Book Description

Customer Reviews (7)

Vance: Underappreciated Genius
I have reached a point now where I am continuously reading 100 to 200 pages of sci-fi/fantasy novels, then throwing them away and searching for the next Jack Vance work. I keep finding that he has already written entire, masterful books on random notions that I have had about what the next few decades will bring....and he wrote them decades ago. I've been tearing through his work at a steady clip, and haven't been disappointed yet.

For example, I just wrapped up Blue World, which is somewhat of a cross between Moby Dick and The Old Man and the Sea. It's a masterpiece, and more metaphorical and symbolic than most of Vance's works. On one hand it can be read as a straight-forward adventure story about the descendants of shipwrecked starfarers attempting to defeat an aquatic monster. However, it can simultaneously be read as an indictment of religion, orthodox thinking, and institutionalized bureaucracies as being stultifying narcotics that sap human free-will and advancement.

It is amazingly and deliciously subversive.A good read even for those who don't like science fiction or aren't familiar with Vance.

One of Vance's Best
Jack Vance is one of my favorite authors although admittedly he has written a few duds.At his best, as in The Blue World, he has an uncanny knack of making his quirky and exotic societies and locations seem real and believable.While Blue World is technically Science Fiction it's really a story of human triumph and ingenuity.A shipload of people stranded on a world without land, who not only survive but flourish could just as easily have been a 16th century galleon stranding its crew on a desert island.

An entrenched quasi-religious priesthood built up over generations to worship a very large & vindictive sea creature(called a Kragen probably after the Kraken of Norse mythology) who demand orthodoxy and are willing to kill those who oppose their views or threaten to harm the monstrous Kragen is soundly based on human experience.

The interaction of those who want to rid themselves of the beast and those of orthodox view led by the "priests" who see the Kragen as a god-like entity to be worshiped and fawned over is at the heart of the story and rings so true it could be describing the U.S. Senate's conservative vs. liberal debates.The justification for war to rid the world of unorthodoxy is as old as time and shows a real understanding of human nature that Vance often uses to advantage.

Blue World is Sci-Fi at its best.

Surprisingly good
Jack Vance has some great books, but has also written quite a few not-so-great ones.I expected this book, which was originally a short story but later expanded to novel size, to be one of the not-so-good ones.I was pleasantly surprised.The action is fairly constant throughout the first 3/4 of the book.Things slow down towards the final chapters, and the ending is slightly disappointing.Still, all in all, this is a better-than-average story.

Leaves a lasting impression
First, to all those who have never read Jack Vance: he is nothing like the vast multitudes of "space-opera" writers of today. And if you are expecting more of that kind of pulp you may not like his stories. If you are willing to let go of your notions of what scif-fi should be, then Vance is the writer for you! His writing style is detailed but very concise, and he rarely (basically never) wastes the reader's time with superfluous space-filler. This means his novels are usually quite short. His stories often have very strong themes (with a subtext of humor) and are generally very believable thought experiments; in the sense that all entities and characters act belivably within the context.

Blue World is a thought experiment. The setting revolves around a society situated on a planet with no land that must rely on a giant sea-plant for all of their needs. There is a strong conflict in the story between the the society (or members of it) and external factors (specifically a giant sea monster), but the real magic of this story is the interaction and conflict that goes on within the society (the sea monster is simply the catalyst, and the general theme of conflict is between religious conservatism and scientific progress). The individual characters in Blue World are generally static and proceed along specific trajectories from the outset. However, this is not a weakness since the interaction BETWEEN characters leads to dynamic and unpredictable results. It is almost as if the whole society of Blue World is Vance's character. It works very well.

A few further notes: the details in this story include a strange "religion" based sea-monster appeasment, comunication systems using towers and an interesting symbolic lights, and a whole slew of well thought out ways to use a sea-plant to build a civiliazation. Very imaginative!

My only complaint, the book is too short! But all great books are and this one leaves a lasting impression.

Another Early Classic by Jack Vance
This was the first Vance novel I ever read- humans marooned on a world without solid land.The themes of human beings as the most alien creatures we'll ever meet, the exotic societies, the strange worlds we are cast down on all combined to a memberable book.Look for how the folks on this planet gather iron; it's an image that has stayed with me for over thirty years. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

Vance's masterpiece trilogy of fantasy
Curious, there are 3 possible Lyonesse/Suldrun's Garden books to review, with different reviews on each one.Perhaps Amazon might consider addressing this.

