Sanatoris Short-Cut-Jack Vance short story

Sanatoris Short-Cut-Jack Vance short story

Sanatoris Short-cut is a 10/17 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.”

Included in the Jack Vance collection titled The Complete Magnus Ridolph (1990)

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 Magnus Ridolph (2017, Spatterlight) MRS (pb)

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