Book Review: The Jack Vance Treasury-Jack Vance

Book Review: The Jack Vance Treasury-Jack Vance

Vancelot: Jack Vance in Review, TJ Jones

Subterranean Press, hardcover, 633 pages

Release Date: 2007

Cover art: Gnemo

Contents:

·       Preface-Jack Vance, 2 pages

·       Jack Vance: An Appreciation-George R.R. Martin, 3 pages

·       Introduction: Fruit from the Tree of Life-Terry Dowling & Johathan Strahan, 7 pages

·       The Dragon Masters, 81 pages, novella

·       Liane the Wayfarer, 11 pages, chapter excerpt

·       Sail 25, 29 pages, novelette

·       The Gift of Gab, 51 pages, novella

·       The Miracle Worker, 65 pages, novella

·       Guyal of Sfere, 43 pages, chapter excerpt

·       Noise, 13 pages, short story

·       The Kokod Warriors, 33 pages, novelette

·       The Overworld, 25 pages, novelette

·       The Men Return, 9 pages, short story

·       The Sorcerer Pharesm, 23 pages chapter excerpt

·       The New Prime, 9 pages, short story

·       The Secret, 9 pages, short story

·       The Moon Moth, 35 pages, novelette

·       The Bagful of Dreams, 27 pages, novelette

·       The Mitr, 7 pages, short story

·       Morreion, 41 pages, novelette

·       The Last Castle, 55 pages, novella

·       Biographical Sketch & Other Facts-Jack Vance, 8 pages

·       Editor Bios, 1 page

This is a large, high quality, hardcover collection of 18 shorter works by Jack Vance and includes short stories, novelettes, novellas and chapter excerpts from novels.  Although it is out of print, this collection is available used and should appeal to certain Jack Vance collectors.  For those who do not like to collect books it should be noted that all of these stories are available from Spatterlight Press in trade paperback editions.  The Spatterlight releases have the advantage of being the same author approved, corrected releases that were issued under the limited and costly Vance Integral Editions (VIE). 

Dragon Masters, The-Jack Vance novella

Dragon Masters is a 81 page novella that was first published in the Galaxy Magazine in August, 1962. It was initially released in book form in 1963 in an Ace Double paperback. It won a Hugo Award in 1963 for “Best Short Fiction.” The story takes place on the planet Aerlith, a rocky planet with a few fertile valleys.  One colony of humans, led by Joaz Banbeck, lives in Banthen Valley in caves and another, led by Ervis Carcolo, resides in Happy Valley in huts. Another group of humans called the Sacerdotes live in deep caverns and consider themselves to be a different species, referring to other humans as "Utter Men."  They are mysterious ascetics who have long hair, never wear clothes and have golden torcs around their necks. Sacerdotes are devoted to truth and knowledge and cannot tell lies but often answer questions in a vague indirect way.  They refer to the other humans as “Utter Men” and trade with them for food but otherwise avoid Utter Men affairs.  The Sacerdotes consider themselves superior to other humans and wait for the time when all Utter Men are extinct so they can take over.  Sacerdotes are also very secretive and are suspected by some of having some hidden advance technologies, possibly even advance weapons or spaceships. The Sacerdotes spend their time smelting metal, boiling glass and performing their rituals. Many years ago aliens called "Graphs" or "Basics" invaded Aerlith and kidnapped many humans. The Graphs continue to sometimes return to Aerlith to bomb the towns and to abduct humans whom they enslave and genetically modify to make warriors. Years ago some of the Graphs were captured by the humans and served as the breeding stock to create fighting dragons. So the humans have dragon like fighters who are descendants of the Graphs and the Graphs have warriors who are bred from genetically modified humans. The different types of dragons developed in the breeding programs are described in detail and include Spiders, Termagants, Striding Murderers, Long-horned Murderers, Fiends, Blue Horrors, and Juggers.  Each type has its uses in battle. Some have horns or pincers they use to fight with while others are trained to use pistols, swords or mace.  Dragons come in a variety of sizes from human size to gigantic. This is also true of the soldiers the Graphs use that are genetically modified humans. These include Trackers, Mounts, Heavy Troopers, Weaponeers, and twelve feet tall Giants.  Some Graph soldiers carry powerful guns and their ships have heat-beams and ion-rays.

