Jack Vance

Born

in San Francisco, California, The United States

August 28, 1916

Died

May 26, 2013

Website

http://www.jackvance.com/

Genre

Science Fiction, Fantasy, Mystery & Thrillers

Influences

P.G. Wodehouse, Jeffery Farnol, Lord Dunsany, James Branch Cabell

edit data

Aka John Holbrooke Vance, Peter Held, John Holbrook, Ellery Queen, John van See, Alan Wade.

The author was born in 1916 and educated at the University of California, first as a mining engineer, then majoring in physics and finally in journalism. During the 1940s and 1950s, he contributed widely to science fiction and fantasy magazines. His first novel, The Dying Earth, was published in 1950 to great acclaim. He won both of science fiction's most coveted trophies, the Hugo and Nebula awards. He also won an Edgar Award for his mystery novel The Man in the Cage. He lived in Oakland, California in a house he designed.

Combine Editions
Jack Vance's Books

Average rating: 3.99 · 52,967 ratings · 3,083 reviews · 427 distinct works · Similar authors

	The Dying Earth (The Dying Earth, #1) 3.94 avg rating — 4,984 ratings — published 1950 — 47 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Tales of the Dying Earth 4.15 avg rating — 3,411 ratings — published 1998 — 5 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Suldrun's Garden (Lyonesse, #1) 3.93 avg rating — 3,483 ratings — published 1983 — 37 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Eyes of the Overworld (The Dying Earth, #2) 4.16 avg rating — 2,394 ratings — published 1966 — 28 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Green Pearl (Lyonesse, #2) 4.16 avg rating — 1,745 ratings — published 1985 — 26 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Madouc (Lyonesse, #3) 4.15 avg rating — 1,618 ratings — published 1989 — 31 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Cugel's Saga (The Dying Earth, #3) 4.23 avg rating — 1,533 ratings — published 1983 — 32 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Emphyrio 3.86 avg rating — 1,559 ratings — published 1969 — 27 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Planet of Adventure (Planet of Adventure, #1-4) 4.24 avg rating — 1,257 ratings — published 1968 — 25 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Demon Princes, Volume One: The Star King, The Killing Machine, The Palace of Love 4.25 avg rating — 1,017 ratings — published 1997 — 4 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

More books by Jack Vance…

Series by Jack Vance

The Dying Earth (4 books)
by Jack Vance
4.04 avg rating — 15,732 ratings

Lyonesse (3 books)
by Jack Vance
4.07 avg rating — 7,698 ratings

Demon Princes (5 books)
by Jack Vance
4.13 avg rating — 5,615 ratings

Gaean Reach (11 books)
by Jack Vance
3.87 avg rating — 4,678 ratings

Planet of Adventure (4 books)
by Jack Vance, Jeff Jones (Cover Artist)
4.08 avg rating — 4,173 ratings

More series by Jack Vance…

Quotes by Jack Vance

“Good music always defeats bad luck.”
― Jack Vance

tags: fantasy, music

63 likes

“What are your fees?" inquired Guyal cautiously. "I respond to three questions," stated the augur. "For twenty terces I phrase the answer in clear and actionable language; for ten I use the language of cant, which occasionally admits of ambiguity; for five, I speak a parable which you must interpret as you will; and for one terce, I babble in an unknown tongue.”
― Jack Vance, Tales of the Dying Earth

56 likes

“Notice this rent in my garment; I am at a loss to explain its presence! I am even more puzzled by the existence of the universe.”
― Jack Vance, Tales of the Dying Earth

tags: jack-vance, lodermulch, the-eyes-of-the-overworld

42 likes

See all Jack Vance's quotes »

Polls

MARCH FANTASY -- This poll decides which two books go into the run off poll to decide the Fantasy Book of the Month for March.

Suldrun's Garden by Jack Vance

17 votes, 23.3%

Jurgen by James Branch Cabell

12 votes, 16.4%

The House of Shattered Wings by Aliette de Bodard

11 votes, 15.1%

Written in Red by Anne Bishop

10 votes, 13.7%

Alice by Christina Henry

8 votes, 11.0%

The Treachery of Beautiful Things by Ruth Frances Long

5 votes, 6.8%

Clean Sweep by Ilona Andrews

3 votes, 4.1%

The Sorcerer of the Wildeeps by Kai Ashante Wilson

3 votes, 4.1%

Dreamer's Pool by Juliet Marillier

2 votes, 2.7%

The Rise of Renegade X by Chelsea M. Campbell

2 votes, 2.7%

73 total votes

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