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The Best of Jack Vance
Contents:
Sail 25 (1962)
Ullward's Retreat (1958)
The Last Castle (1966)
Abercrombie Station (1952)
The Moon Moth (1961)
Rumfuddle (1973)
Sail 25 (1962)
Ullward's Retreat (1958)
The Last Castle (1966)
Abercrombie Station (1952)
The Moon Moth (1961)
Rumfuddle (1973)
288 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1976
4 people are currently reading
319 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 - 19 of 19 reviews
September 4, 2018
a splendid collection that includes introductions to each of the stories by the author himself - a rare occurrence. Vance is like a dry white wine: crisp and easy going down, some slight acidic notes, elegant but still herbaceous and earthy; let's say a California Sauvignon Blanc. the book also features a suitably laudatory introduction by Barry Malzberg.
"Sail 45" - 2 stars. reviewed in Dust of Far Suns.
"Ullward's Retreat" - 3 stars. reviewed in Dust of Far Suns.
"The Last Castle" - 4 stars. ornate science fantasy concerning the law of diminishing returns - at least in regards to the species homo sapien. watch in melancholy amusement as the last bastions of a decadent Earth pointedly ignore everything that should and needs to be done to fend off insectile invaders. cheer as a prototypical Vancean hero - forthright, articulate, and free of bullshit - fights a lonely war against alien aggression and human stupidity. sigh at the beautiful craftsmanship at work: the lovely prose and mordant humor and fascinating depictions of various cultures and races. Vance was inspired by pre-World War 2 Japanese society when writing this one; thus the fabulous formality of human interactions in this story. although really, any refined and highly hierarchical society could have served as the seed of The Last Castle; much like Lyn noted in his review, I was mostly reminded of parodies depicting aristocratic English colonials.
"Abercrombie Station" - 4 stars. a fast-paced mystery about a honey trap on the satellite Abercrombie, aka Fatman's World. Vance - who has previously come across as distinctly fat-phobic - posits a surprisingly fun and sympathetically rendered mini-world where obesity is the happy norm; due to the lack of gravity, more-than-full-figured types live nimble, gay, and lusty lives. the outlier is the perversely muscular Earl Abercrombie, who nurses dark secrets. come to tempt him is one of Vance's best heroines: Jean Parcier, a teenage mercenary who knows how to take care of herself, armed with a keen mind and a sharp glass dagger hidden up her sleeve, a lust for profit, a tragic background, and a pit of loneliness at the heart of her that the unpleasant Earl will certainly not be filling. as usual for the author, the prose is stylish and the tone is sardonic and the dialogue is witty. unusually, Vance displays a deep well of empathy for his rather amoral protagonist.
"The Moon Moth" - 5 stars. reviewed in Green Magic.
"Rumfuddle" - 5 stars. worlds upon worlds, layers upon layers; time after time after time; dimensions and minds expanded. an eco-paradise is available for all! what makes a bloodthirsty conqueror or villain?
SPOILERS FOR RUMFUDDLE AHEAD:
this mind-bending novella starts off as a low-key mystery when increasingly irritated everyman Gil Duray (the name itself a clever homonym, and clue) can't instantaneously travel back to his home planet "Home" after a brief day's work spent pulverizing the abandoned strip malls of Cupertino and sending the resultant waste products to some distant, lifeless planet. has his wife Elizabeth closed the portals for some sinister reason? she seemed quite herself at breakfast. what starts out as complex becomes even more so as the realization dawns on the reader that all of the tale's characters can not just easily travel through space, but in a pinch, can also visit multiple dimensions, and the past as well. simultaneously breezy and tense, "Rumfuddle" is a dizzying lark with unexpected depths, musing wittily on identity, responsibility, and nature versus nurture.
"Sail 45" - 2 stars. reviewed in Dust of Far Suns.
"Ullward's Retreat" - 3 stars. reviewed in Dust of Far Suns.
"The Last Castle" - 4 stars. ornate science fantasy concerning the law of diminishing returns - at least in regards to the species homo sapien. watch in melancholy amusement as the last bastions of a decadent Earth pointedly ignore everything that should and needs to be done to fend off insectile invaders. cheer as a prototypical Vancean hero - forthright, articulate, and free of bullshit - fights a lonely war against alien aggression and human stupidity. sigh at the beautiful craftsmanship at work: the lovely prose and mordant humor and fascinating depictions of various cultures and races. Vance was inspired by pre-World War 2 Japanese society when writing this one; thus the fabulous formality of human interactions in this story. although really, any refined and highly hierarchical society could have served as the seed of The Last Castle; much like Lyn noted in his review, I was mostly reminded of parodies depicting aristocratic English colonials.
