Sjambak-Jack Vance novelette

Sjambak-Jack Vance novelette

Sjambak was originally published in July, 1953 in the magazine If Worlds of Science Fiction.  It is a 22/29 page novelette. Sjambak has appeared in at several collections of Vance’s shorter works and as a stand-alone, 9x6, 36 page, softcover, book by Wildside Press.

Wilbur Murphy is a reporter from a TV series on Earth called "Know Your Universe!"  It has two hundred million viewers, but its ratings have been down and his boss wants a story that is very sensational.  They hear about a planet called Sirgamesk where the lack of an atmosphere requires humans to wear spacesuits when not in the “mountain valleys, with airtight lids over ‘em.”  There are reports of a horseman without a spacesuit who has been riding up to greet arriving spaceships as they are still in flight ten thousand miles above the planet.  This horseman “waves to the pilot, takes off his hat to the passengers, then rides back down.”

Murphy is sent to this planet to check the story out and make a film of the horseman and any other interesting events or attractions.  Murphy's interest for something exciting to write about contrasts with the wishes of the sultan who rules the planet.  The sultan wants a very conservative report that reflects positively on their society. "We are quiet Mohammedans and indulge in very little festivity." Murphy's boss, in contrast, is insisting on a show that is full of "Sex! Excitement! Mystery!" The sultan wants his Minister of Propaganda to provide an educational program, "stressing our progressive social attitude, our prosperity and financial prospects."  In contrast Murphy is more interested in bands of roving bandits, prisoners who are publicly displayed naked in cages, a prince who might be planning jihad, ancient ruins, gamelan players, exotic dancers, and anything else that might increase his show's ratings. He is also interested in a renegade, warrior group of people who live in the wild and are called Sjambaks.  The Sultan and others seem reluctant to talk about them or the rumors of the horseman without a spacesuit. The story Sjambak is well worth reading, especially for Vance fans, but it is not one of Vance's great pieces like "The Moon Moth."  I've read it four times so far and rated it a 3: "Liked it."

Included in the Vance collection titled The Augmented Agent (1986 Underwood- Miller) reprinted in 1988 by Ace and in 1989 by New English Library,

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

As a stand-alone book titled Sjambak, Wildside Press (2009)

Included in the Jack Vance collection titled Hard Luck Diggings: The Early Stories of Jack Vance, Volume (2010 Subterranean)

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