Subterranean Press is selling a limited, illustrated edition of Jeff Vandermeer’s story (published by WSFA Press) for George R.R. Martin’s and Gardner Dozois’s award-nominated anthology in tribute to Jack Vance, Songs of the Dying Earth. This is the original form of the novella, titled The Three Quests of the Wizard Sarnod, that Vandermeer wrote as the published version in the anthology was somewhat shortened. As Vandermeer explains:
“When it came time to write the story for Songs of the Dying Earth, Sarnod and his three familiars leapt into my mind, and Grod was one of them. I wrote a draft, revised it, and sent it to the editors. When I heard back, the feedback indicated they liked the story but Grod wasn’t Vance-an enough, not tied enough in his quest to Vance’s world. So, thinking that eventually I might have a chance to publish my version, I cut Grod out of the story for the version published in the anthology;.
“This version is very close to my heart, and I hope you enjoy it as much as you enjoy my friend and master designer John Coulthart’s marvelous approach to book art.”
Subterranean reports there’ll only be 500 copies of this book, and that Vandermeer limited editions tend to go fast.