The Dying Earth

The Dying Earth

Front cover of the first edition
Author	Jack Vance
Cover artist	uncredited (first)[1]
Country	United States
Language	English
Series	Dying Earth
Genre	Fantasy, Dying Earth subgenre
Publisher	Hillman Periodicals
Publication date	1950
Media type	Print (paperback)
Pages	175 or 176 pp (first)[1]
OCLC	8479962
Followed by	The Eyes of the Overworld

The Dying Earth is a collection of fantasy short fiction by American writer Jack Vance, published by Hillman in 1950. Vance returned to the setting in 1965 and thereafter, making it the first book in the Dying Earth series. It is retitled Mazirian the Magician in its Vance Integral Edition (2005),^[1] after the second of six collected stories.

The Internet Speculative Fiction Database calls it a "slightly connected series of stories" but it was ranked number 16 of 33 "All Time Best Fantasy Novels" by Locus in 1987, based on a poll of subscribers.^[1] Similarly, it was one of five finalists for the Best Novel "Retro Hugo" in 2001^[1] when the World Science Fiction Society provided 50th anniversary recognition for a publication year without Hugo Awards.

Contents

All six stories were original to the collection.^[1]

• "Turjan of Miir"
• "Mazirian the Magician"
• "T'sais"
• "Liane the Wayfarer"
• "Ulan Dhor"
• "Guyal of Sfere"

Setting

The stories are all set in an undefined far future Earth, when the sun is nearing the end of its life. The sky ranges from pink to deep blue, lit by a dim red sun, and many strange plants and animals exist. Much of the story is set within the forested country of Ascolais, and in the ruined cities that dot the landscape.

The setting is marked by the presence of unaccountably ancient ruins and other fragments of now-decayed civilizations. The human population is shrinking, and most live in the remaining structures built long ago, in varying degrees of ruin, squalor, or luxury. In addition, many people make use of technology or magic which was created long ago, but which they no longer understand. No distinction is ever made between technology created through science and that created by magic; the line between the two is blurred, and it is heavily implied that the two are ultimately indistinguishable. The characters in the stories are aware that they live on a "Dying Earth" and often make carefree, nihilistic references to the fact that their planet does not have much longer to live, assuming that the sun will soon burn itself out. It is never explained how long the Earth has left to live; it could be only decades, or possibly still thousands or millions of years.

Many of the most important people in Ascolais are wizards. In the Dying Earth, wizards use magic primarily by memorizing lengthy formulas for spells, and then activating them by speaking the proper commands. Once cast, the spell formula is instantly forgotten, requiring the wizard to reread and re-memorize them. Because even talented wizards can only memorize and "load" a handful of spells, wizards also have to rely on magical relics and on their other skills and talents to protect them. There are only one hundred spells which are still known to mankind, out of thousands which were discovered over the course of history. Pandelume implies that what the people of the Dying Earth call "magic" actually has a scientific origin; he indicates that many spells were invented through the use of mathematics and mundane sciences.

Characters

Places

• Ampridatvir: Ampridatvir is, like Kaiin, an ancient city whose people now dwell in its half-ruins. Although many of the buildings are crumbling, much of its ancient technology is still usable, such as moving walkways and anti-gravity elevators. The city was once a highly advanced civilization where all needs were met by technology and magic, ruled by the wizard Rogol Domedonfors. However, the city fell into decline because of the bickering between two cults, the worshippers of the god Pansiu and the worshippers of the god Cazdal. Before dying, Rogol created two tablets which, when combined, would provide the secrets of his power. He gave one tablet to the leader of each sect.

The people of Ampridatvir now live under a curse. The worshippers of Pansiu wear green, and cannot see any person wearing grey, while the worshippers of Cazdal wear grey, and cannot see anyone wearing green. As a result, the two sides are completely unaware of one another's existence. In accordance with tradition, glory-seekers dress themselves in red and attempt to retrieve the tablet of the opposing side. Little do they realize that this will make them visible to everyone, and doom them to being killed by invisible attackers. The people rationalize this by assuming that the red-wearers are killed by ghosts.

