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Alastor #1-3
Alastor
Three young men in strange worlds face dangers, meet tempting girls, and may be saved by the incognito Connatic, ruler of Alastor trillions. Planets have totally different climates and cultures, but evil humans are always greedy.
Trullion: Home of ex-soldier Glinnes, whose brother has sold family island against their late father's wishes. Glinnes plays hussade to raise ozols to buy Ambray back. Starmenter pirates attack their big game, and $30M ransom vanishes, sought by all, especially alluring murderous gypsy Duissane.
Marune: The home world of amnesiac Pardero. Really prince "Kraike" Efraim, the new heir almost loses his throne to his step-brother Destian. Step-mother Singhalissa plots with neighbor Rianlle. Fiancée Sthelany invites him to her room during the mirk long night of darkest emotions.
Wyst: Inspirational planet to artist Jantiff, with egalistic new friends Skorlet and Esteban. Every meal has only gruff baked brown loaf, deedle tart drink, and wobbly custard sweet to fill in the chinks. The Whispers, representatives, invite the Connatic for their planet anniversary celebration, but plotters conspire.
Trullion: Home of ex-soldier Glinnes, whose brother has sold family island against their late father's wishes. Glinnes plays hussade to raise ozols to buy Ambray back. Starmenter pirates attack their big game, and $30M ransom vanishes, sought by all, especially alluring murderous gypsy Duissane.
Marune: The home world of amnesiac Pardero. Really prince "Kraike" Efraim, the new heir almost loses his throne to his step-brother Destian. Step-mother Singhalissa plots with neighbor Rianlle. Fiancée Sthelany invites him to her room during the mirk long night of darkest emotions.
Wyst: Inspirational planet to artist Jantiff, with egalistic new friends Skorlet and Esteban. Every meal has only gruff baked brown loaf, deedle tart drink, and wobbly custard sweet to fill in the chinks. The Whispers, representatives, invite the Connatic for their planet anniversary celebration, but plotters conspire.
479 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1973
8 people are currently reading
374 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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
March 18, 2012
Marvellous! I'd read two of the three books before but asked for it for Christmas so that I could read Marune: Alastor 933, which I've been looking for in second-hand bookshops for years but never found.
I enjoyed Marune: Alastor 933, so it was worth it just for that. But I couldn't resist re-reading Trullion: Alastor 2262 and Wyst: Alastor 1716. The latter, in particular, had me laughing out loud. The satire on "egalism" is just perfect.
I enjoyed Marune: Alastor 933, so it was worth it just for that. But I couldn't resist re-reading Trullion: Alastor 2262 and Wyst: Alastor 1716. The latter, in particular, had me laughing out loud. The satire on "egalism" is just perfect.
January 10, 2008
Actually only read the first story in it. I will just say that Jack Vance is a master of prose. Why do so many science fiction writers have good ideas yet have to suck so bad at writing? His stories aren't even that out there, his plots are pretty mundane, yet his weird and funny characters, dialogue, and descriptions make it perfectly okay.
September 7, 2014
This compilation of three stories (books) of Vance's Alastor universe is wonderful. All the stories are amazing.
December 29, 2018
Una novela o serie de novelas 100% Vance, mundos increibles, bien detallados y estructurados, personajes entrañables, epicas aventuras, especies, razas, culturas, todo esto tiene el cúmulo estelar Alastor.
El conactico resulta ser un personaje recurrente que vemos también en el ciclo de los Asutra con el Anomo o el hombre sin rostro.
Bastante Deux ex Machina en los finales, pero no podemos esperar otra cosa, luego de que tantas penurias, problemas, intrigas y desventuras agobien a Glinnes, Efraim y Jantiff, entrañables protagonistas de las tres historias que conforman el ciclo.
El universo de Alastor es coherente y maravilloso, Vance pudo haber desarrollamos muchísimas historias en torno a dicho sector del universo que consta de cerca de treinta mil estrellas con tres mil planetas habitados que suman cerca de cinco trillones de Vidas, todos ellos administrados o regidos por el Conáctico que habita en Lusz ciudad capital del planeta Numenes y que al igual que el Anomo de los Asutra, visita de ingógnito cualquier lugar de sus dominios para verificar la forma de vida e impartir justicia cuando es necesario.
Realmente pocos autores de ciencia ficción tienen el carisma de Vance con sus personajes y sus aventuras, aunque suene a puro entretenimiento, sus libros no se pueden dejar de leer.
El conactico resulta ser un personaje recurrente que vemos también en el ciclo de los Asutra con el Anomo o el hombre sin rostro.
Bastante Deux ex Machina en los finales, pero no podemos esperar otra cosa, luego de que tantas penurias, problemas, intrigas y desventuras agobien a Glinnes, Efraim y Jantiff, entrañables protagonistas de las tres historias que conforman el ciclo.
