Tales of the Dying Earth
By Jack Vance

Having read my first Jack Vance book (it was about time), I see why people love the way he builds up a rogues' gallery cast of characters: rogues, cads and misanthropes of all shapes and sizes. Not all human and definitely not necessarily likeable. Cugel takes the center stage for two of the four books and he is a real chancer: untrustworthy and scheming. He did one or two quite horrible things to other people early on but seemed to mellow slightly as things went on. He certainly had much reason to be unhappy given his circumstances.

I had a lot of fun reading the four books that make up Tales of the Dying Earth, although it took me some time to get used to the world and style. The first book was published in 1950 and it betrayed an early "pulp" style that, whilst enjoyable enough in a basic way, can become a bit tiring. However, things improved quickly, including the prose. It was entertaining, often humorous and even moving. You get hooked.

Set on a very far future Earth (millions of years away), our planet is portrayed as being in its last stages: the sun large, red, and failing. With the passing aeons, many changes have occurred and this is nothing like the Earth we know. One major difference is the existence of magic alongside wizards who exercise this skill. It is certainly dangerous to cross a wizard; and Vance brings some wonderfully realised, but sometimes atrociously behaved wizards to life. They are just one of a large number of odd characters we meet: human, monstrous, demonic and all sorts of other-worldly things. Time itself, and the dimensions of space, do not appear fixed things either. The prose is baroque and beautiful, sometimes using old-fashioned or even newly created words to set a style or feeling. He has a huge and fantastic imagination, a wonder to read and one I've rarely encountered (if ever). It is clear why he has been so inspiring to so many. Quite magical in more ways than one.

I'd love to have these books in hardback, as an omnibus or separately. Unfortunately, I don't think that exists or what does exist is expensive. I was in a large local chain bookshop at the weekend and they had no Vance at all. Also no Vinge. A whole bookcase of something called "Romantasy" though, for which I am not the market. Sad. I assume Vance just doesn't get much of a showing on BookTok.