Overworld, The-Jack Vance novelette, later as a chapter of a novel

Overworld, The-Jack Vance novelette, later as a chapter of a novel

AKA: Cugel the Clever, chapter I

The Eyes of the Overworld, chapter I

Tales of the Dying Earth, Book I, chapter I

The Overworld is a 25/31 page novelette that was first published in December, 1965 in The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction. In 1966 it was published by Ace Books as part one of the novel The Eyes of the Overworld.  The title The Eyes of the Overworld was changed to Cugel the Clever in the Vance Integral Edition and in the currently available Spatterlight paperback release.  The Overworld has also appeared several times by itself in various collections. (see below.) It can be read as part of the novel or as a stand-alone story by itself. I prefer to read it as part of the novel. 

In the story The Overworld we encounter Cugel at a fair where he has a booth and tries to sell talismans he made himself to unsuspecting customers.  Another seller, Fianosther, offers better magical products (“articles of greater variety and more obvious efficacy”) and has a much more desirable location for his booth so he does a brisk business while Cugel sells very little so closes down his booth.  Fianosther notices this so motions for Cugel to come over. He persuades Cugel to partake in a scheme to steal from “Iucounu the Laughing Magician” who lives nearby in “an eccentric structure of steep gables, balconies, sky-walks, cupolas, together with three spiral green glass towers through which the red sunlight shown in twisted glints and peculiar colors.  Iucounu is planning to visit Fianother's booth because he wants to purchase some magical items” from him.  Fianosther plans to bargain with and stall Iucounu so Cugel can enter Iucounu's manse and steal some of his valuable magical items.  The two will then split the profits after selling the devices. 

But Cugel blunders and is caught.  Rather than kill him or imprison him, Iucounu offers Cugel a deal to avoid punishment.  If Cugel agrees to visit the Land of Cutz and obtain a special magical violet lens for Iucounu, then he will be forgiven for his attempted burglary and will be released.  Iucounu already has one such lens or cusp but wants a second one for his other eye.  The lenses allow a person to see into the Overworld.  Cugel readily agrees and is provided with a magical device that turns wood, leaves, clothing or anything else into digestible food and also detects poison in food.  Cugel later learns that it works but that it does not change the taste of the edible item.  A piece of wood will nourish him but still tastes like wood.  Iucounu brings out Firx who is “a small white creature, all claws, prongs, barbs and hooks.” Firx enters Cugel's chest cavity and attaches itself with claws to his liver.  Firx will contract his prongs to inflict pain on Cugel to motivate him to complete his task and to insure that he returns and does not run away.  Firx is able to understand Cugel when he speaks to him but can only reply by inflicting pain or easing off the pain.  Iucounu will remove Firx once Cugel obtains the lens and returns.

Iucounu summons a demon to transport Cugel to the Land of Cutz where he has to obtain one of these magical lenses and return it to Iucounu.  Cugel learns that Cutz has two different groups of people, those with lenses and those without.  Those with two lenses see, taste and experience everything as beautiful, delicious and wonderful.  (It provides them with a virtual reality view into the Overworld.)  If the wearer looks at porridge it appears and tastes like a gourmet meal.  Shacks become castles.  Ugliness becomes beautiful.  Two lenses create a magical paradise for the wearer.  If only one lens is used it shocks and disorients the wearer. There is a story about their origin of the lenses from the Overworld, but I will leave that to the reader.  Unfortunately for Cugel there are many people in Cutz who don't have lenses who want them so there is a long waiting list for a pair of lenses.  To obtain the lenses Cugel has to sign up as a resident of Cutz and wait until he has gone from the bottom of the long list to the top.  Only when a person with a pair of lenses dies, will the pair be passed on to the person at the top of the waiting list.  But Cugel's life is at stake so fair play is not among his considerations.  He schemes to develop a plan to obtain some lenses without having to wait many years.  The rest of the story focuses on his efforts and is quite interesting.  Rating: 5.

The Overworld has been published as a stand-alone story in these book anthologies:

Sorcerers!, October, 1986, 2013 Jack Dann and Gardner Dozois, editors

Modern Classics of Fantasy, 1997, 2014, Gardner Dozois, editor

Included in the collection Jack Vance Treasury (2007, Subterranean)