As with most things, I find myself being exposed to the classics late in life, rather than during my formative years where most people seem to encounter them. As such, I've never read Jack Vance until now, “The Dying Earth” being my first. I was immediately enthralled by this collection of loosely-related short stories set in the distant future when our civilization is but a forgotten memory, machinery has been replaced by sorcery, and the sun is on the verge of being extinguished.