Kirjahaku

POD 62 This Is MeHis 90th birthday behind him, Jack Vance - once the most private of writers - tells the story of his rich and eventful life, full of travels, personalities, work and family. This Hugo-winning autobiography contains photographs from the Vance archive spanning nearly a century. This is Jack Vance - Steve ShermanThis Is Me, Jack Vance is Volume 62 of the Spatterlight Press Signature Series.

Au cours d'une carri re qui s' tale sur plus de soixante ans, Jack Vance a produit une oeuvre consid rable tant en quantit qu'en qualit , avec nombre de chefs-d'oeuvre tels que la Geste des Princes-D mons, Lyonesse, La Terre Mourante, Tscha , les Chroniques de Durdane et celles de Cadwal... la liste est trop longue pour tre dress e ici. Grand Ma tre incontest de la SF, il a inspir de nombreux crivains qui lui ont rendu de vibrants hommages (Gene Wolfe, Dan Simmons, George R.R. Martin...). Mais il est toujours rest relativement discret sur lui-m me, un de ses principes tant que l'auteur doit se faire oublier afin que le lecteur profite au maximum de son oeuvre...Cela tant, dans les derni res ann es de sa vie, il a accept de se confier, et il a dict ses souvenirs son ami Jeremy Cavaterra. Vous allez pouvoir d couvrir Vance l'homme, au travers duquel vous percevrez, ici et l , Vance l' crivain. Souvenirs d'enfance, de jeunesse, tudes, grands voyages et aventures, famille, amis et connaissances, passion pour le jazz et les voiliers... Un personnage remarquable qui a eu la chance, dit-il, de vivre une p riode int ressante... et nombre de ses exp riences se sont retrouv es dans ses livres, pour notre plus grand bonheur.Cette autobiographie a valu Vance un prix Hugo en 2010.

Au cours des ann es consacr es la restauration et la publication de l'oeuvre int grale de Jack Vance en anglais (Projet VIE, 1999-2005, 44 volumes), de nombreux documents ont t rassembl s, et d'autres d couverts encore r cemment dans les Archives d'Oakland: manuscrits, tapuscrits et preuves de correction, parmi lesquels figurent des bauches, esquisses, synopsis et prototypes dont certains ont d bouch sur une publication d finitive. Compte tenu de la quantit et de l'int r t de ces mat riaux, qui clairent un peu mieux sur le travail secret du Grand Ma tre, l'id e nous est venue de les rassembler en une collection intitul e Les Coulisses de Jack Vance .Voici donc le premier volume, bauches et Synopsis . Six textes qui offrent une bonne entr e en mati re, avec une belle palette de genres: SF, fantasy, humour, jazz et policier. Ils ont tous la particularit de n'avoir jamais abouti une oeuvre publi e. nous, lecteurs, d'exercer notre imagination et de r ver ce qu'aurait pu tre le r sultat final Table des mati res: L' le aux ChatsClang Les Sept Jazzmen du Red-Hot BandThym sauvage et violettesLe STARKLe t l phone sonnait dans le noirEn plus: avant-propos, pr face, et 13 pages de documents annexes. Traduit de l'anglais par Patrick Dusoulier.

The Vance Integral Edition made extensive use of the personal papers of Jack Vance, in particular his final manuscripts, as these contained Vance's last word regarding the work as he intended it.However, in the years since the VIE concluded in 2006, initial and intermediate drafts have also been studied, to shed light on Vance's creative style and process. Vance was an unsentimental editor of his own work, and for the dedicated fan or scholar it is fascinating to see what he himself cut and altered exercising his craft as storyteller and wordsmith.Nightlamp: an Outline is one revision short of being a finished work in its own right. In its present form, it is not free of blemishes, naming inconsistencies, occasional repetitions, and ideas not fully fleshed out, but is unmistakably the work of the Grandmaster - full of mordant observations on human nature and society, in characteristically graceful and ironic style.Spatterlight is proud to present the first fruit from the Jack Vance archive. Nightlamp: an Outline is a behind-the-scenes snapshot of Vance's draft work, intended for the student, archivist, completist, or serious enthusiast.