The leader of Banthen Valley, Joaz Banbeck, meets with the leader of Happy Valley, Ervis Carcolo, to ask for his assistance in preparing to defend the planet from another Graph attack. He suggests that they align forces and that Carcolo follow his lead by making underground tunnels and caves so their citizens can retreat to them when the Graph’s return. Carcolo refuses to cooperate or assist, however, and is more interested in attacking other humans to expand his territory. Banbeck also tries to enlist the aid of the Sacerdotes in defending against the Graphs but they refuse to be involved in mutual defense or in any of the affairs of the Utter Men. They are not just devout pacifists but refuse to take action of any kind for any reason. Carcolo is not concerned about the basics returning in their ships to kidnap humans because they have not done this in several years. Instead he is preoccupied with breeding dragons, fighting and expanding his territory.  So rather than joining Banbeck to prepare their defenses against the basics, he decides to attack Banbeck.  Vance depicts the battles between Carcolo and Banbeck with Banbeck getting the better of the two.  During one of their fights Carcolo hears that the basics have landed in Happy Valley so he calls for a truce and asks Banbeck to join him to combat the basics.  But Banbeck refuses, saying that Carcolo is as much of a danger to his people as the Basics are so aiding him makes little sense. The story continues with exciting, detailed fighting scenes depicted between the different dragons of the humans and the strange Graph fighters .The Graphs have blast cannons and advanced weapons, including ones mounted on their spaceship, and the humans have mostly muskets, swords and maces so the humans must rely more on stealth and strategy than on brute strength and firepower.  Dragon Masters is a fast paced and engaging story and should appeal to all Vance fans and many science fiction and fantasy readers.  I've read it three times so far and rate it a 4 out of 5 “Really liked it.”

Liane the Wayfarer-Jack Vance chapter from the novel Mazirian the Magician, AKA: Mazirian the Magician, chapter 4, The Dying Earth, Book I, chapter 4, Liane the Wanderer (misspelling), The Loom of Darkness

This is an 11 page chapter (#4) from the Jack Vance novel The Dying Earth. This novel is also known as Mazirian the Magician and Tales of the Dying Earth, Book II. It was first published in 1950 by Hillman Periodicals as part of the novel The Dying Earth.  Later in December that same year Liane the Wayfarer appeared as an excerpt when it was issued as a short story in the magazine Worlds Beyond.  In the magazine issue, however, it was given the title “The Loom of Darkness.”  Some writers have stated that this work was first published in a magazine and later included in the novel but I have a copy of the 1950 Worlds Beyond (pages 117-128) and it clearly states that this work is an excerpt from the novel The Dying Earth. “One episode from Jack Vance’s astonishing novel is printed in this issue of Worlds Beyond under the title, The Loom of Darkness.” They simply changed the title, something that was not uncommon with science fiction and fantasy magazines. Because this work was initially issued as a chapter of a novel I list it as an excerpt or chapter rather than as one of Vance’s free standing short stories.  It has, however, appeared quite frequently on its own in anthologies and collections as have most of the other chapters in the novel.  In this story we encounter Liane the Wayfarer who appeared briefly in the prior chapter titled “Tsais” in the novel The Dying Earth.  This time we find Liane whistling and prancing through a dim forest in high spirits.  He makes a “wry mouth” as he recalls having killed a spice merchant and “what a tumult he had made dying!  How carelessly he had spewed blood on Liane’s cock comb sandals.”  While burying the merchant Liane found a bronze ring.  “Around his finger he twirled a bit of wrought bronze-a circlet graved with angular crabbed characters, not stained black.”  Finding the ring made Liane’s spirits soar and “he laughed in pure joy. He bounded , he leapt.”  In a few short paragraphs we are introduced to an uncaring murderous rogue, a pure scoundrel who is one of the darkest, most unlikeable characters Vance ever developed.  Liane considers taking the “circlet” to a magician to have it tested for sorcery.  What sounds initially like a finger ring, however, soon is or somehow becomes large enough for Liane to slip over his body. When he does this he emerges in maroon light in the forest where he sees a Twk-man mounted on a dragon-fly who asks Liane what he would like.  Liane tells the Twk-man to watch him and report what he sees. Liane puts the ring over his head, drops it to his feet and then reverses the process.  The Twk-man reports that he saw Liane disappear from sight and then reappear.  Liane next agrees to give the Twk-man some salt in exchange for local news and learns that a beautiful golden witch by the name of Lith has come to the area to live. After practicing with the ring Liane decides to seek out Lith who, when he finds her next to a pond, turns out to be even more beautiful than he had imagined.  Liane appears to have great confidence in his abilities to charm women and announces to Lith that he is here to offer his friendship and love to her. Lith responds by throwing in his face a handful of green slime from the pond after which she retreats to her hut where she is protected.  Liane is outraged but soon recovers and tells Lith “you are ripe as a sweet fruit, you are eager, you glisten and tremble with love. You please Liane, and he will spend much warmness on you.” Lith encourages Liane but says that she “may have no lover but him who has served me.”  The service she proposes to Liane is for him to recover the other half of a golden tapestry that was stolen from her by Chun the Unavoidable who lives in the Palace of Whispers.  Liane is so self-confident that leaves immediately to steal back the other half of the tapestry. At a local inn Liane meets some wizards who take turns demonstrating their magical feats.  When he mentions later that he is on a quest for the witch Lith and must steal a piece of tapestry from Chun the Unavoidable the wizards suddenly become silent.  They then tell him of the dangers of Chun but Liane is extremely confident and dismisses their warnings.  The next day on the way to find Chun’s home Liane meets an old man who provides him with directions to the Palace of Whispers and is rewarded for his helpfulness by being murdered by Liane. The story continues with Liane’s adventure of his quest for the golden tapestry.  I’ve read it many times and rated it a 5.