El universo de Alastor es coherente y maravilloso, Vance pudo haber desarrollamos muchísimas historias en torno a dicho sector del universo que consta de cerca de treinta mil estrellas con tres mil planetas habitados que suman cerca de cinco trillones de Vidas, todos ellos administrados o regidos por el Conáctico que habita en Lusz ciudad capital del planeta Numenes y que al igual que el Anomo de los Asutra, visita de ingógnito cualquier lugar de sus dominios para verificar la forma de vida e impartir justicia cuando es necesario.
Realmente pocos autores de ciencia ficción tienen el carisma de Vance con sus personajes y sus aventuras, aunque suene a puro entretenimiento, sus libros no se pueden dejar de leer.
April 14, 2018
Jack Vance is a master of prose.
I love these books.
Never included as an Alastor series book. but Maske:Thaery fits right in, and is my favourite out of the four.
The Lyonesse trilogy is superior to Tolkien.
Not my favourites, but many Jack Vance fans love the 5 Demon Princes books.
15 years ago, I spent several hundred pounds buying a 44 book set of the Vance Integral Edition.
These were corrected, reproofed, set and printed by volunteers.
How many authors receive this level of dedication?
If you have not read him then do yourself a favour.
I love these books.
Never included as an Alastor series book. but Maske:Thaery fits right in, and is my favourite out of the four.
The Lyonesse trilogy is superior to Tolkien.
Not my favourites, but many Jack Vance fans love the 5 Demon Princes books.
15 years ago, I spent several hundred pounds buying a 44 book set of the Vance Integral Edition.
These were corrected, reproofed, set and printed by volunteers.
How many authors receive this level of dedication?
If you have not read him then do yourself a favour.
November 24, 2017
Estamos aquí ante el Vance más puro. No es el Vance de pura aventura de la serie de Tschai, ni el Vance que presta más ateción a la trama (como ocurre en Emphyrio y Los lenguajes de Pao). En estas novelas, y digo novelas porque el libro se compone de 3, Vance pica de todas las actitudes demostradas en sus otras obras sin decantarse por ninguna, salvo por la ya tradicional exquisita confección de las civilizaciones en las que se desarrollan las 3 historias.
June 12, 2017
I adore Jack Vance and I love these three books - maybe not so much for the stories itself, because they were written back in the 1970's and they do reflect the gender stereotypes of the time - but for their vivid and imaginative descriptions of people and customs.
I've read the individual books multiple times; first in a german translation published by Heyne back in the day; later in the original when this Omnibus edition came out and each time it's a revelation.
I've read the individual books multiple times; first in a german translation published by Heyne back in the day; later in the original when this Omnibus edition came out and each time it's a revelation.
August 3, 2017
Extraordinary, and then a range of other adjectives that will never do this trilogy any justice. I feel a little bit light-headed and shell-shocked now that i have finished "Alastor". 'What if I don't find another sci-fi book as good as these, ever,' is a thought that shoots through my mind every ten seconds or so, but I know it will be fine. I mean, Jack Vance also wrote other books.
December 21, 2017
Jack Vance might be the best author ever in history.
Why are these books not used in lit class and on tv movies?
I think they have slight pro capitalism flavour.
This is not his best series....but fun.
Why are these books not used in lit class and on tv movies?
I think they have slight pro capitalism flavour.
This is not his best series....but fun.
March 2, 2019
Arguably the least connected of Jack Vance's series. There's practically nothing to connect the 3 Alastor novels besides being set in the same region of space. The worlds and characters are totally separate. It's a series in the same way that Star Trek and Pride and Prejudice form a series because they take place in the same galaxy. Actually there is a brief reference to a made up sport, "hussade", in one of the books and this sport figures significantly in another of the books, but besides this there really is nothing to connect these books into a "series". My suspicion is that it was something of a publication gimmick:
Jack's got a new novel. Hey Jack, could you change a few words here and there to make it seem like this novel is loosely connected to your last one? We usually sell a few more copies if it's part of a series. Thanks Jack.
I wanted to read these in order, not that it matters because they're totally unconnected. It's pretty hard to tell what order they were published in if all you have is the titles. Part 1 is 2262. Part 2 is 933. Part 3 is 1716. The numbers (rather counter-intuitively) do not indicate a year in which the story is set but the number of the planet on which the story occurs. The numbers therefore are essentially irrelevant and are not referred to within the books in any significant way. In fact, looking at the titles I can't even really figure out which book is which. I'll need to read the synopses first.
Book 1, Trullion: Alastor 2262, was quite entertaining. This was the one that revolved around the made up sport of Hussade. The sport seems pretty nonsensical. I'm not even sure what happens. I think it's sort of like rugby except each team is protecting a virgin and the goal of the other team is to break through the defences and disrobe the virgin?
This one had some nice and fairly magical moments but the plot seemed to all crumble into place at the end in a confusing and unsatisfying manner.
Book 2, Marune: Alastor 933, was one of those ones that was over so quickly that I never really got a handle on the characters and the setting. Besides the protagonist I honestly couldn't tell you anything about any of the characters in this one. This was possibly the most "rushed" Jack Vance novel I've read, and that's really saying something.
