Plagian Siphon-Jack Vance novelette

Plagian Siphon-Jack Vance novelette

AKA: Planet Machine and

Uninhibited Robot (author’s preferred title)

Planet Machine was first published under the title "The Plagian Siphon" in 1951 in Thrilling Wonder Stories. (25 pages.) It has also been known as "The Uninhibited Robot" and is a 25/32/40 page novelette.  The main character, Allixter, is employed as a computer repairman and is sent by his boss to the planet Rhetus to fix a malfunction computer that is killing those who approach it. He brings along a "Conceptualizer" that warns him of upcoming dangers and analyses situations.  Even though this is an early Vance work it is a complex story with an unpredictable plot and underlying intrigue.  Vance did revise some of his stories over the years but I purchased the original October 1951 Thrilling Wonder Stories issue and compared it to the version in the 1986 book and they appear to be identical except for the title change. In addition to Vance fans, this story will probably appeal to science fiction readers in general. I’ve read it three times so far and rated it 4 “Really liked it.”

Included in the Jack Vance collection titled The Augmented Agent (1989)

Included in the Jack Vance collection titled Gadget Stories (2005) part of VIE

Included in the Jack Vance collection titled Magic Highways: The Early Jack Vance, Volume 3 (2015)

Included in the Vance collection titled Sail 25 and Other Stories (2017 Spatterlight)

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