Sail 25-Jack Vance novelette (author’s preferred title), AKA: Gateway to Strangers and Dust of Far Suns

Sail 25 is a 29 page novelette that was first published in August, 1962 in the magazine Amazing Stories. It has also been known as "Gateway to Strangers" and "Dust of Far Suns."  Henry Bent is an irritable, unpleasant, overly sensitive, dictatorial character who seems to be "a man of a different species."  He teaches pilots to operate spaceships, in this instance it is one that has a huge sail (thus the title "Sail 25"). Bent tells his cadet crew that he does not expect to be liked and that if they do like him then he has failed because, "I haven't pushed you hard enough." All pilots know Bent and respect his skills, but they also invariably dislike him.  He has trained almost every well known pilot and is about to train a new crew.  During the training flight when Bent is not drunk or hiding from the others, he is sneaking around the ship, spying on the cadets, keeping track of their behavior by making comments in his notebooks where he records demerits.  These demerits will determine who passes and who gets axed from the program. Bent also says that he is retiring, that this will be his last flight and hints that he wants to die in space.  Is he suicidal?  Has he become an incompetent drunk? Or is this the finest training the cadets will ever receive? Each member of his crew reacts differently to Bent's behavior and the challenges of the training.  It is all done with humor with a memorable character who is as difficult as any boot camp sergeant.  I’ve read this four times and rated it 3+ “Liked it plus”

Gift of Gab, The-Jack Vance novella

The Gift of Gab is a 51 page (17,900 words) novella that was first published in Amazing Science Fiction in September, 1955.  Our main character, Fletcher, works on a barge on an alien planet where they harvest barnacles and sea slugs from the ocean to make chemical compounds. One of his men turns up missing and then a strange creature grabs Fletcher by the leg and tries to pull him into the sea.  This is a planet where there are supposed to be nothing that is predatory toward people.  All of the animals on the planet seem harmless, including the very common seal like marine creature called a dekabrach.  But much more is going on with the habitants of the planet and also with his coworkers on another barge.  The intrigue builds as Fletcher, who is stuck on the planet with his crew until relief arrives, tries to investigate the mystery.  "Gab," incidentally, refers to communication between different species.  I’ve read this several times and found it to be interesting and enjoyable to read and rated it a 4 “Really liked it.”

The Miracle Workers-Jack Vance novella

The Miracle Workers is a 65 page novella published in July, 1958 by Astounding Science Fiction. The original inhabitants of the planet Pangborn are called First Folk.  They are the size of humans but have foam sacs that bulge from their arms with orange lipped foam vents pointing forward.  Their backs are wrinkled and loose with skin acting as a bellows to blow air through their foam-sacs.  Enormous hands end with sharp chisel like fingers.  The “head was sheathed in chitin.  Billion-faceted eyes swelled from either side of the head, glowing like black opals.”  They lived in fields of moss but were forced to move into the forests when humans arrived sixteen hundred years ago and displaced and marginalized the First Folk who now consider humans to be their enemy.  These humans once had spaceships and advanced weapons and machines but over the years they lost the knowledge and skills that supported their science and technology. The main character in this novella is Lord Faide, a human who has waged war to unite the various forts on the planet where other humans reside.  Faide’s solders are mostly foot soldiers who carry crossbows and darts and some mounted, armored knights. The only technically more advance weapons Lord Faide has are several untried cannon like device called Hellmouth and one small, single person shuttle that Lord Faide can minimally operate. But they do employ psychic warfare skills called "hoodoo" that the "jinxmen" use telepathically to frighten the opposition soldiers by causing them to have horrible visions of demons. Hoodoo can also be used to insert a demon like mentality into one's own soldiers to turn them into amazingly fierce fighters. “For over a thousand years the keep-lords had struggled for power.”  “None before had ever extended his authority across the entire continent-which meant control of the planet.”  Lord Faide, from Faide Keep, hopes to be the first leader to do so. As the story begins Lord Faide is advancing with his army toward a human fort at Ballant Keep that is ruled by Lord Ballant.  But his path to Ballant Keep is blocked by a forest that was planted by the First Folk. The forest is full of deadfalls, scythes, nettle traps and other deadly traps set by the First Folk so Lord Faide decides to negotiate with the First Folk by asking them for a guide to help them get through the deadly forest. Initially the First Folk refuse but when they hear that Lord Faide is planning to attack and kill other humans, the First Folk offer to guide them through the forest because “they are pleased to see us killing one another.” Chapters III, IV, V and VI are devoted to the imaginative battles between Lord Faide’s troops and those of Lord Ballant’s.  Lord Ballant has an ancient weapon called the Volcano and both sides have ordinary soldiers plus jinxmen who employ their hoodoo to create visions of demons and to implant magical forces into their own men to make them into fierce demon possessed fighters, many times stronger than ordinary humans.  After the battle Lord Faide and his men attempt to return home but find their way blocked by the First Folk who bear large tubes that look like weapons.  The humans are not concerned at first, however, because the “First Folk were a pale and feeble race, no match for human beings in single combat, but they guarded their forests with traps and deadfalls.” Unfortunately for Lord Faide and his soldiers, hoodoo does not work on the First Folk because their brains are not human and the First Folk have decided that they have had enough persecution by humans. They have bizarre weapons unknown to humans, including large wasp like insects that are fired out from tubes like missiles and secretions of foam.  There is a lot of fighting in the story, but I found it to be a creative and fascinating fantasy work. I’ve read it three times so far  and rated it a 4+ “Really liked it plus.”

