Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

JACK VANCE, IN MEMORIAM: 1916 - 2013
http://www.jackvance.com/ ^ | 5/29/2013

Posted on 05/29/2013 1:52:20 PM PDT by Borges

The legendary SF writer has died.


TOPICS: Culture/Society
KEYWORDS: jackvance; obituary; sciencefiction; sourcetitlenoturl
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-26 next last

1 posted on 05/29/2013 1:52:20 PM PDT by Borges
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Borges

Nooooooo!!!!!

(sigh)

Well, the adventures of Cugel the Clever, et al had to come to and end someday.

RIP Mr. Vance


2 posted on 05/29/2013 1:55:12 PM PDT by Kommodor (Terrorist, Journalist or Democrat? I can't tell the difference.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Borges

Big fan! RIP Jack.


3 posted on 05/29/2013 1:58:11 PM PDT by Dr. Bogus Pachysandra ( Ya can't pick up a turd by the clean end!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Borges

A long-time favorite of mine. I think I’ve got all his books on my shelves, mostly in first edition paperbacks, but also a few hard covers.


4 posted on 05/29/2013 2:02:33 PM PDT by Cicero (Marcus Tullius)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Borges

The best ever, my absolute all-time favourite along with Gene Wolfe. Nobody wrote like Jack Vance, just nobody. The only ones I have yet to read are some of the short stories and the mystery novels. I was just re-reading Rhialto the Marvelous.

May the Concept be Nuncapatory for him in a better place.

Freegards


5 posted on 05/29/2013 2:03:01 PM PDT by Ransomed
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Borges
Time to reread DRAGON MASTERS for maybe the 100th time.
6 posted on 05/29/2013 2:18:53 PM PDT by nomorelurker
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Borges
I'm a SF fan who has never heard of Mr. Vance.

Any recommendations as to which book of his to start with?

7 posted on 05/29/2013 2:23:22 PM PDT by sargon
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: sargon

Tales of the Dying Earth.


8 posted on 05/29/2013 2:34:37 PM PDT by Mike Darancette (Plan "B" is now Plan "A")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: sargon

You ask a difficult question as his works are quite varied. If you are looking for SF, my personal favorites would be The Demon Princes and the Cadwal series (starting with Araminta Station). On the other hand, for fantasy, The Dragon Masters, and Llyonesse would be good starters.

Also, the omnibus of The Dying Earth is a good read.

One thing to remember when reading Jack Vance is that a dictionary will often be necessary, as well as an understanding of satire. He often enjoyed creating elaborate societies and alien cultures, and then poking them with a stick, or perhaps more accurately, an anti-hero.

Best of luck.


9 posted on 05/29/2013 2:34:54 PM PDT by Kommodor (Terrorist, Journalist or Democrat? I can't tell the difference.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: Borges

The curse of the forlorn encystment.

RIP Jack


10 posted on 05/29/2013 2:36:24 PM PDT by Mike Darancette (Plan "B" is now Plan "A")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: sargon

Vance’s Planet of Adventure trilogy is a perfect place to start.


11 posted on 05/29/2013 2:43:31 PM PDT by GSWarrior
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: Borges

Thanks for the post. Vance is one of my top three favorite SF writers. Big fan here.


12 posted on 05/29/2013 2:45:39 PM PDT by GSWarrior
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Perdogg

ping


13 posted on 05/29/2013 2:56:57 PM PDT by EveningStar ("What color is the sky in your world?" -- Frasier Crane)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Borges

He also wrote some excellent mysteries. I also think I have all his work on my shelves. Compared to modern authors his writing was efficient. He didn’t need 1500 pages to tell a great story; he made you work differently. You had to think. And sometimes even Bill Buckley would need a dictionary.


14 posted on 05/29/2013 2:58:45 PM PDT by JohnBovenmyer (Obama been Liberal. Hope Change!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Borges; Aevery_Freeman; ShadowAce; Jack Hydrazine; Altariel; nuancey; Thorliveshere; ...

15 posted on 05/29/2013 2:59:02 PM PDT by Perdogg (Sen Ted Cruz, Sen Mike Lee, and Sen Rand Paul are my adoptive Senators)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Borges

I met him once. He didn’t like to talk about his writing; figured it spoke for itself. He would literally ignore any question or comment about his stories. He loved jazz, tho’. He was an accomplished musician.


16 posted on 05/29/2013 3:24:28 PM PDT by VietVet (I am old enough to know who I am and what I believe, and I 'm not inclined to apologize for any of)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: JohnBovenmyer

I’m a huge fan, but have never been able to track down the mysteries yet or Bad Ronald. One of the most unique stylistic voices/writing styles ever.

Here’s a wiki page in case anyone clicking on the thread besides Jack Vance veterans who might want to find out more but wouldn’t bother on their own:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Vance

Here’s a NY Times Magazine article from 2009:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/19/magazine/19Vance-t.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

Here’s Jack Vance’s official site:

http://www.jackvance.com/

Freegards


17 posted on 05/29/2013 3:25:14 PM PDT by Ransomed
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: sargon

Try “The Brave Free Men.”


18 posted on 05/29/2013 3:27:00 PM PDT by VietVet (I am old enough to know who I am and what I believe, and I 'm not inclined to apologize for any of)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: sargon

I do not remember having read any of his work at all. From the titles, it seems his work is more Science Fantasy than hard Science Fiction. I have read a Terry Pratchett and a collaboration by Roger Zelazny and Robert Sheckley so if anyone has a knock-your-socks-off Jack Vance I am interested.


19 posted on 05/29/2013 3:43:44 PM PDT by higgmeister ( In the Shadow of The Big Chicken!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: Borges; Perdogg

Oh hells bells. RIP Mr. Vance. We’ll miss you.


20 posted on 05/29/2013 7:03:50 PM PDT by TheOldLady
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-26 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson