Rhialto the Marvellous The Dying Earth Book 4 eBook Jack Vance
Download As PDF : Rhialto the Marvellous The Dying Earth Book 4 eBook Jack Vance 
In the age of The Dying Earth, our moribund planet’s greatest magicians conspire with and against each other, playing cruel tricks and conniving to steal their rivals’ miraculous treasures. Prominent amongst them is Rhialto the Marvellous, who struggles to bring order – even some justice – to this squabbling gaggle of eccentrics and egotists. His efforts will take him back through time, and outwards to the farthest reaches of space – to the place where the mysterious and powerful IOUN stones wait to be gathered, by those who dare.
SF Grandmaster Jack Vance evokes a spellbinding world of politics and power set against the backdrop of a civilization as ancient as it is corrupt. From amidst the pride and cynicism of his fellow magicians, Rhialto emerges as an unforgettable figure of melancholy grandeur.
Rhialto the Marvellous is part 4 of 4 of The Dying Earth.
The stories of the Dying Earth series are set in the distant future, at a point when the sun is almost exhausted and magic has reasserted itself as a dominant force. The various civilizations of Earth have collapsed for the most part into decadence. The Earth is mostly barren and cold, and has become infested with various predatory monsters (possibly created by a magician in a former age).
The Moon has disappeared and the Sun is in danger of burning out at any time. A certain fatalism characterizes many of the inhabitants as a consequence.
The series shows the influence of the picaresque tale, applied to a science fiction/fantasy setting.
Cover art by Li-An
Rhialto the Marvellous The Dying Earth Book 4 eBook Jack Vance
My rating would have been 3.5 stars, were it permitted. Though it was a great read containing four high-quality stories, none of them struck me with the same sense of wonder, power or humor as the earlier "Dying Earth" books.That having been said, "Rhialto" is a fitting 'cap' on the series and I thoroughly enjoyed it. No small amount of that enjoyment came from particular passages where Vance makes observations about the human condition. For example; “Doubt and wonder are the lot of all men,” said Ildefonse. “Magicians are not excluded."
Another; “Human interactions, stimulated as they are by disequilibrium, never achieve balance. In even the most favorable transaction, one party whether he realizes it or not must always come out the worse.”
Yet another, as three is often perceived to be better than two; “A question well put,” said Vermoulian. “To respond, I must cite an intrinsic condition of the universe. We set forth in any direction which seems convenient; each leads to the same place: the end of the universe.”
These statements, while brief and fluid, deftly convey thoughts people have struggled with for as people have been around. To have them so eloquently and concisely presented is a treat, to say the least.
Lastly, what mention of "Rhialto" would be complete without some mention of Vance's cheeky humor? I heartily enjoyed this passage; "Rhialto glanced furiously at Gilgad, who gave back a bland stare. Gilgad had also halted time, but Gilgad had waited until the chip was actually upon the table."
This quote takes the cake, however; "Rhialto frowningly considered the stones. “We have struck a blow; we have issued a challenge: what now?”
Ildefonse blew out his cheeks. “The prudent course is to hide until the Murthe goes away.” Makes me smile every time I read it.
TL;DR: Pick it up, especially if you're into light-hearted science-fantasy, or if you've read the other "Dying Earth" books. It's quick, funny and worth the time.
Product details
|
Tags : Rhialto the Marvellous (The Dying Earth Book 4) - Kindle edition by Jack Vance. Download it once and read it on your Kindle device, PC, phones or tablets. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading Rhialto the Marvellous (The Dying Earth Book 4).,ebook,Jack Vance,Rhialto the Marvellous (The Dying Earth Book 4),Spatterlight Press LLC,FICTION Fantasy Short Stories
People also read other books :
- Monotonous Chaos Ramblings of a Prison Guard eBook Michael Ray Cantrell Kathryn Cantrell
- Fields of War Battle of Normandy eBook Robert Mueller
- Coconut Creme Killer Book 2 in The INNcredibly Sweet Series edition by Summer Prescott Mystery Thriller Suspense eBooks
- Mountain Justice A Western Duo edition by B S Dunn Literature Fiction eBooks
- The Owl and the Turtle Lou Peters 9780557517275 Books
Rhialto the Marvellous The Dying Earth Book 4 eBook Jack Vance Reviews
None of the descriptors regarding this book are in the negative. This book is quite predictable. It was penned by Jack Vance. It's predictability lies in him. Predictably, this book is a creative dive into the world of Dying Earth. Any reader familiar with it knows then what to expect. A steadily paced, light-hearted, one dimensional romp through both time and space with a bit of magic and mystery to delight the mind.