This is without a doubt Jack Vance's most serious, mature work.He creates a fantasy setting of islands between Ireland and France set in the dark ages (post-roman), and offers a wandering, detailed and vivid story.

Some spoilers are in this review.Strongly consider whether to continue reading, as major plot threads may be discussed or deflated.

Initially the story mainly concerns itself with Suldrun, but before too long, she is gone and we gain other main protagonists, Shimrod, Dhrun and Aillas.Aillas' effort to find his son greatly resemble some of his other rambling adventure stories, with the protagonist moving from one setting to another.The journey of Dhrun and Gwyneth is similar, with Shimrod eventually joining them.

Antagonists are competent and developed as well, with Casimir being entirely too competent and ruthless for comfort, while Faude Carhiliot (sp) comes across more as a brilliant opportunist rather than a competent strategist.

I would need to check dates but it is possible this is the first time Vance developed complex and rational female characters in his story, particularly Suldrun.I have read this criticism of his work and in some cases it does appear justified (whether relevant or not is another matter), but I see no such issue in this series.

A major difference in Lyonesse compared to Vance's other works is that Vance's trademark humor, often deadpan or delivered in flatline the most outrageous or self-evident comments, is present but very subdued, and never does one feel oneself to be in a more normal vance story, where such humor can be a central feature.Lyonesse feels much more serious, and there is some doubt as to how things might work out for the major characters, particularly given that he kills his initial protagonist off so easily.

A fabulous story;I could nitpick but it is hard to find fault here.

Edit (9/26/07) Having recently reread the rest of this trilogy, I would say that this series is Vance's best.This is compared to Tschai, the Demon Princes, the Cadwal Chronicles, the Anome trilogy, and Ports of Call/Lurulu, plus whatever else I have forgotten.A major storyline is developed incrementally, numerous characters develop and many are discarded/killed in the course of the story, and a viable, and fairly complete, ending is provided.

Forgotten early 80s epic fantasy by a SF grandmaster; dated yet still surprisingly modern.
Jack Vance was a thirty-year veteran of science fiction, a Nebula and multiple Hugo Award winner, when _Lyonesse:Suldrun's Garden_ was published in 1983.His assured authorial hand sets this novel apart from the huge majority of fantasy sagas, which are written by debut writers.Combined with vivid detail, including a seemingly endless variety of medieval foods, Vance's prose paints entrancing images of a fantasy world based on the lost continent of Lyonesse from the old Arthurian legends.

His shifting omniscient point-of-view may feel jarring to modern readers.Although this technique of "head-hopping" through multiple characters' thoughts in the same scene has largely been superceded in modern fiction, it was the default in Vance's era.It can leave the reader feeling distant from the characters, especially when the narrative gives large overviews of family or national history.Yet Vance's prose still places the reader as deeply inside the characters' emotions as any modern limited point-of-view, through the skill of his vivid and lyrical prose.

The organization of the book also shows the narrative fashion of a bygone era.Modern novels seize the reader by shoving many characters on-stage and immediately placing them in peril.In contrast, _Lyonesse:Suldrun's Garden_ starts with the birth of the title character and spends chapters summarizing her youth.The main character doesn't show up for almost a hundred pages, and several chapters in the middle of the book follow tangential plots.Yet all the plot threads coalesce in the end, along with the seeds of conflict for the rest of the trilogy.

Despite these antiquated narrative quirks, _Lyonesse:Suldrun's Garden_ still feels strikingly modern in several respects.The first is Vance's array of character conflicts based on the viciousness of realistic humans.There is no evil overlord, as became cliché soon afterwards from overuse by less talented writers.Yet Vance's human characters will do far more chilling things to each other than any overlord could.The second is the uncompromising strife that his characters face.The protagonists in _Lyonesse:Suldrun's Garden_ are constantly beset by torments from both enemies and friends.No good deed goes unpunished, and quests wander hopelessly.This is the same no-holds-barred style that many modern epic fantasists have adopted, for the astute reason that a brave character in peril compels readers to keep reading.This gritty or brutal modern style of epic fantasy originated with Jack Vance.

_Lyonesse:Suldrun's Garden_ stands like no other work of early 80s epic fantasy--brilliantly rendered, harshly realistic, and dated yet still anachronistically modern.