This second volume of the Backstage series completes the publication of the author's outlines for his last four novels.The outline for Ecce and Old Earth is the briefest, yet contains many of the plot points and most of the major characters of the finished novel.As yet untitled, the outline for Cadwal III, to be called Throy, is more extensive relative to its final version than its predecessor. Most of the final plot is here, but perhaps of greatest interest is the characteristically wistful ending; many readers will regret its loss and be grateful for its preservation in this form.Nearly 10 years will elapse between the initial outline for Ports of Call and its completion with Lurulu. Episodes not yet invented will be added, others will be discarded. Even the protagonist's name will change.Though not as extensive as that for Night Lamp, published in Volume 1 of the series, each of these synopses led finally to one of Vance's most characteristic works. And of course they are well worth reading in their own right. They are after all by Jack Vance.

Myron Tany, rebellious scion of a wealthy family, tours the Galaxy on a very questionable interstellar freighter, in search of his lurulu.

IN

Here, collected in one volume, is his Alastor trilogy: three classic SF adventure novels that are Jack Vance at his best."Trullion: Alastor 2262 / Marune: Alastor 933 / Wyst: Alastor 1716"The Alastor Cluster: A sprawling system of thirty thousand live stars and three thousand inhabited planets, the cluster is ruled by the mysterious Connatic. He sees all and knows all, but with five trillion people contained within such far-flung boundaries, sooner or later something is bound to give."Trullion: Alastor 2262" An idyllic world where food is bountiful, the oceans are clear, and no one is ever wanting, World 2262 of the Alastor Cluster is in for a rude awakening. The Trill, a once-peaceful race populating the waters of Trullion, are now gambling their lives away on the planet-wide game hussade. What reward could be worth such risks?"Marune: Alastor 933" Though the Connatic knows all, there is one man of whom he knows nothing, one man who knows nothing of himself. Pardero is determined to find out who he is and what cruel enemy forced him to forget his own life. But when he finally returns home to Marune, World 933 of the Alastor Cluster, the mystery only deepens."Wyst: Alastor 1716" On Wyst, World 1716 of the Alastor Cluster, millions of people live together in harmony, work only a few hours each week, and share the fruits of their labor equally. Wyst seems a utopia. But the Connatic, knowing better than to take utopia at face value, one day decides to investigate-a decision that may cost him his life.

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 1964 novel, 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. This omnibus volume comprised all four books in the seriesThe Dying EarthThe Eyes of the OverworldCugel's SagaRialto the MarvellousA must-read for every Science Fiction fan.

In these early novellas SF Grand Master Jack Vance tells tales of fanaticism, interplanetary politics, intrigue and subterfuge, while displaying his trademark gifts for inventiveness, rich detail and colorful description. Son of the Tree - Joe, a young Earthman, finds himself stranded on Kyril, a planet of five billion peasants, two million Druids-and a great Tree. The Tree, worshiped by the Druids, towers twelve miles from root to ultimate bud, shouldering the clouds, wearing lightning like a tinsel wreath. Joe is swept up in a swirl of change, at the center of which is a potted plant - the Son of the Tree The Houses of Iszm - masters of botany for 200,000 years, the Iszic have developed strains of living houses, semi-intelligent organic units which need no crude additions such as furniture, plumbing or d cor, and can be grown for the price of seed - the solution to the housing needs of a galaxy The Iszic are protective of their lucrative monopoly, and when botanist Aile Farr of Earth arrives for a visit, he is under immediate suspicion of attempting to steal a female house. So begins a cat-and-mouse game between the graceful, unfailingly courteous Iszic, and a determined man of Earth.

