What do you think?
Rate this book
Demon Princes #5
The Book of Dreams
Howard Alan Treesong gave a banquet to ten friends. All died in agony, save himself.
Howard Alan Treesong went to his old school reunion to teach his former classmates the meaning of terror.
Howard Alan Treesong was the most elusive of the five Demon Princes upon whom Kirth Gersen had sworn vengeance. A galaxy-wide guessing game proved his undoing.
Howard Alan Treesong wrote his own holy book and called it The Book of Dreams.
Howard Alan Treesong went to his old school reunion to teach his former classmates the meaning of terror.
Howard Alan Treesong was the most elusive of the five Demon Princes upon whom Kirth Gersen had sworn vengeance. A galaxy-wide guessing game proved his undoing.
Howard Alan Treesong wrote his own holy book and called it The Book of Dreams.
272 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1981
17 people are currently reading
562 people want to read
About the author
Jack Vance
776 books1,583 followersAka John Holbrook Vance, Peter Held, John Holbrook, Ellery Queen, John van See, Alan Wade.
The author was born in 1916 and educated at the University of California, first as a mining engineer, then majoring in physics and finally in journalism. During the 1940s and 1950s, he contributed widely to science fiction and fantasy magazines. His first novel, The Dying Earth , was published in 1950 to great acclaim. He won both of science fiction's most coveted trophies, the Hugo and Nebula awards. He also won an Edgar Award for his mystery novel The Man in the Cage . He lived in Oakland, California in a house he designed.
The author was born in 1916 and educated at the University of California, first as a mining engineer, then majoring in physics and finally in journalism. During the 1940s and 1950s, he contributed widely to science fiction and fantasy magazines. His first novel, The Dying Earth , was published in 1950 to great acclaim. He won both of science fiction's most coveted trophies, the Hugo and Nebula awards. He also won an Edgar Award for his mystery novel The Man in the Cage . He lived in Oakland, California in a house he designed.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 76 reviews
July 28, 2025
Well, Vance finishes the Demon Princes saga with aplomb to be sure! I really enjoyed this series and unlike most, it did not really have any duds along the way. Perhaps book two The Killing Machine and book four The Face were the strongest, but all were a lot of fun. There is only one Demon Prince left, and he is the cagiest of the lot to be sure: Howard Alan Treesong. Like the other volumes, we know how this will end up eventually, but Gersen's tracking Treesong down makes for a great adventure.
One thing that really struck me about this series was the quality of the villains-- they all had horrific pasts in one way or another which made them somewhat sympathetic despite their vile crimes. Treesong, like Viole Falushe in volume three (The Palace of Love) were horribly bullied at school for basically being nerdy (and perhaps smelly, covered with acne, etc.) and in the end lashed out at their tormentors, leading to lives of crime; in the end, the villain's inability to forget the past would serve as their downfall. All the Demon Princes sought to 're-image' themselves as powerful figures commanding respect, most particularly Treesong, who went on to become the 'king of criminals' across civilized space; Treesong also nearly became the head of 'the Institute', a think tank that moderates technology 'for the greater good' as well as head of the IPCC (Interworld Police Coordinating Committee), which basically serves as the FBI of civilized space and beyond. Ambitious criminals to be sure.
Vance's world building is also on great display here as he vividly gives us several very distinct human societies on a variety of planets; the 'human condition' (warts and all) comes through nicely. Some, if not most, of these societies are subtle critiques of existent human societies just taken a few degrees higher. I loved the brief background provided to most of them, often from snippets of literature/dialogues/news stories found at the start of most chapters in lieu of info dumps along the way. Vance's wit really comes though here!
Gersen himself is a great 'hero' on a quest as well, albeit given that his quest is to track down the five Demon Princes and kill them in revenge. Along the way Vance drops orts and scraps regarding the existential nature of Gersen and we are left with a troubled character; Gersen has devoted his life to his quest and as the series progresses, Gersen often reflects (however briefly) on just what he has given up and why. Gersen forsakes friendships and relationships that may hinder his quest and in the end, make him a very melancholy figure to be sure. The supporting cast is also lots of fun along the way although not really in TBOD (Alice was fun, although nothing too novel).
TBOD ends the series with Gersen puzzling on what to do next. Due to his escapades along the way, he is now a very wealthy man, owning a bank and a popular magazine, but all of this was acquired simply to fulfill his quest, and in the end, what does it really mean. Lovely series 4.5 stars!!
One thing that really struck me about this series was the quality of the villains-- they all had horrific pasts in one way or another which made them somewhat sympathetic despite their vile crimes. Treesong, like Viole Falushe in volume three (The Palace of Love) were horribly bullied at school for basically being nerdy (and perhaps smelly, covered with acne, etc.) and in the end lashed out at their tormentors, leading to lives of crime; in the end, the villain's inability to forget the past would serve as their downfall. All the Demon Princes sought to 're-image' themselves as powerful figures commanding respect, most particularly Treesong, who went on to become the 'king of criminals' across civilized space; Treesong also nearly became the head of 'the Institute', a think tank that moderates technology 'for the greater good' as well as head of the IPCC (Interworld Police Coordinating Committee), which basically serves as the FBI of civilized space and beyond. Ambitious criminals to be sure.
Vance's world building is also on great display here as he vividly gives us several very distinct human societies on a variety of planets; the 'human condition' (warts and all) comes through nicely. Some, if not most, of these societies are subtle critiques of existent human societies just taken a few degrees higher. I loved the brief background provided to most of them, often from snippets of literature/dialogues/news stories found at the start of most chapters in lieu of info dumps along the way. Vance's wit really comes though here!
Gersen himself is a great 'hero' on a quest as well, albeit given that his quest is to track down the five Demon Princes and kill them in revenge. Along the way Vance drops orts and scraps regarding the existential nature of Gersen and we are left with a troubled character; Gersen has devoted his life to his quest and as the series progresses, Gersen often reflects (however briefly) on just what he has given up and why. Gersen forsakes friendships and relationships that may hinder his quest and in the end, make him a very melancholy figure to be sure. The supporting cast is also lots of fun along the way although not really in TBOD (Alice was fun, although nothing too novel).
TBOD ends the series with Gersen puzzling on what to do next. Due to his escapades along the way, he is now a very wealthy man, owning a bank and a popular magazine, but all of this was acquired simply to fulfill his quest, and in the end, what does it really mean. Lovely series 4.5 stars!!
December 16, 2022
[9/10]
So then, stranger, go your way. When at last you make your homecoming, wherever it may be among the sparkling worlds, bring report of those who stand brooding yonder.
We are getting real close to a homecoming, but before that we have one more Demon Prince to catch. The one who stands brooding at the immensity of sparkling worlds that form the Spread of humans to the far corners of the galaxy is named Kirth Gersen, sole survivor of a massacre engineered by five master criminals. Gersen has dedicated his life to revenge for his kin and he proceeded to destroy the Demon Princes in spectacular fashion in the first four books in the series. Only one evil overlord is left, the one reputed to be the most devious, the most secretive, the most unpredictable.
Howard Alan Treesong! A name of magic, instilling dread and wonder! What, precisely, is known of him? The few nodes of fact are made ambiguous by a luminous dust of rumor. He is declared to be the most solitary person alive; by other reports he is the ultimate ruler of all criminals.
I was hoping for something spectacular in this final book, something to justify the reputation of Treesong as the most intelligent of the Demons, and I was not let down by Vance, who came up with a truly high stakes plot and a more articulate evil overlord that the first four:
“I am meticulous in regard to rewards and penalties, I assure you. I usually take the rewards and others must make do with the penalties, but no matter. Is not the cosmos a more vital and adventurous place for my presence? Of course! I am indispensable.”
