September 17, 2007 6:27 pm
Gardner Dozois and George R.R. Martin sold Songs of the Dying Earth (a tribute anthology to Jack Vance) to Tor Books in the US and HarperCollins Voyager in the UK. In addition to those trade editions, Subterranean Press will be publishing special collectors’ editions (the numbered edition will be signed by both editors, all the participating writers, and Jack Vance himself). Martin says the book will feature “brand new stories from twenty-one of today’s leading fantasists, set against the sinking lands and swollen red sun of Vance’s Dying Earth, a universe that ranks with Tolkien’s Middle Earth and Howard’s Hyborian Age among fantasy aficionados.” Adding to the appeal of this particular book, Martin notes that “Jack Vance and his representatives have been so kind as to give us permission to use Jack’s characters as well, so longtime fans can expect to appearances from Cugel the Clever, Chun the Unavoidable, T’sain and T’sais, and other favorites.”
Discussing the content, Martin says “we’ve assembled an all-star lineup of contributors for the book, we think. Songs of the Dying Earth will feature original stories from Dan Simmons, Robert Silverberg, Michael Moorcock, Tanith Lee, Elizabeth Hand, John C. Wright, Glen Cook, Jeff Vandermeer, Neil Gaiman, Paula Volsky, Tad Williams, Howard Waldrop, Michael Shea, Mike Resnick, and a host of other terrific writers and hardcore Jack Vance junkies, some of whom offered us their firstborn children for the chance to be a part of this project. And yes, I plan on doing a story for the book myself.”
Asked about the line-up for the book, Dozois told SFScope: “It’s a bit premature to speak confidently about a ‘Table of Contents,’ since, as with all original anthologies, there may well not be a one-to-one equivilency between who we’ve invited and who actually submits a useable story on the day, when push finally comes to shove. However, I can tell you that we’ve invited: Glen Cook, Terry Dowling, Phyllis Eisenstein, Ray Feist, Neil Gaiman, Elizabeth Hand, Matt Hughes, Tanith Lee, George R.R. Martin, Michael Moorcock, Mike Resnick, Michael Shea, Robert Silverberg, Dan Simmons, Jeff Vandermeer, Paula Volsky, Howard Waldrop, Liz Williams, Tad Williams, Walter Jon Williams, and John C. Wright
Look Ma! That’s me!
to be in the anthology, and they have all at least provisionally accepted. How many of them will actually end up being in the book, is impossible to say, at this point.”The anticipated publication date is sometime in 2009.
Needless to say, I am somewhat intimidated. Jack Vance is truly a master of his craft: even an ambitious author must quail for a moment at the task of entering his word to tell a tale like his.
Good thing the other authors are only
— OMIGAWD! Lookit those names! I’M DOOMED! AAAAiiiiEEEE!! (insert scream of bad guy from Johnny Quest being eaten by his own giant spider or something)! MOUNTAINS, FALL ON ME! —
good thing I am not easily awed. I am in august company indeed. I am sure I can hold my own. (Sniffles in fear).
Now to come up with an idea. Quick, wife! Tell me what to write!
What’s that? Adam Reith crashlands on the Dying Earth and has to hunt down the killers of the family of Kirth Gerson, discover the truth behind the Emphyrio Myth, recover his lost spaceship, and lose the girl, the melancholy Suldrun? Lliane the Wayfarer is shipwrecked on Zothique, the world’s last continent, and is excruciated by Severian of the Torturers?
Good thing I have two years to work on this. I will start tomorrow.
About John C Wright
John C. Wright is a practicing philosopher, a retired attorney, newspaperman, and newspaper editor, and a published author of science fiction. Once a Houyhnhnm, he was expelled from the august ranks of purely rational beings when he fell in love; but retains an honorary title.
