Dying Earth
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Dying Earth is a series of fantasy books by Jack Vance.
- The Dying Earth (collection of linked stories, 1950)
- The Eyes of the Overworld (collection of linked stories, 1966)
- Cugel's Saga (novel, 1983)
- Rhialto the Marvellous (collection of linked stories, 1984)
Author Michael Shea has also written a book set in the same fictional world: A Quest of Simbilis (novel, 1974). Gene Wolfe's The Book of the New Sun also appears to be set in the same world.
Three of the Dying Earth books had their titles changed by editors or publishers. In the Vance Integral Edition (http://www.vanceintegral.com) of Vance's complete oeuvre, three of the Dying Earth books have been retitled using Vance's preferred titles. They are as follows:
- The Dying Earth is retitled as Mazirian the Magician.
- The Eyes of the Overworld is retitled as Cugel the Clever.
- Cugel's Saga is retitled as Cugel: the Skybreak Spatterlight.
The Dying Earth became the origin of the Dying Earth genre.
Influence on role playing games
The magic system of Dungeons & Dragons (in which a spellcaster memorizes spells out of a spellbook, and forgets them upon casting them) was based on the magic of Dying Earth. Some of the spells from D&D are based on Dying Earth spells, notably The Excellent Prismatic Spray.
There is also an official Dying Earth role playing game, published by Pelgrane Press which throws players into Vance's ancient world populated by desperately extravagant people.
See Also
External Links
- www.dyingearth.com
- Vance Integral Edition (http://www.vanceintegral.com)