Book 3, Wyst: Alastor 1716, was probably the best of the three, possibly simply because it was the longest and was therefore allowed a little more time to breathe. The plot to this one was pretty engaging, there were some good characters, a typically flimsy mystery and some wonderfully atmospheric settings. I think i enjoyed this more than the last 5 or 10 Jack vance novels I've read. It was very engrossing and magical and endearing but sadly it did that thing that his novels so frequently do. He seems to write himself into a corner. He sets up a situation and he gradually ramps up the pressure until eventually the character is in an oppressive, often literally inescapable situation. Then he needs to fish around for a way out. I think later on in his career he became a bit better at working out these plot solutions in a way that felt natural but at this point (the 70s, about mid way through his literary career) he had a tendency to just randomly throw everything up in the air and fire his protagonist off into some totally new scenario by dint of some mad spot of luck or a deus ex machina. This happened a couple of times in this novel and by the end the protagonist was pretty much done for when some totally external character came and saved the day and sorted everything out and then suddenly all the various loose plot threads seemed to neatly resolve themselves with no real effort on the part of the protagonist. Yeah I'll admit it. When it comes to plots he really isn't a great writer.
But in spite of the messy ending, i still feel pretty good about this one.
The Jack vance sagas seem to be arranged in pairs on tiers of quality. You've got a pair of excellent ones with Lyonesse and The Dying earth. A pair of pretty good ones with The demon princes and Planet of adventure. Then a pair of pretty disappointing ones with Cadwal and Alastor. I'd say that Cadwal is better written but that I preferred Alastor because Cadwal was a bit slow and boring and Alastor had a bit more of the old Vance magic sprinkled here and there.
I think I would guardedly recommend Wyst: Alastor 1716 to Jack Vance fans. Not sure I would bother with the other two.
Jack's got a new novel. Hey Jack, could you change a few words here and there to make it seem like this novel is loosely connected to your last one? We usually sell a few more copies if it's part of a series. Thanks Jack.
I wanted to read these in order, not that it matters because they're totally unconnected. It's pretty hard to tell what order they were published in if all you have is the titles. Part 1 is 2262. Part 2 is 933. Part 3 is 1716. The numbers (rather counter-intuitively) do not indicate a year in which the story is set but the number of the planet on which the story occurs. The numbers therefore are essentially irrelevant and are not referred to within the books in any significant way. In fact, looking at the titles I can't even really figure out which book is which. I'll need to read the synopses first.
Book 1, Trullion: Alastor 2262, was quite entertaining. This was the one that revolved around the made up sport of Hussade. The sport seems pretty nonsensical. I'm not even sure what happens. I think it's sort of like rugby except each team is protecting a virgin and the goal of the other team is to break through the defences and disrobe the virgin?
This one had some nice and fairly magical moments but the plot seemed to all crumble into place at the end in a confusing and unsatisfying manner.
Book 2, Marune: Alastor 933, was one of those ones that was over so quickly that I never really got a handle on the characters and the setting. Besides the protagonist I honestly couldn't tell you anything about any of the characters in this one. This was possibly the most "rushed" Jack Vance novel I've read, and that's really saying something.
Book 3, Wyst: Alastor 1716, was probably the best of the three, possibly simply because it was the longest and was therefore allowed a little more time to breathe. The plot to this one was pretty engaging, there were some good characters, a typically flimsy mystery and some wonderfully atmospheric settings. I think i enjoyed this more than the last 5 or 10 Jack vance novels I've read. It was very engrossing and magical and endearing but sadly it did that thing that his novels so frequently do. He seems to write himself into a corner. He sets up a situation and he gradually ramps up the pressure until eventually the character is in an oppressive, often literally inescapable situation. Then he needs to fish around for a way out. I think later on in his career he became a bit better at working out these plot solutions in a way that felt natural but at this point (the 70s, about mid way through his literary career) he had a tendency to just randomly throw everything up in the air and fire his protagonist off into some totally new scenario by dint of some mad spot of luck or a deus ex machina. This happened a couple of times in this novel and by the end the protagonist was pretty much done for when some totally external character came and saved the day and sorted everything out and then suddenly all the various loose plot threads seemed to neatly resolve themselves with no real effort on the part of the protagonist. Yeah I'll admit it. When it comes to plots he really isn't a great writer.
But in spite of the messy ending, i still feel pretty good about this one.
The Jack vance sagas seem to be arranged in pairs on tiers of quality. You've got a pair of excellent ones with Lyonesse and The Dying earth. A pair of pretty good ones with The demon princes and Planet of adventure. Then a pair of pretty disappointing ones with Cadwal and Alastor. I'd say that Cadwal is better written but that I preferred Alastor because Cadwal was a bit slow and boring and Alastor had a bit more of the old Vance magic sprinkled here and there.
