Book Review: The Worlds of Jack Vance-Jack Vance

Book Review: The Worlds of Jack Vance-Jack Vance

Vancelot: Jack Vance in Review, TJ Jones

Ace Books, mass market paperback, 302 pages

Release Date: 1973

Cover art: unknown

Contents:

·       The World Thinker, 29 pages, novelette

·       The Moon Moth, 39 pages, novelette

·       Brain of the Galaxy, 36 pages, novelette

·       The Devil on Salvation Bluff, 21 pages, short story

·       The Men Return, 9 pages, short story

·       The Kokod Warriors, 34 pages, novelette

·       The King of Thieves, 18 pages, short story

·       Coup De Grace, 21 pages, short story

·       The Brains of Earth. 99 pages, novella

This collection has nine shorter works by Jack Vance and includes 4 short stories, 4 novelettes and 1 novella.  The Moon Moth is a great work and the Kokod Warrior is also highly recommended. The other stories are of lesser interest. The font size in this book seems even smaller than most mass market paperbacks but it is dark and clear. Although the collection is out of print, used copies can easily be located. All of these stories are now available from Spatterlight Press in trade paperback editions. In addition to being in larger font, the Spatterlight releases have the advantage of being the same corrected releases that were issued under the limited and costly Vance Integral Editions (VIE). Below is a brief review of each piece in this collection:  

The World-Thinker-Jack Vance novelette

The World-Thinker was the first story Vance ever published and was issued in Thrilling Wonder Stories in August of 1945. It is a 29 page novelette that Vance wrote while he was at sea.  I don’t think it is such a bad story for a first publication but years later in Vance said he found it embarrassing.  In Vance’s introduction to the 1982 collection Lost Moons he said The World-Thinker and another story Dream Castles were bothw “so embarrassing that I rewrote a few stand-out passages, a lick-and-a promise operation rather like putting rouge on a corpse.” The story involves Isabel May who escapes prison on Earth and flees in a spaceship pursued by Lanark who is hired to capture her alive.  She possesses a very valuable code that is highly important to the government. Lanark finally tracks her spaceship down on another planet but cannot find Isabel. Instead he encounters a godlike creature named Laoome, "the one-time Sage of the Fifth Universe--Laoome the World-Thinker, the Final Sage of the Fifth Universe."  Laoome has the ability to create through his mind other planets and realities and has placed Isabel under his protection on one of the planets he created.  Lanark convinces Laoome to allow him to visit this planet to talk with her. A number of cosmological ideas are explored in this early work.  I’ve read this three times.  It is a bit clumsy and amateurish and certainly not one of Vance’s best stories but I rated it a 3 "Liked it."

The Moon Moth-Jack Vance novelette

The Moon Moth is a marvelous work. It is 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 one of the finest short works ever written. I’ve read it multiple times and rate it a 5.

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

Brain of the Galaxy, also known as "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 26 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 five times so far and rated it a 3+ “Liked it plus.”

Devil on Salvation Bluff-Jack Vance short story

The Devil on Salvation Bluff, a short story of 21 pages (7,200 words), was published initially in 1955 in the  book anthology Star Science Fiction Stories #3.  Two missionaries, a married couple, live outside the main city on a planet called "Glory" where their ancestors from Earth crash landed 500 years ago. They maintain a huge clock (which is very symbolic) and adhere to Earth time (and customs) even though it does not apply to this planet which has a number of suns that seem to rise unpredictably. The two missionaries are responsible for "civilizing" the local natives, who live in the wild, by teaching them about manners, social behavior, adherence to schedules, and the importance of time and clocks.  The locals raise goats, run around half naked, live in filthy conditions, refuse to live in the houses that the missionaries built for them, copulate in public and destroy the canals the missionaries make. The chief of the tribe is the only one who speaks their language, but he won't cooperate and calls the giant clock the devil, threatening to roll boulders down on it. The couple are concerned how an upcoming inspection will reflect on them and think the chief must be mentally ill to be so uncivilized, so they decide to take him to one of their hospitals for mental health treatment. Things do not work out as they expect, however.  This is very enjoyable to read and fairly interesting.  I’ve read this four times so far and rate it a 4 “Really liked it.”