"Abercrombie Station" - 4 stars. a fast-paced mystery about a honey trap on the satellite Abercrombie, aka Fatman's World. Vance - who has previously come across as distinctly fat-phobic - posits a surprisingly fun and sympathetically rendered mini-world where obesity is the happy norm; due to the lack of gravity, more-than-full-figured types live nimble, gay, and lusty lives. the outlier is the perversely muscular Earl Abercrombie, who nurses dark secrets. come to tempt him is one of Vance's best heroines: Jean Parcier, a teenage mercenary who knows how to take care of herself, armed with a keen mind and a sharp glass dagger hidden up her sleeve, a lust for profit, a tragic background, and a pit of loneliness at the heart of her that the unpleasant Earl will certainly not be filling. as usual for the author, the prose is stylish and the tone is sardonic and the dialogue is witty. unusually, Vance displays a deep well of empathy for his rather amoral protagonist.
"The Moon Moth" - 5 stars. reviewed in Green Magic.
"Rumfuddle" - 5 stars. worlds upon worlds, layers upon layers; time after time after time; dimensions and minds expanded. an eco-paradise is available for all! what makes a bloodthirsty conqueror or villain?
SPOILERS FOR RUMFUDDLE AHEAD:
this mind-bending novella starts off as a low-key mystery when increasingly irritated everyman Gil Duray (the name itself a clever homonym, and clue) can't instantaneously travel back to his home planet "Home" after a brief day's work spent pulverizing the abandoned strip malls of Cupertino and sending the resultant waste products to some distant, lifeless planet. has his wife Elizabeth closed the portals for some sinister reason? she seemed quite herself at breakfast. what starts out as complex becomes even more so as the realization dawns on the reader that all of the tale's characters can not just easily travel through space, but in a pinch, can also visit multiple dimensions, and the past as well. simultaneously breezy and tense, "Rumfuddle" is a dizzying lark with unexpected depths, musing wittily on identity, responsibility, and nature versus nurture.
December 9, 2021
-Ejemplos de lo que hizo este pequeño gigante.-
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¿Quiere saber más de este libro, sin spoilers? Visite:
https://librosdeolethros.blogspot.com...
y visite también:
http://librosdeolethros.blogspot.com/...
May 28, 2024
The Best of Jack Vance, first published in 1979, is a collection of three novellas and three novelettes that were written between 1952 and 1973. Even though some of my favorites are not included, it would still be a good choice for those who want to begin reading Vance's shorter works. It does include the outstanding novelette, "The Moon Moth." Here are brief comments on each,
For the most recent review and other Vance reviews please see:
https://vancealotjackvanceinreview.bl...
Sail 25
"Sail 25," which is a 29 page novelette that was first published in 1962 in the magazine Amazing Stories. It has also been known as "Gateway to Strangers" and "Dust of Far Suns." Henry Bent is an irritable, unpleasant, overly sensitive, dictatorial character who seems to be "a man of a different species." He teaches pilots to operate spaceships, in this instance it is one that has a huge sail (thus the title "Sail 25"). Bent tells his cadet crew that he does not expect to be liked and that if they do like him then he has failed because, "I haven't pushed you hard enough." All pilots know Bent and respect his skills, but they also invariably dislike him. He has trained almost every well known pilot and is about to train a new crew. During the training flight when Bent is not drunk or hiding from the others, he is sneaking around the ship, spying on the cadets, keeping track of their behavior by making comments in his notebooks where he records demerits. These demerits will determine who passes and who gets axed from the program. Bent also says that he is retiring, that this will be his last flight and hints that he wants to die in space. Is he suicidal? Has he become an incompetent drunk? Or is this the finest training the cadets will ever receive? Each member of his crew reacts differently to Bent's behavior and the challenges of the training. It is all done with humor with a memorable character who is as difficult as any boot camp sergeant. My rating: 3.5
Ullward's Retreat
"Ullward's Retreat" was written by Vance in 1957 and published initially in 1958 in Galaxy Magazine. It is a 25 page novelette. Bruham Ullward is a wealthy man who lives in a futuristic society where real estate is incredibly expensive and conditions very crowded. He has the rare luxury of having a real tree and moss on his property. Sometimes he offers the rare gift of a real leaf to visitors. Electronic "illusion-panes" simulate three dimensional electronic scenes of beautiful views by generating mountains, valleys, skies and moons. Ullward wants to expand his property by purchasing small parcels even at their outrageously high prices, but other owners won't sell. He is delighted when he encounters an opportunity to lease half a planet where he will have plenty of room. Ullward builds his new retreat on this planet and moves. The owner lives on the other half of the planet, and there is a strict contract rule forbidding trespass on the other's property. Ironically when visitors arrive at his new home, they compare his beautiful natural views to illusion-panes, claim the natural rocks do not look real, are fearful of the waves on a real beach, and even object to Ullward's new privacy stating, "I love the privacy and solitude--but I thought there'd be more people to be private from." Ullward also begins having privacy issues with the owner even though each of them has half of the planet to himself. Was he better off back on his crowded home planet where nature, scenic views and many other things were synthetic or simulated? It is a fun and interesting story that Vance himself continued to like. I rated it a 4.
