Posted by Mark Adams on December 10, 1997 at 11:55:57:
In Reply to: Re: The Laughing Magician posted by gregg parmentier on December 05, 1997 at 08:01:10:
: : : Is anything known about this book? Is it about Iocounou, from the Cugel series?
: : It will be a collection of all the Cugel stories in one volume, from Underwood Books. I don't think there will be any new material, although perhaps some new illustrations.
: Unfortunately, it won't even have that. My information (and I don't recall where it came from) is that it will be a repackaging of "The Eyes of the Overworld" and "Cugel's Saga"
: reusing the illustrations from the separate UM editions.
: I must say that I have been very unimpressed with what I've seen from Underwood books.
As you've probably seen, the Underwood web site says this about _The Laughing Magician_ :
"Here are both of the book-length Cugel adventures --EYES OF THE
OVERWORLD and CUGEL'S SAGA-- together for the first time in a
single volume. With twenty illustrations! And a new rendering of the original EYES cover by Stephen E. Fabian. Reproduced in this special edition is an early 8 page handwritten draft--a fragment of one of the stories, by Jack Vance! This is a deluxe slipcased collector's edition on acid-free paper, made to last many lifetimes. Limited to 500 numbered copies, each signed by Jack Vance. Published May 1997. 358 pages."
So it seems that what's new is: New rendering of the EotO cover, and a fragment of one of the stories in early, handwritten draft image. Clearly only valuable as a collector's item (which means I'll probably get one).
As far as impressions of Underwood Books - they seem to have schedule problems. It looks like this item was originally scheduled to be available about a year prior to it's likely (actual) availability date. In fact, I called them in about August & tried to order the book. They didn't take my order, but told me to call back in the December timeframe.
So, I'll probably order it along with _Ports of Call_, assuming they'll take the order... rgds...MarkA.