Next review

[philmophlegm]

OK, tonight I've reviewed some Jack Vance and some Traveller-esque science fiction.

How about some Traveller-esque science fiction written by Jack Vance?



'City of the Chasch', Jack Vance

This is the first in the 'Planet of Adventure' series. A space scout* gets stranded on a strange planet with several alien races and several semi-enslaved races of humans. Rather less of the flowery language that you get in much of Vance's work. What you do get is rip-roaring adventure. Ultimately, this is quite an old-fashioned story that seems a little older than 1968 when it was first published. Good fun though.

I'll definitely continue with this series, although if I'm going to read it in public, I might need to get a plain cover for the second book, the unfortunately titled 'Servants of the Wankh'...


* Told you it was Traveller-esque. At one point we learn about our hero's skills, and it's hard not to think "Hmmm. So that's Jack-o-T - 1, Commo - 1, Survival - 1, Gun Combat - 1 etc."

Comments

[lil-shepherd.livejournal.com]

The British fell about when Servants of the Wankh was published, and I understand Jack got told about the title very quickly, but by then it was too late. Oddly, they didn't change the title for British publication - I have a copy somewhere.

[philmophlegm.livejournal.com]

...although they did change 'Wankh' to 'Wannek' for the 45 volume hardback everything-he-ever-wrote 'Integral Edition'.

[lil-shepherd.livejournal.com]

I didn't know that - not having seen the 'Integral Edition'. (What the heck is wrong with "Collected Works", but am not really surprised...