Product DescriptionThis volume includes Vance's first published story ("The World-Thinker") and a selection of other stories including the novella "Telek".Contents: The World-Thinker, Dream Castle ("I'll Build Your Dream Castle"), Seven Exits from Bocz, The God and the Temple Robber ("The Temple of Han"), Telek, Men of The Ten Books, D.P., Noise ("Music of the Spheres"), The Absent Minded Professor ("First Star I See Tonight"; "Murder Observed"), The Devil On Salvation Bluff, Where Hesperus Falls, The Phantom Milkman, A Practical Man's Guide, The House Lords, The SecretAll Jack Vance titles in the SFGateway use the author's preferred texts, as restored for the Vance Integral Edition (VIE), an extensive project masterminded by an international online community of Vance's admirers. In general, we also use the VIE titles, and have adopted the arrangement of short story collections to eliminate overlaps.

The inhabitants of a planet Iszm, a species known as the Iszic, have evolved the native giant trees into living homes, with all needs and various luxuries supplied by the trees’ own natural growth. The Iszic maintain a jealously guarded monopoly, exporting only enough trees to keep prices high and make a great profit. Ailie Farr, a human botanist, goes to Iszm (like many others before him, of many species) to steal a female tree, which might allow the propagation of the species off world and break the monopoly.

Tschai is a planet orbiting the star Carina 4269, 212 light-years from Earth. It is populated by three alien, mutually hostile species; the displaced, native Pnume; and various human races, some of whom live as slaves or clients of the aliens. Each of the four novels relates Reith's adventures with one of the species, and is named after that species. In order, the books are:City of the ChaschServants of the WankhThe DirdirThe Pnume

Far across the galaxy on the planet Maske, young Jubal Droad leaves home to make his fortune. Droad attaches himself to the powerful court of Nai the Hever, and is made an interplanetary economic spy. Jubal courts Mieltrude - the cold-blooded, beautiful daughter of the house - and becomes the rival and enemy of the brutal Ramus Ymph. In disguise, Jubal leaves the planet and proves Ramus' connection to a sinister interplanetary cartel that covets a foothold on Maske; Jubal pursues Ramus, and finds him among the Waels - a strange people who worship intelligent trees. The trees will determine the outcome of their final confrontation...

Product DescriptionIn Lyonesse II: The Green Pearl and Madouc the magical lands of high enchantment - the Elder Isles, the land, long-vanished beneath the ocean, from which King Arthur's ancestors fled to Britain - come to brilliant life again. In this ancient land the realm of chivalry and the world of faerie exist side by side and it is a place of strange beauty, high adventure and eerie magic. Warring kings renew their conflicts, opposing magicians devise ever more strange and sinister stratagems and Madouc, ostensibly the daughter of the ill-fated Princess Suldrun but in reality a changeling, becomes embroiled in political rivalries, military adventures - and the quest for the Grail. About the AuthorJack Vance was born in 1916 and studied mining engineering and journalism at the University of California. During the Second World War he served in the merchant navy and was torpedoed twice. He started contributing stories to the pulp magazines in the mid 1940s and published his first book, The Dying Earth, in 1950. Among his many books are The Dragon Master, for which he won his first Hugo, Big Planet, The Anome and the Lyoness sequence.

Over twelve generations the descendents of a space crash on a world completely covered in water had managed to adapt to their marine culture. Living in villages built on giant clumps of sea plants, they survived on the flora and fauna of the sea. But they have always been at the mercy of the kragen - gigantic squid-like monsters that prey on their fish flocks, and on them. The biggest of these is King Kragen, with whom the colonists can communicate, who has to be appeased. But one man has had enough of a life of slavery and sacrifice. But how can he convince his fellow men that King Kragen must be killed? And how can that be achieved in a world without weapons?

Tschai is a planet orbiting the star Carina 4269, 212 light-years from Earth. It is populated by three alien, mutually hostile species; the displaced, native Pnume; and various human races, some of whom live as slaves or clients of the aliens. Each of the four novels relates Reith's adventures with one of the species, and is named after that species. In order, the books are:City of the ChaschServants of the WankhThe DirdirThe Pnume

Slaves of The Klau by Jack Vance is a short but very intense novel. A lowly, though rebellious human servant to an advanced alien is seized and taken into the most desperate slavery under utterly ruthless masters. His initial attempts at escape turn into an ongoing journey of personal development as his mental strength and power grow to enable him to take command of increasingly complex and hazardous situations. The story is completely believable and consistent, as the hero fights to overcome setback after setback. It is wonderfully woven between the different personalities of a number of alien races, a highly technological future, and intergalactic war. Very clever ideas, very visual, delightfully written. This is a timeless piece. It has been on my bookshelf for nearly thirty years and has been read many times.

Jack Vance is one of the most remarkable talents to ever grace the world of science fiction. His unique, stylish voice has been beloved by generations of readers. One of his enduring classics is his Mazirian the Magician (previously titled The Dying Earth), and its sequels—a fascinating, baroque tale set on a far-future Earth, under a giant red sun that is soon to go out forever.

Where the Anomes once ruled stands young Gastel Etzwane, facing a mortal threat to his homeland. Hoards of red Roguskhoi, armed by an unknown enemy, have swarmed out of the southern bogs to slaughter men, despoil women, and spread waves of terror. Through the peace imposed by the tyranny of the Anomes, men of Shant have lost the art of weaponry and war. Now Gastel must revive those skills to forge Shant’s citizens into an army- an army of the free.The Brave Free Men is part 2 of 3 of Durdane.The land of Shant on the planet Durdane is ruled by a purposely anonymous dictator called the Anome or Faceless Man. He maintains control by virtue of the torc, a ring of explosive placed around the neck of every adult in Shant.Cover art by Tais Teng

Anthology containing: Suldrun's Garden by Jack VanceThe Green Pearl by Jack VanceMadouc by Jack Vance

Tschai is a planet orbiting the star Carina 4269, 212 light-years from Earth. It is populated by three alien, mutually hostile species; the displaced, native Pnume; and various human races, some of whom live as slaves or clients of the aliens. Each of the four novels relates Reith's adventures with one of the species, and is named after that species. In order, the books are:City of the ChaschServants of the WankhThe DirdirThe Pnume