Book Review: The Moon Moth and Other Stories-Jack Vance
Book Review: The Moon Moth and Other Stories-Jack Vance
Vancealot: Jack Vance
in Review, TJ Jones
Spatterlight Press trade paperback, 225 pages
Release Date: 2018
Cover art: Howard Kistler
Contents:
·
The New Prime, 29 pages, novelette
·
The Men Return, 9 pages, short story
·
Ullward’s Retreat, 24 pages, novelette
·
Dodkin’s Job, 38 pages, novelette
·
The Moon Moth, 37 pages, novelette
·
Green Magic, 14 pages, short story
·
Alfred’s Ark, 6 pages, short story
·
Sulwen’s Planet, 15 pges, short story
· Rumfuddle, 57 pages, novella
This is a highly recommended collection of shorter works by Jack Vance and includes four short stories, four novelettes and one novella. In this excellent collection is Vance’s superb masterpiece, The Moon Moth, which is essential reading by anybody who likes well written fiction. It is not a very long piece but it is for me a true masterpiece. Also included is another great story, Dodkin’s Job. This is a collection I recommend to Vance fans, science fiction and fantasy readers and any serious readers of fiction.
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.
The New Prime-Jack Vance novelette (author’s preferred title), AKA: “Brain of the Galaxy”
"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 29 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 seven pages of the novelette, where it all comes together. I’ve read this five times so far and rated it a 3+ “Liked it plus.”
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.”
Ullward’s Retreat-Jack Vance novelette
"Ullward's Retreat" was written by Vance in 1957 and published initially in December, 1958 in Galaxy Magazine. It is a 24 page novelette. Bruham Ullward is a wealthy man who lives in a futuristic society where real estate is incredibly expensive and conditions very crowded. He has the rare luxury of having a real tree and moss on his property. Sometimes he offers the rare gift of a real leaf to visitors. Electronic "illusion-panes" simulate three dimensional electronic scenes of beautiful views by generating mountains, valleys, skies and moons. Ullward wants to expand his property by purchasing small parcels even at their outrageously high prices, but other owners won't sell. He is delighted when he encounters an opportunity to lease half a planet where he will have plenty of room. Ullward builds his new retreat on this planet and moves. The owner lives on the other half of the planet, and there is a strict contract rule forbidding trespass on the other's property. Ironically when visitors arrive at his new home, they compare his beautiful natural views to illusion-panes, claim the natural rocks do not look real, are fearful of the waves on a real beach, and even object to Ullward's new privacy stating, "I love the privacy and solitude--but I thought there'd be more people to be private from." Ullward also begins having privacy issues with the owner even though each of them has half of the planet to himself. Was he better off back on his crowded home planet where nature, scenic views and many other things were synthetic or simulated? It is a very enjoyable and interesting story that Vance himself continued to like. I’ve read it four times and so far and rated it a 4.
Dodkin's Job-Jack Vance novelette
"Dodkin's Job" is a 38 page novelette that was first published in October, 1959 in the magazine Amazing Science Fiction. This is not really science fiction, fantasy or mystery but more of an ironic dystopian story with hints of Kafka and even Monty Python. I loved this story and thought it was hilarious. If you have ever worked in a big bureaucracy or have had to deal with one, you will probably identify with the main character who lives in a "big brother" like society where, "The population ordered their lives by schedule, classification and precedent." Luke Grogatch is too rational for such a society so he keeps losing jobs and has now been demoted to the rating of "Flunky/ClassD/Unskilled." If he gets demoted again he could end up being sent to the "Disorganized House" where he would be nonclassified and isolated with "criminals, idiots, children and proved Nonconformists." He decides to "submit slavishly to witless regulations" and begins his new job shoveling debris in a sewage system by hand using a shovel. All of his suggestions for improving the job are rejected, and the work seems meaningless. One day a new directive is announced ordering all employees to turn in their tools at a central warehouse at the end of the day and pick them up again each morning. This applies to Luke's shovel. He asks if he can purchase his own shovel and not have to turn it in each day but is told that the directive says "all tools" so that even a self-purchased tool would not be exempt. Luke complies at first. But after the lengthy out of the way trip to turn in the shovel, he has to wait in a long line with the whole process taking an hour and a half. This means he will have to spend three hours each day dropping off and picking up his shovel. Luke decides to object by appealing to those who issued the directive but each supervisor claims he was simply following orders from above. Luke continues appealing to those higher up in administration, assuming that he will finally encounter the person who is responsible for the directive. His encounters with ineffective, irresponsible, uncaring bureaucratic officials develop into one of the funniest stories I've read in a long time. Dodkin, by the way, is a person Luke meets later who has what Luke considers to be the ideal job. I’ve read this story numerous times and rated it a 5. It is a fantastic piece!
