Rhialto the Marvellous

And so things end on a bit of a wistful note, in a volume that kind of splits the difference between the original Mazirian the Magician: and the Cugel books. Again, as with Cugel, it's a collection of short stories about the same character (the eponymous Rhialto); in this case, it's three longish st......more

ORIGINALLY POSTED AT Fantasy Literature. If you’re a fan of Jack Vance, of course you’ve read, or plan to read, Rhialto the Marvellous, last of the Dying Earth books. If you’ve not read any of Mr. Vance’s work, you can start here — it isn’t necessary to have read the previous installments. Rhialto, wh......more

Stronger than The Dying Earth, but weaker than the Cugel novels. Rhialto the Marvelous is a fascinating character - one of Vance's many takes on the Maal Dweb-like Clark Ashton Smith class of sorcerers, and seemingly the only spell-caster in all of Amery with more than half a brain in his head. Give......more

At the sight of Rhialto and Osherl, certain of the men called out in pleasure, and taking up long-handled nets advanced upon the two with sinister purpose. Rhialto called out: " Stand back! We are magicians! Your first sneer of menace will bring down a spell of great distress; be warned!" The men ref......more

Storyline: 2/5 Characters: 2/5 Writing Style: 4/5 World: 2/5 The Dying Earth's charm wore thin here. Vance is still Vance - capable of witticisms aplenty and delightful absurdity - but Rhialto is no Cugel, and these three novellas could not sustain the flair of the episodic tellings elsewhere in the ser......more