The Last Castle
"The Last Castle" was first published in Galaxy Magazine in 1966. It won the Hugo Award for Best Novelette in 1967 and the Nebula Award for Best Novella in 1966. It was also nominated for a Nebula Award for Best Novel. Technically it is a novella. The setting is in the far future where an elite clans of humans on Earth live in castles as a special class of ruling aristocrats. Under them are the peasants and slaves. Most of the work, even the most technical, is performed by enslaved aliens called Meks. The humans think the docile Meks are happy being slaves, so are taken by surprise when there is an uprising and all of the Meks begin fighting to eliminate humans. The Meks defeat all castles except the largest and best defended one called Castle Hagedorn. One of the clan leaders there, Xanten, organizes a final stand against the Meks. Using lively dialog and interesting alien creatures, Vance presents humanitarian and ethical issues in a well written and interesting story. It is one of his better writings, although not one his very finest. It is a pity that more of Vance's novellas and novels did not receive awards. My rating: 4.
Abercrombie Station
Abercrombie Stating was initially published in 1952 in Thrilling Wonder Stories. The main character, a woman named Jean, obtains a job as a housekeeper at the home of a wealthy man, Earl Abercrombie, on a private satellite which he owns, Abercrombie Station. He is unmarried and has some terminal medical condition. The plan is for Jean to marry him and then, after he dies, to obtain two million dollars from the mysterious coconspirator who recruited her to do this. She is a "gravity girl" from Earth, however, and the place she goes to has no gravity and a much different concept of beauty. On this strange satellite the larger the person is the more attractive they are considered, so most are as wide as they are tall and float around in the air while hired help wear magnetic shoes to keep them on the floor. So there is a problem with attracting this billionaire because Jean is considered malnourished, unhealthy and scrawny by their standards and is thought to be extremely unattractive even though she is very pretty by Earth standards. Her billionaire employer also has a large collection of bizarre alien creatures that he keeps in his natural history museum and seems to find more attractive than any women. No challenge is too much for Jean, however. Rating 3.
The Moon Moth
"The Moon Moth," is a marvelous work, a novelette of 39 pages that was first published in Galaxy Magazine in 1961. It takes place on the planet Sirene where adherence to specific local customs and protocol is more important than money or even life itself. Edwer Thissell was recently appointed as the new Consular Representative from Earth after the previous Representative to Sirene was killed because he violated a social norm. Thissell has been taking lessons to learn to play various musical instruments in order to communicate with the locals. All communication on Sirene must be made by playing the appropriate musical instruments and singing in a certain respectful way. Social behavior expected on Sirene is so detailed and complex that it is almost incomprehensible to anyone not born in the culture. Slight violations or mistakes might be interpreted as a grave insult or offense and can lead to bodily harm or even death. All of the Sirene residents also wear special masks as must the four men from Earth. Only certain types of masks can be worn depending on the status and musical skills of the wearer. The mask Thissell wears is of the "moon moth." It is a mask of low prestige but a safe one to wear.
Thissell is sent a special message by his superiors assigning him the duty of capturing an assassin from Earth who will soon arrive to Sirene. Unfortunately the message is delayed, and the assassin is able to elude capture. Thissell must begin the process of tracking him down in the town where he has to interact with the local people. He knows that violating the strict rules of behavior can lead to severe consequences but he also knows that he will lose his job if he fails. The story is complex, well thought out and skillfully written. It is probably the best short work Vance ever wrote and is essential reading, a real classic. My rating: 5
Rumfuddle
"Rumfuddle" is a novella that was initially published in 1973 in an anthology called Three Trips in Time and Space. It had been commissioned for a collection of three stories on the same theme by three different authors. It is an odd and rather lose story about portals that open to different universes. The portals also allow time travel (backwards but not forward) and one might even encounter multiple selves that exist in alternate universes. Initially the portals were used to solve social, economic and other problems, but some people are now using the portals for entertainment purposes and even mischief. If you can go with the flow of this story and accept the loose ends, it can be entertaining and humorous. Where else would you encounter a football team where the quarterback is Machiavelli and the front line is manned by Achilles, Charlemagne, Hercules, Goliath, Samson, Richard the Lion Hearted and Billy the Kid? This is not a story that will appeal to everyone, but I liked it and gave it a 4.
