Songs of the Dying Earth: Stories in Honour of Jack Vance in Sword & Sorcery: "An earthier sort of fantasy"

Feb 01, 2021 Derek rated it it was amazing

Shelves: dying-earth, anthology-or-collection

Contributors take a moment after the story to relate how he/she fell into Jack Vance and what it meant for his/her writing. I haven't earned a place at their table, but am compelled to do the same: In college, as part of an exchange learning trip to Ireland, where I spent a good portion of the trimester skulking the many bookshops across the country, much to the bewilderment of the extroverts I was with. In the Ossory bookshop in Kilkenny I snagged this much-talked-about volume in the 1981 Grana Contributors take a moment after the story to relate how he/she fell into Jack Vance and what it meant for his/her writing. I haven't earned a place at their table, but am compelled to do the same: In college, as part of an exchange learning trip to Ireland, where I spent a good portion of the trimester skulking the many bookshops across the country, much to the bewilderment of the extroverts I was with. In the Ossory bookshop in Kilkenny I snagged this much-talked-about volume in the 1981 Granada Science Fantasy edition for the regal price of two pounds less one penny and over the course of two(?) hours let its words shoot lightning through my back-brain. Again, to the bewilderment of extroverts and possibly the consternation of the fine proprietor of the B&B, who would have liked for this American to please not hang around during the day.

(I am certain about the price and location because I just took that volume from the shelf behind me and read its yellow sticker. It has been supplemented and replaced twice, but I can't part with the original.)

The fascination is to see which themes get emphasized for each author: Is it the luxurious language? The healthy problem-solving approach of overfancy lunatics trying to talk themselves out of trouble? The sense of End Times joie de vivre? The menace of monsters and the sociopathy of the powerful? That Cugel is, in fact, a jerk and can barely hide it?

At the end of this surfeit of riches, I'm struck most by "The Return of the Fire Witch", which finally tells a story of two female wizards--"witches" and the distinction is unclear--whose dynamic is just as backstabby as the men but is informed by different basic interests and mutual regard.

And then there is the later stories, which take the Dying Earth from the early evening of Earth and into nightfall, as the sun sputters and has its "bad days" and even magic starts to fail.

And finally I can't help but grin when an author slips in mentions of "Effectuators", "Pnumekin", and "star lords". It's a cheap joy, but I'm all about cheap joys. ...more

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Mar 05, 2013 Craig Herbertson rated it did not like it · review of another edition

Perhaps the most disappointing book I have ever read.

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May 17, 2013 Peter rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, dying-earth, anthology

The next best thing to the actual Dying Earth stories.

Not all stories in the book manage to nail the tone and humour of Jack Vance, but there are more hits than misses.

Recommended for all fans of Vance, who'd love to spend more time in the Dying Earth. ...more

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