Lyonesse

If you were to open a copy of Lyonesse and give it a good shake, a bunch of (very annoyed) fairies would fall out. Because they're everywhere in this book. It sounds hella cheesy but it's actually a good thing. When reading this, magic is almost tangible Ã¢ due mostly to Vance's exceptional ability to bring a fairytale world to life.Why it made the listBefore you're put off by the word Ã¢fairytale', you should know that this is definitely not a children's bedtime story. Unless creating deranged offspring is your thing. The plot is enchanting and you'll be totally engrossed, but it's also haunting and tragic. There are no friendly neighborhood fairy godmothers in Lyonesse and the beings that inhabit this world can be Ã¢ and often are Ã¢ nasty pieces of work.Vance is a skilled enough writer that he's managed to combine elements of the Arthurian legend with fairytale creations that are flawed and, as a result, feel real and accessible.There's a little bit of everything here Ã¢ quests, mystery, romance, lust, myth, betrayal and magic. This wealth of fantastical elements and thematic material could spin off into batshit-crazy territory, but Vance manages to keep it tight and well balanced.

Books in Lyonesse Series (5)

Booklists having this book

Top 25 Fantasy Books of the 80's

The 80s wasn't just a period of Hammertime(!) and big hair. It was also a revolutionary decade for fantasy. a revolution in the marketplace that helped make fantasy the pop... Read more

Most Influential Fantasy Books

An alternate "Best Fantasy Books List" for those of you who prefer the more "high brow" fantasy books.You might call this list the fantasy books that have influenced the genre... Read more

Best Literary Fantasy Books

If you're tired of those same old boy villager finds magic sword / talisman / super power, meets a company of sidekicks (with the requisite princess in disguise and old... Read more

Top 100 Fantasy Books

This list continues directly from where  the Top 25 Best Fantasy List ends, starting from #26 and ending at #100 (yes, I know the list shows #1, but 1 = 26).Frankly, there are... Read more

Best Fantasy Books You've Never Read

Most astute fantasy readers have heard about the hyped-up authors – those authors who are often touted as the “best” in a genre; they are quite often the first fantasy... Read more

Best Fantasy Series

Do you love those fantasy novels with many kingdoms, protagonists, politics, and cultures? Do you like the epic struggles between small bands of heroes against impossible evil? Do you eagerly... Read more

Best Feel Good Fantasy Books

Tired of grim dark stories where the nastiness of humanity is gleefully celebrated; where heroes and villains are often one and the same? Want a fantasy where good things are celebrated,... Read more

Other books by Vance, Jack

Lyonesse

If you were to open a copy of Lyonesse and give it a good shake, a bunch of (very annoyed) fairies would fall out. Because they're everywhere in this book.... Read more

The Green Pearl

Madouc (1990)

Madouc by Jack Vance won the 1990 World Fantasy Award for Best Novel Read more

Madouc

Lyonesse Trilogy

High kings, evil sorcerers, exiled princes, tricky fairies, and willful princesses this highly influential series has it all. There is nothing derivative about this series, being one of the founding... Read more

The Green Pearl

Tales Of The Dying Earth

Tale of the Dying Earth truly stands as one of the greatest works ever penned. Everything that's good and bad about the human condition is eloquently expressed within this tale.... Read more

The Eyes Of The Overworld

Cugel's Saga

Rhialto The Marvellous

Madouc

1990: Madouc

The story follows the protagonist, Madouc, and the adventures around her quest for her pedigree. Casimir, the ruthlessly devious king of Lyonesse, has discovered that the girl he initially thought... Read more