Posted by Mike Barrett on May 14, 1999 at 16:00:03:
There are of course many wonderful turns of phrase sprinkled throughout Vance's work. I particularly like the understated wit of the conversations where neither party is saying what they really mean but both know exactly what is going on - there are many examples of this in such books as SHOWBOAT WORLD and the CUGEL collections.
But the one sentence that for some reason has always stuck in my mind is from the end of "The Sorceror Pharesm" where Cugel is departing the scene under the frustrated eyes of those whose efforts of many years he has managed to utterly ruin...."They eyed Cugel sullenly and a two-ell man hurled a rock."
Can't say why, but that line has been with me since I first read it more than 25 years ago!