I think I would guardedly recommend Wyst: Alastor 1716 to Jack Vance fans. Not sure I would bother with the other two.
April 27, 2024
This book is another from the bad old days. The women in the three stories are pawns, objects, or plot devices. None of them seem particularly realized. Worse, the author invents a kind of organized sport that requires the humiliation and public nudity of a virginal woman. A character in the first story has to provide a doctor's note to prove that she's a virgin, which is emblematic of how women are treated in the stories. In the third story, the best by far, the sport is made more grotesque by requiring sexual acts from the woman on the losing team. Why a woman would voluntarily submit to such humiliation was briefly explored, but not thoroughly.
Like too much classic science fiction, the stories fail to offer women agency. They exist to tempt or rescue men but never can they make their own decisions.
Like too much classic science fiction, the stories fail to offer women agency. They exist to tempt or rescue men but never can they make their own decisions.
June 20, 2023
Alastor es un conjunto de 3 novelas independientes pero basadas en un mismo universo. Se pueden leer por separado aunque hay algunas cosas en común (el cúmulo de Alastor).
Ciencia ficción entretenida, más bien de aventuras en la que el autor no se centra en ciencias duras, si no que tira más por las sociales. Vance, crea un mundo totalmente distinto al que conocemos, pero la humanidad en la que se basa es muy real.
De las tres novelas, sobre todo me ha gustado la segunda.
Seguiremos probando con Vance, que tengo mucho por leer...
Ciencia ficción entretenida, más bien de aventuras en la que el autor no se centra en ciencias duras, si no que tira más por las sociales. Vance, crea un mundo totalmente distinto al que conocemos, pero la humanidad en la que se basa es muy real.
De las tres novelas, sobre todo me ha gustado la segunda.
Seguiremos probando con Vance, que tengo mucho por leer...
March 16, 2025
Technically 3.5 stars. I did enjoy these novellas, the first one was my least favorite. The writing is very interesting and Vance has a voice and vocabulary that is very different than what I normally read. His stories and concepts are really interesting but I felt he sometimes didn’t provide enough details and emotion to important scenes but spent these on less important events.
January 14, 2020
Three novellas full of luxurious detail and imagination but lacking the narrative pace a patient writer might bring. Still I felt compelled to finish.
April 11, 2020
Vance is just amazing. While not my favorite you will enjoy the many worlds and numerous characters; all while being taken along an ever changing plot.
September 4, 2022
Tiene momentos extraordinarios y otros decepcionantes.
August 11, 2023
On this readingo ; Trullion 3.5, Marune 4, Wyst 4.5
February 13, 2015
Untried youth faces danger, grows up. Humor and weirdness. Maybe good scifi-fantasy for those who are leery, because names of people and stuff are spelled simply, used in context. Might be 5* if not so many pages spent on rules of hussade game - sort of futbol over water leading to disrobed virgin finale.
Three young men fall for girls, two who try to kill them, finally saved by the Connatic, ruler of Alastor trillions. Glinnes Hulden, retired soldier, and prince "Kraike" Efraim, formerly amnesiac Pardero, return home heirs after their fathers are murdered to facilitate sale of properties. Jantiff Ravensroke, painter, seeks his destiny on egalistic planet Wyst, in Arrabus city ("nation"? p 324). Complicated cultures and customs are easily assimilated when logical-sounding invented vocabulary is used in context, not by copious unnecessary footnotes. Yet behavior is always believable.
Violence everywhere is scarier for being so casual and common. Trullion islands are lush, yield easy lifestyle. Marune residents change activities and attitudes according to the light - mirk dark hides masked approved adulterers. Wyst claims to be egalistic, but the ambitious corrupt, steal, and kill without reprisal.
Sort of X-rated - straightforward, not exaggerated. "They lay engaged" p121. "It's not sensible to copulate too much with one person" p341. "The head was crushed" p269.
Humor is deft. "There was much to be done .. The prospect of so much effort made him drowsy; he .. slept .. There was work to be done. He lowered himself into the string chair to consider the matter." p125.
Glinnes' brother Glay illegally sells family island to newcomer Lute Casagave, who thereupon styles himself Lord Ambray. To raise ozols, Glinnes plays hussade - complex rules and plays detailed.
Efraim's stepmother Singhalissa constantly tries to undermine his authority and wants to marry their neighbor king "Kaiark" Rianlle.
Wyst representatives, "Whispers", invite the Connatic to their Centennial Celebration.
What difference between corpses refined into raw food "sturge" slurry or rumored gypsy feast meats?. Every meal has "gruff .. mild baked brown dough" in round loaf, "deedle .. white .. tart and faintly astringent" drink, "wobbly .. yellow paste .. custard" sweet "to fill up the cracks" p296 and "in the chinks" p 312-3. I preferred to believe gypsies would adopt Tanzel 9-10, betrayed by scurrilous parents Skorlet and Esteban, rather than cook and eat her. One could read in criticisms for gluttony, cannibalism, capitalism, communism, or just be amazed at the intricate creations.
