The Distant Suns of Gene Wolfe

Tim Walters · 05 Jun 2007, 02:06 · from 2007-June.txt.gz

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From: walters at doubtfulpalace.com (Tim Walters)
Date: Mon, 04 Jun 2007 19:06:19 -0700
Subject: (urth) The Distant Suns of Gene Wolfe
In-Reply-To: <ecbb2eb0706041834k7f57397bvec28c33bd72a2ee4 at mail.gmail.com>
References: <ecbb2eb0706041734x2408ae6ek6e17011a784f2997 at mail.gmail.com>	<868233.82887.qm at web63910.mail.re1.yahoo.com>
	<ecbb2eb0706041834k7f57397bvec28c33bd72a2ee4 at mail.gmail.com>
Message-ID: <4664C51B.9030304 at doubtfulpalace.com>

aaron wrote:
> I am glad to see some Vance readers around here.  I, too, wish I could 
> have purchased the VIE, and I still sometimes fantasize about 
> having those lovely volumes here on my bookshelf.  I have heard some 
> negative comments regarding these books, however (excepting the price).  

I ordered a copy of the sample volume as a gift for a friend, and it was 
so ugly I almost didn't give it to him. Eventually I came to my senses 
and realized that, like most people, he's not as much of a book design 
snob as I am and probably would like it fine. But I lost all interest in 
buying it for myself--I'd rather stick with my paperbacks.

Coincidentally, I re-read the Lyonesse trilogy last week, and enjoyed it 
quite a bit, with a couple of caveats:

--the last book is badly paced--it moves along langorously for the first 
three-quarters or so, then rushes to fit all the plot points in before 
the end, going so far as to dispose of a major character off-stage.

--Vance's highly artificial style, especially his dialog consisting 
largely of exquisitely euphemistic negotiations, gets a little tiresome 
over the course of a long trilogy. One begins to wish for characters 
capable of ordinary conversation.

>      Also, the other day, I read about the author Michael Shea and how 
> he wrote a sequel to The Eyes of the Overworld.  He then went on to 
> write a few books about a character named Nifft the Lean who is said to 
> be Cugel-esque.

The Nifft books are highly entertaining--not as well-crafted as Vance's, 
I would say, but even more bizarrely imaginative.

-- 

Tim Walters | The Doubtful Palace | http://doubtfulpalace.com

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