Literary equivalent of a Terry Gilliam film

I've heard mention of Jack Vance and his Dying Earth books more than a few times in fantasy circles, but this is the first work of his that I've read. Now, I can see why writers like George R.R. Martin and Dan Simmons consider him such an influence. Vance was quite imaginative and his droll, literate style of writing set him apart from many of his contemporaries.

This novel offers plenty that dedicated fantasy readers will find appealing. Its hero, Cugel, is a thorough scoundrel who manipulates others in a variety of clever, sometimes heartless ways, then puts on a shameless show of innocence that would do an embezzling politician proud, but he's constantly finding his gains reversed, so you end up feeling some sympathy for him. The world of the Dying Earth is a colorful, baroque place populated by decadent societies, strange religions, weird, dangerous creatures, magicians, and interesting magical devices. Such is Vance's inventiveness, that I lost count of the number of times I recognized an idea or an object I'd seen in some later book, by another author. There's even a virtual reality of sorts. Not everyone will like Vance's deliberately ornate style of writing, but for me, it was part of the charm. The excessively formal way the characters speak to each other while indulging in all sorts of low-minded acts can be quite funny.

That said, some of the book's initial charms wear a little thin after a while. There's little structure to the overall plot -- Cugel just roams from one misadventure to the next, repeating his scheming and self-aggrandizing claims in each new place. Only a few characters persist through the whole novel. And the stilted language does get a bit tiresome -- after a while, you just want a bartender to talk like a bartender, or a brutish monster to talk like a brutish monster.

But, never mind, there's plenty of wit and creativity here, and its not hard to see Vance's influence on the fantasy genre. Which is to say, on those authors who aspired to better writing than Ron E. Howard, but took their worlds a little less seriously than Tolkien did. Picture the sort of book that Terry Gilliam might have made into a movie, and you have Eyes of the Overworld.

8 people found this helpful

I love Cugel!

This is one of my favorite books, and it is great to hear it aloud. Jack Vance' style is literary, ornate, baroque, challenging, decadent. He makes up words, and re-purposes words that have fallen out of common vocabulary. This is book 2 of The Dying Earth, set millions of years in the future, as the wretched remnants of humanity wait for the sun to go out. Magic and science both work, within limits, and the remains of epochs of civilization (including the products of genetic engineering) are all around. I enjoy the contrast of what is happening (theft, violence,hunger), and the elevated language the characters use to converse. Cugel is amoral, not quite as clever as he thinks he is, and just trying to survive.

I can't wait for the next one.

4 people found this helpful

Jack Vance is the Master

I began reading Jack Vance 30 years ago and have collected all of his books that I can find. It was delightful to find him on audible and Arthur Morey is the perfect narrator for his work. Listen and enjoy!

2 people found this helpful

Great listen for those who love words

The narrative style of this book is wonderfully charming, but something you need to be prepared for. At first I was expecting that the 'strange' style of writing was only for the forward, or an intro, and was impatient for it to hurry up and go to "normal" part of the story. Once I realised the whole book was written that way I was able to relax and enjoy the story. The use of language and the variety is just wonderful, and I will be looking for more. If you enjoy words you will appreciate this book. The narration was great also, suited the language of the book.
As to the story - it's a lot of fun, and I found myself making excuses to find time to listen for more, waiting to see what would happen. A good old-fashioned adventure.

2 people found this helpful

Arthur Morey is my favorite reader to date.

What makes audiobooks a particular pleasure is when they are read by an actor with deep affinity for the material. Arthur Morey conveys the attitudes and peculiarities of the characters with delightful nuance and gusto.

These Dying Earth books are among my favorites and yet I cant say precisely why. The characters tend to be amoral, smugnorant, virtue signalling twats - and I am fascinated by their often absurd over-eloquence. Beyond that, there is a dream like quality to the theme - an ancient Earth orbited by a dying sun (or so the learned aver)- and the antique superstitions and sensibilities of the Dying Earth's inhabitants. Really, how might the common belief that the Sun may gutter out at any moment affect metaphysics of commoner or magician or inhuman and half human inheritors of a terminally moribund world?

I have listened to these stories again and again and again I give credit to the talented reader for casting upon me this agreeable spell; this welcome obsession.

1 person found this helpful

FANTASTIC performance and a great story!

Arthur Morey does a bang-up job narrating this book, the second in Jack Vance's Dying Earth series. His performance as Cugel the Clever is something to be savored. He handles the archaic language and fantastical names with aplomb. Cugel's picaresque journey across the Dying Earth to wreak his revenge on Iucounu the Laughing Magician can be enjoyed by young and old alike.

1 person found this helpful

Excellent - with a caveat

If you could sum up The Eyes of the Overworld in three words, what would they be?

It's very well done. My only gripe is that Cugel sounds a bit more oafish than I had imagined. My impression when I read the book was that Cugel was severely deluded about his intellectual abilities - quite arrogant - but nonetheless a sharp intellect. But the narrator makes him sound more like a Longshoreman with slight speech impediment than a quick-witted but unlucky scammer.

I would still recommend this to anyone. It's a riveting listen for a raod journey.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Eyes of the Overworld?

The writing is great no matter who reads it. Vance is a unique voice in 20th C American literature.

What does Arthur Morey bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

The wrong voice for Cugel, but a great Iocunu.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yep.

Any additional comments?

Great but minor caveats. I feel petty complaining. Morey did a stellar job and kept me listening.

1 person found this helpful

Was mit prepared for how funny this was!

A lot of people talk about how the magic of DnD is based off of Jack Vance’s novels. But what they fail to impress on anyone who hasn’t read (or in this case listened) is how much of the vibe, the weirdness, can be traced to these books.
Vance brings us a world OOZING with interesting people, places, and things. And the things that happen between our man Cugel and these things are great. Often, it’s completely unpredictable and amazing. Other times, what will happen is laughably obvious, and knowing what Cugel the Scoundrel is going to do given any chance of profit adds this simple, yet very effective layer of irony to nearly all of the book. The ending is the hilarious cherry on top!
The performance was pretty good, but I’ve definitely heard better.

grim frustrating unfuffilling

struggled to finish. most characters selfish, ignorant, cruel. no growth or resolution. The Dying Earth was brilliant, but this is unpalatable.

WHAT A JOURNEY!

Superb Voice acting!
FANTASTIC writing!

I highly recommend this work to anyone with ears. simply wonderful