A diamond in the rough
Jack Vance is a true master - of storytelling as well as the fantasy genre. Lyonesse - Book 1 was a brilliant, poetic, engaging, never a dull moment masterpiece. I would highly recommend this book to all fantasy fans.

Great Novel - Bad Edition
Others have already described the book, I would only like to add that this particular edition is badly corrupt: sentences, or even whole paragraphs have been changed or removed to the detriment of the work, the order of two chapters has been changed at one spot (to similar effect), and so on, and so forth (more detail can be found from the VIE newsletter, Cosmopolis, available for download at the Vance Integral Edition web site).

Fortunately, there is now available a corrected edition, published by Edition Andreas Irle.

Vance Rules
I will keep this review brief - as the other reviewers have stated the Lyonesse Trilogy is a fabulous and unique set of books.The Lyonesse trilogy is engrossing (read all three books practically continuously for 2 days) and hilarious (laugh out loud and you will go back and reread sentences/scenes).
I have not encountered another author with Vance's style (and trust me I have tried .. taking Amazon's recs based on people who like Vance has been a big waste of money and time) -which is why his books are real treasures.Its good that they are starting to reissue much of his work and you can track down a lot of his books through resellers .. trust me 90% of Vance's books are worthy of having a permanent place on your bookcase. ... Read more

Product Description
Son Of The Tree: ~ ~~ ~"A vast, breathing, sappy mass; a trunk five miles in diameter, and twelve miles from the great gnarled roots to the ultimate bud-the 'Vital Exprescience' in the cant of the Druids. The Tree ruled the horizons, shouldered aside the clouds, and wore thunder and lightning like a wreath of tinsels. It was the soul of life, trampling and vanquishing the inert, an Joe understood how it had come to be worshipped by the first settlers of Kyril. ~ ~~ ~For Joe Smith, the sight of the tree was the beginning of an experience that would forever change his life. He had journeyed into space in search of a man, but found instead the Tree. A Tree which held the power of life-and-death over millions of slaves! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Throy
Sad as it may seem, my credibility as a reviewer rests on reporting that "Throy" is a disappointing ending to the otherwise excellent Cadwal Chronicles trilogy.This volume picks up shortly past where "Ecce and Old Earth" left off.Glawen and Wayness return to Cadwal, bearing the new Charter and giving the good guys proper legal authority for defending the planet.The villains, as is usually the case, care very little for their proper legal authority.Proper illegal authority will be quite good enough for Julian, Smonny, Dame Clattey and Titus Pompo, thank you very much.

Consequently, it falls on Glawen to take yet another jaunt through the galaxy to unravel their sinister schemes.The problem, as others have reported, is the simplicity of the plot.There are insufficent twists and turns, Glawen and his new sidekick (same as the old sidekick) simply pursue a lead straight to the destination.While there are a couple of semi-interestingplanets to visit along the way, nothing stands out for particular brilliance in "Throy".None of the societies on parade can match the wonderful silliness of the Bold Lions from "Araminta Station", or the Funusti Museum in "Ecce and Old Earth".

"Throy" does contain a few Vancisms - i.e. classic one-liners dripping with irony, and an appropriate final fate for all villains of significance.However, the ending may carry certain problems beyond just the simplified plot.Without giving too much away, I will say that it involves death in large numbers.Fur sure it's the villains that do the killing.However, the alleged good guys, if they feel any sorrow for what happened, conceal it remarkably well.The dead people were not largely good people, yet most weren't precisely guilty of any capitol crime.The unspoken assertion that the political situation on Cadwal could only be resovled by mass slaughter may leave some feeling a bit queasy.The idea of a "happy" ending where most of the planet lies dead may leave one wondering whether Vance's normally perfect moral compass somehow ended up pointing south when he wrote it.

A serious disappointment
I adored the first two books in this series and despaired at ever being able to find a copy of Throy on sale.Finally, it surfaced on Marketplace, and I snapped it up...to find a book about a third the size of the others, no sub plots, and abrupt solutions to plots carried throughout the other two books."Gutted", as we say in the UK!Sure, the Vancian humour is there...but this is a pale imitation of the man at his best.A real anticlimax :(

A too short conclusion to a wonderful story.
In the first two books of this trilogy was set a tangled web of intrigues so complex that you would have expected a much more elaborate conclusion. But as is often the case in Vance's stories, the end is rather abrupt (seethe Lyonesse trilogy for another example). It evokes me of a child buildinga nice tower with blocks, then destroying it in a blow when she's hadenough. If you've read the preceeding books, you might want to refrain fromreading this one to keep the magic alive. You can't?I know, it'sirresistible... But you've been warned!

