Planet Machine,The-Jack Vance novelette
Planet Machine ,The- Jack Vance novelette AKA: The Plagian Siphon and The Uninhibited Robot (author’s preferred title) The 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 25/28/32/40 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 TWS 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...