Sulwen's Planet-Jack Vance short story

Sulwen's Planet-Jack Vance short story

Sulwen’s Planet is a 15/16 page short story that was first released in the magazine The Farthest Reaches in August, 1968.  It is a light, humorous story. Two language professors Gench and Kosmin plus twenty four others visit Selwyn's planet to investigate the wreckage remaining from a war fought by two alien species, one resembling wasps and the other sea cows.  Although this happened sixty-two thousand years ago, the atmosphere and environment of the planet have kept the spaceships and wreckage in nearly pristine condition. Unfortunately Gench and Kosmin have overlapping duties and areas of expertise, resulting in repeated conflicts. Each tries to undermine the other and take control until their duties are finally divided up so that one is in charge of investigating the crashed ships of the wasps and the other of investigating those of the sea cows.  But even this division of duties is not enough to keep the two professors from trying to outdo, embarrass and deprecate the other.  You might be able to guess the ending.  I’ve read this several times and it is fairly entertaining but minor Vance. I rated it a 3 “Liked it.”

Included in the Jack Vance collection titled The Dark Side of the Moon (1986)

Included in the Jack Vance collection titled Dream Castles: Early Jack Vance, vol. 2 (2012)

Included in the Jack Vance collection titled Moon Moth and Other Stories (2017 Spatterlight)

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