Amnesiac Efraim's chopped-off hair could have hidden a female, but plenty of surprises anyway. Villains are easily pegged. Of course Eubanq swindles Jantiff out of his ticket. Some ends are unfortunate - come too fast for me to guess.
Definitions:
p 221 minatory = menacing
Three young men fall for girls, two who try to kill them, finally saved by the Connatic, ruler of Alastor trillions. Glinnes Hulden, retired soldier, and prince "Kraike" Efraim, formerly amnesiac Pardero, return home heirs after their fathers are murdered to facilitate sale of properties. Jantiff Ravensroke, painter, seeks his destiny on egalistic planet Wyst, in Arrabus city ("nation"? p 324). Complicated cultures and customs are easily assimilated when logical-sounding invented vocabulary is used in context, not by copious unnecessary footnotes. Yet behavior is always believable.
Violence everywhere is scarier for being so casual and common. Trullion islands are lush, yield easy lifestyle. Marune residents change activities and attitudes according to the light - mirk dark hides masked approved adulterers. Wyst claims to be egalistic, but the ambitious corrupt, steal, and kill without reprisal.
Sort of X-rated - straightforward, not exaggerated. "They lay engaged" p121. "It's not sensible to copulate too much with one person" p341. "The head was crushed" p269.
Humor is deft. "There was much to be done .. The prospect of so much effort made him drowsy; he .. slept .. There was work to be done. He lowered himself into the string chair to consider the matter." p125.
Glinnes' brother Glay illegally sells family island to newcomer Lute Casagave, who thereupon styles himself Lord Ambray. To raise ozols, Glinnes plays hussade - complex rules and plays detailed.
Efraim's stepmother Singhalissa constantly tries to undermine his authority and wants to marry their neighbor king "Kaiark" Rianlle.
Wyst representatives, "Whispers", invite the Connatic to their Centennial Celebration.
What difference between corpses refined into raw food "sturge" slurry or rumored gypsy feast meats?. Every meal has "gruff .. mild baked brown dough" in round loaf, "deedle .. white .. tart and faintly astringent" drink, "wobbly .. yellow paste .. custard" sweet "to fill up the cracks" p296 and "in the chinks" p 312-3. I preferred to believe gypsies would adopt Tanzel 9-10, betrayed by scurrilous parents Skorlet and Esteban, rather than cook and eat her. One could read in criticisms for gluttony, cannibalism, capitalism, communism, or just be amazed at the intricate creations.
Amnesiac Efraim's chopped-off hair could have hidden a female, but plenty of surprises anyway. Villains are easily pegged. Of course Eubanq swindles Jantiff out of his ticket. Some ends are unfortunate - come too fast for me to guess.
Definitions:
p 221 minatory = menacing
November 22, 2017
Three separate stories set on different planets of the Alastor Cluster, a vast empire of 5 trillion humans souls and thousands of diverse cultures, all loosely ruled by the benign stewardship of the omnipresent Connatic
Each planet has a number and its own high-tech information chamber. A physically unprepossessing man when not appearing ceremonially, the Connatic likes to understand the people first hand. Tales of his ubiquity are legion.
Trullian: Alastor 2262 focusses on farmboy Glinnes, returning to his sedentary homeworld after a decade in the military to discover a society threatened by a Communist-type revolution and suffer a mixture of fortunes in his personal circumstances.
Marune: Alastor 933 focusses on amnesiac Pardero, rehabilitated by the Connactic's physicians and seeking vengeance on the culprits who exiled him, mind and body, from a bizarre and ritualistic culture.
Wyst: Alastor 1716 focusses on traveller Jantiff Ravensroke, trying to find himself in a crowded culture of indolent pleasure seekers. The Connactic himself is entangled within the politics of the plot.
All three stories have much to offer, not least the detailed and idiosyncratic world-building, culturally rich with invented words, phrases, fads, games, landscapes and indiginous species.
Unfortunately, after setting everything up and embroidering it with some elegant writing, Vance too often forgot about the simple business of seeing a story through.
Instead you get muddled pacing followed by hurried endings. Just when the action ramps up, an irrelevant interlude turns up, or just when you start to care for a character or plot development, they disappear.
Vance writes better than most sci-fi authors, can create unusual and convincing worlds peopled by odd and imaginative characters, but does he ever develop an idea to the full? He writes sparingly sumptuous sentences on one page, vapid dialogue on the next.
Perhaps his background in pulp fiction and hack work held him back a bit each time. Or maybe just the necessity to hit the word count, cash the cheque and move on to the next assignment.
I like what I have read of his, but I keep feeling that each book could have offered a little more if given time to develop.
Did he ever write a fully realized novel?
Each planet has a number and its own high-tech information chamber. A physically unprepossessing man when not appearing ceremonially, the Connatic likes to understand the people first hand. Tales of his ubiquity are legion.
