Mazirian the Magician: (previously titled The Dying Earth)

Jack Vance

Dec 2000 · Sold by Orb Books

About this ebook

Jack Vance was one of the most remarkable talents to ever grace the world of science fiction. His unique, stylish voice has been beloved by generations of readers.

One of his enduring classics is his Mazirian the Magician (previously titled The Dying Earth), and its sequels--a fascinating, baroque tale set on a far-future Earth, under a giant red sun that is soon to go out forever.

At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

Ratings and reviews

I will say it plainly, I enjoyed reading this collection. Everything is so different from what I've read before. The stories feel bare and basic. Small, straightforward tales with endings that feel simplistic but somehow still worthy of a readers' time. Perhaps the worth I feel comes from the prose, which is eloquent and full of words that I have to pause reading to Google. Thinking more about it, I liked this because of the world building. How an off the cuff phrase, one that would never be looped back to or expanded upon, would often give me such an understanding of the world was amazing. I felt the world. This terrible horrid awe-inspiring world. I want to read more of his writing. I have read countless high and low-end Fantasy novels and sci-fi both light and hard. Nothing has felt as fresh as this bit of pulp from the 50s.

The world that Jack Vance presents in The Dying Earth (later renamed Mazarian the Magician) is as strange and dangerous as it is ancient and wondrous. A time when all knowledge has already been gathered, and humanity of the nearly inconceivable far future lived on the dregs of a million ancient civilizations. As would be expected, the characters of this world on the edge of death often live with an amoral attitude. The knowledge of impending doom shapes their lives in ways often unnoticed by the characters.

Watch the birth of ideas and concepts that have inspired and informed generations of scifi and fantasy authors with the turn of every page. Have a dictionary ready at hand and enjoy the ride! No one writes like this anymore. Vance is a master of the craft as unique as his prose.

About the author

Jack Vance (1916-2013) was was a sailor, a writer, an adventurer, a music critic, and one of the greatest masters of fantasy and science fiction. Vance published more than 60 books in his long career, sometimes under pseudonyms. Tales of the Dying Earth (also known as Mazirian the Magician) was among the most influential fantasy books ever written, inspiring generations of writers and the creators of Dungeons and Dragons. His many awards included three Hugos and a Nebula, Edgar, and World Fantasy Award for best Novel, as well as a World Fantasy Award for Lifetime Achievement.