Vance often created literary fireworks. His imagination, creativity, and knowledge allowed him to transcend his time and create worlds that in today's parlance must exist in other universes. Rhialto the Marvellous is one of Vance's comic romps set somewhere in that beyond. It shouldn't be missed.
Rhialto The Marvelous complete s Vance' Dying Earth Series. A delightful read with well drawn characters and wonderful descriptions of magical places, set in a time when the sun is dying out. Jack Vance' is a master of fantasy.
I just couldn't get into this. Probably too much fantasy for me....
I've been a fan of Jack Vance for many years and had read this volume when it was initially released. In the last several years, I've been listening to audiobooks to assuage my long commutes and am thrilled to find Vance's works finally being recorded. Production quality was excellent. It had taken me a while to warm up to the reader's style but by this fourth book in the series I had come to appreciate it. Jack Vance's convincingly drawn worlds and characters, his wonderfully archaic language, his sardonic and subtle humor, and his unexpected and original plotting continues to convince me that he is one of a rarified few master fantasy storytellers. I am anxiously awaiting several other series on audiobook, including Demon Prices, Tschai, and Durdane.
I really enjoy Jack Vance.he is great. I high lying recommend this short novel. I love the magic and the imagery of the dead planet is awesome.
This is a series of stories about a group of magicians living in the far future, with the sun threatening to go out at any minute. While somewhat similar to the first Dying Earth stories, now called Mazirian the Magician, the stories are more tongue-in-cheek, and the characters are more petty. I don't consider them as good as the earlier ones except for the last Morreion.
My rating would have been 3.5 stars, were it permitted. Though it was a great read containing four high-quality stories, none of them struck me with the same sense of wonder, power or humor as the earlier "Dying Earth" books.
That having been said, "Rhialto" is a fitting 'cap' on the series and I thoroughly enjoyed it. No small amount of that enjoyment came from particular passages where Vance makes observations about the human condition. For example; “Doubt and wonder are the lot of all men,” said Ildefonse. “Magicians are not excluded."
Another; “Human interactions, stimulated as they are by disequilibrium, never achieve balance. In even the most favorable transaction, one party whether he realizes it or not must always come out the worse.”
Yet another, as three is often perceived to be better than two; “A question well put,” said Vermoulian. “To respond, I must cite an intrinsic condition of the universe. We set forth in any direction which seems convenient; each leads to the same place the end of the universe.”
These statements, while brief and fluid, deftly convey thoughts people have struggled with for as people have been around. To have them so eloquently and concisely presented is a treat, to say the least.
Lastly, what mention of "Rhialto" would be complete without some mention of Vance's cheeky humor? I heartily enjoyed this passage; "Rhialto glanced furiously at Gilgad, who gave back a bland stare. Gilgad had also halted time, but Gilgad had waited until the chip was actually upon the table."
This quote takes the cake, however; "Rhialto frowningly considered the stones. “We have struck a blow; we have issued a challenge what now?”
Ildefonse blew out his cheeks. “The prudent course is to hide until the Murthe goes away.” Makes me smile every time I read it.
TL;DR Pick it up, especially if you're into light-hearted science-fantasy, or if you've read the other "Dying Earth" books. It's quick, funny and worth the time.
0 Response to "≫ Read Rhialto the Marvellous The Dying Earth Book 4 eBook Jack Vance"
Post a Comment