Synopsis
Nebula and World Fantasy Grand Master Jack Vance is one of the most admired and cherished writers of science fiction and fantasy in the world, and is one of the truly important and influential storytellers of the 20th century. From his first published story "The World Thinker" in 1945 to his final novel Lurulu in 2004, Vance has shown an astonishing range of inventiveness, versatility and sheer storytelling power, as well as a gift for language and world-building second to none. Winner of the Hugo, Nebula, World Fantasy and Edgar awards, his acclaimed first book The Dying Earth and its sequels helped shape the face of modern heroic fantasy for generations of readers -- and writers! In more than sixty novels, he has done more than any other author to define science fantasy and its preeminent form: the planetary adventure. Born in San Francisco in 1916, Vance wrote much of what you'll find between these covers both abroad and at home in the hills above Oakland, either while serving in the merchant marine or traveling the world with his wife Norma, all the while pursuing his great love of fine cuisine and traditional jazz. Now, at last, the very best of Vance's mid-length and shorter work has been collected in a single landmark volume. With a Preface by Vance himself and a foreword by long-time Vance reader George R.R. Martin, it stands as the capstone to a splendid career and makes the perfect introduction to a very special writer.
Reviews
Encompassing multiple permutations of the planetary romance genre, this best-of collection gathers 18 seminal if sometimes redundant stories and novellas, dating from the 1950s to the 1970s, from SF Grand Master Vance. A brief, illuminating snippet by Vance follows each piece. Novellas include "The Dragon Masters," in which two rivals can't bring themselves to work together when strangers descend from the sky to kill them all, and "The Last Castle," in which slaves revolt and lay siege to the castles of their former masters. Standout stories include "The Moon Moth," the tale of a clueless diplomat who must learn the intricacies of a highly patterned society, and "The Gift of Gab," in which men discover a strange intelligence while mining the bounty of off-world seas. Though the dearth of significant female characters makes the collection feel dated, Vance's stylistic bravado and lush, baroque prose create compelling worlds that blur the line between fantasy and far-flung future-world SF. Vance has won Hugo, Nebula, World Fantasy and Edgar awards. (Jan.)
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Now in the twilight of a career spanning back to the 1940s, Vance is a legend among his colleagues, many of whom look to the Grandmaster's works for invaluable tips on literary style and character development. Here, editors Dowling and Strahan offer the commendable results of poring through Vance's prodigious oeuvre and selecting stories to showcase his best work and feature some of his most cherished recurring protagonists. "The Overworld" and "The Sorcerer Pharesm," for instance, star bumbling rogue Cugel the Clever, a stalwart of Vance's many Dying Earth tales set on a far-future Earth bereft of science and seduced by magic. Vance's prowess with hard sf is on display with "Sail 25," about a fleet of starships driven by sun-sails, and his mastery of fantasy comes through in "The Miracle Workers," a nontraditional swords-and-sorcery yarn. With an introduction by George Martin and insightful afterwords to each piece by Vance himself, this is a celebration for his fans, an ideal introduction for new readers of his work. Carl Hays
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