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.”

Kokod Warriors-Jack Vance novelette

The Kokod Warriors, a 34/35 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 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.

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, humorous story.  I’ve read it four times and rate it a 4.

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

Coup de Grace is a 18 page (7,400 words) short story published initially in 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.)

Brains of the Earth-Jack Vance novella, AKA: Nopalgarth (author’s preferred title)

Brains of the Earth is a 99 page novella that was first published in 1966 in an Ace Double paperback along with "The Many Worlds of Magnus Ridolph.”  The title was changed to "Nopalgarth" when it was issued by DAW publishers in 1980.  The Vance Integral Edition of 2005 also lists the title as Nopalgarth so this was the preferred title by Vance. It is currently in print in the trade paperback collection titled Chateau d’If and Other Stories by Spatterlight Press. 

Note: In the DAW issue the novella Nopalgarth was published in a paperback along with two other novellas: The Houses of Iszm and Son of the Tree.  This collection was titled “Nopalgarth.”  There is no such thing as a series called Nopalgarth, however.  I contacted Jack Vance’s son to verify this. Our story begins on Ixax, a dreary planet where an amphibian like creature "evolved into an intelligent andromorph."  For over a century a terrible war has been going on between the Tauptu and the Chitumih.  When all of the Chitumihs are finally defeated and eliminated, the Tauptu decide that they have only won a local victory and that they must continue their war on the planet they call Nopalgarth, which turns out to be their name for planet Earth. A research scientist, Paul Burke, on Earth receives a parcel that contains a strange dollar sized metal disc that is able to defy gravity and float in the air.  Then he receives a phone call from a person, Sam Gibbons, asking him if he received the package and suggesting that the two meet.  Intrigued by the disc, Burke drives to the Gibbon's home.  Gibbons brings Burke into his house where they meet a tall creature, "with a skin rough and gray as elephant hide. His head was narrow and long, his eyes blank  and blind-looking, like cabochons of beer-colored quartz.  A bony crest rose from his scalp, studded with three bony knobs.  Striking down from his brow the crest because a nose, thin as a scimitar.  The chest was deep and narrow, the arms and legs corded and ropy with sinew."  Vance always provides such fascinating descriptions of his aliens and other characters.  His description of Nopals and their behavior is especially vivid. Burke is abducted by this alien creature who is a Xaxan named Pttdu Apiptix.  After being taken to the planet Ixax, Burke is offered the responsibility of saving humans on Earth by helping eliminate a parasite called "nopals."  These parasites attach themselves to Xaxans or to humans and can influence the feelings, thoughts, perceptions and behavior of their host.  Nopals are usually invisible because they are not composed of matter and are from the "para-cosmos."  The Xaxans call Earth "Nopalgarth" because all people on Earth are infected with nopals.  The nopals on Earth use it as a breeding grounds and then travel to other planets to infect the Xaxans and other. 

The Xaxans are planning a mass assault on Earth to kill all nopals if Burke does not accept the proposal and succeed.  Unfortunately the process of killing the nopals will also kill all humans.  The Xaxans transport Burke back to earth and provide him with 100 kilograms of gold and instructions for a making a machine that detaches nopals one at a time from persons infected.  They also give him a time deadline that seems impossible to meet.  Will Burke be able to meet the deadline to save residents of Earth?  Who or what are the mysterious Nopals?  Note that "Chitumih" and "Taukptu" are not two different species.  A Chitumih is any human, Xaxan or other creature who is infected with a nopal.  Taukptu is an individual who is not infected with a nopal.  I found this initially rather confusing the first time I read this novel.  Some of the prose and the discussions between the scientists was rather flat for Vance, a master writer, but this odd story about nopals, ghers, Xaxans and mind control readily held my interest and is recommended to Vance fans.  It is not one of Vance's better works, but it is still interesting and worth reading.  I've read it twice now and continue to rate it a 3 "Liked it."