For the most recent review and other Vance reviews please see:
https://vancealotjackvanceinreview.bl...
Sail 25
"Sail 25," which is a 29 page novelette that was first published in 1962 in the magazine Amazing Stories. It has also been known as "Gateway to Strangers" and "Dust of Far Suns." Henry Bent is an irritable, unpleasant, overly sensitive, dictatorial character who seems to be "a man of a different species." He teaches pilots to operate spaceships, in this instance it is one that has a huge sail (thus the title "Sail 25"). Bent tells his cadet crew that he does not expect to be liked and that if they do like him then he has failed because, "I haven't pushed you hard enough." All pilots know Bent and respect his skills, but they also invariably dislike him. He has trained almost every well known pilot and is about to train a new crew. During the training flight when Bent is not drunk or hiding from the others, he is sneaking around the ship, spying on the cadets, keeping track of their behavior by making comments in his notebooks where he records demerits. These demerits will determine who passes and who gets axed from the program. Bent also says that he is retiring, that this will be his last flight and hints that he wants to die in space. Is he suicidal? Has he become an incompetent drunk? Or is this the finest training the cadets will ever receive? Each member of his crew reacts differently to Bent's behavior and the challenges of the training. It is all done with humor with a memorable character who is as difficult as any boot camp sergeant. My rating: 3.5
Ullward's Retreat
"Ullward's Retreat" was written by Vance in 1957 and published initially in 1958 in Galaxy Magazine. It is a 25 page novelette. Bruham Ullward is a wealthy man who lives in a futuristic society where real estate is incredibly expensive and conditions very crowded. He has the rare luxury of having a real tree and moss on his property. Sometimes he offers the rare gift of a real leaf to visitors. Electronic "illusion-panes" simulate three dimensional electronic scenes of beautiful views by generating mountains, valleys, skies and moons. Ullward wants to expand his property by purchasing small parcels even at their outrageously high prices, but other owners won't sell. He is delighted when he encounters an opportunity to lease half a planet where he will have plenty of room. Ullward builds his new retreat on this planet and moves. The owner lives on the other half of the planet, and there is a strict contract rule forbidding trespass on the other's property. Ironically when visitors arrive at his new home, they compare his beautiful natural views to illusion-panes, claim the natural rocks do not look real, are fearful of the waves on a real beach, and even object to Ullward's new privacy stating, "I love the privacy and solitude--but I thought there'd be more people to be private from." Ullward also begins having privacy issues with the owner even though each of them has half of the planet to himself. Was he better off back on his crowded home planet where nature, scenic views and many other things were synthetic or simulated? It is a fun and interesting story that Vance himself continued to like. I rated it a 4.
The Last Castle
"The Last Castle" was first published in Galaxy Magazine in 1966. It won the Hugo Award for Best Novelette in 1967 and the Nebula Award for Best Novella in 1966. It was also nominated for a Nebula Award for Best Novel. Technically it is a novella. The setting is in the far future where an elite clans of humans on Earth live in castles as a special class of ruling aristocrats. Under them are the peasants and slaves. Most of the work, even the most technical, is performed by enslaved aliens called Meks. The humans think the docile Meks are happy being slaves, so are taken by surprise when there is an uprising and all of the Meks begin fighting to eliminate humans. The Meks defeat all castles except the largest and best defended one called Castle Hagedorn. One of the clan leaders there, Xanten, organizes a final stand against the Meks. Using lively dialog and interesting alien creatures, Vance presents humanitarian and ethical issues in a well written and interesting story. It is one of his better writings, although not one his very finest. It is a pity that more of Vance's novellas and novels did not receive awards. My rating: 4.