>>><<<>>><<<
As a sidenote, there is no need to read the five novels in publication order, they are more like standalone adventures set in the same universe. The author himself spread their writing from 1964 to 1981, as the inspiration struck him.
The books do follow a similar pattern, with Gersen assuming various disguises, with the Demon Princes working from the shadows and hiding their true identity, with an alluring feminine presence or two to spice things up and, more importantly, with fantastic visits to different star systems where we learn about exotic cultures, fashions, cuisine, social ladders and the sexual habits of the local populations. In other books from Vance this sort of space tourism is called ‘cultural anthropology’, a chance for the author to explore questions of morality or to lampoon the affectations of the dominant species on our own planet.
The ordinary man, during a day’s time, may be obliged to act by the terms of a half dozen different moralities. Some of these acts, appropriate at one moment, may the next moment be considered obscene or opprobrious in terms of another morality.
The person who, let us say, expects generosity from a bank, efficient flexibility from a government agency, open-mindedness from a religious institution will be disappointed. In each purview the notions represent immorality. The poor fool might as quickly discover love among the mantises.
The sly humour and the flamboyant presentation of what it means to be civilized in the future Spread of humans is the main attraction of the series for me. This final volume shows Vance in top form.
>>><<<>>><<<
Coming back to the hunt for Howard Alan Treesong, the first planet Kirth Gersen visits in his Fantamic Flitterwing is Aloysius, an important publishing and financial center, a sort of Switzerland-through-the-mirror where proper people dress properly and engage in proper deals.
“A person makes a statement about himself with his clothes. A genteel person wears genteel clothes to establish his status, and status, whether we like it or not, is a key factor in human interrelations.”
I wonder though what ... an attenuated statue of a nude woman, nine feet tall, whose belly opened on the hour to permit a bird to step forth and cry “cuckoo.” suggests about the local bankers and press magnates.
In his disguise as a reporter for a galactic magazine, Gersen sets up a trap for Treesong, using a photograph of a formal dinner he is reported to have been present at. By promising a huge prize to the person who can identify the people in the photo, Gersen hopes to unmask the final Demon Prince. Gersen’s partners are not as enchanted with the plan as he hoped:
“I expect no danger until after he satisfies his curiosity.”
Addels refused to be convinced “That’s like telling a stake-out goat that the tiger will not bite until after he sniffs around a bit.”
For all the reluctance of this Addels, the plot succeeds in luring Treesong to Aloysius, and reveals a couple of his high stakes devious plans to gain control of the two most important political entities in the Oikumene, the IPCC [galactic police] and the Institute [galactic think tank and policy maker].
Getting to meet the beautiful Alice Wroke is an unplanned benefit of the scheme.
Unfortunately, the first round ends in a draw, with Treesong foiled in his plans and wounded by Gersen, but managing to make his escape.
>>><<<>>><<<
The next planet we visit is apparently the home planet of the master criminal, the place where Gersen hopes to find clues about his motives and his background.
Mouderveldt is an agricultural planet that has been colonised by what some may argue is the typical back-country yokel who thinks his way of living is the best, the only way to live. As a result, the extensive fertile landmass of Mouderveldt has been partitioned into a sort of Amish paradise, with a twist:
1562 separate dominions, each jealous of its identity, each cherishing its own rotes and rites, each celebrating its distinctive cuisine and scorning all others as filth and scum, each considering itself the single home of civilization among 1562 barbaric, incomprehensible, and unpleasant neighbors.
Treesong was born in one of these pocket-size countries, Gladbetook, and is expected to make a return for the 25th Anniversary Reunion of the famous Galloping Flatfish Class, to meet with his former school pals. [your guess is as good as mine as to what a flatfish is and why it is galloping]
In order to fit in, Gersen must learn to play an instrument in the local orchestra and he gets to witness the return to his roots of the man who hoped to rule the galaxy. The carefully planned reunion, is interrupted by Gersen once more trying and failing to shoot down Treesong.
The visit to Gladbetook is not a total failure, as Gersen discovers Treesong’s childhood diary, titled “The Book of Dreams” , a much better tool to give us a glimpse into criminal reasoning the bullied boy turned to fiction in order to cope and wrote a fantasy novel in which his heroes have all the qualities he believes are needed in order to overcome any obstacle. Treesong becomes a multiple personality schizophrenic , So then, the gallant seven. Let all advance and clasp hands and may the bond be broken only by sorry death. whose only interest is in how to achieve and how to wield power
>>><<<>>><<<
With the Book of Dreams in his hands, Gersen is now able to lay another trap for the Demon Prince, on a special sort of planet where he hopes the criminal will be isolated from his organization and his weapons.
Bethune Preserve is a world where the law is made by non-governmental, non-profit organizations, a sort of Greenpeace on steroids: They rule the world as if it were a private natural history museum, which in fact it is.
Tourism is strictly controlled, restricted to special areas. The rest of Bethune is the domain of local flora and fauna, nature red in tooth and claw where man is returned to his original stature of prey instead of conqueror.
A fitting end for the dreams of power of arrogant, deranged, self-obsessed individuals.
>>><<<>>><<<
This was a fun trip, with fantastic worlds and cultures offered for consideration in the inimitable style of a peerless dreamer.
I will continue to hunt for more books by Vance that have eluded my fanboy radar.
So then, stranger, go your way. When at last you make your homecoming, wherever it may be among the sparkling worlds, bring report of those who stand brooding yonder.
We are getting real close to a homecoming, but before that we have one more Demon Prince to catch. The one who stands brooding at the immensity of sparkling worlds that form the Spread of humans to the far corners of the galaxy is named Kirth Gersen, sole survivor of a massacre engineered by five master criminals. Gersen has dedicated his life to revenge for his kin and he proceeded to destroy the Demon Princes in spectacular fashion in the first four books in the series. Only one evil overlord is left, the one reputed to be the most devious, the most secretive, the most unpredictable.
Howard Alan Treesong! A name of magic, instilling dread and wonder! What, precisely, is known of him? The few nodes of fact are made ambiguous by a luminous dust of rumor. He is declared to be the most solitary person alive; by other reports he is the ultimate ruler of all criminals.
I was hoping for something spectacular in this final book, something to justify the reputation of Treesong as the most intelligent of the Demons, and I was not let down by Vance, who came up with a truly high stakes plot and a more articulate evil overlord that the first four:
“I am meticulous in regard to rewards and penalties, I assure you. I usually take the rewards and others must make do with the penalties, but no matter. Is not the cosmos a more vital and adventurous place for my presence? Of course! I am indispensable.”
>>><<<>>><<<
As a sidenote, there is no need to read the five novels in publication order, they are more like standalone adventures set in the same universe. The author himself spread their writing from 1964 to 1981, as the inspiration struck him.
The books do follow a similar pattern, with Gersen assuming various disguises, with the Demon Princes working from the shadows and hiding their true identity, with an alluring feminine presence or two to spice things up and, more importantly, with fantastic visits to different star systems where we learn about exotic cultures, fashions, cuisine, social ladders and the sexual habits of the local populations. In other books from Vance this sort of space tourism is called ‘cultural anthropology’, a chance for the author to explore questions of morality or to lampoon the affectations of the dominant species on our own planet.
The ordinary man, during a day’s time, may be obliged to act by the terms of a half dozen different moralities. Some of these acts, appropriate at one moment, may the next moment be considered obscene or opprobrious in terms of another morality.
The person who, let us say, expects generosity from a bank, efficient flexibility from a government agency, open-mindedness from a religious institution will be disappointed. In each purview the notions represent immorality. The poor fool might as quickly discover love among the mantises.
The sly humour and the flamboyant presentation of what it means to be civilized in the future Spread of humans is the main attraction of the series for me. This final volume shows Vance in top form.
>>><<<>>><<<
Coming back to the hunt for Howard Alan Treesong, the first planet Kirth Gersen visits in his Fantamic Flitterwing is Aloysius, an important publishing and financial center, a sort of Switzerland-through-the-mirror where proper people dress properly and engage in proper deals.
“A person makes a statement about himself with his clothes. A genteel person wears genteel clothes to establish his status, and status, whether we like it or not, is a key factor in human interrelations.”
I wonder though what ... an attenuated statue of a nude woman, nine feet tall, whose belly opened on the hour to permit a bird to step forth and cry “cuckoo.” suggests about the local bankers and press magnates.
In his disguise as a reporter for a galactic magazine, Gersen sets up a trap for Treesong, using a photograph of a formal dinner he is reported to have been present at. By promising a huge prize to the person who can identify the people in the photo, Gersen hopes to unmask the final Demon Prince. Gersen’s partners are not as enchanted with the plan as he hoped:
“I expect no danger until after he satisfies his curiosity.”
Addels refused to be convinced “That’s like telling a stake-out goat that the tiger will not bite until after he sniffs around a bit.”
For all the reluctance of this Addels, the plot succeeds in luring Treesong to Aloysius, and reveals a couple of his high stakes devious plans to gain control of the two most important political entities in the Oikumene, the IPCC [galactic police] and the Institute [galactic think tank and policy maker].
Getting to meet the beautiful Alice Wroke is an unplanned benefit of the scheme.
Unfortunately, the first round ends in a draw, with Treesong foiled in his plans and wounded by Gersen, but managing to make his escape.
>>><<<>>><<<
The next planet we visit is apparently the home planet of the master criminal, the place where Gersen hopes to find clues about his motives and his background.
Mouderveldt is an agricultural planet that has been colonised by what some may argue is the typical back-country yokel who thinks his way of living is the best, the only way to live. As a result, the extensive fertile landmass of Mouderveldt has been partitioned into a sort of Amish paradise, with a twist:
1562 separate dominions, each jealous of its identity, each cherishing its own rotes and rites, each celebrating its distinctive cuisine and scorning all others as filth and scum, each considering itself the single home of civilization among 1562 barbaric, incomprehensible, and unpleasant neighbors.
Treesong was born in one of these pocket-size countries, Gladbetook, and is expected to make a return for the 25th Anniversary Reunion of the famous Galloping Flatfish Class, to meet with his former school pals. [your guess is as good as mine as to what a flatfish is and why it is galloping]
In order to fit in, Gersen must learn to play an instrument in the local orchestra and he gets to witness the return to his roots of the man who hoped to rule the galaxy. The carefully planned reunion, is interrupted by Gersen once more trying and failing to shoot down Treesong.
The visit to Gladbetook is not a total failure, as Gersen discovers Treesong’s childhood diary, titled “The Book of Dreams” , a much better tool to give us a glimpse into criminal reasoning the bullied boy turned to fiction in order to cope and wrote a fantasy novel in which his heroes have all the qualities he believes are needed in order to overcome any obstacle. Treesong becomes a multiple personality schizophrenic , So then, the gallant seven. Let all advance and clasp hands and may the bond be broken only by sorry death. whose only interest is in how to achieve and how to wield power
>>><<<>>><<<
With the Book of Dreams in his hands, Gersen is now able to lay another trap for the Demon Prince, on a special sort of planet where he hopes the criminal will be isolated from his organization and his weapons.
Bethune Preserve is a world where the law is made by non-governmental, non-profit organizations, a sort of Greenpeace on steroids: They rule the world as if it were a private natural history museum, which in fact it is.
Tourism is strictly controlled, restricted to special areas. The rest of Bethune is the domain of local flora and fauna, nature red in tooth and claw where man is returned to his original stature of prey instead of conqueror.
A fitting end for the dreams of power of arrogant, deranged, self-obsessed individuals.
>>><<<>>><<<
This was a fun trip, with fantastic worlds and cultures offered for consideration in the inimitable style of a peerless dreamer.
I will continue to hunt for more books by Vance that have eluded my fanboy radar.
June 18, 2025
into his Book of Dreams fled young Howard Hardoah, a country boy, scorned and bullied, an elfish sort per his teachers, a fey little murderer per his actions. in his Book of Dreams he made his plots and plans. he made his seven friends as well: seven mighty paladins to guide him.
out of his Book of Dreams sprang the ingenious Howard Alan Treesong, a trickster and a joke-player, a crime lord and a mass murderer. the nefarious Howard Alan Treesong will plot and plan to become king of the galaxy, his seven paladins by his side. or rather, inside.
out of his Book of Dreams sprang the ingenious Howard Alan Treesong, a trickster and a joke-player, a crime lord and a mass murderer. the nefarious Howard Alan Treesong will plot and plan to become king of the galaxy, his seven paladins by his side. or rather, inside.
'At the center is Immir of the graces. He controls certain sleights of magic; he is master of ploys and plots and awful surprises. He is Immir the unpredictable and claims no single color.alas! poor, ambitious, multi-minded Howard Alan Treesong! in the end, his paladins will desert him. all save one...
At Immir's right hand stands Jeha Rais, who is tall in majesty and whose color is black. He is sagacious and always first to notice a far event, for which he construs eventualities. Then he points his finger, to direct the gaze of the other paladins. He is without qualm and advocates decisiveness. Sometimes he is known as "Jeha the Inexorable." He wears a black garment, supple and close as his skin, a black cape and a black morion, fixed at the crest with an orb of crystal in a silver star-blaze.
At Immir's left hands stands Loris Hohenger, whose color is the red of new blood. He is the feroce, impulsive and reckless, and ever reluctant to leave the slaying grounds, though of all the paladins he can be the most generous. He lusts after fair women and they deny him at great risk to their dignity. Should they make complaint or give chiding, his redress is even more fulsome. When finally he leaves the bed their voices are still and they look longingly after him.
Green Mewness stands beside Loris Hohenger. Expert in skills is Mewness. He can fling a bridge or topple a tower; he is patient, cunning, and if the road is closed to right and left, he finds a way between. His memory is exact; he never forgets a face or a name and he knows the ways of a hundred worlds. Soft men of wealth think ingenuous in his dealings, to their ultimate consternation.
Yellow Spangleway is wry, astonishing, and ignores every precedent. He is antic and droll, and able in the acting of rols. All the paladins, save only one, laugh to see his capers; when the time appropriate all - save only on - dance to his musics, for Spangleway can elicit sweet sounds from a dangling pig, should he so choose to turn his skills. Never think to match Spangleway jape for jape, since his knife is even keener than his wit. In battle, the enemy cries out: "Where is the laggard Spangleway?" or: "Aha! The coward Spangleway takes to his heels!" only to have him on their necks from a new direction, or in some shocking guise.
Beside Jeha Rais stands gentle Rhune Fader the Blue. In battle, though he is dauntless and first to succor a hard-pressed paladin, he is also first to urge mercy and forbearance. He is slim, tall, clear of feature, and handsome as the summer sunrise; he is skilled in the arts and graces and sensitive to beauty in all things, especially the beauty of shy maidens upon whom he casts a glamour. Alas, in the battle councils the voice of Rhune Fader carries little weight.