The Moon Moth-Jack Vance novelette
"The Moon Moth," is a marvelous work, a novelette of 39 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, for me, one of the finest short works ever written. I’ve read it multiple times and rate it a 5.
Green Magic-Jack Vance short story
"Green Magic" is a 14 page short story that was probably written in 1956 and was first published in June, 1963 in The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction. It has been included in numerous science fiction anthologies and collections. and is in the Jack Vance collections: The Moon Moth and Other Stories and Wild Thyme, Green Magic is a philosophical fantasy story rather than science fiction. Howard Fair is well trained in white magic and black magic and knows some purple magic. He is intrigued when he finds an old notebook by his great uncle that describes green magic. He meets some sprites who come from a world of green magic but who warn him that it would be dangerous for him to study it. He is told that his grand uncle studied it and ended up regretting having done so. Despite their warnings, Fair's curiosity and desire to learn are greater than any concerns he has and he manages to persuade the sprites to allow him to learn green magic. His learning is described as a fascinating process and it changes him forever. Is it sometimes better to remain ignorant and innocent? Is it worthwhile to try to discover knowledge that might make you unhappy or discontent? These questions and others are explored in this story which I found to be quite interesting. I’ve read this several times and rate it a 3+ (Liked it plus.)
Alfred's Ark-Jack Vance short story
"Alfred's Ark"
is an 6 page short story first published in New Worlds Science Fiction in May,
1965. It is a short, simple story that
cuts to the quick of human behavior.
Alfred believes there will be a Biblical flood in less than a year so he
sells his business for very little profit in order to build an ark. He even
runs an ad in the local paper asking for donations and volunteers but receives
mostly ridicule in response. Alfred will only take a few domestic animals along
because he does not have the resources to include wild ones. He hopes that some woman will offer to join
him but says if necessary he will hire a woman to board the ark with him on the
day of the predicted storm. He feels she will eventually grow to like him if
they end up being the last two surviving people on Earth. How Alfred is treated
by people in his local community and human behavior in general is the underlying
theme. According to Vance "Alfred's
Sulwen's Planet-Jack Vance short story
"Sulwen’s Planet" is a 15 page short story that was first released in the magazine The Farthest Reaches in August, 1968. It is a light, humorous story. Two language professors Gench and Kosmin plus twenty four others visit Selwyn's planet to investigate the wreckage remaining from a war fought by two alien species, one resembling wasps and the other sea cows. Although this happened sixty-two thousand years ago, the atmosphere and environment of the planet have kept the spaceships and wreckage in nearly pristine condition. Unfortunately Gench and Kosmin have overlapping duties and areas of expertise, resulting in repeated conflicts. Each tries to undermine the other and take control until their duties are finally divided up so that one is in charge of investigating the crashed ships of the wasps and the other of investigating those of the sea cows. But even this division of duties is not enough to keep the two professors from trying to outdo, embarrass and deprecate the other. You might be able to guess the ending. I’ve read this several times and it is fairly entertaining but minor Vance. I rated it a 3 “Liked it.”
Rumfuddle-Jack Vance novella
"Rumfuddle" is a 57 page novella that was initially published in 1973 in an anthology called Three Trips in Time and Space. It had been commissioned for a collection of three stories on the same theme by three different authors. It is an odd and rather lose story about portals that open to different universes. The portals also allow time travel (backwards but not forward) and one might even encounter multiple selves that exist in alternate universes. Initially the portals were used to solve social, economic and other problems, but some people are now using the portals for entertainment purposes and even mischief. If you can go with the flow of this story and accept the loose ends, it can be entertaining and humorous. Where else would you encounter a football team where the quarterback is Machiavelli and the front line is manned by Achilles, Charlemagne, Hercules, Goliath, Samson, Richard the Lion Hearted and Billy the Kid? This is not a story that will appeal to everyone, but I’ve read it several times and really liked it so rated it a 4
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:
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