Uller
Adventurer
With all the "Vancian Magic" threads on the D&D Next boards and the fact that my Kindle recommended Vance's Cugel the Cleaver after I finished Fritz Leiber's Swords and Deviltry my curiosity was piqued. So I gave Vance a try.
Not knowing at all what to expect, I didn't realize at first it was supposed to be humorous. I can't say it's my cup of tea (I've never been a fan of fantasy worlds that border on the absurd). But I have to say, I was very amused by it. About half way through I decided that our boy Cugel was played by Rowan Atkinson in the movie in my head and that made it all the more funny.
I read it in 4 days...normally it takes me a week or two to read a book of similar length (reading 20 minutest at a time before bed). So I must have liked it...
I can see how D&D magic derives somewhat from Vance. Several times Cugel (who is a rogue) stores spells in his mind and when he practices he is able to store more spells (i.e, he gains a level). Although if this were part of a game game system, you'd be able to change or re-store spells between encounters....At one point Cugel studies a spell while locked in a store room in a dungeon full of "ratmen" (the seem like kobolds) and then he casts it and blows up the entire dungeon.
Not sure I'll read the next one...probably eventually when I'm feeling like a laugh.
Not knowing at all what to expect, I didn't realize at first it was supposed to be humorous. I can't say it's my cup of tea (I've never been a fan of fantasy worlds that border on the absurd). But I have to say, I was very amused by it. About half way through I decided that our boy Cugel was played by Rowan Atkinson in the movie in my head and that made it all the more funny.
I read it in 4 days...normally it takes me a week or two to read a book of similar length (reading 20 minutest at a time before bed). So I must have liked it...
I can see how D&D magic derives somewhat from Vance. Several times Cugel (who is a rogue) stores spells in his mind and when he practices he is able to store more spells (i.e, he gains a level). Although if this were part of a game game system, you'd be able to change or re-store spells between encounters....At one point Cugel studies a spell while locked in a store room in a dungeon full of "ratmen" (the seem like kobolds) and then he casts it and blows up the entire dungeon.
Not sure I'll read the next one...probably eventually when I'm feeling like a laugh.