Guyal of Sfere-Jack Vance chapter from the novel Mazirian the Magician, AKA: Mazirian the Magician, chapter 6, The Dying Earth, chapter 6, Tales of the Dying Earth, Book I, chapter 6

Guyal of Sfere was first issued as chapter six in the 1950 Jack Vance novel Mazirian the Magician also known as “The Dying Earth” and “Tales of the Dying Earth, Book I.”  It is 43 pages long.  Since then Guyal of Sfere has appeared as an excerpt in a number of collections of shorter works.  ISFDB labels it as novella length (17,500 words) but I have not listed it as a novella because it was first published as a chapter of a novel and not as an independent work.  There is also a 2005 revised version that is listed at the end of this review. Guyal irritates his parents and others by constantly asking questions.  Such questions have included "Why do squares have more sides than triangles?" and "What is beyond the sky?"  Guyal's father finally decides to send Guyal to find the Museum of Man where he can meet the Curator who reportedly has the answers to all questions.  He provides Guyal with magical protection so that Guyal is safe as long as he stays on the trail and does not leave it.  Guyal encounters a strange man who plays the flute but turns out to be something other than what he appears.  Later he meets some men from Saponce who coax him off the trail to welcome him.  He is warned not to touch a sacred section of land.  Guyal's horse is spooked, however, and accidentally steps on the sacred area.  The other men tell him he has violated a strict Saponid law and arrest him despite his appeals.  They quickly convict Guyal of "impertinence, impiety, disregard and impudicity."  As penalties he has to swear never again to repeat his crime and to judge a beauty contest called the Grand Pageant of Pulchritude.  The third penalty will not be disclosed to him until he has complied with the first two.  It is the third penalty, however, that ends up being dangerous to him.  The rest of the story is humorous and entertaining.  This was my favorite story of the six, and I especially enjoyed the quirky twists and the ending. This is a dense story with much symbolism and mythology that improved for me with repeated readings.  It also works better as part of novel The Dying Earth than as a stand-alone story, although it certainly can be read alone.  I’ve read it six times so far and rate it 5.

Noise-Jack Vance short story (author’s preferred title), AKA: Music of the Spheres

Noise was published initially in August, 1952 in Startling Stories magazine.  It is also known as “Music of the Spheres” and is a 13 page short story.  A man crash lands on a distant planet and begins sending out distress signals, hoping to get rescued.  He gradually begins to see and hear strange seductive things and is not sure if his senses have become more responsive or if he is hallucinating. It is a strange, moody, psychological, fantasy piece that is rather fascinating.  I’ve read this several times and rated it a 3 “Liked it.”

Kokod Warriors-Jack Vance novelette

The Kokod Warriors, a 33 page novelette, first published in October, 1952 in the magazine Thrilling Wonder Stories, is one of the Magnus Ridolph series.  The "Women's League Committee for the Preservation of Moral Values" hires Ridolph to investigate and stop ritualistic battles on another planet (Kokod) where tribes of dwarf like creatures have bloody fights with each other while tourists with their tour guide watch for entertainment. The hotel in the region makes huge profits from the tourists who visit the planet just to watch these killings. Ridolph devises a clever scheme in this interesting story that is for me the finest of the Magnus Ridolph pieces.  I’ve read this four times and rate it a 5 out of 5.

The Overworld-Jack Vance novelette, later as a chapter of a novel, AKA: Cugel the Clever, chapter I, The Eyes of the Overworld, chapter I, Tales of the Dying Earth, Book I, chapter I

