Book Review: Magnus Ridolph-Jack Vance

Book Review: Magnus Ridolph-Jack Vance

Vancealot: Jack Vance in Review, TJ Jones

Spatterlight Press trade paperback, 217 pages

Release Date: 2017

Cover art: C. Michael Taylor

Contents:

·       Hard Luck Diggings, 14 pages, short story

·       Sanatoris Short-cut, 17 pages, short story

·       The Sub-Standard Sardines, 24 pages, short story

·       The Unspeakable McInch, 18 pages, short story

·       The King of Thieves, 18 pages, short story

·       To B or Not to C or to D, 21 pages, short story

·       The Howling Bounders, 19 pages, short story

·       The Spa of the Stars, 20 pages, short story

·       The Kokod Warriors, 35 pages, novelette

·       Coup de Grâce, 17 pages, short story

Magnus Ridolph is a collection of ten early short pieces by Jack Vance, all with Magnus Ridolph as the main character.  Ridolph is a self-employed intergalactic detective who is clever, arrogant, highly effective and more mild mannered than one would expect considering his occupation.  Although he seems to earn a fair amount of money for his services Ridolph is perpetually broke and ends up accepting jobs he would prefer not to.  These stories are not Jack Vance at his best but I found that I liked them better after repeated readings.  I’ve read each of these stories three to five times and the character of Magnus Ridolph has grown on me so that he now seems like an old friend.

This collection is essential reading for all Vance fans but would not be a good starting place for those just getting to know his writings.  This Spatterlight edition is far easier on the eyes and more enjoyable to read than my old, yellow, dog eared, small print, mass market paperbacks and makes rereading much more enjoyable. This collection is a high quality trade paperback edition that is based on the Vance Integral Edition (VIE) that is the revised and author approved edition of the writings of Jack Vance.  Many of the original writings of Vance were edited, altered, expanded or cut by editors, especially shorter works that were published first in science fiction and fantasy magazines.

Hard Luck Diggings-Jack Vance short story

"Hard Luck Diggings" is a 14 page short story that was first published in July, 1948 in the magazine Startling Stories. It features the main character Magnus Ridolph, a private investigator who accepts contracts on other worlds to solve crimes and mysteries. He is hired for a job investigating an off planet mining company where two to three men are being mysteriously strangled every day.  This happens in only at "Diggings B" one of two mining operations.  Three hundred minors are assigned to this digging, but they are being killed faster than they can be replaced. Murders have happened in locked rooms, showers, toilets and other places, always when a man is by himself with no witnesses.  The only creatures on the planet are panthers, four armed apes and rodents, none of which would be able to enter a locked room to kill. The leopards and apes use to kill men at Diggings B until they installed an electric fence to keep them out.  They do not need an electric fence at Diggings A because it is surrounded by extensive underbrush full of thorns.  Ridolph is not only a private investigator but "an eminent mathematician" and uses math and logic to analyze all of the clues. He proceeds with solving the mystery by setting up an experiment that makes no sense to the mining superintendent.  This is an interesting science fiction mystery even though Vance himself was not fond of it.  I’ve read this several times and rate it a 4 “Really liked it.”

Sanatoris Short-Cut-Jack Vance short story

Sanatoris Short-cut is a 17 page short story that was first published in the magazine Startling Stories in September, 1948.  It features the interplanetary private investigator, and eccentric Magnus Ridolph who is a white haired old man with a goat like beard who is totally underwhelming in appearance and manner of presentation. (Think the complete opposite of an attractive, dashing James Bond.)  But Ridolph is a math wizard and amazingly analytical and down to earth and is able to solve baffling problems and outwit others, often using humor, innovation, math, unusual ideas and eccentric behavior.  In this story Ridolph goes to Fan, The "Pleasure-Planet," where the Terrestrial Corps of Intelligence lacks authority.  He decided to visit because his research on telepathy had exhausted his funds.  Ridolph enters the "Hall of Doubtful Destiny" to try his hand at roulette wheels, but only after carefully examining them and statistically calculating his odds of winning by timing the wheel, estimating the mass and radial throw of the ball, guessing at the coefficient of skin friction, etc. He wins a large amount of money.  When collecting his winnings Ridolph engages in a bet with the proprietor of the gambling hall, a notorious and feared crime figure, Acco May. May agrees to sign a confession of his crimes to bet as collateral toward Ridolph's gambling winnings. If Ridolph wins he will be given the confession. If May wins he will get back his casino's loss to Ridolph. The nature of the bet and Ridolph's actions to attempt to win the bet are the main substance of the story which is amusing and worth reading. I ‘ve read this several times and rated it a 3 “Liked it.”

The Sub-Standard Sardines-Jack Vance short story, AKA: Case of the Substandard Sardines

"The Sub-Standard Sardines" is as strange a story as the title suggests.  First published January, 1949 in the magazine Startling Stories it is a 24 page short story. Magnus is invited to a gourmet dinner of broiled grouse with truffles and compote of Marchisand cherries, Queen Persis salad, Sirius Fifth artichokes, incredible wines from three planets, and a final course of canned sardines. The dinner is magnificent until the end when he opens the can of sardines and they explode. Magnus is then hired by the sardine firm to investigate why some of their gourmet cans of sardines are bad and appear to have been tampered with.  Magnus investigates by getting a job undercover at the sardine factory.  It is a funny, bizarre, very creative story that even involves talking fish.  I’ve read this several times and rate it a 4 “Really liked it.”

