The Laughing Magician combines for the first time two of Vance's most popular "Dying Earth" novels: The Eyes of the Overworld and Cugel the Clever. Both are stories about a charming rascal named Cugel, who is forced on a quest across Earth of the far far future, in a time so remote that the sun itself has grown red and dim. Cugel's adventures have entertained fantasy readers since their first appearance more than 40 years ago.