The Dying Earth

Tales of the Dying Earth, Book 1

By: Jack Vance

Narrated by: Arthur Morey

The stories in The Dying Earth introduce dozens of seekers of wisom and beauty - lovely lost women, wizards of every shade of eccentricity with their runic amulets and spells. We meet the melancholy deodands, who feed on human flesh and the twk-men, who ride dragonflies and trade information for salt. There are monsters and demons. Each being is morally ambiguous: The evil are charming, the good are dangerous. All are at home in Vance’s lyrically described fantastic landscapes, like Embelyon, where, “The sky [was] a mesh of vast ripples and cross-ripples and these refracted a thousand shafts of colored light, rays which in mid-air wove wondrous laces, rainbow nets, in all the jewel hues....”

The dying Earth itself is otherworldly: “A dark blue sky, an ancient sun.... Nothing of Earth was raw or harsh—the ground, the trees, the rock ledge protruding from the meadow; all these had been worked upon, smoothed, aged, mellowed. The light from the sun, though dim, was rich and invested every object of the land ... with a sense of lore and ancient recollection.” Welcome.

©2010 Jack Vance (P)2010 Brilliance Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

“ The Dying Earth and its sequels comprise one of the most powerful fantasy/science-fiction concepts in the history of the genre. They are packed with adventure but also with ideas, and the vision of uncounted human civilizations stacked one atop another like layers in a phyllo pastry thrills even as it induces a sense of awe [at] ... the fragility and transience of all things, the nobility of humanity’s struggle against the certainty of an entropic resolution.” (Dean Koontz)

"There are few enough of the writers I loved when I was 13 that I can imagine myself going back to in 20 years from now. Jack Vance I will read forever.” (Neil Gaiman)

A cool classic

Seems like many writers have been inspired by this book. I liked it and found the individual stories entertaining.

A craftsmanlike vocal performance

The performance is solid here, but I’m not sure Vance’s work stands up to the test of time. For pure pulp adventure goodness, there are other authors that fit the bill better (like Robert E. Howard), but fans of Dungeons and Dragons will get a kick out of seeing where their magic system originated.

What a blast from the past (of SciFi authors)!

Published almost 75 years ago, these stories are as thought- provocing as the most imaginative 21st century writers. And Vance's vocabulary and phrasing is like learning English a anew. Definitely worth listening until the end!

A Fun Listen

The Dying Earth is a series of slightly interwoven stories, each depicting someone experiencing a great personal challenge. Of course the backdrop to each is a dying planet and lots of sorcery. I don't read a lot of that genre, but this particular book delivered because the stories are well paced and each character is fully developed. The author's prose is very formal but it lends a certain gravity to the story that wouldn't be there if written in a more contemporary style. I'd recommend this book to anyone who likes sci-fi/fantasy. It's a book written in 1952 and still mirrors many moral issues we face in the 21st century. Worth the 6 hour listen

Engaging, unique world & writing; AMAZING reader

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes... if you like Vance's prose (I love it). I think 'florid' and 'turgid' have to do; definitely a specific taste, but I love it and it sets a mood like no other.

What about Arthur Morey’s performance did you like?

Morey's range on character voices is astounding. I've never had a book where I 'liked' all the characterizations and could follow them so easily. He transitions seamlessly from one to another, and each 'voice' is appropriate and distinctive.

Any additional comments?

I loved this as a written book; it's a delight as an audiobook thanks to Morey.