Unspeakable McInch-Jack Vance short story

"The Unspeakable McInch" is a 18 page short story that was issued initially in the magazine Startling Stories in November, 1948.  Magnus Ridolph is hired to visit the planet of Sclerotto to identify and deal with a murderer named McInch, whose real identify is unknown.  The planet was settled by aliens from many different worlds who, despite their many differences, seem to get along and to have a functioning society. Tourists visit the planet just to see the many strange residents who live and work there. The authorities suspect that McInch is one of the city officials, each of whom is a different species.  After arriving at the planet Magnus makes the rounds to interview all of the major city officials.  The story is filled with bizarre, colorful alien creatures who make up the society and is a humorous and entertaining read. I’ve read it three times so far and rate it a 4 “Really liked it.”

King of Thieves-Jack Vance short story

"The King of Thieves" is an 18 page short story that was first published in November, 1949 in the magazine Startling Stories. This one is pure fun and places Magnus Ridolph on a planet where the inhabitants admire thievery and honor the most successful thieves, such as their king. Ridolph bets with another visitor that he can maintain more of his possessions, and the visitor agrees to place the bet with him.  This visitor cheated Ridolph previously so he is bent on revenge. Both of them seem to have no limits on what they will do to win as each tries to outsmart the other. It is an amusing story.  I’ve read it four times and rate it a 4.

To B or Not to C or to D-Jack Vance short story (author’s preferred title), AKA: Cosmic Hotfoot

“To B or Not to C or to D” is a 21 page short story that was first published in Startling Stories magazine in September, 1950. It is also known as "Cosmic Hotfoot." Ridolph is deeply in debt and trying to hide from bill collectors when he is approached with an offer that will pay off his bills if he investigates why minors keep dying on a private planet called Jexjeka.  Magnus is in debt because of the expenses of managing his own personal zoo, "that howling menagerie of monsters," so accepts the assignment after cleverly negotiating a contract.  Magnus puts himself at great risk to investigate and is unsure if he can trust his employer, a "scowling man" with "carbuncle eyes" who has a reputation for being an "unscrupulous blackguard."  I’ve read this story several times and rated it a 3 “liked it.”

Howling Bounders-Jack Vance short story

Howling Bounders is an 19 page short story that was first published in Startling Stories magazine in March, 1949.  Magnus Ridolph finds a business opportunity and cannot believe his good fortune. He is offered a plantation at a price that seems too good to be true. After moving in, however, he discovers that his crops are being attacked and destroyed by creatures called "Howling Bounders."  Ridolph is too clever and persevering to give up, though, and devises a scheme to deal with the Howling Bounders and the seller who cheated him.  I’ve read this three times  rated it a 3 “Liked it” each time.

The Spa of the Stars-Jack Vance short story

"Spa of the Stars" is a 20 page short story that initially was printed in Startling Stories magazine in July, 1950.  A huge luxury hotel and resort is opened on the planet Kolama  but has only three paying guests because of attacks on guests by half ton "gorilla-things", flying snakes, dragons and twenty foot aquatic pincher beetles. For some reason there were no such attacks during construction, but only after opening.  Management thinks the local creatures called Mollies who assisted with building the resort were somehow able to keep these predators away, possibly by their odor.  Magnus Ridolph is hired to investigate, but the people who hire him do not act in good faith.  This is an easy to read, enjoyable story with humor and local color. I read this three times and rated it a three times so far and rate it a 4 “Really like it.”

Kokod Warriors-Jack Vance novelette

"The Kokod Warriors," a 35 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 and story that is for me the finest of the Magnus Ridolph stories.  I’ve read this four times and rate it a 5 out of 5.

Coup de Grace-Jack Vance short story (author’s preferred title), AKA: “Worlds of Origin”

"Coup de Grace" is a 17 page short story published initially in February, February, 1958 in the magazine Super Science Fiction.  It is also known by the title “Worlds of Origin.” Magnus Ridolph is relaxing on a private space station called the Hub which is visited by many beings from other planets. Magnus is approached by an anthropologist who recognizes him and tries to hire him because he is fearful someone is trying to kill him.  Magnus, however, is on vacation and declines the job offer.  The next morning the anthropologist is found dead and Magnus is asked by the owner of the space station if he will help investigate because no law enforcement authorities have jurisdiction over a private space station and he wants to see that the murder is brought to justice. Magnus feels he cannot decline the offer so begins to investigate.  Because there are so many alien beings with different customs and cultures, Magnus decides to conduct what he refers to as a "cultural analysis" to narrow down who might be the most likely suspects. One of the aliens, for example, is from a warrior culture where it would be extremely shameful to kill another except in face to face combat. Another is from a culture where human sacrifice is done for religious purposes, but the anthropologist was not killed in the ritualistic way that this culture requires. It is a murder mystery with various colorful aliens as suspects, all cleverly investigated by Magnus.  I’ve read this five times so far and rated it a 3+ (Liked it plus.)

Note:  Spatterlight Press LLC is a publishing company that was created by the family and friends of Jack Vance.  So far they have published 62 high quality trade paperback editions of Vance’s novels (all except three Ellery Queen mystery novels: Strange She Hasn’t Written, Death of a Solitary Chess Player, and The Man Who Walks Behind.) and collections of his shorter works.  These are all based on the Vance Integral Edition (VIE) which were extensively reviewed and edited to be as faithful as possible to Vance’s original writings.  Many of Vance’s works were altered or heavily edited by book and magazine editors with even the author’s titles changed. Spatterlight now offers to the general public access to Vance’s writings the way he originally intended them to be.  In 2023 they began issuing hardcover editions of the same works they had previously printed in paperback.  They also have e-book editions available at: https://jackvance.com/

Spatterlight Vance books are listed here: 

https://jackvance.com/signatureseries/