Abercrombie Station
Abercrombie Stating was initially published in 1952 in Thrilling Wonder Stories. The main character, a woman named Jean, obtains a job as a housekeeper at the home of a wealthy man, Earl Abercrombie, on a private satellite which he owns, Abercrombie Station. He is unmarried and has some terminal medical condition. The plan is for Jean to marry him and then, after he dies, to obtain two million dollars from the mysterious coconspirator who recruited her to do this. She is a "gravity girl" from Earth, however, and the place she goes to has no gravity and a much different concept of beauty. On this strange satellite the larger the person is the more attractive they are considered, so most are as wide as they are tall and float around in the air while hired help wear magnetic shoes to keep them on the floor. So there is a problem with attracting this billionaire because Jean is considered malnourished, unhealthy and scrawny by their standards and is thought to be extremely unattractive even though she is very pretty by Earth standards. Her billionaire employer also has a large collection of bizarre alien creatures that he keeps in his natural history museum and seems to find more attractive than any women. No challenge is too much for Jean, however. Rating 3.
The Moon Moth
"The Moon Moth," is a marvelous work, a novelette of 39 pages that was first published in Galaxy Magazine in 1961. It takes place on the planet Sirene where adherence to specific local customs and protocol is more important than money or even life itself. Edwer Thissell was recently appointed as the new Consular Representative from Earth after the previous Representative to Sirene was killed because he violated a social norm. Thissell has been taking lessons to learn to play various musical instruments in order to communicate with the locals. All communication on Sirene must be made by playing the appropriate musical instruments and singing in a certain respectful way. Social behavior expected on Sirene is so detailed and complex that it is almost incomprehensible to anyone not born in the culture. Slight violations or mistakes might be interpreted as a grave insult or offense and can lead to bodily harm or even death. All of the Sirene residents also wear special masks as must the four men from Earth. Only certain types of masks can be worn depending on the status and musical skills of the wearer. The mask Thissell wears is of the "moon moth." It is a mask of low prestige but a safe one to wear.
Thissell is sent a special message by his superiors assigning him the duty of capturing an assassin from Earth who will soon arrive to Sirene. Unfortunately the message is delayed, and the assassin is able to elude capture. Thissell must begin the process of tracking him down in the town where he has to interact with the local people. He knows that violating the strict rules of behavior can lead to severe consequences but he also knows that he will lose his job if he fails. The story is complex, well thought out and skillfully written. It is probably the best short work Vance ever wrote and is essential reading, a real classic. My rating: 5
Rumfuddle
"Rumfuddle" is a novella that was initially published in 1973 in an anthology called Three Trips in Time and Space. It had been commissioned for a collection of three stories on the same theme by three different authors. It is an odd and rather lose story about portals that open to different universes. The portals also allow time travel (backwards but not forward) and one might even encounter multiple selves that exist in alternate universes. Initially the portals were used to solve social, economic and other problems, but some people are now using the portals for entertainment purposes and even mischief. If you can go with the flow of this story and accept the loose ends, it can be entertaining and humorous. Where else would you encounter a football team where the quarterback is Machiavelli and the front line is manned by Achilles, Charlemagne, Hercules, Goliath, Samson, Richard the Lion Hearted and Billy the Kid? This is not a story that will appeal to everyone, but I liked it and gave it a 4.
June 27, 2011
This is another of those books that has just been waiting for me to read them. I bought it before reading any of Vance's Dying Earth books... but now that I've read some of them, it is time to dive into his science fiction.
This is a review-in-progress and I will review the stories as I find time to read them.
Sail 25 is what I would call classic science fiction. It is set in the early stage of space exploration and propose a strange (yet familiar) way of travelling through space. I say strange because the spaceship uses sails. Vance goes into detail with how this works, but that is not the book's strength to me... that lies in the characters and the psychological drama between them. There is much to like in this small story of five space cadets training for a higher purpose in space. Also, it is hinted that the captain, Henry Belt, may have an agenda of his own, but I didn't read it that way, to me he was just preparing the cadets for what lies ahead... in outer space. (3.5 stars)
Ullward's Retreat is a utopian story about Ullward who seeks to create a place of nature in a world where there is none left. It is a world where people have no idea what frogs are and have never seen a real oak, it is also a realm where people live to become 300 years old and where you must sign up if you want a child. One day Ullward hears about a man who bought a whole planet. The thought of owning such a place intrigues him and then Ullward buys part of the planet, or rather, he leases part of the planet. What does it mean to own anything? Can someone own the nature that surrounds us? Can someone own the mountains? Vance tries to answer these questions and many more in this wonderful little story. (3.5 stars)
This is a review-in-progress and I will review the stories as I find time to read them.
