Subterranean Press, everyone’s favourite specialty publisher, has some exciting news for fans of Science Fiction and Fantasy. In honour of Jack Vance, one of the genre’s greats, Subterranean Press is putting together an tribute anthology,
Songs of the Dying Earth will feature some of the genre’s best best and brightest authors including: Glen Cook, Kage Baker, Neil Gaiman, Tad Williams, Dan Simmons and (if the stars align properly) George R.R. Martin. If that isn’t something to get excited about, whether you’re a fan of Vance’s work or not, I don’t know what is!
From the web site:
Today, in order to honor the magnificent career of Jack Vance, one unparalleled in achievement and impact, George R. R. Martin and Gardner Dozois, with the full cooperation of Jack Vance, his family, and his agents, suggest a Jack Vance tribute anthology called Songs of the Dying Earth, to encourage the best of today’s fantasy writers to return to the unique and evocative milieu of The Dying Earth, from which they and so many others have drawn so much inspiration, to create their own brand-new adventures in the world of Jack Vance’s greatest novel.
Half a century ago, Jack Vance created the world of the Dying Earth, and fantasy has never been the same. Now, for the first time ever, Jack has agreed to open this bizarre and darkly beautiful world to other fantasists, to play in as their very own. To say that other fantasy writers are excited by this prospect is a gross understatement; one has told us that he’d crawl through broken glass for the chance to write for the anthology, another that he’d gladly give up his right arm for the privilege — that’s the kind of regard in which Jack Vance and The Dying Earth are held by generations of his peers.
Authors — stories in hand:
* Robert Silverberg
* Terry Dowling
* Glen Cook
* Tanith Lee
* Liz Williams
* Kage Baker
* Elizabeth Moon
Authors — slated to contribute:
* Neil Gaiman
* Dan Simmons
* Elizabeth Hand
* Matt Hughes
* Mike Resnick
* Phyllis Eisenstein
* Paula Volsky
* Howard Waldrop
* Tad Williams
* Walter Jon Williams
* John C. Wright
* Lucius Shepard
Please note: Mr. Vance has already signed the limited and lettered edition, and we expect, though we cannot yet guarantee, that all contributors will sign these editions. In addition, if his schedule allows, George R. R. Martin will be contributing a story.
I personally haven’t read any of Vance’s works, but in my quest to become better read in the SF genre, I have been trying to gather them together from the various used bookstores around town and hope to get my hands on the omnibus of his Dying Earth novels, the perfect precursor for this anthology.
You can find more information about Songs of the Dying Earth HERE.
I’m about 3/4 through the omnibus right now. Great stuff. Matt Hughes’ stuff is fantastic as well. (I actually discovered Vance because I enjoyed Hughes so much, which might be a bit backwards.) I think anyone who reads and enjoys Vance should check out Hughes, and vice versa.
Jeff Vandermeer and Jay Lake are two names I’d really like to see show up in this anthology, though.