The Dying Earth

BOOK SERIES

Dying Earth

Jack Vance

4 main books8 additional works

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 predat…

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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.

Books in the series

Books in reading order

The Dying Earth#1 · 19507.8/1013 ratingsThe Eyes of the Overworld#2 · 19667.2/105 ratingsCugel's Saga#3 · 198310.0/102 ratingsRhialto the Marvellous#4 · 19848.0/102 ratings

Additional works

A Quest for Simbilis1974Morreion1979The Seventeen Virgins1979The Bagful of Dreams1979Tales of the Dying Earth1999The Laughing Magician: The Adventures of Cugel2005Songs of the Dying Earth2009The Guiding Nose of Ulfänt Banderoz2013

SERIES PUBLICATIONS

Publication timeline

Main-series books by publication year. Unconfirmed TBA dates are excluded.

1950–19844 dated main books