Wanted: Jack Vance Suggested Reading

[Chaldfont]

I would like to read the Jack Vance stories that inspired the D&D magic system. Can anyone tell me what books to check out? I need specific titles so I can hit up my favorite used book store.

 

[Aitch Eye]

The books can be found in the omnibus edition Tales of the Dying Earth, which is still in print. If you want to track them down separately, they're The Dying Earth, The Eyes of the Overworld, Cugel's Saga and Rhialto the Marvellous. Actually, I think only the first two were out when D&D was being created.

 

[Chaldfont]

Thanks!

Thanks, Aitch. Now it's off to bookfinder.com

 

[Victim]

Check your local library first. I found a copy that way.

 

[Richards]

Yep, those are the four books that inspired the D&D "fire and forget" method of spellcasting, and I highly recommend them. (I highly recommend all Jack Vance books; he writes a lot of science fiction/science fantasy as well.)

If you're looking for further Jack Vance fantasy books, he also did the Lyonesse trilogy, set on Earth around the time of King Arthur. Check out Lyonesse: Suldren's Garden, Lyonesse: The Green Pearl, and Madouc. You won't be disappointed.

Johnathan

 

[mmadsen]

Yep, those are the four books that inspired the D&D "fire and forget" method of spellcasting, and I highly recommend them.

Interestingly, it's not clear -- at least in the first two books -- that Vance's magic system is "fire and forget". The chief feature of the magic system is that the spells are immensely complex, and only a trained wizard can keep more than a couple spells in memory at any one time. I haven't noticed any mention of a spell being "forgotten" by using it.

 

[Fade]

A spell is cast by chanting a number of syllables. These syllables are so cogent that they must be forced into the brain by a trained mind. Once the sorcerer has cast the spell, he is no longer able to do so until he again consults his books. This indicates to me that the syllables no longer reside inside his brain, preventing him from casting it again.

Note that this is particular to his 'dying earth' setting, and to the lesser mages. Archmages use Sandestins directly instead of spells, and the wizards in his other settings (such as Lyonesse), while similar, are not identical.

 

[mirzabah]

Note that this is particular to his 'dying earth' setting, and to the lesser mages. Archmages use Sandestins directly instead of spells, and the wizards in his other settings (such as Lyonesse), while similar, are not identical.

But, of course Lyonesse wasn't around at the time that D&D was originally developed. And as far as I know, Lyonesse and Dying Earth are the only Vance works in which magic plays a central part.

 

[Eben]

speaking of sandestins, ...

Are there any rules out there for using these creatures in D&D?

 

[mirzabah]

Re: speaking of sandestins, ...

Are there any rules out there for using these creatures in D&D?

Not that I've heard of, but I'm sure that you could adapt something from the Dying Earth RPG.