Nytric
March 25th, 2000, 12:30 AM
This topic seems to come up a lot...maybe if we can extend it and tell us why you like the author. My favorite author is Jack Vance. I like him because the quality of his writing is exceptional, the plot complex. He also adds a touch of humor to his works. The dialogue is witty and intelligent. Here is a typical example from his novel "Lyonesse: Madouc" (1990 World Fantasy Award Winner):
Casmir slowly drew back. He looked down at Madouc. "Why did you throw fruit at Lady Desdea?"
Madouc said artlessly: "It was because Lady Desdea came past first, before either Dame Boudetta or Lady Marmone."
"That is not relevant to the issue!" snapped King Casmir. "At this moment Lady Desdea believes that I pelted her with bad fruit."
Madouc nodded soberly. "It may be all for the best. She will take the reprimand more seriously than if it came mysteriously, as if from nowhere."
The quality of Vance's prose is simply delectable as demonstrated by his description of princess Madouc:
Madouc was now nine years old, restless and active, long of leg, with a boy's thin body and a girl's clever pretty face. Sometimes she confined her mop of copper-auburn curls with a black ribbon; as often she allowed it to tumble helter-skelter across her forehead and over her ears. Her eyes were a melting sky-blue; her mouth was wide, and jerked, twisted or drooped to the flux of her feelings. Madouc was considered unruly and willful; the words 'fantastical','perverse','incorrigible', were sometimes used to describe her temperament.
A lot of Vance's stories are very humorous and full of irony. An example is from the novel "Rhialto the Marvelous" in which Vance explains why Rhialto was unpopular among the Conclave of Magicians: Two fellow magicians came to pick up Rhialto for a ball. They spent days preparing for the event and came well-dressed and well-groomed hoping they could woo the Lady Alyssa. They were shocked to discover that Rhialto was not dressed and had completely forgotten the whole event! So, hastily grabbing his cloak and donning his cap, Rhialto and his two colleagues made haste for the ball. On the way, Rhialto was criticized by his two colleagues for forgetting such an important event and told him that no lady would give him a second look.
There were many comely maidens at the ball, but it was decided the most charming was the Lady Alyssa. The two magicians wagered between themselves who could woo the Lady Alyssa, while Rhialto sat in a corner minding his own business. After several humorous attempts at trying to woo the Lady Alyssa and failing miserably, the two magicians came to Rhialto and told him "The Lady was cold as ice and was impossible to court" (sorry for my loose translation at the dialogue), and they left to brood in a corner.
Presently, the two magicians saw the Lady Alyssa approach Rhialto. They saw them talking and giggling and sombrely noted the quality of attention Rhialto was receiving from the Lady Alyssa. After a while, the Lady Alyssa and Rhialto got up and headed to the Lady's chambers. On the way, Rhialto noted the stares of his two colleagues. The Lady Alyssa giggled, "Do you know those two? They look so funny with their odd outfits and over-fancy mustaches." Rhialto replied, "Not personally, I've been acquainted with them on a few minor occasions." And so through a series of illogical reasoning (as Vance puts it), the two magicians blamed their misfortunes on Rhialto. The story is full of irony--typical Vance.
[This message has been edited by Nytric (edited March 25, 2000).]
Casmir slowly drew back. He looked down at Madouc. "Why did you throw fruit at Lady Desdea?"
Madouc said artlessly: "It was because Lady Desdea came past first, before either Dame Boudetta or Lady Marmone."
"That is not relevant to the issue!" snapped King Casmir. "At this moment Lady Desdea believes that I pelted her with bad fruit."
Madouc nodded soberly. "It may be all for the best. She will take the reprimand more seriously than if it came mysteriously, as if from nowhere."
The quality of Vance's prose is simply delectable as demonstrated by his description of princess Madouc:
Madouc was now nine years old, restless and active, long of leg, with a boy's thin body and a girl's clever pretty face. Sometimes she confined her mop of copper-auburn curls with a black ribbon; as often she allowed it to tumble helter-skelter across her forehead and over her ears. Her eyes were a melting sky-blue; her mouth was wide, and jerked, twisted or drooped to the flux of her feelings. Madouc was considered unruly and willful; the words 'fantastical','perverse','incorrigible', were sometimes used to describe her temperament.
A lot of Vance's stories are very humorous and full of irony. An example is from the novel "Rhialto the Marvelous" in which Vance explains why Rhialto was unpopular among the Conclave of Magicians: Two fellow magicians came to pick up Rhialto for a ball. They spent days preparing for the event and came well-dressed and well-groomed hoping they could woo the Lady Alyssa. They were shocked to discover that Rhialto was not dressed and had completely forgotten the whole event! So, hastily grabbing his cloak and donning his cap, Rhialto and his two colleagues made haste for the ball. On the way, Rhialto was criticized by his two colleagues for forgetting such an important event and told him that no lady would give him a second look.
There were many comely maidens at the ball, but it was decided the most charming was the Lady Alyssa. The two magicians wagered between themselves who could woo the Lady Alyssa, while Rhialto sat in a corner minding his own business. After several humorous attempts at trying to woo the Lady Alyssa and failing miserably, the two magicians came to Rhialto and told him "The Lady was cold as ice and was impossible to court" (sorry for my loose translation at the dialogue), and they left to brood in a corner.
Presently, the two magicians saw the Lady Alyssa approach Rhialto. They saw them talking and giggling and sombrely noted the quality of attention Rhialto was receiving from the Lady Alyssa. After a while, the Lady Alyssa and Rhialto got up and headed to the Lady's chambers. On the way, Rhialto noted the stares of his two colleagues. The Lady Alyssa giggled, "Do you know those two? They look so funny with their odd outfits and over-fancy mustaches." Rhialto replied, "Not personally, I've been acquainted with them on a few minor occasions." And so through a series of illogical reasoning (as Vance puts it), the two magicians blamed their misfortunes on Rhialto. The story is full of irony--typical Vance.
[This message has been edited by Nytric (edited March 25, 2000).]