Synopses & Reviews
Stranded on the distant planet Tschai, young Adam Reith is the sole survivor of a space mission who discovers the world is inhabited--not only by warring alien cultures, but human slaves as well, taken early in Earth's history. Reith
must find a way off planet to warn the Earth of Tschai's deadly existence.
Against a backdrop of baroque cities and haunted wastelands, sumptuous palaces and riotous inns, Reith will encounter deadly wastrels and murderous aliens, dastardly villains and conniving scoundrels.
And always the random beauty in need of rescue...
Review
"The
Planet of Adventure tetralogy exemplifies Vance's mastery of the genre." --
Fantasy Review"Jack Vance is one of the finest writers that the science fiction field has ever known." --Poul Anderson, author of The Boat of a Million Years
About the Author
Jack Vance, born John Holbrook Vance in 1916, was one of the greatest masters of fantasy and science fiction. He was the winner of many awards for his work and career: the Damon Knight Memorial Grand Master Award from the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, and the World Fantasy Award for Life Achievement. Among his awards for particular works were the Hugo award in 1963 for
The Dragon Masters, in 1967 for
The Last Castle, and in 2010 for his memoir
This is Me, Jack Vance! He won a Nebula Award in 1966 for
The Last Castle. He won the World Fantasy Award for Best Novel in 1990 for
Lyonesse: Madouc. . He also won an Edgar for the best first mystery novel in 1961 for
The Man in the Cage. Vance published more than 60 books in his long career, sometimes under pseudonyms. Among them were 11 mystery novels, three of them as Ellery Queen. He wrote some of the first, and perhaps best, examples of "planetary adventures", including a novel called
Big Planet. His “Dying Earth” series were among the most influential fantasy novels ever written, inspiring both generations of writers, and the creators of Dungeons and Dragons.
Vances series from Tor include The Demon Princes, The Cadwal Chronicles, The Dying Earth, The Planet of Adventure, and Alastor. Vances last novels were a series of two: Ports of Call and Lurulu.
Jack Vance was a sailor, a writer, an adventurer, a music critic, and a raconteur. He died in May 2013.