Trullian: Alastor 2262 focusses on farmboy Glinnes, returning to his sedentary homeworld after a decade in the military to discover a society threatened by a Communist-type revolution and suffer a mixture of fortunes in his personal circumstances.
Marune: Alastor 933 focusses on amnesiac Pardero, rehabilitated by the Connactic's physicians and seeking vengeance on the culprits who exiled him, mind and body, from a bizarre and ritualistic culture.
Wyst: Alastor 1716 focusses on traveller Jantiff Ravensroke, trying to find himself in a crowded culture of indolent pleasure seekers. The Connactic himself is entangled within the politics of the plot.
All three stories have much to offer, not least the detailed and idiosyncratic world-building, culturally rich with invented words, phrases, fads, games, landscapes and indiginous species.
Unfortunately, after setting everything up and embroidering it with some elegant writing, Vance too often forgot about the simple business of seeing a story through.
Instead you get muddled pacing followed by hurried endings. Just when the action ramps up, an irrelevant interlude turns up, or just when you start to care for a character or plot development, they disappear.
Vance writes better than most sci-fi authors, can create unusual and convincing worlds peopled by odd and imaginative characters, but does he ever develop an idea to the full? He writes sparingly sumptuous sentences on one page, vapid dialogue on the next.
Perhaps his background in pulp fiction and hack work held him back a bit each time. Or maybe just the necessity to hit the word count, cash the cheque and move on to the next assignment.
I like what I have read of his, but I keep feeling that each book could have offered a little more if given time to develop.
Did he ever write a fully realized novel?
January 27, 2022
Loved this series, it really shows both Vance's wonderful character designs as well as his immersive and bizarre world-building.
The first book, Trullion, had a nice outset and interesting world. Glinnes was an okay main character but he was actually (to me) one of the least fleshed out and relatable of the story. Trullion is a beautiful planet and the Trills are an interesting culture, but even the mystery evoked at the start takes a backseat as Vance commentates on the detailed sport of Hussade for a large part of the book. This is fun and introduces some nice actions but overall the main plot could not entirely grab me. Some incredibly poetic and visual descriptions of situations and locations in there!
Marune was a nice dip into Lyonesse like storytelling, locations and wonder. Even some Lyonesse names pass by, such as a random traveller in a ship manifest named Shimrod. Pardero (as he is known at first) is a lively and thoughtful character through which the oddities and customs of the Marune elite are revealed as he learns of them. I really enjoyed the pace of the story and the unravelling of the conspiracy. An amnesiac story done right if it weren't for the finale, which came as a bit of a let down to me.
Wyst was by far the best of the three and will be a book I foresee re-reading often. The Planet Wyst with its many contrast is described and detailed in such a way as Vance does best. Jantiff is a superb character and the story brings him to a range of diverse places and situations, all along the way displaying a bit more of how messed up the planet really is. indeed, as noted in other reviews, this is one of Vance's most bleak settings with a bunch of the more horrid situations thrown in. The bright, blue star Dwan casting the planet in a vibrant color scheme parallels the diversity and the contrast of the peoples on it. Although the conclusion is a tad too fast for me, that might be because the way to it was so full of interesting twists and turns and new and exciting situations at such a perfect pace. Chapter 7 and 8 blew me away.
Reading the series leaves me wanting more of the Alastor cluster, I loved my brief journey through it!
The first book, Trullion, had a nice outset and interesting world. Glinnes was an okay main character but he was actually (to me) one of the least fleshed out and relatable of the story. Trullion is a beautiful planet and the Trills are an interesting culture, but even the mystery evoked at the start takes a backseat as Vance commentates on the detailed sport of Hussade for a large part of the book. This is fun and introduces some nice actions but overall the main plot could not entirely grab me. Some incredibly poetic and visual descriptions of situations and locations in there!
Marune was a nice dip into Lyonesse like storytelling, locations and wonder. Even some Lyonesse names pass by, such as a random traveller in a ship manifest named Shimrod. Pardero (as he is known at first) is a lively and thoughtful character through which the oddities and customs of the Marune elite are revealed as he learns of them. I really enjoyed the pace of the story and the unravelling of the conspiracy. An amnesiac story done right if it weren't for the finale, which came as a bit of a let down to me.
Wyst was by far the best of the three and will be a book I foresee re-reading often. The Planet Wyst with its many contrast is described and detailed in such a way as Vance does best. Jantiff is a superb character and the story brings him to a range of diverse places and situations, all along the way displaying a bit more of how messed up the planet really is. indeed, as noted in other reviews, this is one of Vance's most bleak settings with a bunch of the more horrid situations thrown in. The bright, blue star Dwan casting the planet in a vibrant color scheme parallels the diversity and the contrast of the peoples on it. Although the conclusion is a tad too fast for me, that might be because the way to it was so full of interesting twists and turns and new and exciting situations at such a perfect pace. Chapter 7 and 8 blew me away.
Reading the series leaves me wanting more of the Alastor cluster, I loved my brief journey through it!