Beside blue Rhune, and a little apart, stands eerie white Eia Panice, whose hair, eyes, long teeth, and skin are white. He wears a full casque of white metal and little of his face can be seen: a high-bridged hooked nose, a harsh chin, gleaming eyes. In the councils he speaks, for the most part, either "yea" or "nay," but more often than not his word decides the issue, for he seems to know the ways of Destiny. Alone among the paladins he is unmoved by the droll contrivances of Spangleway. Indeed, on those occasions when his grim smile is seen, then is the time for all who can to depart and never look back lest they discover the limpid gaze of Eia Panice fixed into their own.'
February 4, 2024
I don’t write reviews.
Howard Alan Treesong was perhaps the craziest of all the Demon Princes. Held onto events of the past for decades, awaiting revenge. In this way he was like Kirth Gersen, but Treesong was mentally unwell and distinctively dangerous. He blew prior small indignities out of proportion and wanted to torture those he believed wronged him. Kirth was more even-handed in his dispensation of justice and only took revenge on those who killed his family/community and sold the rest into slavery. Treesong mutilated people who gave him a deprecating nickname in elementary school.
Though the completed revenge was a fitting ending to the story, I felt bad for Kirth. What would his life be without revenge? What meaning would it hold? He seemed to want to settle down with a woman he loved and start a family. Would that sort of life work for him in the long term?
Howard Alan Treesong was perhaps the craziest of all the Demon Princes. Held onto events of the past for decades, awaiting revenge. In this way he was like Kirth Gersen, but Treesong was mentally unwell and distinctively dangerous. He blew prior small indignities out of proportion and wanted to torture those he believed wronged him. Kirth was more even-handed in his dispensation of justice and only took revenge on those who killed his family/community and sold the rest into slavery. Treesong mutilated people who gave him a deprecating nickname in elementary school.
Though the completed revenge was a fitting ending to the story, I felt bad for Kirth. What would his life be without revenge? What meaning would it hold? He seemed to want to settle down with a woman he loved and start a family. Would that sort of life work for him in the long term?
October 10, 2018
Howard Alan Treesong, the last remaining Demon Prince, must die. And so it goes. The last installment in Vance's Demon Princes series ends on a high note. Each book in the series, which tells the tale of revenge against one of the five Demon Princes, entertains without fail. If pressed, I'd say the best is The Face, book number four. The worst? Not to be had.
Our protagonist, Kirth Gersen, remains the same throughout, yet everything else changes, as he pursues his targets across a multitude of diverse, fascinating worlds, built by Vance with masterful style and richness. As with everything Vance, it is these rich, amazing, utterly unique worlds which he creates with such detail, and yet with economy, which make these stories gems.
Our protagonist, Kirth Gersen, remains the same throughout, yet everything else changes, as he pursues his targets across a multitude of diverse, fascinating worlds, built by Vance with masterful style and richness. As with everything Vance, it is these rich, amazing, utterly unique worlds which he creates with such detail, and yet with economy, which make these stories gems.
May 28, 2024
The Book of Dreams was published in 1981 by DAW Books and is the fifth and final novel in Vance's The Demon Prince series. My copy is 190 pages, making it the second longest novel of the group. All of The Demon Price novels continue to be in print. I like the two volume set by Orb Books that has the first three novels in volume one and the last two in volume two. The Book of Dreams is my favorite of the five novels, and I rated it a five both times I read it. But the whole series is highly recommended as being highly readable, entertaining and interesting. Although some of the novels in The Demon Prince can be read alone, I have found, after reading the series twice, that enjoyment can be greatly enhanced by reading them in order and by repeated readings. I look forward to reading the series again in a few years.
For the most recent review and other Vance reviews please see:
https://vancealotjackvanceinreview.bl...
We learned in the first novel of the series that when Gersen was a child the colony where he lived was attacked by five demon princes who killed everyone, including his family members, and destroyed the colony. Kirth and his grandfather were able to flee and were the only survivors. His grandfather arranged that Kirth be trained for many years in hand to hand and weapons combat so that he could avenge his family. No romance or other attraction has yet turned Gersen away from his monomania, and his stealthily acquired wealth only further enabled him in his pursuits of the demon princes.
Here in the final novel Kirth Gersen continues his quest to track down and kill the five demon princes. The final one Gersen seeks is the elusive and grandiose Howard Alan Treesong, Lord of the Overmen. Several years ago, in his attempt to consolidate power and perhaps become the first ruler of the Gaean worlds, Treesong almost succeeded in having himself appointed as Chief of the Interworld Police Coordination Company (IPCC). The IPCC has not heard anything about him lately, though, and a major problem with tracking him down is that nobody knows what he looks like and there are no known photos of him in existence.
Gersen obtains a photo of a group of seven men that was sent anonymously to his Cosmopolis Magazine company. A note was written on it says "HA Treesong is here". They do not know who sent it, who else is in the photo or where it was taken. Gersen decides to publish the photo in a free inaugural periodical called Extant that he creates. He includes it as part of a contest that offers a reward to the person who can identify the most people in the photograph. He hopes to at least narrow down which man in the photo might be Treesong.
One of the people who eventually responds to the photo is Treesong's father so Gersen visits his planet to learn more about Treesong. He learns that there is an upcoming 25 year high school reunion that Treesong might be attending. In order to be part of the reunion ceremony Gersen hires a band for the reunion on the condition that he be allowed to be one of the members. He cannot play any musical instrument so takes intensive flute lessons, enough to be able to barely play. The reunion turns out to be much more than expected when Treesong turns up with hired thugs, takes control of everything and begins to take acts of revenge against former bullies, teachers, would be girl friends and others who humiliated him when he went to high school there. Treesong, a trained musician, notices that Gersen can't really play the flute so asks his hired men to take Gersen to the river and toss him in. When they arrive at the river Gersen overpowers the two men, takes their weapons and stalks back to the reunion with the intent of killing Treesong But Treesong is only wounded, and Gersen is only barely able to escape the planet alive.
Gersen learns from Treesong's estranged family that Treesong murdered his own best friend, Nymphotis Cleadhoe, when in high school because he thought his friend had stolen his fantasy world writings he titled The Book of Dreams. Treesong's brother, though, was the one who hid the book, and this book is still where he tossed it. Gersen realizes how important this book is to Treesong so he buys it from Treesong's brother. Next Gersen devises an elaborate scheme to allow Treesong to learn about the existence of the book to try to lure him to retrieve it. He contacts Nymphotis Cleadhoe's parents who now reside on a jungle planet where they are caretakers on the Bethune Preserve. (Note the similarities to the later Cadwal Chronicles.) The Cleadhoe couple know that Treesong murdered their child many years ago so gladly cooperate with Gersen in attempting to kill Treesong. Gersen cleverly sets up the trap.
The novel is suspenseful, unpredictable, and elaborately plotted with vivid portraits of odd places and inhabitants such as the religious fanatics in the Maundish area on the planet Mouderveldt, the residents on the planet Pontefract who are obsessed with hats and have developed elaborate customs regarding the wearing of hats, and the Bethune Preserve with its very strange creatures. The novel is so descriptive and detailed that I was even more enthralled the second time I read it. I look forward to reading The Book of Dreams and the entire series again in the near future. Very highly recommended!
For the most recent review and other Vance reviews please see:
https://vancealotjackvanceinreview.bl...
We learned in the first novel of the series that when Gersen was a child the colony where he lived was attacked by five demon princes who killed everyone, including his family members, and destroyed the colony. Kirth and his grandfather were able to flee and were the only survivors. His grandfather arranged that Kirth be trained for many years in hand to hand and weapons combat so that he could avenge his family. No romance or other attraction has yet turned Gersen away from his monomania, and his stealthily acquired wealth only further enabled him in his pursuits of the demon princes.
