Jack Vance has long been one of the most influential, admired and imitated writers in science fiction and fantasy literature, the award-winning author of such widely acclaimed works as The Dying Earth, the Lyonesse trilogy, the adventures of Cugel the Clever, the Demon Princes series, and many other masterful tales set among the stars, in exotic fantasy realms or on our own Earth.For much of his career, Vance has also been one of the field's most private writers, an author who pref...

For 700 years the Meks served without complaint; they were indispensable, for no gentleman would demean himself with toil. But now they turn against the strongholds of civilizationCastle Halcyon, then Sea Island, Morninglight, and Maravalone by one the proud castles of Earth fall; last standing is Castle Hagedorn.Winner Nebula Award 1966, Hugo award 1967.Cover art by Todd Tennant

The first book in the 5 volume Demon Princes saga. The protagonists parents were murdered by a posse of 5 galactic criminals, the "demon princes". He vows revenge, and eliminates them one by one. In the process Vance does what he excels at: creating strange worlds, environments, customs, and adaptations that humans have made to live in these conditions.

The Elder Isles - an ancient land where chivalry and the realm of fairie exist side by side. A land of mystery, strange beauty, high adventure and arcane magic. Kings are at war, opposing magicians devise ever more cunning stratagems. It is a land where princesses and changelings both can become embroiled in political rivalries and the quest for the grail.The Gollancz Black Books have proved to be an immensely successful formula for getting well loved stories into the hands of peop...

Miro Hetzel is an effectuator: a private investigator and gentleman of the Gaean Reach. This book contains two stories of his adventures."The Dogtown Tourist Agency" - The Istagam Corporation has found an inexpensive means of manufacturing technical goods which greatly undercuts its competition. Hetzel, hired by that competition, must trace down the mysterious Istagam and discover their secret. His investigation leads him to the dangerous and exotic planet Maz, whose inhuman inhabi...

A society matron underwrites the interstellar tour of an Earth opera company, performing Beethoven, Mozart and Rossini for bewildered human and alien audiences on a kaleidoscopic range of planets. But intrigue and secret agendas complicate what was already a doubtful enterprise, and the matrons feckless nephew finds that the simple country girl he plans to marry is far more mysterious than she seems.This is Jack Vance at his funniest, rolling out a rollicking picaresque tale where t...

This sequel to "Araminta Station", features the character of Glawen Clattuc, who helped save the unique planet Cadwal. The charter that granted Cadwal conservation has disappeared - and Glawen and Wayness Tamm are sent across a variety of planets to try and retrieve it.

In the reaches of Mircea's Whips the convoluted plots and politics that have swirled around the House of Clattuc and the Conservancy of Cadwal are beginning to unravel. But what remains for Glawen Clattuc to discover could bring down a dozen powerful families on as many worlds. Throy concludes the Cadwal Chronicles, which began with Araminta Station and continued in Ecce and Old Earth.

Wicked King Casmir cannot control Madouc, the wild and willful changeling secretly switched at birth with Prince Dhrun, rightful heir to the throne. So Casmir ordains a quest: whosoever brings him the Holy Grail will have Madouc for his bride. But the fairy-born princess chooses to decide her own fate, and sets out with a stable boy to find the grail herself. Meanwhile, a spiteful wizard seeks to undo the spell that prevents the war-torn Elder Isles from sinking into the sea.The third volu...

This 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...

From Handbook of the Inhabited Worlds: "Big Planet lies beyond the frontier of terrestrial law, and has been settled by groups impatient with restraint: non-conformists, anarchists, fugitives, religious dissidents, misanthropes, deviants, freaks. Big Planet represents for us that tantalizing vision of the land beyond the frontier where bravery, resource and daring are more important than the mastery of urban abstractions. Who can deem this good or bad? Who can define justice, or correctnes...

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 Shants citizens into an army- an army of the free.The Brave Free Men is part 2 of 3 of Durdan...