• Ascolais: Ascolais is a forested country where Turjan, Mazirian, and many other wizards and strange creatures reside. Part of it is under the rule of Kandive.
• Embelyon: Embelyon is a realm removed from the Dying Earth; it may be located in a different solar system or on another plane of existence entirely. It is the dwelling-place of Pandelume, who retains access to the many spells and arts which human civilization has lost. It is described as a fantastical landscape with many unearthly plants and animals, and a sky of shifting prismatic colours.
• Kaiin: Kaiin is a city on the edge of Ascolais, ruled by Prince Kandive the Golden. The city is thousands of years old, and its people live in its habitable ruins. Despite this, the few remaining people are relatively well-educated and sophisticated, though Kandive derides them as a decadent people who are merely finding extravagant ways to occupy their time.
• Saponce: Saponce is the city of the Saponids, a people who are ruled by ancient traditions. Their belief system is based on the premise that because the past was more glorious and civilized than the present, they must follow ancient traditions without ever questioning or knowing why. Their society is governed by extremely complex and rigid rules of decorum, and they impose ridiculously complicated (usually torturous and lethal) punishments on strangers who break their rules.

Creatures of the Dying Earth

• Chun the Unavoidable: Chun is a mysterious entity who lives in abandoned ruins north of Kaiin. His species is unknown. Chun kills and steals the eyes of anyone who attempts to steal from him, and pursues his foes relentlessly.
• Deodands: Deodands are humanoids which look like handsome, muscular human men, but with "dead black lustreless skin and long slit eyes." They are strong, murderous, and carnivorous creatures, but can be killed with offensive spells, which they fear. In Cugel's Saga, the wizard Follinense believes they are a mixture of basilisk, wolverine, and man. Deodands are notably eloquent.
• Pelgranes: Pelgranes are humanoids with beaked heads and wings, who harass, kill and eat travelers. They are known, unlike the eloquent Deodands they are often contrasted with, for being gullible, brash, and unintelligent.
• Gauns: Gauns are roughly humanoid creatures which haunt the streets of Ampridatvir by night, capturing and eating any human they can catch. They are large, slow, powerful, unintelligent creatures with pale skin, furry legs, fanged mouths, and arms as long as a man is tall.
• Oasts: Oasts are creatures which appear to be very tall humans with blonde hair and blue eyes, but are actually no more intelligent than livestock, and are kept as such. Some tribes to the north of Ascolais use them as food, mounts, and beasts of burden.
• Twk-Men: The Twk-Men are tiny greenish men who ride on dragonflies. They are useful sources of information, and are willing to sell their knowledge. By the same token, they can be bribed to lie to others. The usual form of payment is salt, which they crave for unexplained reasons.
• Sandestins: Creatures comparable to jinn who, despite being extremely powerful, are easily compelled against their will to serve magicians. Sandestins allow mages to perform certain powerful spells without having to memorize syllables. They are fully aware they are superior to their masters in magic ability, which only adds to the resentment they feel.

Influence on Dungeons and Dragons

The Dying Earth was featured in the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Advanced Player's Guide under Appendix N: Literature as one of the works that were read during the development of the game system.^[2] The designer, Gary Gygax, also credited the novel with being the inspiration for the magic system, which he called "Vancian."^[3]

References

• Bleiler, Everett Franklin (1985). Supernatural fiction writers: fantasy and horror, Volume 2. Scribner. ISBN 0-684-17808-7.
• Levack, Daniel J. H.; Tim Underwood (1978). Fantasms. San Francisco: Underwood-Miller. p. 25.
• Tuck, Donald H. (1978). The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction and Fantasy. Chicago: Advent. p. 433. ISBN 0-911682-22-8.
• Underwood, Tim; Miller, Chuck (1980). Jack Vance. Writers of the 21st century. Taplinger.
• Yoke, Carl B. (1987). Phoenix from the ashes: the literature of the remade world. Contributions to the study of science fiction and fantasy. 30. Greenwood Press. ISBN 0-313-24328-X.

External links

Jack Vance at the Internet Speculative Fiction Database