

Loading... The Green Pearl (original 1985; edition 1987)by Jack Vance
Work detailsThe Green Pearl by Jack Vance (1985)
![]() None No current Talk conversations about this book. Ook dit boek had een leuk verhaal, maar ook hier van komt pas een volgende keer een echt review. Hoop ik. Energetic and onrushing second volume in Vance's brilliant fantasy trilogy. less set-up this time, more incident and plot and occasional detours and wanderings as King Aillas consolidates his hold over South Ulfland and King Casmir plots and schemes against him and the Ska gather at his borders and magicians conspire to create mischief. It's cracking stuff full of weird characters and battles and chases and captures and escapes all written in a grand ironic style. ORIGINALLY POSTED AT Fantasy Literature. The Green Pearl is another engrossing adventure in Jack Vance's whimsical world. This installment of Lyonesse mainly follows Aillas, now King of Troicinet, as he seeks revenge on the Ska, tests his infatuation with Tatzel, deals with a couple of traitors, and tries to thwart the ambitions of King Casmir of Lyonesse who, unbeknownst to Casmir, is Aillas's son's grandfather. We also spend quite a bit of time with Shimrod, Glyneth, Melancthe, and some new and excellent characters such as the duplicitous innkeeper Dildahl, the dogged but distractible Visbhume, and The Notable and Singular Zuck (Dealer in Objects Unique Under the Firmament). There are two main reasons that I love Lyonesse. First, I admire Vance's florid imagination. His world and its creatures are unique and, while not as bizarre as Lewis Carroll's, there's plenty of weirdness. Second, I love Jack Vance's odd but irresistible style. There's no message, no lesson, no pretensions — it's just pure fast-paced entertainment. But best of all, Vance's deliberately peculiar and droll prose makes me laugh: A crippled ex-soldier named Manting for ten years had served the county as executioner. He did his work efficiently and expunged Long Liam's life definitely enough, but in a style quite devoid of that extra element of surprise and poignancy, which distinguished the notable executioner from his staid colleague. ... [then Manting comes into possession of the Green Pearl which Long Liam had carried:] ... Thereafter, all who watched Manting declared that they had never seen the executioner's work done with more grace and attention to detail, so at times Manting and the condemned man seemed participants in a tragic drama which set every heart to throbbing; and at last, when the latch had been sprung, or the blow struck, or the torch tossed into the faggots, there was seldom a dry eye among the spectators. And the dialog is truly humorous — so many authors try, but Vance gets it right. Just two short examples: • The barber said politely: "Sire, I suggest that you hold your feet motionless while I am cutting your toenails." • When the beautiful but empty-headed Melancthe tries to seduce Shimrod, he says: "My character is intensely strong, and my will is like iron; still, I see no reason to demonstrate their strength needlessly." Again I shake my head in bewilderment that this charming trilogy can not be acquired by the usual book-obtaining methods. What a shame! Read my other Jack Vance reviews. I really enjoyed this again. This is mostly about the consolidation of power by the prince and a sorcerer's power surrounding a special green pearl. no reviews | add a review
In THE GREEN PEARL, King Aillas of Troicinet defends the peace of the Elder Isles against both the Ska marauders who once enslaved him and the wicked King Casmir. While organizing the unruly barons in the frontiers of his land, Aillas goes out of his way to capture the lovely Ska noblewoman who once stung him with her disregard. When he gets separated from his men, his dream of forcing the lady's recognition becomes the toil of dragging a defiant captive across lands governed by Casmir's henchmen. Meanwhile, the world of magic has gone on the move. The concentrated malice of the witch Desmki has manifested as a green pearl, breeding lust and envy and death; and a sorcerer in Casmir's employ abducts the princess Glyneth, in a bid to draw Aillas and friends on a hopeless rescue mission across a bizarre and deadly alternate world.A masterpiece of romantic, picaresque adventure, THE GREEN PEARL extends the epic founded with LYONESSE: SULDRUN'S GARDEN and concluded in the World Fantasy Award-winning MADOUC. The ElectricStory eBook comprises the definitive text assembled and re-edited by the Vance Integral Edition project with the close collaboration of Mr. Vance himself. No library descriptions found.
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What we've got is not dwarves and elves in a fantastic other-realm, but a continuation of the Gaelic isles, the Elder Realm, the lost continent near Avalon, with christian priests still blackmailing, kingdoms still plotting, and parentages still not known to all the pertinent peoples.
The plots are delightful and adventuresome, when they're not political and crafty, and when they're not adventuresome, they're still magical (Ten Realms, so much so,) and full of confidence games, tricksters, and Fae. And even kings play these same games.
Most impressively, at least for me, is the clever and clear and pertinent retellings of old fairy tales, yet again, including the redoubtable Green Pearl that enhances greed and bad luck, various old tales of mistaken identities, and yeah, I'm looking at you, Murgen, and so many other interspersed tales that I cannot even begin to crow about, because they should all be savored and enjoyed.
This may take place hundreds of years before Arthur, but it is no less delightful or lacking in any way when it comes to the sheer weight of myth, great characters, and sheer enjoyment.
Anyone looking for some great fantasy? (