The Overworld is a 25 page novelette that was first published in December, 1965 in The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction. In 1966 it was published by Ace Books as part one of the novel The Eyes of the Overworld.  The title The Eyes of the Overworld was changed to Cugel the Clever in the Vance Integral Edition and in the currently available Spatterlight paperback release.  The Overworld has also appeared several times by itself in various collections. (see below.) It can be read as part of the novel or as a stand-alone story by itself. I prefer to read it as part of the novel.  In the story The Overworld we encounter Cugel at a fair where he has a booth and tries to sell talismans he made himself to unsuspecting customers.  Another seller, Fianosther, offers better magical products (“articles of greater variety and more obvious efficacy”) and has a much more desirable location for his booth so he does a brisk business while Cugel sells very little so closes down his booth.  Fianosther notices this so motions for Cugel to come over. He persuades Cugel to partake in a scheme to steal from “Iucounu the Laughing Magician” who lives nearby in “an eccentric structure of steep gables, balconies, sky-walks, cupolas, together with three spiral green glass towers through which the red sunlight shown in twisted glints and peculiar colors.  Iucounu is planning to visit Fianother's booth because he wants to purchase some magical items” from him.  Fianosther plans to bargain with and stall Iucounu so Cugel can enter Iucounu's manse and steal some of his valuable magical items.  The two will then split the profits after selling the devices.  But Cugel blunders and is caught.  Rather than kill him or imprison him, Iucounu offers Cugel a deal to avoid punishment.  If Cugel agrees to visit the Land of Cutz and obtain a special magical violet lens for Iucounu, then he will be forgiven for his attempted burglary and will be released.  Iucounu already has one such lens or cusp but wants a second one for his other eye.  The lenses allow a person to see into the Overworld.  Cugel readily agrees and is provided with a magical device that turns wood, leaves, clothing or anything else into digestible food and also detects poison in food.  Cugel later learns that it works but that it does not change the taste of the edible item.  A piece of wood will nourish him but still tastes like wood.  Iucounu brings out Firx who is “a small white creature, all claws, prongs, barbs and hooks.” Firx enters Cugel's chest cavity and attaches itself with claws to his liver.  Firx will contract his prongs to inflict pain on Cugel to motivate him to complete his task and to insure that he returns and does not run away.  Firx is able to understand Cugel when he speaks to him but can only reply by inflicting pain or easing off the pain.  Iucounu will remove Firx once Cugel obtains the lens and returns.  Iucounu summons a demon to transport Cugel to the Land of Cutz where he has to obtain one of these magical lenses and return it to Iucounu.  Cugel learns that Cutz has two different groups of people, those with lenses and those without.  Those with two lenses see, taste and experience everything as beautiful, delicious and wonderful.  (It provides them with a virtual reality view into the Overworld.)  If the wearer looks at porridge it appears and tastes like a gourmet meal.  Shacks become castles.  Ugliness becomes beautiful.  Two lenses create a magical paradise for the wearer.  If only one lens is used it shocks and disorients the wearer. There is a story about their origin of the lenses from the Overworld, but I will leave that to the reader.  Unfortunately for Cugel there are many people in Cutz who don't have lenses who want them so there is a long waiting list for a pair of lenses.  To obtain the lenses Cugel has to sign up as a resident of Cutz and wait until he has gone from the bottom of the long list to the top.  Only when a person with a pair of lenses dies, will the pair be passed on to the person at the top of the waiting list.  But Cugel's life is at stake so fair play is not among his considerations.  He schemes to develop a plan to obtain some lenses without having to wait many years.  The rest of the story focuses on his efforts and is quite interesting.  Rating: 5.

The Men Return-Jack Vance short story

The Men Return was first published in July, 1957 in the magazine Infinity Science Fiction and is a 9 page short story.  In the story two universes are overlapped after the law of causality, physics and reality on Earth is rendered somewhat inoperable and matter now fades in and out of existence.  Humans evolved into two different creatures, one rooted in the laws of science and the other having developed in the coexisting world of randomness and surrealism where nothing seems real.  Both groups spend all their time seeking food and are not above eating each other.  As food becomes scarcer, the groups become more desperate.  It is all very bizarre, but I found it rather fascinating. I’ve read it 7 time so far rated it 3 or “Liked it.”

Sorcerer Pharesm-Jack Vance novelette, later a chapter of a novel, AKA: Cugel the Clever, chapter IV, Eyes of the Overworld, chapter IV, Tales of the Dying Earth, Book II, chapter IV

The Sorcerer Pharesm was first published in April of 1966 in The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction. It was later included as chapter IV in the Vance novel Eyes of the Overworld (Vance’s preferred title for the novel is Cugel the Clever.)  Sorcerer Pharesm is best read as part of the novel rather than on its own. It is 23 pages long.  In the Sorcerer Pharesm Cugel continues his journey in the story The Sorcerer Pharesm and makes Homer's Odyssey look like a stroll around the block.  This story is so bizarre, imaginative and creative that I began to wonder if Vance hadn't taken on Timothy Leary as co-author.  Except it is all well thought out, organized and infused with absurd humor.  Cugel meets fifty some workmen involved in intense carving of rock into "further complexities, and elaborations upon complexities: twists, spires, volutes; disks, saddles, wrenched spheres; torsions and flexions; spindles, cardioids, lanciform pinnacles; the most laborious, painstaking and intricate rock-carving conceivable, manifestly no random effort of the elements.  Cugel frowned in perplexity, unable to imagine a motive for so complex an undertaking."  A three foot tall foreman reviews written plans and uses his thirty foot long extensible forefinger to assist the carvers with creating the right pattern.  The work has been going on for 318 years and is not yet completed.  Then there is Pharesm the Sorcerer who directs it all.  Unfortunately Pharesm has spent 500 years on the rock carving project while attempting to attract a mysterious creature called “Totality.”  Pharesm is outraged when he learns that Cugel just found the creature, broiled it and ate it for lunch.  Pharesm informs Cugel "The creature, he said in a grating voice, is TOTALITY.  The central globe is all of space viewed from the inverse.  The tubes are vortices into various eras, and what terrible acts you have accomplished with your prodding and poking, your boiling and chewing, are impossible to imagine."  "What of the effects of digestion? inquired Cugel delicately.  Will the various components of space, time and existence retrain their identity after passing the length of my inner tract?"  This creature called Totality is very important to Pharesm and possibly the universe.  Pharesm is so upset that he creates a leaping ghoul, zigzag blazes of energy and glittering purple wasps to prevent Cugel from leaving while citing Kartinjae's Second Law of Cryptorrhoid Affinities.  For Cugel to redeem himself Pharesm proposes sending Cugel back into the past a million years to rescue Totality before it had been eaten.  After arriving a million years back in time Cugel finds people with large heads, pumpkin orange skin and black teeth along with giant birds called Winged Beings that dash people to death after flying off with them.  Supposedly they only do this to people who are terminally ill. The people of Farwan have strict religious rules that Cugel unintentionally violates, so Cugel has to flee for his life while still attempting to find Totality to transport it magically into the future uneaten.  This is a highly imaginative story that is amazingly creative and engaging beyond any description I can possibly provide. Rated 5.