Here in the final novel Kirth Gersen continues his quest to track down and kill the five demon princes. The final one Gersen seeks is the elusive and grandiose Howard Alan Treesong, Lord of the Overmen. Several years ago, in his attempt to consolidate power and perhaps become the first ruler of the Gaean worlds, Treesong almost succeeded in having himself appointed as Chief of the Interworld Police Coordination Company (IPCC). The IPCC has not heard anything about him lately, though, and a major problem with tracking him down is that nobody knows what he looks like and there are no known photos of him in existence.
Gersen obtains a photo of a group of seven men that was sent anonymously to his Cosmopolis Magazine company. A note was written on it says "HA Treesong is here". They do not know who sent it, who else is in the photo or where it was taken. Gersen decides to publish the photo in a free inaugural periodical called Extant that he creates. He includes it as part of a contest that offers a reward to the person who can identify the most people in the photograph. He hopes to at least narrow down which man in the photo might be Treesong.
One of the people who eventually responds to the photo is Treesong's father so Gersen visits his planet to learn more about Treesong. He learns that there is an upcoming 25 year high school reunion that Treesong might be attending. In order to be part of the reunion ceremony Gersen hires a band for the reunion on the condition that he be allowed to be one of the members. He cannot play any musical instrument so takes intensive flute lessons, enough to be able to barely play. The reunion turns out to be much more than expected when Treesong turns up with hired thugs, takes control of everything and begins to take acts of revenge against former bullies, teachers, would be girl friends and others who humiliated him when he went to high school there. Treesong, a trained musician, notices that Gersen can't really play the flute so asks his hired men to take Gersen to the river and toss him in. When they arrive at the river Gersen overpowers the two men, takes their weapons and stalks back to the reunion with the intent of killing Treesong But Treesong is only wounded, and Gersen is only barely able to escape the planet alive.
Gersen learns from Treesong's estranged family that Treesong murdered his own best friend, Nymphotis Cleadhoe, when in high school because he thought his friend had stolen his fantasy world writings he titled The Book of Dreams. Treesong's brother, though, was the one who hid the book, and this book is still where he tossed it. Gersen realizes how important this book is to Treesong so he buys it from Treesong's brother. Next Gersen devises an elaborate scheme to allow Treesong to learn about the existence of the book to try to lure him to retrieve it. He contacts Nymphotis Cleadhoe's parents who now reside on a jungle planet where they are caretakers on the Bethune Preserve. (Note the similarities to the later Cadwal Chronicles.) The Cleadhoe couple know that Treesong murdered their child many years ago so gladly cooperate with Gersen in attempting to kill Treesong. Gersen cleverly sets up the trap.
The novel is suspenseful, unpredictable, and elaborately plotted with vivid portraits of odd places and inhabitants such as the religious fanatics in the Maundish area on the planet Mouderveldt, the residents on the planet Pontefract who are obsessed with hats and have developed elaborate customs regarding the wearing of hats, and the Bethune Preserve with its very strange creatures. The novel is so descriptive and detailed that I was even more enthralled the second time I read it. I look forward to reading The Book of Dreams and the entire series again in the near future. Very highly recommended!
October 3, 2010
4.0 stars. Satisfying final volume of the excellent, and under-rated, Demon Prince series by Jack Vance. In this episode, Kirth Gersen, our revenge seeking hero, searches out the last of the "demon princes," a master criminal known as Howard Treesong.
Vance is a master story-teller with an incredible imagination and a talent for concise, descriptive writing that immerses his readers in the worlds he creates without needing a lot of pages to do it. As with the other Demon Prince novels, this book is relatively short (223 pages), but Vance fills every page with the history, the culture, the economy, the governments and the people of the Oikumene (the universe setting in which these stories take place). Yet such information is so seamlessly interwoven into the plot, that you never get the "info dump" feeling that can sometimes detract from the pace of the story.
Bottom-line, Vance is rightfully considered one of the best writers of science fiction's golden age and this is a superb example of why. Highly Recommended!!!! (less)
Vance is a master story-teller with an incredible imagination and a talent for concise, descriptive writing that immerses his readers in the worlds he creates without needing a lot of pages to do it. As with the other Demon Prince novels, this book is relatively short (223 pages), but Vance fills every page with the history, the culture, the economy, the governments and the people of the Oikumene (the universe setting in which these stories take place). Yet such information is so seamlessly interwoven into the plot, that you never get the "info dump" feeling that can sometimes detract from the pace of the story.
Bottom-line, Vance is rightfully considered one of the best writers of science fiction's golden age and this is a superb example of why. Highly Recommended!!!! (less)
August 14, 2012
Vance grapples with the psychology and motivations of the Demon Princes through the entire series, trying to make each one uniquely outrageous. With Howard Alan Treesong this process reaches an apex: he operates by an elaborate internal mythology and a possible personality disorder which apparently drive much of what he does.
Like the rest of the series, the path to justice is convoluted, with multiple setbacks. Fortunately Gersen never voices the misgivings or weakening of will that hampered the progress of certain earlier books.
The Bethune Preserve, a highly-regulated nature preserve with limited tourism, appears to be the conceptual predecessor for the Cadwal Chronicles series.
Like the rest of the series, the path to justice is convoluted, with multiple setbacks. Fortunately Gersen never voices the misgivings or weakening of will that hampered the progress of certain earlier books.
The Bethune Preserve, a highly-regulated nature preserve with limited tourism, appears to be the conceptual predecessor for the Cadwal Chronicles series.
April 14, 2023
Second time read in Orbit omnibus.
December 24, 2024
Howard Alan Treesong.
Vance's penchant for names continues. It just sounds to good to say.
This final book in the Demon Princes series follows the formula: track down the villain, flit through a couple planets, bask in strange cultures and inventions from the deepest recesses of Vance's strange, strange mind, uncover the secret identity of the villain and probably put an end to his excesses.
After the rare moments of reflection in the previous book, it's back to business as usual for Kirth Gersen. No more doubts - get the job done.
There's no epilogue, or denouement, so it's hard to say how things end up for Kirth Gersen. One can only assume his life to be a little sad and empty afterwards.
Would I re-read: yes.
Vance's penchant for names continues. It just sounds to good to say.
This final book in the Demon Princes series follows the formula: track down the villain, flit through a couple planets, bask in strange cultures and inventions from the deepest recesses of Vance's strange, strange mind, uncover the secret identity of the villain and probably put an end to his excesses.
After the rare moments of reflection in the previous book, it's back to business as usual for Kirth Gersen. No more doubts - get the job done.
There's no epilogue, or denouement, so it's hard to say how things end up for Kirth Gersen. One can only assume his life to be a little sad and empty afterwards.
Would I re-read: yes.
July 26, 2012
I love Vance, adore him, forever in the man's debt, etcet. But I felt like this was a really anticlimactic ending to the Demon princes saga. Basically the same investigate-and-bait-the-elusive-criminal template as all the others but with a curious absence of any raised stakes or deeper exploration of Gersen or his final nemesis. After Palace and Face everything about this story seems second-rate, including the uncompelling, basically tacked-on James Kirk-esque romance with Alice yawn. There was almost a subtext of disappointment or ennui bubbling through that I thought Vance might chase to much profit--- how amazing if Gersen really did fail spectacularly when so close to his goal! Would have been rather Vancey. But no, We get an undercooked twist regarding the villain's odd mental state that really changes nothing and illuminates very little. I'd have much liked a different kind of villain (Treesong's plots are just a more generic version of the Star King's, it seems) or really any distinctive quality at all separating the finale from the preceding stories but alas.