THE BLUE WORLD, a beautiful world, a world of water, with floating islands made by the thick, spreading tops of gigantic ocean growths, big enough to support neat houses and sea 'gardens' alive with fish of all kinds, rich with edible water plants, and even communication towers so that the People of the Floats were not cut off from one another but could send messages and enjoy festivals and meetings together. Except for one thing. The massive abundance of the ocean spawned far more than food and sustenance for the puny humans living on its surface. The Floats were in constant danger from the ravaging attacks of great sea creatures against which there was no defense - except mealy-mouthed propitiation. THE BLUE WORLD needed a rebel, one who would give his life if necessary.

Jack Vance was one of the most influential writers in science fiction, fantasy, and mystery literature. Beginning in 1945 with his short story "The World-Thinker", followed in 1950 by The Dying Earth - a landmark work of fantasy which helped shape the evolution of the field, and which even served as an inspiration for Dungeons & Dragons - Vance went on to write more than fifty novels and dozens of novellas and short stories, including such classics as the Lyonesse trilogy, the adventures of Cugel the Clever, The Demon Princes series, and The Cadwal Chronicles. He has been honored with three Hugo Awards, the Nebula, Jupiter, Edgar, World Fantasy Award, and attained the rank of SFWA Grand Master for lifetime achievement in the fantasy and science fiction world.Vance was famously reticent on the topics of himself and his writing. In 2009, This Is Me, Jack Vance at last allowed a glimpse into his life and craft. Now his memoir is expanded with a plethora of new photographs, personal notes, documents, and excerpts from private manuscripts and scrapbooks to provide a treasury of memories, thoughts, and images that illuminate the inner world of a brilliant creator.

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 people who also love well made books. Jack Vance's Complete Lyonesse is a perfect addition to the series and contains Madouc the novel for which Vance won the World Fantasy Award.

Grand Master Jack Vance's haunting tale of the search for identity across time and space.

ALL FOUR PLANET OF ADVENTURE NOVELS IN ONE VOLUME Stranded on the distant planet of Tschai, young Adam Reith is the sole survivor of a space mission who discovers the world inhabited - not only by warring alien cultures, but human slaves as well, taken early in Earth's history. Reith must find a way off the planet to warn Earth of Tschai's deadly existence. Against a backdrop of baroque cities, sumptuous palaces and riotous inns, Reith will encounter deadly wastrels and murderous aliens, dastardly villains and conniving scoundrels. And always a random beauty in need of rescue...

The Chasch (Book 1 of 4 in Tschai series, Russian translation) The starship Explorator IV is destroyed after entering orbit around the planet Tschai. Adam Reith's scout ship is en route to the surface when the attack occurs, and is damaged in the explosion; Reith crash-lands and is separated from his ship. He finds a world full of violence, where four non-human races rule: the Chasch, the Dirdir, the Wankh, and the Pnume. Humans are present, but dominated by the other races. In this volume Reith sets out to regain his scout ship, and makes his way to Dadiche, ruled by the Blue Chasch and their human servants. Along the way he finds loyal friends, and challenges social inequities with the same aplomb that he rescues fair maidens - like the lovely Ylin Ylan, Flower of Cath. 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.

The Wankh (Book 2 of 4 in Tschai series, Russian translation) After crashing on Tschai, Adam Reith's scout ship is impossibly damaged. Reith must find another vessel to return to Earth. Having rescued the beautiful Ylin-Ylan, Reith is assured of assistance from her father if he delivers her back to Cath; but as events unfold, he is forced to make a dangerous choice. Inevitably he must risk everything against the enigmatic Wankh - and their devious human servants, the Wankhmen. 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.

The Dirdir (Book 3 of 4 in Tschai series, Russian translation) Adam Reith has failed twice to acquire a spaceship. He decides to build a ship from scratch, but this requires vast resources; his only hope is to win valuable sequins away from the terrifying realm of the Carabas, hunting preserve of the Dirdir. Even then, his greatest adversary is the cunning, monstrous Aila Woudiver... 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.