The New Prime-Jack Vance novelette, AKA: Brain of the Galaxy (author’s preferred title)

The New Prime was first published under the title “Brain of the Galaxy” in the February, 1951 issue of the magazine Worlds Beyond and is a 23 page novelette. It consists of five vignettes with different characters and settings.  In the first vignette a man from the twentieth century finds himself naked at a 19th century Boston social coming out party where he is surrounded by 300 guests in formal evening wear.  His memory is fogged so he has no idea how he got there but he must now cope with his situation. In the second setting a different character is in the midst of a losing battle with insect like creatures called Brands.  He has only thirteen soldiers left and must decide what to do.  One option is for him to order his men to attack the main hive of the Brands. In the third setting a man is in an ancient city of ruins seeking a Crown and Shield Parchment that can save his lord’s life.  Otherwise the authorities will nail his lord to an air-sled and send it off to the west.  The parchment could be in “the town’s Legalic, or the Mosque, or in the Hall of Relicts, or possibly in the Sumptuar.  He has eight hours to search before his lord is executed. In the fourth setting a person finds himself in competition to mentally project imaginative images on to a screen using an imagicon but he does not understand his situation or the process. In the fifth and final scene our main character, a soldier is captured and tortured by his enemy, The Racs.  He insists he is not a soldier but is Ervard, “an honest trader in pearls.”  When he is left alone momentarily, he tries to eat straw to choke himself to death.  Later the Racs offer to let him live if he will cooperate with them.  It is unclear how these five vignettes are related until toward the end, in the last six pages of the novelette, where it all comes together. I’ve read this novelette five times so far and rated it a 3 “Liked it.”

The Secret-Jack Vance short story

The Secret is a 9 page short story that was written in 1951 and first published 15 years later in March, 1966 in the British magazine "Impulse," also known as "Science Fantasy" and "SF Impulse."  It is pure fantasy rather than science fiction and takes place on an island that could be somewhere in Polynesia.  It is inhabited by all younger people.  As islanders grow older they are tempted to find out the "secret" by taking a solo voyage to the west.  The secret is completely mysterious because nobody has ever returned to the island once they have left. Our main character, Rona ta Inga, is the oldest on the island.  Many of the others have formed a group and pledged to never leave their little paradise of an island and ask him to join in the pledge.  Rona, however, begins making a boat.  What does he find and what is the secret?  I’ve read this three times and rated it a 3 “Liked it.”

The Moon Moth-Jack Vance novelette

The Moon Moth is a marvelous work. It is a novelette of 35 pages that was first published in Galaxy Magazine in August, 1961.  It takes place on the planet Sirene where adherence to specific local customs and protocol is more important than money or even life itself. Edwer Thissell was recently appointed as the new Consular Representative from Earth after the previous Representative to Sirene was killed because he violated a social norm. Thissell has been taking lessons to learn to play various musical instruments in order to communicate with the locals.  All communication on Sirene must be made by playing the appropriate musical instruments and singing in a certain respectful way. Social behavior expected on Sirene is so detailed and complex that it is almost incomprehensible to anyone not born in the culture. Slight violations or mistakes might be interpreted as a grave insult or offense and can lead to bodily harm or even death.  All of the Sirene residents also wear special masks as must the four men from Earth.  Only certain types of masks can be worn depending on the status and musical skills of the wearer.  The mask Thissell wears is of the "moon moth." It is a mask of low prestige but a safe one to wear.  Thissell is sent a special message by his superiors assigning him the duty of capturing an assassin from Earth who will soon arrive to Sirene.  Unfortunately the message is delayed, and the assassin is able to elude capture.  Thissell must begin the process of tracking him down in the town where he has to interact with the local people. He knows that violating the strict rules of behavior can lead to severe consequences but he also knows that he will lose his job if he fails.  In many of Vance’s writings he creates a world or society that has strange, often seemingly nonsensical rules and social norms that, although absurd to us as outsiders, are in many ways no more strange than ones in our own cultures on Earth.  Masks in Sirene, for example, are like social fronts or facades that we encounter with people in our own culture daily.  Esteem and status in Sirene culture are based on such things as the quality of singing and playing strange musical instruments whereas on Earth, in many places, social status is often based on such things as being a popular musician, actor, or athlete.  If an outsider from another world viewed various rituals, social norms and cultural beliefs on Earth they would probably appear to be as odd and arbitrary as those on the planet Sirene seem to us.  Vance is an amazingly skillful creator of other worlds and these strange worlds often prompt us to recognize the odd and irrational elements of our own culture.  The Moon Moth is complex, thought provoking, well thought out and very skillfully written.  I’ve read and reread every published work by Vance and this is probably the finest short work Vance ever wrote. It is essential reading, a real classic and one of the finest short works ever written. I’ve read it multiple times and rate it a 5.