I can only surmise that Vance was tired of Cadwal.
The first two books ("Araminta Station" and "Ecce and Old Earth") were wonderful creations."Throy" is a conclusion, of sorts: but your heart will sink when you see how short it is, and you realise that, given thatthe storyline had to be wrapped up, it could hardly be any shorter.Withone bound, the Yip problem is solved forever.-Still, having read theearlier books, you'll want to read this one, too.Good luck finding it.

Welcome conclusion to monumental trilogy
In the Cadwal Chronicles, as in all his work, Jack Vance's sparse and succinct but wonderfully idiosyncratic mode of expression allows the reader to flesh out specific imagery on the bones of his narrative. While theDemon Princes pentology may be his masterpiece, the Cadwal Chronicles setis definitely worth a read. Glawen Clattuc continues Vance's tradition ofstrong but vulnerable (if not damaged) protagonists who find their destinythrough adversity. I wish I could lay hands on 'Throy' for a second read!! ... Read more

Book Description
A study of the work of John Holbrook Vance (the nom-de-plume on his mystery novels), who is most famous as science fiction writer Jack Vance. The Milford Series: Popular Writers of Today, Vol. 40. ... Read more

Amazon.com
Jack Vance has specialized in science fiction decadence since his first stories in 1950. This novel's decadent world is called Fader, whose inhabitants have only leisure to pursue since they have a genetically engineered slave class to do their hard work. Fader is threatened by many dangers, but the pleasure-seeking inhabitants are paralyzed by lack of will. Vance has developed his own vocabulary, sometimes tricky to decipher, to convey an alien speech, but the meaning of his invented words emerges as the story unfolds.Book Description
Found as a child with no memory of his past, adopted by a scholarly couple who raised him as their own, Jaro never quiet fit into the rigidly defined Society of Thanet.When his foster parents are killed in a mysterious bombing, Jaro Fath sets out to discover the truth of his origins--a quest that will take him across light-years and into the depths of the past. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (17)

Night Lamp
Night Lamp may well be Vance's peak work in this theme--he's certainly used it often enough.

Not Free SF Reader
Jaro is a boy that remembers nothing but his name, nothing at all about
his past, who his parents are, or any of that stuff. His foster parents
adopt him after finding him being attacked.

They are a pair of musicians, but Jaro does know what the doesn't want to be a musician, but to getinto space.

A few bad jokes here, with all the clubs on the planet - a girl he notices is a clam muffin, for example.

No Sour Grapes Bunch that I remember.

Would you be proud to be a Clam Muffin?
During an excursion to record native music on the planet of Camberwell, Hilyer and Althea Fath find a band of hooligans beating a small boy in the street.They intervene and save the boy, taking him to the hospital.The boy won't come out of his coma without tremendous stress, so the doctors erase his memory.The only thing the boy was able to tell them is that his name is Jaro.

The Faths adopt Jaro and take him to their homeworld of Thanet to raise him.Thanet has a complex social structure, of which Hilyer and Althea refuse to participate in, making them "nimps".If a person doesn't belong to a club, and continuously strive to reach a higher level club, they are ridiculed and unaccepted in Thanet's society.

Jaro grows up, a "nimp" like his adopted parents.In his class is Skirlet Hutsenreiter, a "Clam Muffin", one of the most elite clubs.Skirlet has more problems than she lets the outside world know of, therefore she and Jaro strike a shaky friendship.Jaro grows up wanting to be a spaceman, to find out the truth behind his strange past.Hilyer and Althea want him to have an academic career at The Institute.

Because 'Night Lamp' is a story of Jaro's maturing, I won't give away any other details of the story.There are intricately imbedded subplots and schemes that add to the character of the tale.Vance has a way of lulling you into the complacency of Jaro's life and then shocking you with a sudden turn of event.His was of painting new worlds, species, and societies with intricate detail and interesting situations will keep you reading long into the night.

