth.

From www.jackvance.com:

JACK VANCE, IN MEMORIAM: 1916 - 2013

Jack Vance passed away at home on the evening of Sunday May 26, 2013, ending a long, rich and productive life. Recognized most widely as an author, family and friends also knew a generous, large-hearted, rugged, congenial, hard-working, optimistic and unpretentious individual whose curiosity, sense of wonder and sheer love of life were an inspiration in themselves. Author, friend, father and grandfather – there will never be another like Jack Vance.

Sean wrote: "Ah, just started Swords Against Death and the first chapter basically addressed my outstanding question with the first book."

Interestingly, the two stories that deal most directly with the consequences of Ill-Met in Lankhmar were written much later than the other stories in the book.

Finished Swords Against Death -- such very, very good stuff.

Yep, I just finished Swords and Deviltry and went straight into Swords Against Death and I pretty much agree with Sean & S.E.'s comments above. Not the best Leiber and not the best introduction to Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser. But still, I take such joy in his sentence- and paragraph-level writing that I'm willing to cut some slack.