The Bagful of Dreams-Jack Vance novelette, later as a subchapter of novel, AKA: Cugel’s Saga Chapter V, part 2, Cugel: the Skybreak Spatterlight Chapter V, subchapter 2, Tales of the Dying Earth, Book III Chapter V, subchapter 2

The Bagful of Dreams was first published as a 27 page novelette in May 1977 as part an anthology titled Flashing Swords! #4: Barbarians and Black Magicians.  (In the Spatterlight Press release Cugel: the Skybreak Spatterlight it is 30 pages long.  The Bagful of Dreams placed tenth in 1978 for the Locus Award for Best Short Fiction.  It was published a number of times in anthologies and collections since then including The Jack Vance Treasury by Subterranean Press. In 1983 it was included as part of the Vance novel Cugel's Saga, Chapter V, subchapter 2.  A Bagful of Dreams is an amazing story that is most frequently encountered as part of the novel Cugel's Saga rather than as a stand-alone novelette.  In this story we find Cugel sailing down a river in a skiff until he reaches the village of Troon where he sells his skiff and accepts unpleasant employment as the town butcher. He did so well in this capacity that he was asked to prepare the feast for an important religious festival. Unfortunately he makes the mistake of using two sacred beasts for the festival meal and when the citizens find out about this Cugel has to flee the town to avoid the “hysterical mobs.”  After hiding out all night he encounters water-wefkins call out to him by name “using sweet voices of unhappy maidens” to try to lure him into the marsh. Just before nightfall he find an inn where he spends the night.  The next morning the innkeeper offers sell him “a large dun-colored beast with powerful hind legs” which he claims is a “hybrid of dounge and felukhary.” He says it feeds on waste, is notoriously loyal and is easy to ride. Cugel offers him far less than the asking price, thinking he is getting a real bargain, but after riding a short distance from town the beast bucks Cugel off and returns home.  Cugel grumbles “A loyal creature indeed!”  “It is unswervingly faithful to the comfort of its barn.”   Cugel walks until late afternoon when he finds a village with a dozen mud huts where a man and his family offer him hospitality and advice.  The man tells him about a town two hours ahead but warns him that the people there are peculiar because “they make obeisance to Divine Wilio with the right hand, not on the buttock, but on the abdomen, which we here consider slipshod practice.”  He then shows Cugel how to make a sacred stone blessed by the Divine Wilio that can protect him from harm from the many dangerous creatures that wait ahead in the Plain of Standing Stones.  Cugel makes a stone for himself but takes a shortcut when preparing it so that when encounters an asp with eight fangs the stone does not work and he is nearly killed.  After escaping, Cugel prepares another stone but does so properly. Later in the day Cugel performs one of his few kind acts by rescuing a man named Iolo from a huge, predatory bird called a pelgrane.  But his good deed does not go unpunished and the man he rescues betrays him so that Cugel ends up being held by a large tentacle that reaches up out of a hole.  (He later finds out that it is attached to a huge creature in the Overworld.)  The adventure continues with the story of how Cugel deals with the tentacle and the man who betrayed him.  Cugel learns that that Iolo is on his way to the yearly competition called Duke Orbal’s Grand Exposition of Marvels where contestants present their entries for a one thousand terces prize for the most wondrous.  Iolo plans to enter his Bag of Dreams which contains “a number of pure unadulterated dreams, coalesced and crystallized.”  Cugel decides to enter the contest himself using the huge tentacle and hole to the Overworld as his entry.  But Cugel learns that he has some strong competition from the Bagful of Dreams, military marching cockroaches, singing fish and other strange entries.  The Bagful of Dreams is such a mind boggling and inventive adventure that I rarely thought about an ending.  Vance does provide us with one, but the journey, strange encounters, satire and humor are really what is so captivating.  This story can be read by itself or as part of the novel.  I think it is best enjoyed when read the first time as part of the novel.  I’ve read Cugel’s Saga (Cugel: the Skybreak Spatterlight) three times so far and The Bagful of Dreams numerous times as an excerpt and rate it a 5.