April 15, 2012
Vance saved the best villain for the last, the most interesting,fascinating and insane of the criminals called Demon Princes. Howard Alan Treesong was something.
It was a very fine ending to a great series and Kirth Gersens personal story had a good bitter end for me. Not the usual kind of revenge story. Technically this book might have been the best along with the fourth book The Face but i enjoyed The Face more. It had more interesting, weird human cultures,more interesting side characters.
I rate this book 5 stars because its the best of its kind in my reading experience of SF Space Operas, SF thrillers. Not that you should expect political,epic action story in space. Gersen stories were more about human cultures,meetings of those cultures in the guise of a SF thriller revenge story. The few action scenes there is in every book was intense, enjoyable to read for a Vance book who usually dont focus on those elements.
It was a very fine ending to a great series and Kirth Gersens personal story had a good bitter end for me. Not the usual kind of revenge story. Technically this book might have been the best along with the fourth book The Face but i enjoyed The Face more. It had more interesting, weird human cultures,more interesting side characters.
I rate this book 5 stars because its the best of its kind in my reading experience of SF Space Operas, SF thrillers. Not that you should expect political,epic action story in space. Gersen stories were more about human cultures,meetings of those cultures in the guise of a SF thriller revenge story. The few action scenes there is in every book was intense, enjoyable to read for a Vance book who usually dont focus on those elements.
December 18, 2010
The Book of Dreams is the final book of Jack Vance’s The Demon Princes saga. Kirth Gersen must find and eliminate his last elusive enemy: Howard Alan Treesong. As usual, he has the help of his reluctant banker and there’s a new Innocent Pretty Young Female to attend to, also.
The Book of Dreams is reminiscent of The Palace of Love (the third Demon Princes novel), which also featured a sensitive boy turned bad after being bullied and teased by his peers. Kirth finally tracks down Treesong at his high school reunion where he shows up to get revenge on his classmates. That scene was hilarious. There were plenty of other humorous Vanceian elements, too, including an intergalactic magazine contest and a species of sub-humans who had devolved because they don’t eat meat (“the dark side of vegetarianism”).
I thoroughly enjoyed all of the Demon Princes novels, but I was hoping for something extra in this final episode — perhaps the most outrageous enemy, a near-death experience, the cleverest plot, the perfect girl — something special to wrap up the series. Vance could have done more with Howard Alan Treesong who had multiple personalities and was planning to take over the universe. He could have been a scarier villain.
The end of The Book of Dreams was abrupt. All through the series, I’ve been wondering what Kirth would do when his life’s work was over. Would he feel relieved? Depressed? Purposeless? This was answered in two lines at the end of The Book of Dreams. I was hoping for more, but Vance chose not to enlighten us. So, I didn’t get the “go-out-with-a-bang” ending or the epilogue I was hoping for, but I’m still satisfied. Kirth Gersen is one of Jack Vance’s best heroes. I’m going to miss him.
The Book of Dreams is reminiscent of The Palace of Love (the third Demon Princes novel), which also featured a sensitive boy turned bad after being bullied and teased by his peers. Kirth finally tracks down Treesong at his high school reunion where he shows up to get revenge on his classmates. That scene was hilarious. There were plenty of other humorous Vanceian elements, too, including an intergalactic magazine contest and a species of sub-humans who had devolved because they don’t eat meat (“the dark side of vegetarianism”).
I thoroughly enjoyed all of the Demon Princes novels, but I was hoping for something extra in this final episode — perhaps the most outrageous enemy, a near-death experience, the cleverest plot, the perfect girl — something special to wrap up the series. Vance could have done more with Howard Alan Treesong who had multiple personalities and was planning to take over the universe. He could have been a scarier villain.
The end of The Book of Dreams was abrupt. All through the series, I’ve been wondering what Kirth would do when his life’s work was over. Would he feel relieved? Depressed? Purposeless? This was answered in two lines at the end of The Book of Dreams. I was hoping for more, but Vance chose not to enlighten us. So, I didn’t get the “go-out-with-a-bang” ending or the epilogue I was hoping for, but I’m still satisfied. Kirth Gersen is one of Jack Vance’s best heroes. I’m going to miss him.
November 14, 2020
4.5 stars. This is a wonderful series. By now, a fairly fixed formula has been established for each volume, but basking in the received glory of Gersen's predictable triumphs is part of the charm. I could happily have read another 10 of his adventures in exactly the same vein. Sadly, we have to stop at this one. A satisfying end, and as always carried off with impeccable Vancian deadpan understatement - although I would have liked some of the loose ends tied up more neatly (I may have missed it, but do we ever find out why all five Demon Princes were involved in the Mount Pleasant massacre and what the relationship between them is?).
May 19, 2020
"I am done.", thus ends Vance's strangest work, the Demon Princes. With its strange villains, who are more interesting than the hero, oddball societies, unrelated story inclusions, footnotes and info dumps, it's the quintessential Vance series, hard to believe it was finished almost forty years ago. The hero is more introspective in this one, trying at times to lead a normal life, at the end of the story I feel that he's lost his reason for living and may not find another one.
June 24, 2014
The final installment of the Demon Prince" series. Opinions vary, and my sci-Fi living husband thinks I'm crazy, but I rate this as second best of the five, after "The Face." It ends quite abruptly, with the death of the last the Demon Princes, and not even at our hero's hands. Vance spent at least 700 pages building up to this, and given the character development, I don't see that he had much option but to cut it off. Or perhaps, he was tired of it. Still, fun read.
April 14, 2023
e-audio
January 26, 2025
Not on the level of the precursors.
January 23, 2021
Kirth Gersen is on the trail of the last of the Demon Princes, Howard Alan Treesong, but no details can be found of where he is or what he might look like now until a photo of ten men is found with the cryptic notation “Treesong is here!” Gersen devises a plan to lure Treesong to him by publishing the photo as part of a contest in a news magazine - 100,000 SVU prize to identify all the people pictured. This does indeed bring interest from Treesong, but a further lure brings him to his school reunion where he takes some retribution for old school infractions. Gersen finds a schoolboy chronicle Treesong wrote called The Book Of Dreams which led to a murder of a childhood friend and ultimately fleshes out the origin of Treesong’s psychopathy. Jack Vance has completed the five books in this series with a fairly predictable outcome, and it is all a little pat in the end, but not a wasted day by any means.
January 19, 2008
This was the fifth and final instalment in the Demon Princes series. I quite enjoyed the whole series. Vance is clearly a most imaginative and clever author, and as a sci-fi writer he stands among the best. Every chapter begins with an excerpt from some important published work of the future, something that advances the plot or elucidates some element of the story. I particularly enjoyed his careful descriptions of clothing styles, which varied dramatically from planet to planet, and the details of various strange and wondrous foods and menu items. Meticulous attention is also paid to local dialects and musical instruments, dances, and songs. Each world is brought to life with its own colours and sounds, and plenty of elaborate detail. Pure genius!
May 1, 2021
An odd triumph in a way. At this point, Vance proves that his interests in the Demon Princes are elsewhere, and the novel cannot bear the sustained growth that might be expected from a quintet. Somewhat a mystery novel, somewhat a tale of journalist entrepreneurialism, somewhat a high-school revenge story, and somewhat a tale of adventure and secret societies. You have to admire the ambition even if the whole is less than the sum of its parts.
