Morreion-Jack Vance novellette, later as a chapter in a novel

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 54/55 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.”

Note: The Internet Speculative Fiction Data Base (ISFDB) lists Morreion as a novella but it is 15,900 words and novellas are 17,000 to 40,000 words so it is a novelette.  Also, Lin Carter in Flashing Swords! #1 (Morreion’s first release) correctly refers to it as a novelette.

Included in various out of print collections as a novella and as chapter 3 in numerous out of print editions of the novel Rhilato the Marvellous

Included as chapter 3 in the novel Rhialto the Marvellous in the in print omnibus Tales of the Dying Earth 2000 (Orb Edition)

Included as chapter 3 in the in print novel Rhilato the Marvellous, (2019, Spatterlight)

Included in the out of print collection The Jack Vance Treasury, (2007, (Subterranean)