However, about three quarters of the way through this book, the story falls apart.It becomes more than a bit cheesy, uses repetitive dialogue, and IMHO makes a dumb turn that the story would have been better without.Also annoying was mention of a particular package that piqued curiosity and was never revealed.

All in all, you will definitely like 'Night Lamp' if you are a Jack Vance fan.If not, start with 'The Demon Princes' and save 'Night Lamp' for later.Enjoy!

My favorite Vance book...
This is Vance at his absolute best.Wry humor, imagination, action, great characters, in short, everything a good book needs is right here and done so masterfully!Any Vance is special, this particular Vance is extraordinary.An absolute must-read...

Glorious, quirky, mind expanding, Vance at his best
Superbly eerie SF masterwork, there isnt another writer in the world like Vance. To criticise him for not describing the detailed functioning of spacecraft is to totally miss the point of this wonderful, haunting author, easily the finest prose stylist ever to work in the field. ... Read more

Book Description
The XPS 2 is a beautifully presented compendium of erudite articles, adventures and background material for the Dying Earth RPG. Robin D. Laws presents "Phasms", an adventure for powerful arch-magicians; Gary Gygax details the influence of Jack Vance on the Dungeons and Dragons game. Phil Masters, Steven Long, and many other stellar names present material of comparable interest.

Whether you are a roleplayer or fan of master fantasy author Jack Vance, this volume will prove an indispensable adjunct. You grandchildren will thank you for it. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Mostly disapointing
I think genius is never more obvious then when average people try and duplicate it and fail.Jack Vance's books are brilliant, full of questionable morals, great dialogue, and more awsome RPG ideas in each book then most authors have in their lives.But this book is a poor attempt at immitating it.Basically it is ridiculous dialogue, without any believability.And the RPG ideas within are more like bits of shiny glass then hidden gems.If you really want some great RPG ideas, read one of Jack Vance's books, not a poor shadow.

A great souce for any role playing game
The Excellent Primsatic Spray is a very appealing read, and a useful source work for nearly any rpg of even remotely similar genre.It is written throughout in a remarkable imitation of the original witty, sardonic style of Jack Vance, the author whose work the Dying Earth Rpg is based.At worst, this is still nice for the background feel, at best, it's gut wrenchingly hilarious.
But most important, the short adventure "seeds" and "expedients" in the magazine are suitible short adventures or encounters for most any campaign, and since they rarely emphasise a lot of hack and slash, can easily be adapted to say D20 rules or GURPS.
These little mini adventures are almost universally well written, rich in detail and background ambiance, and some of them are true gems.If you want to bring some wit and culture to your game, wake your players up with some immensely clever plot twists and adventure hooks, pick up this magazine.
Even if you don't play an rpg at the moment, pick it up anyway and enjoy the read, it's one of the best you will find related to any game anywhere. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

A Small Treasure!
If nothing else, for the short story 'Moon Moth' this is a must-read.The story is legendary already, and a great introduction to Vance's unique talent.The other stories are well worth reading as well.My copy is a small treasure that often comes off the shelf.I've lent to a number of friends who now love Vance's other works.Why isn't he better appreciated in the US?In Europe he's revered as a great scifi author.

Uneven collection of classic Vance
A good collection of Vance tidbits.Several of the stories ("Green Magic", "Moon Moth") are among my very favorite examples of Vance's unique and wonderful style.Definitely worth having. ... Read more

Download Description
Garven Waylock had waited seven years for the scandal surrounding his former immortal self to be forgotten.He had kept his identity concealed so that he could once again join the ranks of those who lived forever.He had been exceedingly careful about hiding his past.

Then he met The Jacynth.She was a beautiful 19-year-old, and Garven wanted her.But he recognized that a wisdom far beyond her years marked her as one who knew too much about him to live.

As far as she was concerned, death was a mere inconvenience.But once The Jacynth came back, Garven Waylock's life would be an everlasting hell! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Couldn't drop it until I finished reading!!!
A great book (in quality, it's a pitty it's so short) that reminds me Isaac Asimov's great novels!

The background Vance describes is extremely rich and depicts a Huxley's Big Brother society where all work hard and do their best in order to achieve society's recognition and thus immortality (what is money compared to everlasting?).

I am sure you'll have a lot of fun reading this!

Great Classic Sci-Fi
Wonderful book in the "Man vs. Society" vein.Will never be out of date because it is really a character book and does not dwell on technology. Just read it!