Sail 25 is what I would call classic science fiction. It is set in the early stage of space exploration and propose a strange (yet familiar) way of travelling through space. I say strange because the spaceship uses sails. Vance goes into detail with how this works, but that is not the book's strength to me... that lies in the characters and the psychological drama between them. There is much to like in this small story of five space cadets training for a higher purpose in space. Also, it is hinted that the captain, Henry Belt, may have an agenda of his own, but I didn't read it that way, to me he was just preparing the cadets for what lies ahead... in outer space. (3.5 stars)
Ullward's Retreat is a utopian story about Ullward who seeks to create a place of nature in a world where there is none left. It is a world where people have no idea what frogs are and have never seen a real oak, it is also a realm where people live to become 300 years old and where you must sign up if you want a child. One day Ullward hears about a man who bought a whole planet. The thought of owning such a place intrigues him and then Ullward buys part of the planet, or rather, he leases part of the planet. What does it mean to own anything? Can someone own the nature that surrounds us? Can someone own the mountains? Vance tries to answer these questions and many more in this wonderful little story. (3.5 stars)
April 24, 2024
This book, apart from author's 'Preface' and Barry Maltzberg's 'Capturing Vance' contains~
1. Sail 25;
2. Ullward's Retreat;
3. The Last Castle;
4. Abercrombie Station;
5. The Moon Moth;
6. Rumfuddle
Except one tale, none of these are the best that Jack Vance has produced. Nevertheless, it's a sold collection, with works that exhibit Vance's crisp prose, wry observations, nuanced character-building etc.
Recommended.
1. Sail 25;
2. Ullward's Retreat;
3. The Last Castle;
4. Abercrombie Station;
5. The Moon Moth;
6. Rumfuddle
Except one tale, none of these are the best that Jack Vance has produced. Nevertheless, it's a sold collection, with works that exhibit Vance's crisp prose, wry observations, nuanced character-building etc.
Recommended.
November 8, 2010
This is a collection of Jack Vance's short stories written between 1952 and 1973. Jack Vance illustrates that the great thing about Science Fiction is its ability to detach our minds from current reality, and allow us to examine the issues of the day, without creating the defensive arrogant pride that keeps us from truly seeing.
Here is what I thought of each story and the issues they propose-
(1962)Sail 25: (Technological Advances)
a short story about a voyage into deep outer space. The cadets are headed to mars on a space clipper. The captain Henry Belt is a no nonsense chap, desires to die in space; so he hands the reign to his cadets to sail on through the outer limits of space. Will they get home? The story was a keen observation of Sailors and Captains, and the relationship between the two. I really enjoyed the story.
(1958)Ullward's Retreat: (Utopian Good Life-Suburban Lifestyles)
How much space does one really need? A whole planet is it enough for one man? Are we that greedy that even ownership of a planet is not enough?
(1966)The Last Castle: (Issue Examined: Civil Rights)
The Last Castle, is a short story influenced by Japanese Samurai Culture, and explores the ideas of a closed caste system where it is impossible to alter one's life. The story highlights the relationships between the gentlemen society and those that work to support it. Vance poses the question: "Is prospering from slave labor ever okay for the building up of a society? The men of high means almost always underestimate their servants, "They are a clever, resourceful race, untroubled by qualms or preconceptions, and we have long underestimated their quality." The gentlemen fear to leave their caste system would mean becoming demeaned, "Wild Animals? Nomads?". The answer to Vance is clear, "Society need not wither, provided that all of us - you as well as we - toil for it. There can be no more slaves."pg 112
(1952)Abercombie Station (Issue Examined: Family)
A haven or an asylum. Abercombie Station is a detective story, exploring the ins and outs of one crazy family.
(1961)The Moon Moth (Anthropology)
(1973) Rumfuddle
Here is what I thought of each story and the issues they propose-
(1962)Sail 25: (Technological Advances)
a short story about a voyage into deep outer space. The cadets are headed to mars on a space clipper. The captain Henry Belt is a no nonsense chap, desires to die in space; so he hands the reign to his cadets to sail on through the outer limits of space. Will they get home? The story was a keen observation of Sailors and Captains, and the relationship between the two. I really enjoyed the story.
(1958)Ullward's Retreat: (Utopian Good Life-Suburban Lifestyles)
How much space does one really need? A whole planet is it enough for one man? Are we that greedy that even ownership of a planet is not enough?
