Review on Songs of the Dying Earth, anthology in tribute to Jack Vance

"Hand over the nose."


This 22-story anthology, of 21 shorts and one novella, is based in Jack Vance's Dying Earth. The authors of this compilation are reknowned, distinguished for their talent and all have at least one thing in common. They grew up reading Jack Vance's novels and aspired to the greatness with which he penned a universe.

My first questions, having not been introduced to Vance: Why have some of my favorite authors all written under the same cover? Who is Jack Vance? Why is there so much acclaim, from authors I've enjoyed, for someone I've never heard of?

This man's work is like a cleverly disguised niche. Within lies the font from which the genre of science fiction itself sprang. The contents of the anthology are as follows:

The introduction is by Dean Koontz.

"The True Vintage of Erzuine Thale" by Robert Silverberg
"Grolion of Almery" by Matthew Hughes
"The Copsy Door" by Terry Dowling
"Caulk the Witch Doctor" by Liz Williams
"Inescapable" by Mike Resnick
"Abrizonde" by Walter Jon Williams
"The Traditions of Karzh" by Paula Volsky
"The Final Quest of the Wizard Sarnod" by Jeff Vandermeer
"The Green Bird" by Kage Baker
"The Last Golden Thread" by Phyllis Eisenstein
"An Incident in Uskvesk" by Elizabeth Moon
"Sylgarmo's Proclamation" by Lucius Shepard
"The Lamentably Comical Tragedy (or The Laughably Tragic Comedy) of Lixal Laqavee" by Tad Williams
"Guyal the Curator" by John C Wright
"The Good Magician" by Glen Cook
"The Return of the Fire Witch" by Elizabeth Hand
"The Collegeum of Mauge" by Byron Tetrick
"Evillo the Uncunning" by Tanith Lee
The Guiding Nose of Ulfant Banderoz by Dan Simmons
"Frogskin Cap" by Howard Waldrop
"A Night at the Tarn House" by George R R Martin
"An Invocation of Curiosity" by Neil Gaiman

Yes, that is quite a sum of authors, awards, material and collaboration. Likewise, it would be drastically probable to suffer a lower quality stigma of material as the result of such a large production. Songs of the Dying Earth(2009) connects freely with the timelines of Vance's previous writings. Such is not the case. The penalty more likely was, however, licensing fees and sign-on bonuses. This hardcover has two versions. Face value being clocked in at $125 and $300 for limited and collector's editions, respectively. Harrowing.

Every author includes a preface to their section of the compendium, as well as a miniature biography depicting the circumstances under which Jack Vance's collection entered their lives. Illustrations provided are of an impressive texture and match well the grandiose schema of which the writer has engineered their tale.

Aside from cost, mitigated by a trip to your local library, only a single downside remains detriment. Songs of the Dying Earth is like stop-and-go city traffic. A short story, fueled with the purpose of each writer's imagination must hurtle itself in turn to a final red-light destination, so that you may wait to start up again for the next. A veritable wealth of income awaits you after each session's commute.