On of the first science-fiction books for grownups
Written in 1956, it was the first scifi novel ( at least that I read) that seemed to deal with adult themes. I don't mean erotics, I mean the kinds of issues that are beyond the sort of juveile space-opera that seemed to be the standard fare of the 40s and 50s. Without giving away the plot, it describes a civilization that, although decadent, has discovered the secret of immortality. But: it cant be given to everyone. A complex system of merit and accomplishment is set up. Advance up the ladder fast enough & you are given immortality. Fail, and you are euthanized. Of course, one strong individual challenges the system, etc. etc. Brilliant! --MichaelReynolds ... Read more

Book Description
The Scaum Valley Gazetteer is a source book for the Jack Vance's the Dying Earth roleplaying game.

Welcome to the finest river valley in gaming. From the Maurenron Mountains to Sanreale Bay, the valley is thick with ancient forests, picturesque ruins and somber tombs. It is alive with vibrant towns and glittering palaces. It teems with eerie creatures, exhilarating predators and glittering palaces.

Complete with frightful curses, new spells, creatures and magic items, the Scaum contains material for many months of exceptional gaming. Suitable for any level of play from Rogue to Arch-Magician.

Exotic Vistas, outlandish inhabitants and limitless adventure... Welcome to the finest river valley in gaming.

174 pages of vibrant characters, dangers and curses. Suitable for any level of play from Rogue to Arch-Magician. ... Read more

Book Description
Men have been at war for centuries with the reptilian race called "Basics." As conquerors always have, the winners of each bloody encounter have made slaves of the losers-but in this far-future war, each side has improved upon its slaves with genetic engineering. And so at last there came to be two neighboring worlds: Aerlith, where men have raised a race of fearsome dragons to be their servants, and nearby Coralyne, where the descendants of those very dragons are served by strong, savage mutants who once were human. Inevitably, those two worlds would meet in one final contest. . . . ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Well written, quick read, lots of fun...
Like a lot of Jack Vance, really well written.

A surprisingly well fleshed out and interesting concept for a short novella. It would make an awesome premise for a movie or game.

Pre-Prime Directive
Dragon Masters is a delightful example of early science fiction. The conflict between the Sacredotes and their human counterparts prefigures the Prime Directive later so important in the Star Trek Universe, and shows the negative consequences such a policy may engender.

The book is well written and the characters are believeable and enjoyable. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Not Free SF Reader
Fourth revenge.


This is probably the best of the Demon Princes books, as our hero chases his next opponent, Lens Larque, across space and to many planets, finally ending up on one that has a really interesting, if rather bloody local game that they play.

Given there is a fifth book, Larque's chances obviously aren't too good.

The 4th of the Demon Princes: Lens Larque
"It is instructive to note that the author [of LENS LARQUE: THE FLAGELLATOR], Erasmus Heupter, dropped out of sight soon after publication of the article and was never seen again."
- note added to a reprint of the piece, accompanied by a fervent disclaimer of responsibility for the accompanying silly-looking artist's impression of Lens Larque himself

While two of the five DEMON PRINCES volumes are named for Kirth Gersen's targets at those phases of his lifelong quest for vengeance, the remaining three are named for great exploits or conceits (or both) of the larger-than-life crimelords therein. While each title is seen, in the end, to be apt, in some cases the full beauty of it won't be apparent until the end of the story.

Readers unfamiliar with this series might expect all five episodes to follow a similar structure, as Gersen strips away his current target's protective veils of false identities and middlemen to bring about a confrontation. Not so; as noted in various (imaginary) learned tomes quoted throughout the series, the Demon Princes have few points in common, save that 1) each is a master criminal - brilliant, untouchable, and completely indifferent to human pain, and 2) they have a flair for schemes on a grand scale. Even on the matter of ego, Malagate - the only non-human among them - was arguably an exception. Lens Larque, on the other hand - Gersen's current quarry - stands out as exceptionally arrogant, even among this select group who divided the criminal activities of known space as predators might split a kill, ignoring lesser threats.

