Brienne the Beauty Posted February 16, 2006 Share Posted February 16, 2006 Is it just me but as I'm almost done Eyes of the Overworld I'm starting to really dislike Cugel. This guy is a royal bastard. He has no qualms about stabbing someone in the back and always seems to get away with it. I'm kind of hoping that he gets it at the end...or better yet, that he runs into 'Chun the Unavoidable'. It's not just you. Cugel is meant to be a right bastard. That's part of the fun! I'd classify him as the least likable SF character who isn't Gully Foyle. However, he doesn't get away with it totally. He survives, but he's always flat broke and being chased out of town by an angry mob. He reminds me of Blackadder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arataniello Posted February 16, 2006 Share Posted February 16, 2006 Thanks to Ran and others, I've been reading a lot of Vance. My favorites so far are: The Demon Princes, Alastor, and now Durdane. I'm on the last Durdane book now, but I really liked Books 1 & 2. I order my Vance used (for cheap) on ebay, half.com, and others - so while I was waiting for Brave Free Men (Durdane #2) I read Dragon Masters. It was ok. I like Vance when he is funny, so Dragon Masters - it wasn't as humorous as Alastor, Demon Princes, and The Cugel Books. Tales of the Dying Earth is ok, but I would just skip over book #1. I didn't like that much at all. It picks up once Cugel comes along. So far, I just love Alastor Book#1 - hussade is where it is at. -SoJ Earlier Vance tend to have less of the whimsical humor of the later books, and tend to have more of a plot based more on one central message. Look for "To Live Forever" (early Vance) and also the Lyonnesse trilogy and Ecce and Old Earth trilogy (later Vance). Alastor 3 is one of my favourites out of all Vance books. Aratan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SonOfJaqen Posted February 17, 2006 Share Posted February 17, 2006 Lyonnesse was ok. The best part of the entire series being how Madouc was conceived, imo. It was beyond explanation. I have yet to read To Live Forever. After Asutra, I have Ports of Call, Lurulu, and The Last Castle to read. The only Vance I don't seem to care for is Maeske: Thaery, although I didn't read it in full yet - I stopped short to read GRRM and never went back. -SoJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arataniello Posted February 17, 2006 Share Posted February 17, 2006 Lyonnesse was ok. The best part of the entire series being how Madouc was conceived, imo. It was beyond explanation. The only Vance I don't seem to care for is Maeske: Thaery, although I didn't read it in full yet - I stopped short to read GRRM and never went back. -SoJ Lyonesse was "OK"? The whimsical humour in much of the conversation is beautiful! The back and forth between the innkeeper and his wife that Aillas meets in North or South Ulfland for instance; the report of Aillas' emiisary to the Celts in Godelia; many others. Maske:Thaery always seemed to me to be the first of a series that never happened. Maybe that is whay it doesn't feel so satisfying. Aratan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SonOfJaqen Posted February 17, 2006 Share Posted February 17, 2006 Lyonesse was "OK"? The whimsical humour in much of the conversation is beautiful! The back and forth between the innkeeper and his wife that Aillas meets in North or South Ulfland for instance; the report of Aillas' emiisary to the Celts in Godelia; many others. No, I liked Lyonnesse compared to other authors and it is much better than ok. However, I was rating compared to other Vance novels as ok. Alastor & Demon Princes being my top rated series that I have read so far. I also enjoyed The Planet of Adventure but didn't find it as amusing as Demon & Alastor, so that is why I rate it below. Lyonesse is on par with Planet in my mind, certainly a different kind of writing and story, but I got the same enjoyment out of it. I found the birth of Madouc and the faeries as very funny. Right now, I would say Durdane is the same to me as Planet. -SoJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tyrion Targaryen Posted February 18, 2006 Share Posted February 18, 2006 Maske Thaery was one of his best books imo. It was hilarious how Droad was always griping to his boss about a pay raise, and how he constantly struggled to make his class worthy among those he met. The side characters were all self-serving, ie, like real people. Droad doesn't get Mieltrude in the book, but there is a sense that someday he will. The ending is also one of the best showcases of Vance's whimsy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thiazyl Posted May 15, 2006 Author Share Posted May 15, 2006 Hello again Vance fans. I have just recently started the Demon Princes. I can't really say anything yet since I'm on page 36 but am really looking forward to reading this series. The last time I wrote I gave the heads up about the "Print on Demand' Jack Vance. This time I want to give the heads up about a Jack Vance collection offered at Subterranean Press. This collection will be ala GRRM Restrospetive. The collection is offered in three different formats; Trade, Limmited, and Lettered editions. All the details are at www.subterraneanpress.com. I think this is a great way for Vance newbies like myself to experience some of Jack Vance's shorter stories. Just wanted to let everyone know. thiazyl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Padraig Posted May 15, 2006 Share Posted May 15, 2006 It's not just you. Cugel is meant to be a right bastard. That's part of the fun! Yes, I was wondering why GRRM was such a big fan...until I read about the merry adventures of Cugel. I could imagine him loving those. Occassionally Cugel does something half-decent and it normally backfires on him. So yes, a lot of fun but you have to read them in the right way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Werthead Posted May 15, 2006 Share Posted May 15, 2006 There are distinct echoes of Cugel in Tyrion. Tyrion's not quite so much of a self-serving bastard, but they share a certain cunning (although in Cugel's case it usually backfires). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colder Hands Posted May 15, 2006 Share Posted May 15, 2006 SoJ got me to read Vance not to long ago. i love his pace and wording. whenever i get tired of reading slow moving fantasy i plan to go back to Vance to put a spring in my step. i would recommend him to anyone. i find him unique enough to say he is a must read once. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SonOfJaqen Posted May 30, 2006 Share Posted May 30, 2006 I just finished up Blue World, and I liked it a lot. I have to put it among my most favorite of Vance's. I wasn't super keen on the ending, but I think that is more or less because I didn't want the story to end. Now I started up Big Planet... -SoJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thiazyl Posted June 5, 2006 Author Share Posted June 5, 2006 O.K. I have now read The Star King and The Killing Machine from The Demon Princes series. I thought The Star King was quite good and The Killing Machine really good. You just have to love Vance's style. I really liked the short intros at the beginning of each chapter. It really gives you a flavour of the worlds that Vance has created. I see a lot of Cugel in Kirth Gersen except that Kirth isn't a righteous bastard like Cugel. The Star King is a good introduction to the series and Kirth. Although I found the very ending to be a little weak, a good opening story. The Killing Machine was fantastic. My only criticism is that I found the pace to slow a little in the last third of the story. Good stuff so far and am hoping that remaining three stories are just as good. I am also going to buy Planet of Adventure and Nightlamp soon. More Vance = happy reading. thiazyl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MinDonner Posted June 6, 2006 Share Posted June 6, 2006 Of his recent stuff, Night Lamp and Ports of Call are excellent but Lurulu's quite weak; the poor guy's about 90 and blind though so he's done bloody well to get the book written at all. I thought the Demon Princes series was OK, but not his best work - it's mostly about intergalactic financial skulduggery and hte main character's not that interesting. I recommend Showboat World though, that's a great book and full of his trademark rogues and scoundrels. I got most of my Vance books from second-hand bookshops - easier to find in the US than in the UK though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted June 6, 2006 Share Posted June 6, 2006 Glad he is on my to read list! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SonOfJaqen Posted June 27, 2006 Share Posted June 27, 2006 I just finished Showboat World. I liked it. Againt the same criticism I have with all the Vance I read, the endings usually just end - very little wrapup or anthing. But anyway, the book was good and I have to rank it near the top. I enjoyed Alastor series and Blue Planet (or is it world?) better than Showboat - but I certainly enjoyed it and it was worth reading. Next up: Languages of Pao I think. Or I might go off my Vance tour and try something else.... -SoJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calibandar Posted September 3, 2006 Share Posted September 3, 2006 Thinking of finally starting Lyonesse, either with Suldrun's Garden ( you would expect that) or the huge omnibus Green Pearl/Madouc ( which looks so attractive!). Aside from the great dialogue, does it also have a sense of wonder? Great individual scenes and some cool characters? Edit: Bought the first book anyway! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Multaniette Posted September 3, 2006 Share Posted September 3, 2006 It certainly does have a sense of wonder, memorable characters and a freshness most fantasy world's lack. I liked it mostly because it's a very intriguing story. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fiddler's Green Posted September 3, 2006 Share Posted September 3, 2006 It certainly does have a sense of wonder, memorable characters and a freshness most fantasy world's lack. I liked it mostly because it's a very intriguing story. I just finished Suldrun's Garden (after picking up all the books at my local Half Price for $10) and I can't recommend it enough. It has Vance's trademark whimsy and dark humor, as well as very compelling characters amongst both the "heroes" and "villians" of the book. The Elder Isles themselves are a fasicnating fantasy world intermingled with our own and it works perfectly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Odie Posted September 4, 2006 Share Posted September 4, 2006 I just finished Suldrun's Garden (after picking up all the books at my local Half Price for $10) and I can't recommend it enough. It has Vance's trademark whimsy and dark humor, as well as very compelling characters amongst both the "heroes" and "villians" of the book. The Elder Isles themselves are a fasicnating fantasy world intermingled with our own and it works perfectly. I'm actually reading this now.... I kind of like the brush-over way he handles the battles. I like the way George handles them, but he's the exception to the rule. I'd rather get the brief summerized version than the nitty gritty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Odie Posted September 4, 2006 Share Posted September 4, 2006 Holy Crap! One of Vance's characters (well, two, if you count the witch) is a furry! Edited quote from Lyonesse The witch Desmei ... now amused herself with King Olam III. She appeared to him as a female clothed with a soft pelt of black fur and an oddly beautiful cat-like mask. This creature knew a thousand lascivious tricks; King Olam, befuddled and foolish, succumbed to her will. ... King Olam, now deranged, attemped copulation with a leopard; he was savaged and died. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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