September 23, 2025
{2.5 rounded down} Alas this series has not aged well, this serialized series of the protagonist searching revenge for a long ago travesty inflicted upon his loved ones. Each book is another step in the stairway for vengeance. Each step has recurring themes just as a James Bond film, various {planets} locations, a damsel in distress / love interest, some quick thinking solving riddles and even avoiding giving the death blow in order to keep him somewhat on the side of light...
May 15, 2019
This series belongs to my absolute all time favorites. I think I've read these books ten times or more and they are still interesting, great to read and fun.
For people who would like to try and start reading science fiction: please choose something by Jack Vance.
For people who would like to try and start reading science fiction: please choose something by Jack Vance.
May 26, 2016
It was O.K. mostly.
September 21, 2025
The last of five entries in "The Demon Princes" series, "The Book of Dreams" is about as good as any of the other four. It did not top the previous entry, "The Face", at least to my personal tastes, but was nonetheless enjoyable.
Of all the princes, Howard Alan Treesong, is the strangest of the five in my opinion. While others trended towards one personality quirk or another, Treesong was downright bizarre. On one hand, he seems a misunderstood youth bent on revenge. On another, and perhaps not separate from the bullied youth, he weeks control over all of civilization and attempts this control in a few ways. It's all just a bit too weird and different for me from the previous entries in the series, as though Vance was trying to outdo himself for this final entry.
The worlds are new and different that Gersen ends up visiting, but not that different in the end. A backwater agricultural, bucolic planet features in a part of the story. A planet that essentially serves as a large nature reserve later becomes the main setting. There's hotels, fancy clothes, a few fights, etc. Everything one might expect from a Vance story.
And yes, Treesong gets it in the end (I really hope that's not a spoiler for anyone). The revenge is ultimately satisfying, but less so than some of the other entries. Maybe I'm a bit burnt out on Vance and need a break?
If you're four books in, finish the series out. It's still entertaining and there's enough to keep one interested through the end.
Of all the princes, Howard Alan Treesong, is the strangest of the five in my opinion. While others trended towards one personality quirk or another, Treesong was downright bizarre. On one hand, he seems a misunderstood youth bent on revenge. On another, and perhaps not separate from the bullied youth, he weeks control over all of civilization and attempts this control in a few ways. It's all just a bit too weird and different for me from the previous entries in the series, as though Vance was trying to outdo himself for this final entry.
The worlds are new and different that Gersen ends up visiting, but not that different in the end. A backwater agricultural, bucolic planet features in a part of the story. A planet that essentially serves as a large nature reserve later becomes the main setting. There's hotels, fancy clothes, a few fights, etc. Everything one might expect from a Vance story.
And yes, Treesong gets it in the end (I really hope that's not a spoiler for anyone). The revenge is ultimately satisfying, but less so than some of the other entries. Maybe I'm a bit burnt out on Vance and need a break?
If you're four books in, finish the series out. It's still entertaining and there's enough to keep one interested through the end.
June 4, 2022
This book is the final in the Demon Princes series, although it can stand alone and does not require reading the other parts in advance. In this novel, elusive and faceless intergalactic criminal Howard Alan Treesong, sought after by many, is finally identified via a photo taken at a banquet. All participants died of poisoning, save himself.
Kirth Gersen is once more the grim protagonist, this time chasing after Howard Alan Treesong, for a crime committed against Gersen's family long ago. The search takes Gersen to several planets across the galaxy, setting traps for Treesong with varying degrees of success.
Notable settings include an old school reunion where the criminal teaches several of his former classmates a lesson; a planet called Bethune, a preserve for all kinds of flora and fauna, and a fictitious world created by Howard Alan Treesong in his private holy book, The Book of Dreams.
Since the first novel in the range, there has been little to no development in the character of Gersen, who once more has a female love interest that is never really fleshed out in the book. In the latter stages of the book, it is noticeable in Vance's writing that he needed to get to a certain number of pages as descriptions meander.
Still, lovers of classic Vance tales won't be disappointed, especially those that have read and appreciated other Demon Prince novels.
Kirth Gersen is once more the grim protagonist, this time chasing after Howard Alan Treesong, for a crime committed against Gersen's family long ago. The search takes Gersen to several planets across the galaxy, setting traps for Treesong with varying degrees of success.
Notable settings include an old school reunion where the criminal teaches several of his former classmates a lesson; a planet called Bethune, a preserve for all kinds of flora and fauna, and a fictitious world created by Howard Alan Treesong in his private holy book, The Book of Dreams.
Since the first novel in the range, there has been little to no development in the character of Gersen, who once more has a female love interest that is never really fleshed out in the book. In the latter stages of the book, it is noticeable in Vance's writing that he needed to get to a certain number of pages as descriptions meander.
Still, lovers of classic Vance tales won't be disappointed, especially those that have read and appreciated other Demon Prince novels.
June 22, 2025
Finishing off his Demon Princes series, Vance has Kirth Gersen chasing after his final target, Howard Alan Treesong. He manages to find a picture of Treesong dining with a number of others (all of who died after the meal) and uses his new cosmos-wide magazine to set up a competition for the public to name the people in the photograph. He hires staff for the competition, knowing that Treesong will send a spy to find out what’s going on. Sure enough he does and this brings Gersen a bit closer to his target. He encounters him while trying to foil Treesong’s plan to take over the Institute, but only wings him with a shot. The breakthrough comes when Treesong’s father sends in an answer to the competition, identifying his son. The drama then moves to Treesong’s home planet, where a school reunion takes place, and Gersen finally entices his prey out using the seemingly lost Book of Dreams, a flight of fancy Treesong wrote in his youth.
A good finish for the series. Vance always decorates his worlds and he does a great job here, from the horrific descriptions of the fauna on the final planet to the ruffian-talk on an earlier trip. Good to see Navarth, the mad poet, make an appearance in the chapter intros too, with an excellent short poem.
A good finish for the series. Vance always decorates his worlds and he does a great job here, from the horrific descriptions of the fauna on the final planet to the ruffian-talk on an earlier trip. Good to see Navarth, the mad poet, make an appearance in the chapter intros too, with an excellent short poem.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 27, 2024
Howard Allan Treesong. The most insane, and yet the most careful of all the Demon Princes. I was perhaps most fascinated with the hunting method of this book. A school reunion, some skills Gersen is most certainly NOT well versed in, and a failed encounter to build more intensity. The ending is not some explosive conclusion, and yet, felt fitting of this vile villain.
I stand by the 4 stars for each of these. Maybe some are 4.5... but all in all, I would strongly recommend this series. Try out Star King, and if you're even remotely interested, dive in.
I stand by the 4 stars for each of these. Maybe some are 4.5... but all in all, I would strongly recommend this series. Try out Star King, and if you're even remotely interested, dive in.
March 2, 2025
Feels a bit more disjointed then the earlier installments, and some of the steps are a bit repetitive.
I would have loved more time with Treesong and his personalities, especially more fragments of his book.
Still, Kirth Gersen is a fascinating and persistent protagonist, and the chapter opening quotes will always amuse me.
I would have loved more time with Treesong and his personalities, especially more fragments of his book.
Still, Kirth Gersen is a fascinating and persistent protagonist, and the chapter opening quotes will always amuse me.
May 27, 2024
The Book of Dreams was published in 1981 by DAW Books and is the fifth and final novel in Vance's The Demon Prince series. My copy is 190/242 pages, making it the second longest novel of the group. All of The Demon Price novels continue to be in print. The Book of Dreams is my favorite of the five novels, and I rated it a five every time I read it. But the whole series is highly recommended as being enjoyable, entertaining and interesting. Although some of the novels in The Demon Prince can be read alone, I have found that enjoyment can be greatly enhanced by reading them in order and by repeated readings.