The Demon Princes aren't an organization; they merely recognize one another as peers and stay out of each other's way. The Mount Pleasant raid, in which Gersen's home and family were destroyed, is the only recorded instance of a cooperative effort by the Demon Princes - and it was one too many, as Gersen's grandfather reacted by ruthlessly turning his only surviving relative into a weapon to strike even beyond the grave. Given the events of the preceding three books, it's even possible that none of Gersen's targets is aware of the fate of any other. The five books *could* be read in any order without giving away Gersen's solution of each core problem - identifying and isolating his target - but ideally the development of Gersen's arsenal of resources should be read in order.

Through the events of THE KILLING MACHINE and THE PALACE OF LOVE, Gersen acquired tools to smooth his way: a fortune, and Jehan Addels, his canny (and nervous) man of business. (Ironically, through Addels, Gersen himself has acquired aliases and shell corporations to protect his identity even as his targets conceal theirs.) Addels acts as Gersen's unhappy ally, to the point of helping mastermind the legal strategems intended to smoke the whip-wielding Darsh out of concealment long enough for Gersen to trap him.

As in Gersen's other adventures, his is not the only attempt at an epic achievement. Part of the charm of these stories is to try to figure out what the current Demon Prince is up to (as well as being treated to accounts of their past exploits). Another feature is that no Demon Prince is easy to identify, and each is capable of turning the tables more than once in a story. In fact, Gersen's first encounter with Lens Larque turns out as a spectacular revenge indeed - but the joke's on *him*. The Demon Princes didn't get where they are by being fools (insane in some cases, sure, but not stupid).

THE FACE, unlike the other entries in the series, is broken into three acts, each set on a different planet, beginning on Aloysius (Addels' home base), moving to Lens Larque's homeworld of Dar Sai, and culminating on Methlen. The book is worth reading for Darsh culture alone and its stark contrasts: the comfortable Shades in which they protect themselves from the surrounding desert; their strict but alien code of honor and harsh penalties for lawbreakers (their mating/marriage customs expect adults of both genders to be sexual predators, but woe betide he who steals from a neighbour); the men have more whips than Indiana Jones. The Methlen - neighbours only in the sense that they occupy the same solar system - provide yet another contrast. Unlike the deliberately coarse Darsh, who enjoy making outsiders squirm just with their cooking, the Methlen are essentially a country club-type-group who bought their own planet generations ago, and by now have *really* exaggerated ideas of their own superiority, to the point where there are only three kinds of people: Methlen, everybody else except the Darsh, and the Darsh (who are just as prideful, but antithetical culturally).

And the development of the Methlen isn't neglected. Gersen gets involved with Jerdian Chanseth, a young Methlen aristocrat with a great deal of physical charm. Nice touch; Gersen's human enough to fall in love, consider having a *life*, and settling down, even though the relationship from an outsider's perspective looks doomed from the start. Even better, Gersen's romantic entanglements are always relevant to the main plot.

Beware the Touch of Panak
Vance returned to the Demon Prince series after a 12-year hiatus to write this novel and its sequel, 'The Book of Dreams.'These demonstrate the mature Vance.His world building skills are just as fine, but character development has come a great distance Kirth Gersen is not only a full three dimensional character, but he is fully in control of events now.An 'actor' rather than a 'reactor.'This carries over to the rest of the persona as well, except for the villain of the piece, Lens Larque, who must remain a menacing shadow to the very end.

Larque is a Darsh from Dar Sai, a world that was only civilized because of the value of its raw materials.Its people are harsh, prone to games of whipping and violent 'diplomacy.'The sexes don't like each other and the mating customs are half hide-and-seek, and half mayhem.Gersen puts together a ship-napping in order to trick Larque into exposure, has the tables turned on him, and finally arrives on Dar Sai with a new respect for the fourth of the Demon Princes.

Gersen's troubles don't end because he has got to the right planet.Next, he must find the right man.Soon you get the idea that the only cooperative people on Dar Sai were not born their.The Darsh have about the same social skills as miners during the gold rush.And about the same amount of rapacity as well.I should also mention that they have the worst food in known space.Winning only a pyrrhic victory on Dar Sai, Gersen heads for its sister planet Methlen, where the beautiful people live.Besides the inevitable conclusion, Gersen also learns the sorrows of love (again) and the joys of delivering a good comeuppance.

There is a lot of subtle and ironic humor in the story, one of Vance's trademarks as a developed writer.As such, interest remains high right through the end as the last twists fall into place.While it was to be only a few more years before the final volume appears it was a very impatient time for the fans.You modern young whippersnappers should count yourselves lucky. ... Read more