Reviews

3.5

Now I can see why people compare this series to The Book of the New Sun; the protagonist is not your typical hero; he travels through a strange future version of earth with a grimdark vibe and a dim sun; he meets a bunch of wild characters who (try to)play tricks on him; both series have sorcery and futuristic science/tech. The Eyes of the Overworld is not as hypnotizing as Gene Wolfe's masterpiece, but it's an imaginative, funny, and mostly entertaining entry in the series. I did find parts of it very dull, and I do not really enjoy Vance's writing style, but the good far outweighs the bad.

One last thing - if you're considering reading this, let me propose a drinking game. Have a drink each time Vance uses the verb "to ejaculate" to mean "to exclaim". You can thank me later!

thewhitewalters's review against another edition

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4.0

Funny, strange, and magical.

vxmlie's review against another edition

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adventurous mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.25

sullyisreading's review against another edition

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adventurous funny lighthearted fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

Quite enjoyable book. Had some moments I felt Jack Vance could have capitalised on, which failed to quite meet expectation, but were highly enjoyable all the same. A bizarre, farcical version of the Odyssey, if taken primarily by land instead of sea. Worth a read if old fantasy tales that tell uniquely odd stories are your bag. I don't know if I would read more of the series, but I enjoyed the read primarily for Cugel. Cugel the Clever. Clever indeed...

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