April 19, 2013
Il “solito”, ottimo Vance, direi: mondi alieni minuziosamente descritti, società traboccanti di quelle nevrosi che chiamiamo usi e costumi, un forte legame tra il paesaggio e coloro che vivono al suo interno – soprattutto nel secondo e nel terzo romanzo del ciclo, soprattutto in quest’ultimo, anzi, dove viene delineato un mondo dominato da un rigido collettivismo e popolato da uomini e donne che fanno del loro peggio per mandare avanti il sistema (e la critica di Vance, individualista radicale, è decisamente divertente nella sua ingenua spontaneità, senza mai essere aggressiva o troppo esplicita).
Le trame sono semplici, decisamente gialle, talvolta pretestuose. Spiccano spesso personaggi secondari e le mille scenette¹ funzionali alla descrizione di un ambiente (che è quello che più sta a cuore all’autore). Inaspettate (ma non per il fan di Vance) le parentesi di contemplazione lirica della natura, venate da una profonda malinconia. Un po’ frettolosi i finali, in due casi su tre dominati dalla comparsa di un deus ex machina (al quale del resto si allude fin dal prologo – quindi basta accettare le regole del gioco…).
Direi che per la complessità, l’accuratezza della ricostruzione, l’efficacia (anche il pathos) di certe svolte narrative, il terzo romanzo (Wyst. Alastor 1716²) si pone al di sopra degli altri due, per quanto nel primo (Trullion. Alastor 2262) Vance compia il miracolo di creare dal nulla e rendere appassionante uno sport del tutto alieno (e senza dubbio sessista) e nel secondo (Marune. Alastor 933) sia presentata una divertente società di aristocratici sociopatici schiavi di forme e riti, indagata da un protagonista che ne ha fatto parte ma ha perso la memoria.
(In generale, l’effetto specchio con usi e costumi del lettore è, immagino, del tutto voluto, comunque inevitabile, si spera salutare.)
1. Nel terzo romanzo addirittura un intero lungo episodio, che sembra preso di peso da un altro libro ��� e che non per questo si rivela meno interessante.
2. I tre romanzi traggono i titoli dai nomi e numeri di catalogo stellare dei pianeti dove si svolgono.
Le trame sono semplici, decisamente gialle, talvolta pretestuose. Spiccano spesso personaggi secondari e le mille scenette¹ funzionali alla descrizione di un ambiente (che è quello che più sta a cuore all’autore). Inaspettate (ma non per il fan di Vance) le parentesi di contemplazione lirica della natura, venate da una profonda malinconia. Un po’ frettolosi i finali, in due casi su tre dominati dalla comparsa di un deus ex machina (al quale del resto si allude fin dal prologo – quindi basta accettare le regole del gioco…).
Direi che per la complessità, l’accuratezza della ricostruzione, l’efficacia (anche il pathos) di certe svolte narrative, il terzo romanzo (Wyst. Alastor 1716²) si pone al di sopra degli altri due, per quanto nel primo (Trullion. Alastor 2262) Vance compia il miracolo di creare dal nulla e rendere appassionante uno sport del tutto alieno (e senza dubbio sessista) e nel secondo (Marune. Alastor 933) sia presentata una divertente società di aristocratici sociopatici schiavi di forme e riti, indagata da un protagonista che ne ha fatto parte ma ha perso la memoria.
(In generale, l’effetto specchio con usi e costumi del lettore è, immagino, del tutto voluto, comunque inevitabile, si spera salutare.)
1. Nel terzo romanzo addirittura un intero lungo episodio, che sembra preso di peso da un altro libro ��� e che non per questo si rivela meno interessante.
2. I tre romanzi traggono i titoli dai nomi e numeri di catalogo stellare dei pianeti dove si svolgono.
March 30, 2020
Ich liebe Alastor. Diese Trilogie war das erste Buch das ich von Jack Vance gelesen habe und hat mich von Anfang an verzaubert. Für mich ist es immer noch eines der besten Bücher und ich lese es regelmäßig alle ein bis zwei Jahre.
Jeder der drei Bände spielt auf einem anderen Planeten, und zwar:
Trullion: Alastor 2262
Marune: Alastor 933
Wyst: Alastor 1716
Trullion kommt sehr gemächlich daher. Planet und Kultur sind interessant aber die Handlung ist relativ gewöhnlich. Höhepunkt ist ein Spiel das dem Baseball sehr ähnlich ist, sich aber in einigen Details unterscheidet. Unter anderem hat jede Mannschaft eine Jungfrau dabei, deren Ansehen mit jedem Sieg wächst. Bei einer Niederlage darf das gegnerische Team ihr die Kleidung entfernen so dass sie voller Scham den Blicken des Publikums ausgesetzt ist.