(1966)The Last Castle: (Issue Examined: Civil Rights)
The Last Castle, is a short story influenced by Japanese Samurai Culture, and explores the ideas of a closed caste system where it is impossible to alter one's life. The story highlights the relationships between the gentlemen society and those that work to support it. Vance poses the question: "Is prospering from slave labor ever okay for the building up of a society? The men of high means almost always underestimate their servants, "They are a clever, resourceful race, untroubled by qualms or preconceptions, and we have long underestimated their quality." The gentlemen fear to leave their caste system would mean becoming demeaned, "Wild Animals? Nomads?". The answer to Vance is clear, "Society need not wither, provided that all of us - you as well as we - toil for it. There can be no more slaves."pg 112
(1952)Abercombie Station (Issue Examined: Family)
A haven or an asylum. Abercombie Station is a detective story, exploring the ins and outs of one crazy family.
(1961)The Moon Moth (Anthropology)
(1973) Rumfuddle
April 9, 2017
Objevil jsem u nás jednoho dávno vydaného Jacka Vance - ještě z doby, kdy knihy stály 42 korun a my byli přesvědčení, že vlastnictví airbrushové pistole automaticky znamená schopnost malovat. Kniha moc neuspěla a ono není divu, Jack Vance je hodně zvláštní autor. Jeho povídky (je jich v knize celkem šest) mají zvláštní melancholickou atmosféru a jsou psané stylem, který evokují pocit něčeho hodně starého - nějakých velkolepých rytířských románů. S čímž ovšem kontrastuje Vanceho ironický přístup a podehrávání emocí. Jeho hrdinové jsou obvykle dost pragmatičtí (nebo jdoucí za svým cílem) a z dnešního hlediska dost nepoužitelní - mlatí otroky, zneužívají slabší a o vztahu k ženám radši ani nemluvit. Ale i to působí správně dobově.
V šesti novelách (psaných obvykle na nějakou zakázku) si Vance užívá vymýšlení různých podivných světů. Rozepisuje výhody pobývání ve vesmíru, brutální výcvikovou misi, svět, který dohnal konverzační zdvořilosti ad absurdum, cestování časem i alternativními realitami, válku se vzbouřenými mimozemskými otroky... a příběh o tom, že někdy jsou dva lidi na jednu planetu až moc. Žáná z povídek nemá silnou pointu, ale všechny mají atmosféru a styl... a něco z nich v člověku zůstane.
V šesti novelách (psaných obvykle na nějakou zakázku) si Vance užívá vymýšlení různých podivných světů. Rozepisuje výhody pobývání ve vesmíru, brutální výcvikovou misi, svět, který dohnal konverzační zdvořilosti ad absurdum, cestování časem i alternativními realitami, válku se vzbouřenými mimozemskými otroky... a příběh o tom, že někdy jsou dva lidi na jednu planetu až moc. Žáná z povídek nemá silnou pointu, ale všechny mají atmosféru a styl... a něco z nich v člověku zůstane.
April 27, 2025
Vance's first line from the preface: "Quite candidly, I don't like to discuss, let alone analyze, my own stories." Then he proceeds to write introductions for each of the works here. (There's also a foreword by Barry N. Malzberg, in which he compares the work of Vance to that of James H. Schmitz; two more dissimilar authors within the field of SF would be hard to imagine!) There are only seven pieces here, including four novelettes and three novellas.
"Sail 25" 3/5 stars. For me the best part of this one was the description of the design and working of the solar sail vessel, but it's really about cadet crewmembers being hazed by their irascible commanding officer.
"Ullward's Retreat" 1/5 stars. Vance states that this was one of his favorite stories, but I confess I didn't get it.
"The Last Castle" 5/5 stars. This one won both a Hugo and a Nebula, so it needs no introduction from me.
"Abercrombie Station" 3/5 stars. A fast-paced tale with a remarkable femme fatale, Jean Parlier, as the main character. (She also appears in "Cholwell's Chickens"; the two novellas were later combined into a fix-up novel, Monsters in Orbit.) Originally published in 1952, I wonder if this would fly today, given that the opening scene has the sixteen-year-old Parlier required to strip naked as part of a job interview? To call it misogynistic seems too easy, given that Parlier overcomes all in the end, and even seems to rediscover her own humanity.
"The Moon Moth" 3/5 stars. Another famously clever story by Vance that left me cold, despite the neat ending.
"Rumfuddle" 5/5 stars. I gave this one an extra star in hindsight, as it really stuck with me. The setting--a future in which humanity has developed a portal system to cheaply access an infinite number of alternate worlds and times--is pure SF. It quickly develops into a mystery, however. (Not incidentally, Vance is the only writer to have won an Edgar, a Hugo, and a Nebula; I believe he still holds that distinction, and it seems a record unlikely to be broken.) And the mystery then takes a bizarre turn into the fantastic... Displaying his mystery-writing creds, Vance deftly foreshadows everything, but I defy anyone to figure this out ahead of time. This is simply the author at his best.