For the most recent review and other Vance reviews please see:
https://vancealotjackvanceinreview.bl...
We learned in the first novel of the series that when Kirth Gersen was a child the colony where he lived was attacked by five demon princes who killed almost everyone, including his family members, destroying the entire colony. Kirth and his grandfather were able to flee and were the only survivors. His grandfather arranged that Kirth be trained for many years in hand to hand and weapons combat so that he could avenge his family. No romance or other attraction has yet turned Gersen away from his monomania, and his stealthily acquired wealth only further enables him in his pursuits of the demon princes.
Here in the final novel Kirth Gersen continues his quest to track down and kill the five demon princes. The final one Gersen seeks is the elusive and grandiose Howard Alan Treesong, Lord of the Overmen. Several years ago, in his attempt to consolidate power and perhaps become the first ruler of the Gaean worlds, Treesong almost succeeded in having himself appointed as Chief of the Interworld Police Coordination Company (IPCC). The IPCC has not heard anything about him lately, though, and a major problem with tracking him down is that nobody knows what he looks like and there are no known photos of him in existence.
Gersen obtains a photo of a group of seven men that was sent anonymously to his Cosmopolis Magazine company. A note was written on it says "HA Treesong is here". They do not know who sent it, who else is in the photo or where it was taken. Gersen decides to publish the photo in a free inaugural periodical called “Extant” that he creates. He includes it as part of a contest that offers a reward to the person who can identify the most people in the photograph. He hopes to at least narrow down which man in the photo might be Treesong.
One of the people who eventually responds to the photo is Treesong's father so Gersen visits his planet to learn more about Treesong. He learns that there is an upcoming 25 year high school reunion that Treesong might be attending. In order to be part of the reunion ceremony Gersen hires a band for the reunion on the condition that he be allowed to be one of the band members. He cannot play any musical instrument so takes intensive flute lessons, enough to be able to barely play. The reunion turns out to be much more than expected when Treesong turns up with hired thugs, takes control of everything and begins to take acts of revenge against former bullies, teachers, would be girl friends and others who humiliated him when he went to high school there. Treesong, a trained musician, notices that Gersen can't really play the flute so asks his hired men to take Gersen to the river and toss him in. When they arrive at the river Gersen overpowers the two men, takes their weapons and stalks back to the reunion with the intent of killing Treesong. But Treesong is only wounded, and Gersen is only barely able to escape the planet alive.
Gersen learns from Treesong's estranged family that Treesong murdered his own best friend, Nymphotis Cleadhoe, when in high school because he thought his friend had stolen his fantasy world writings he titled “The Book of Dreams.” Treesong's brother, though, was the one who hid the book, and this book is still where he tossed it. Gersen realizes how important this book is to Treesong so he buys it from Treesong's brother. Next Gersen devises an elaborate scheme to allow Treesong to learn about the existence of the book to try to lure him to retrieve it. He contacts Nymphotis Cleadhoe's parents who now reside on a jungle planet where they are caretakers on the Bethune Preserve. (Note the similarities to the later Cadwal Chronicles.) The Cleadhoe couple know that Treesong murdered their child many years ago so gladly cooperate with Gersen in attempting to kill Treesong. Gersen cleverly sets up the trap.
The novel is suspenseful, unpredictable, and elaborately plotted with vivid portraits of odd places and inhabitants such as the religious fanatics in the Maundish area on the planet Mouderveldt, the residents on the planet Pontefract who are obsessed with hats and have developed elaborate customs regarding the wearing of hats, and the Bethune Preserve with its bizarre creatures. The novel is so descriptive and detailed that I was even more enthralled after rereading it and look forward to reading The Book of Dreams and the entire series again in the near future. This is Jack Vance at his finest and is very highly recommended! Rating 5.
For the most recent review and other Vance reviews please see:
https://vancealotjackvanceinreview.bl...
We learned in the first novel of the series that when Kirth Gersen was a child the colony where he lived was attacked by five demon princes who killed almost everyone, including his family members, destroying the entire colony. Kirth and his grandfather were able to flee and were the only survivors. His grandfather arranged that Kirth be trained for many years in hand to hand and weapons combat so that he could avenge his family. No romance or other attraction has yet turned Gersen away from his monomania, and his stealthily acquired wealth only further enables him in his pursuits of the demon princes.
Here in the final novel Kirth Gersen continues his quest to track down and kill the five demon princes. The final one Gersen seeks is the elusive and grandiose Howard Alan Treesong, Lord of the Overmen. Several years ago, in his attempt to consolidate power and perhaps become the first ruler of the Gaean worlds, Treesong almost succeeded in having himself appointed as Chief of the Interworld Police Coordination Company (IPCC). The IPCC has not heard anything about him lately, though, and a major problem with tracking him down is that nobody knows what he looks like and there are no known photos of him in existence.
Gersen obtains a photo of a group of seven men that was sent anonymously to his Cosmopolis Magazine company. A note was written on it says "HA Treesong is here". They do not know who sent it, who else is in the photo or where it was taken. Gersen decides to publish the photo in a free inaugural periodical called “Extant” that he creates. He includes it as part of a contest that offers a reward to the person who can identify the most people in the photograph. He hopes to at least narrow down which man in the photo might be Treesong.
One of the people who eventually responds to the photo is Treesong's father so Gersen visits his planet to learn more about Treesong. He learns that there is an upcoming 25 year high school reunion that Treesong might be attending. In order to be part of the reunion ceremony Gersen hires a band for the reunion on the condition that he be allowed to be one of the band members. He cannot play any musical instrument so takes intensive flute lessons, enough to be able to barely play. The reunion turns out to be much more than expected when Treesong turns up with hired thugs, takes control of everything and begins to take acts of revenge against former bullies, teachers, would be girl friends and others who humiliated him when he went to high school there. Treesong, a trained musician, notices that Gersen can't really play the flute so asks his hired men to take Gersen to the river and toss him in. When they arrive at the river Gersen overpowers the two men, takes their weapons and stalks back to the reunion with the intent of killing Treesong. But Treesong is only wounded, and Gersen is only barely able to escape the planet alive.
Gersen learns from Treesong's estranged family that Treesong murdered his own best friend, Nymphotis Cleadhoe, when in high school because he thought his friend had stolen his fantasy world writings he titled “The Book of Dreams.” Treesong's brother, though, was the one who hid the book, and this book is still where he tossed it. Gersen realizes how important this book is to Treesong so he buys it from Treesong's brother. Next Gersen devises an elaborate scheme to allow Treesong to learn about the existence of the book to try to lure him to retrieve it. He contacts Nymphotis Cleadhoe's parents who now reside on a jungle planet where they are caretakers on the Bethune Preserve. (Note the similarities to the later Cadwal Chronicles.) The Cleadhoe couple know that Treesong murdered their child many years ago so gladly cooperate with Gersen in attempting to kill Treesong. Gersen cleverly sets up the trap.
The novel is suspenseful, unpredictable, and elaborately plotted with vivid portraits of odd places and inhabitants such as the religious fanatics in the Maundish area on the planet Mouderveldt, the residents on the planet Pontefract who are obsessed with hats and have developed elaborate customs regarding the wearing of hats, and the Bethune Preserve with its bizarre creatures. The novel is so descriptive and detailed that I was even more enthralled after rereading it and look forward to reading The Book of Dreams and the entire series again in the near future. This is Jack Vance at his finest and is very highly recommended! Rating 5.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 76 reviews