Jack Vance

[Doug Graves]

I've been interested in the Alastor trilogy for years...I would appreciate any feedback on this. I loved "The Dragon Masters" and "The Last Castle".

 

[Connavar]

Sadly i havent read that series yet so i cant help you out.

What did you think of The Dragon Masters and The Last Castle ?

 

[easygoingman]

I'm still waiting for Emphyrio to come into the local Library & then I'll be reading it.... must have patience!

 

[AE35Unit]

I recently got hold of the trilogy consisting of The City of The Chasch,The Dir dir and Servants of The Wankh but have been warned they're not easy. Anyone read these 3?

 

[easygoingman]

I recently got hold of the trilogy consisting of The City of The Chasch,The Dir dir and Servants of The Wankh but have been warned they're not easy. Anyone read these 3?

Hi there, see the top of this page of the thread if you want (but watch out for slight spoilers!): it's the book I read before Christmas:

City of The Chasch is the first one
Servants of The Wankh is the second
The DirDir is the third
There is a fourth book which finishes off the story, called the Pnume

it's not hard to read, I suppose it could get confusing with the different alien species and their captives/followers but they are introduced fairly slowly. It's exactly what the overall title says 'Planet of Adventure' (consisting of the four books)
I know you'll want Adam Reith to win! He has a hellish time but he's a tough man and gets some good help

 

[AE35Unit]

Thanks easy,so you're saying that Planet of Adventure is those 3 books of mine plus the Pnume in one volume? If thats the case I need to take Planet of Adventure off my bookmooch wishlist and add The Pnume instead.

 

[easygoingman]

Thanks easy,so you're saying that Planet of Adventure is those 3 books of mine plus the Pnume in one volume? If thats the case I need to take Planet of Adventure off my bookmooch wishlist and add The Pnume instead.

You are welcome: that's right, saves you getting two sets of the same story
I hope you enjoy it

 

[Connavar]

I finished last night The Dying Earth, it was full of great stories. I thought all of them was near perfect except the last one who had a slow start.


After Planet of Adventure who wasnt Vance at his best, i liked seeing what makes him so good in his first book.

 

[easygoingman]

Hi Connavar
I'll agree that the Dying Earth are the best Jack Vance stories I've read so far and easily in my top 10 fantasy stories

I'll be getting Lyonesse as well later this month. No time for the Demon Princes just yet; maybe for my Birthday I'll ask for it. He's a great story teller

 

[Connavar]

Hi Connavar
I'll agree that the Dying Earth are the best Jack Vance stories I've read so far and easily in my top 10 fantasy stories

I'll be getting Lyonesse as well later this month. No time for the Demon Princes just yet; maybe for my Birthday I'll ask for it. He's a great story teller

Just to clarify i read Dying Earth the first collection book of the short stories and not the hole series.


Im getting from bookmooch To Live Forever from 1956 which is straight SF and stand alone just like Emphyrio.

Looking forward to it, it sounds very interesting.

 

[Fried Egg]

I'm reading Lyonesse at the moment and quite enjoying it. It's quite a slow build up but it's getting good...

 

[easygoingman]

I'm reading Lyonesse at the moment and quite enjoying it. It's quite a slow build up but it's getting good...

I'm looking forward to reading Lyoneese, I'll need a more relaxing book as I'm currently reading Roger Zelazny's 'Chronicles of Amber' which starts off with violence on it's first page and I can't remember how many have died now but it's a huge amount. It's a great, fun, flowing story but I don't expect most stories to work so fast and violently

 

[Fried Egg]

I'm looking forward to reading Lyoneese, I'll need a more relaxing book as I'm currently reading Roger Zelazny's 'Chronicles of Amber' which starts off with violence on it's first page and I can't remember how many have died now but it's a huge amount. It's a great, fun, flowing story but I don't expect most stories to work so fast and violently

Lyonesse is definiately a dramtic change of pace and style but good in it's own way.

 

[Connavar]

Vance is the only author i dont mind how slow he builds. The way he writes and his world building is second to no one IMO.


Its wierd seeing people here reading so little of his SF work. His fantasy is great but i thought in Emphyrio he was at his best.

I wanna read more of his SF.

 

[AE35Unit]

I always thought Emphyrio was fantasy,oh well!
Did he write a book called Vor? I remember reading it years ago but cant remember who wrote it. Either Blish or Vance i think.

 

[Connavar]

I always thought Emphyrio was fantasy,oh well!
Did he write a book called Vor? I remember reading it years ago but cant remember who wrote it. Either Blish or Vance i think.

Vor is by Blish.


Emphyrio is SF all the way. No blending of SF and fantasy or anything.


Thats why i recommended it to you knowing you wanted SF and not fantasy.

 

[AE35Unit]

Cheers Con,its on my list anyway

 

[Connavar]

Cheers Con,its on my list anyway

Now i understand why you took PA before it. I thought it was wierd you wanted SF and choosed Planet Adventure the fantasy before Emphyrio


Aslo about Planet Adventure its not really hard to read but i meant it is not near Vance at his best.

 

[AE35Unit]

Eh,so now you're saying the PA series is fantasy! Sounds like SF to me,oh well,i don't mind a bit of fantasy,with good characters and adventures. After all the Edgar Rice Burroughs Mars books read like fantasy,and fantasy does tend to be easier to read.
(Not including Tolkien or a book called The Worn Ouroborus which is just plain strange!)

 

[Connavar]

Eh,so now you're saying the PA series is fantasy! Sounds like SF to me,oh well,i don't mind a bit of fantasy,with good characters and adventures. After all the Edgar Rice Burroughs Mars books read like fantasy,and fantasy does tend to be easier to read.
(Not including Tolkien or a book called The Worn Ouroborus which is just plain strange!)

Nah PA is SF too but its a blend of the two genres.

It is much like Mars books. It is in space and aliens stuff but the world and the story of the first book atleast is very fantasy.

Sorry to confuse you more !

Also good to see ERB has made you more tolerant to Fantasy. Not all fantasy is like LOTR,GRRM,Jordan,Erikson which sadly scare away people cause they think fantasy is only one subgenre that is High Fantasy.

There are great many other types. I myself prefer fantasy like Vance,REH,Gemmell,Moorcock of that type.

ERB sounds like REH in space so i think he will become my type of fantasy too.