"Sail 25" 3/5 stars. For me the best part of this one was the description of the design and working of the solar sail vessel, but it's really about cadet crewmembers being hazed by their irascible commanding officer.
"Ullward's Retreat" 1/5 stars. Vance states that this was one of his favorite stories, but I confess I didn't get it.
"The Last Castle" 5/5 stars. This one won both a Hugo and a Nebula, so it needs no introduction from me.
"Abercrombie Station" 3/5 stars. A fast-paced tale with a remarkable femme fatale, Jean Parlier, as the main character. (She also appears in "Cholwell's Chickens"; the two novellas were later combined into a fix-up novel, Monsters in Orbit.) Originally published in 1952, I wonder if this would fly today, given that the opening scene has the sixteen-year-old Parlier required to strip naked as part of a job interview? To call it misogynistic seems too easy, given that Parlier overcomes all in the end, and even seems to rediscover her own humanity.
"The Moon Moth" 3/5 stars. Another famously clever story by Vance that left me cold, despite the neat ending.
"Rumfuddle" 5/5 stars. I gave this one an extra star in hindsight, as it really stuck with me. The setting--a future in which humanity has developed a portal system to cheaply access an infinite number of alternate worlds and times--is pure SF. It quickly develops into a mystery, however. (Not incidentally, Vance is the only writer to have won an Edgar, a Hugo, and a Nebula; I believe he still holds that distinction, and it seems a record unlikely to be broken.) And the mystery then takes a bizarre turn into the fantastic... Displaying his mystery-writing creds, Vance deftly foreshadows everything, but I defy anyone to figure this out ahead of time. This is simply the author at his best.
February 4, 2021
Powerful stories about the human condition by one of my all-time favorite authors.
May 7, 2021
Masterpieces, each of them. Vance's little gems, simply read it.
May 15, 2023
vance has consistently interesting imagery but his writing style and stories are not enough to keep me invested
July 15, 2025
If these are his best stories, I´ll skip the others. Maybe not my thing but I didn´t like any of it.
October 30, 2025
Zajímavé povídky, hodně netradiční. Na svojí dobu hodně předběhl čas.
October 10, 2014
I loved it. I tried to read some Jack Vance stories a few years ago, and I think I just wasn't in the right frame of mind or something, because they really rubbed me the wrong way that time, and this time I couldn't get enough. There's something about the tone of the stories that makes it seem like he's not taking anything too seriously. I think I had been reading Gene Wolfe and the contrast was kind of jarring. But this time, I really appreciated the tone.
Vance's writing is great. His use of language and dialogue may rub some people the wrong way, but I got a kick out of it. Even his punctuation is interesting. The stories fall somewhere between Sci-fi and fantasy. I think I'd recommend them to anyone who likes either and is willing to read something a little bit different.
Vance's writing is great. His use of language and dialogue may rub some people the wrong way, but I got a kick out of it. Even his punctuation is interesting. The stories fall somewhere between Sci-fi and fantasy. I think I'd recommend them to anyone who likes either and is willing to read something a little bit different.
October 26, 2021
These are fabulous stories . What an imaginative selection of mind Benders.
Funny thing about Vance I either love one of his books or hate it . He writes a lot of dragons and sorcery fantasy kind of stories concerning magic and myth like “ tales of the dying earth “ which I couldn’t continue reading , gave up in fact after 100 pages . Then you have this book . Every story incredibly entertaining especially “ Moon Moth “ And “ rumfuddles”. Great stuff .
Funny thing about Vance I either love one of his books or hate it . He writes a lot of dragons and sorcery fantasy kind of stories concerning magic and myth like “ tales of the dying earth “ which I couldn’t continue reading , gave up in fact after 100 pages . Then you have this book . Every story incredibly entertaining especially “ Moon Moth “ And “ rumfuddles”. Great stuff .
March 13, 2011
Vance's "The Moon Moth" was one of the two best short stories I read in the Science Fiction Hall of Fame. I don't know if I would like his longer stuff, but I really like the short stories. The focus is on the societies and the characters are used to show how the society really works.
November 29, 2009
"The Moon Moth" is probably Vance's best story, containing several brilliant ideas that a lesser writer would have spread over multiple stories. "The Last Castle" is also a classic.
September 10, 2016
Short stories, some good some average.
December 2, 2013
Fey,spiky, inimitable.
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