The Mitr-Jack Vance short story

The Mitr first saw publication in 1953 in Vortex Science Fiction.  This is an 7 page short story that has been issued in The Jack Vance Treasury, Green Magic, and Golden Girl and Other Stories.  It is a short story about a young woman named Mitr who has grown up alone on a planet where her mother, now deceased, crash landed. There are no other people and her best friends seem to be giant beetles that speak to her about their colony and how many grubs will be allowed to mature.  There is also a different species of beetle, a long brown and black one that knocks her down and sucks her blood, by pressing “his proboscis to her neck” although not to the point of killing her.  One day she sees some men who arrive in a spaceship and seem to look somewhat like her. She is tempted to contact them but is also fearful of doing so.  The ending is quite bleak. I’ve read The Mitr three times and rate it a 3.

Morreion-Jack Vance novellette, later as a chapter in a novel, AKA: Rhialto the Marvellous Chapter 3, Tales of the Dying Earth, Book IV, Chapter 3

Morreion was first published in 1973 as a 55 page (15,900 word) novellette in the anthology Flashing Swords! #1 which had both hardcover and paperback issues.  In 1979 Underwood-Miller offered a limited edition illustrated hardcover publication that was restricted to 1200 copies with 200 of these being signed and numbered.  In 1984 Morreion was issued as 40 page chapter 3 of the novel Rhialto the Marvellous.  In 2007 it was issued as a stand-alone 41 page novella in the Vance collection The Jack Vance Treasury by Subterranean Press. Morreion is available as chapter 3 in any issue of Rhialto the Marvellous.  Rhilato and a group of other magicians decide embark on a journey to the end of the universe to locate another magician named Morreion who had gone on a trip many years ago seeking the origin of magical IOUN stones.  Morreion had never returned.  The magicians pretend to be mostly concerned about the welfare and whereabouts of Morreion but are actually more interested in obtaining more valuable IOUN stones.  It is a humorous journey with the odd, eccentric and often verbose magicians traveling on "Vermoulian's wonderful peregrine palace," an ornate, glittering ship that takes them to the edge of the universe.  The flying palace has loggias, formal gardens, an entrance pavilion with three acres with a marble balustrade and a center fountain with a hundred jets of water.  "Vermoulian's guests occupied suites in the wings; under the central spire where the various salons, the morning and afternoon rooms, the library, the music chamber , the formal dining room and the lounge."  While aboard this flying palace the magicians engage in such odd dialog such as, "Enough of this intolerable inanity!  I propose that such loquacity passes beyond the scope of nuisance and over the verge of turpitude."  It reminded me somewhat of Terry Pratchett's bumbling wizards and was light and humorous to read. Rated 4 Really liked it.”

The Last Castle-Jack Vance novella

The Last Castle was first published in Galaxy Magazine in April, 1966.  It is a 55 page novella, but it has sometimes been incorrectly labeled as a novelette and as a novel.  It won the Hugo Award for Best Novelette in 1967 and the Nebula Award for Best Novella in 1966.  It was also nominated for a Nebula Award for Best Novel.  The setting is in the far future where for the past seven hundred years most humans on Earth live in luxury castles as elite clans of arrogant, ruling aristocrats who call themselves “gentlemen.”  Working under them are two alien, nonhuman species the Peasants and the Meks. The Peasants are “small andromorphs originally of Spica Ten” who are incapable of being aggressive. The Meks were brought to Earth from another planet called Etamion Nine and seem very submissive. They have a large maw and syrup sacs on their body that were once used for extracting “decayed swamp vegetation” on their home planet.  Now the syrup sacs are filled with a syrup manufactured by humans. Mek brains seem to function as radio receivers that allow them to communicate with each other and to work as one.  They are described as being a “hybrid of sub-man and cockroach” and are thought to be devoid of feelings. The “gentlemen” are also served by giant birds that talk and provide transportation for the humans and beings called Phanes that are beautiful but very fragile.  On Earth there are also some humans, called Nomads, who have revolted against the gentlemen and live an independent, self-sufficient life without Meks, Peasants, Phanes, giant birds and castles.

Most of the labor in the castles, even the most technical such as the maintenance of spaceships is performed by the Meks.  The humans think the docile Meks are content working for them, so are taken by surprise when there is an uprising and all of the Meks begin to fight and kill humans.  The Meks rightly view themselves as being slaves to the humans and think there is room on Earth for only one species.  The Meks defeat all castles except the largest and best defended one called Castle Hagedorn.  One of the Hagedorn clan leaders there, Xanten, organizes a final stand against the Meks.  Using animated dialog and interesting customs and interactions, Vance presents humanitarian and ethical issues in a well written and absorbing story.  The Meks might be insect like and nonhuman but they clearly can think for themselves and don’t want to be enslaved anymore.  This is one of Vance’s better works even though it is not among his very finest efforts.  It is a pity that more of Vance's writings did not receive awards. I’ve read The Last Castle several times and rated it a 4 “Really liked it.”