Spannender wird es mit Marune. Ein Mann hat sein Gedächtnis verloren und weiß nicht mehr wer er ist. Mittellos muss er zusehen, dass er Geld verdient bevor er sich auf die Suche nach seiner Identität macht. Durch Untersuchungen kann festgestellt werden wo er herkommt, aber die Rückkehr ist ein Gang in die Höhle des Löwen. Er weiß nicht wem er vertrauen kann bei der Lösung des Geheimnisses, aber lösen muss er es um nicht einem erneuten Anschlag zum Opfer zu fallen.
Wyst ist für mich der beste Roman der Serie und es geht um nicht weniger als eine handfeste Intrige. Die Welt unterscheidet sich komplett von den anderen beiden Planeten und hat mich als Jugendlicher sehr angezogen - weniger von der Natur sondern vom gesellschaftlichen Rahmen. Es herrscht nicht direkt Anarchie aber es gibt nur wenige Regeln und das Leben erscheint sehr frei. Allerdings ist nicht alles Gold was glänzt und das muss auch der Protagonist erfahren. Durch Zufall stößt er auf die Vorbereitung eines Attentats und versucht es zu verhindern. Bis zur letzten Seite sehr spannend!
Jeder der drei Bände spielt auf einem anderen Planeten, und zwar:
Trullion: Alastor 2262
Marune: Alastor 933
Wyst: Alastor 1716
Trullion kommt sehr gemächlich daher. Planet und Kultur sind interessant aber die Handlung ist relativ gewöhnlich. Höhepunkt ist ein Spiel das dem Baseball sehr ähnlich ist, sich aber in einigen Details unterscheidet. Unter anderem hat jede Mannschaft eine Jungfrau dabei, deren Ansehen mit jedem Sieg wächst. Bei einer Niederlage darf das gegnerische Team ihr die Kleidung entfernen so dass sie voller Scham den Blicken des Publikums ausgesetzt ist.
Spannender wird es mit Marune. Ein Mann hat sein Gedächtnis verloren und weiß nicht mehr wer er ist. Mittellos muss er zusehen, dass er Geld verdient bevor er sich auf die Suche nach seiner Identität macht. Durch Untersuchungen kann festgestellt werden wo er herkommt, aber die Rückkehr ist ein Gang in die Höhle des Löwen. Er weiß nicht wem er vertrauen kann bei der Lösung des Geheimnisses, aber lösen muss er es um nicht einem erneuten Anschlag zum Opfer zu fallen.
Wyst ist für mich der beste Roman der Serie und es geht um nicht weniger als eine handfeste Intrige. Die Welt unterscheidet sich komplett von den anderen beiden Planeten und hat mich als Jugendlicher sehr angezogen - weniger von der Natur sondern vom gesellschaftlichen Rahmen. Es herrscht nicht direkt Anarchie aber es gibt nur wenige Regeln und das Leben erscheint sehr frei. Allerdings ist nicht alles Gold was glänzt und das muss auch der Protagonist erfahren. Durch Zufall stößt er auf die Vorbereitung eines Attentats und versucht es zu verhindern. Bis zur letzten Seite sehr spannend!
July 18, 2013
Looking back, I think this book wasn't really that bad, but at the same time, I remember I yawned more than once as I read it. There are a few good moments, as well as some ingenious and intriguing concepts. But there's just "something" that makes it all not be worthwhile for me. And it bugs me that I don't know what that something is. Maybe I should re-read it again and try to find out, although frankly, I do not look forward reading it again.
August 6, 2014
A pity. Jack Vance is usually so much better... Three stories following more or less the same pattern, with kind of similar resolutions at the end. The context really lent itself to so much more, but the end result turned out somewhat banal and trivial. "The Dying Earth" stories are infinitelly better...
July 12, 2013
This is not Vance's finest, although it has all of his distinctive elements: quirky enigmatic characters, a richly imagined ethnography, and an unusual style marked by convincing coinages. If you already like Vance you will enjoy this. If you're new to his work, the Dying Earth or Planet of Adventure trilogies are much better, as is the fantasy trilogy beginning with Lyonesse.
October 20, 2014
Jack Vance's three Alastor novels are packaged here into one volume. If I was rating them separately, I would give them five, four and a half and six stars in the order that they appear. The third novel, Wyst, is possibly the bleakest, least whimsical thing Vance ever wrote and gives a bracing change of pace here.
June 10, 2016
Three novels in one volume written by Vance at the height of his powers. Terrific stuff. All 3 are variations on pitfalls of utopian societies told with trademark wit and deceptive economy of prose despite the florid style. Note: If you seek masturbatory descriptions of future sci-fi tech, Vance is not your writer.
April 17, 2021
I read this in the early 90's translated to spanish. As to SF I had practically only read Asimov so Jack Vance was refreshing. I remember him displaying a better prose and more complex sociological contexts, though the plot was a lot less attractive.
November 28, 2008
An omnibus edition including three previously released novels.
Features richly imagined settings with fascinating characters.
Vance shows his usual genius for villains.
Features richly imagined settings with fascinating characters.
Vance shows his usual genius for villains.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews