Worlds of Origin-Jack Vance short story

Worlds of Origin-Jack Vance short story

AKA: Coup de Grace (author’s preferred title)

Worlds of Origin is a 17/21 page short story published initially in February, 1958 in the magazine Super Science Fiction.  Vance’s preferred title for this story is Coup de Grace.  It is one of the Magnus Ridolph stories.  We find Ridolph relaxing on a private space station called the Hub which is visited by many beings from other planets. Magnus is approached by an anthropologist who recognizes him and tries to hire him because he is fearful someone is trying to kill him.  Magnus, however, is on vacation and declines the job offer.  The next morning the anthropologist is found dead and Magnus is asked by the owner of the space station if he will help investigate because no law enforcement authorities have jurisdiction over a private space station and he wants to see that the murder is brought to justice. Magnus feels he cannot decline the offer so begins to investigate.  Because there are so many alien beings with different customs and cultures, Magnus decides to conduct what he refers to as a "cultural analysis" to narrow down who might be the most likely suspects. One of the aliens, for example, is from a warrior culture where it would be extremely shameful to kill another except in face to face combat. Another is from a culture where human sacrifice is done for religious purposes, but the anthropologist was not killed in the ritualistic way that this culture requires. It is a murder mystery with various colorful aliens as suspects, all cleverly investigated by Magnus.  I’ve read this five times so far and rated it a 3+ (Liked it plus.)

Included in the Jack Vance collection titled Many Worlds of Magnus Ridolph (1966)

Included in the Jack Vance collection titled The Worlds of Jack Vance (1973)

Included in the Jack Vance collection titled The Many Worlds of Magnus Ridolph (1980 DAW)

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

Included in the Jack Vance collection titled Wild Thyme, Green Magic (2009)

Included in Magnus Ridolph (2017, Spatterlight) MRS (pb)

 

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