Vance, John Holbrook, Writing as Jack Vance (291 results)

Unknown. Condition: Good. No Jacket. Pages can have notes/highlighting. Spine may show signs of wear. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less 0.28.

Small octavo, pictorial wrappers. First printing of this collection. DAW Books UE1563. Reprint collection. Collects three short novels, "Nopalgarth" (a.k.a. "The Brains of Earth"), "The Houses of Iszm" and "Son of the Tree." A fine, unread copy. (#176080).

Small octavo, pictorial wrappers. First U.S. edition. DAW Books UJ1498. Book four of the Demon Princes series. "Originally published between 1964 and 1981 . these five picaresque novels are vintage Jack Vance, crammed to the brim with sardonic wit and beautiful, slightly understated prose. Five aliens, the Demon Princes of the title, were responsible for the Mount Pleasant Massacre, which destroyed an entire world. Kirth Gersen, whose entire family died in the massacre, has dedicated his life to hunting down and avenging himself upon the princes, one per volume." - Anatomy of Wonder (2004) II-1160. Anatomy of Wonder (2004) II-1160. A fine copy. (#94022).

Octavo, cloth-backed boards. First trade edition. "Araminta Station on the planet Cadwal was founded as a nature preserve with a strictly limited population of conservationists and research scientists. Over the centuries, however, using a series of legal subterfuges, its now hereditary administrators have allowed enormous population growth, and society has taken on an almost Byzantine complexity. As social unrest begins to spread across the planet, one young police officer attempts to solve a murder." - Anatomy of Wonder (2004) II-1159. First book of "The Cadwal Chronicles." Anatomy of Wonder (2004) II-1159. Lower corner tips bruised, else a nearly fine copy in nearly fine dust jacket with faint matching bruises. (#92796).

Octavo, cloth-backed boards. First trade edition. "Araminta Station on the planet Cadwal was founded as a nature preserve with a strictly limited population of conservationists and research scientists. Over the centuries, however, using a series of legal subterfuges, its now hereditary administrators have allowed enormous population growth, and society has taken on an almost Byzantine complexity. As social unrest begins to spread across the planet, one young police officer attempts to solve a murder." - Anatomy of Wonder (2004) II-1159. First book of "The Cadwal Chronicles." Anatomy of Wonder (2004) II-1159. Upper spine panel lightly creased, a nearly fine copy in nearly fine dust jacket with light dust soiling to rear panel. (#92040).

Small octavo, pictorial wrappers. First edition. DAW Books UJ1413. Third book in the Alastor series. The Connatic, mysterious protector of law in the Alastor Cluster of thirty thousand inhabited planets, sends an advisor to investigate a so called Utopia on the planet Wyst, where in one great city live millions of people who, sharing alike, work in absolute equality for just a few hours a week; a society dedicated to self-fulfillment, pleasure and frivolity. Anatomy of Wonder (1981) 3-764. Sargent, British and American Utopian Literature, 1516-1985, p. 389. A fine, unread copy. (#87505).

Small octavo, pictorial wrappers. First U.S. edition. DAW Books UJ1498. Book four of the Demon Princes series. "Originally published between 1964 and 1981 . these five picaresque novels are vintage Jack Vance, crammed to the brim with sardonic wit and beautiful, slightly understated prose. Five aliens, the Demon Princes of the title, were responsible for the Mount Pleasant Massacre, which destroyed an entire world. Kirth Gersen, whose entire family died in the massacre, has dedicated his life to hunting down and avenging himself upon the princes, one per volume." - Anatomy of Wonder (2004) II-1160. Anatomy of Wonder (2004) II-1160. A fine copy. (#87497).

Small octavo, pictorial wrappers. First edition. Ballantine Books 24518. Second book in the Alastor series. Anatomy of Wonder (1981) 3-764. A fine, unread copy. (#87499).

Octavo, pictorial wrappers. First separate edition. Short story first published in WORLDS OF IF, July 1953 and collected in THE AUGMENTED AGENT AND OTHER STORIES (1986). One wonders why this separate reprint was made. A fine copy. (#145608).

Small octavo, pictorial wrappers. First edition. Ace Double M141. Short novel in which "various nasty aliens attempt to control the populace of our fair planet. A minor potboiler by a usually capable writer" (Pringle, The Ultimate Guide to Science Fiction, second edition [1995], p. 48). Bound with THE MANY WORLDS OF MAGNUS RIDOLPH, a collection of short fiction by Vance. Spine lean, touch of rubbing to wrappers, a very good or better, bright copy. (#176305).

First edition. Small octavo, pictorial wrappers. Paperback edition, issued simultaneously with the hardcover edition. [Reference: Anatomy of Wonder (2004) II-1167. Hewett and Mallett, The Work of Jack Vance, A4]. A very good or better copy, light reading crease to spine, slight wear to head of spine, upper right corners, some light spotting to front panel. (6624).

Small octavo, pictorial wrappers. First edition. DAW Books UE1587. Book five of the Demon Princes series. Kirth Gersen seeks the fifth, last and most elusive Demon Prince; the cruel, calculating, enigmatic Howard Alan Treesong. "He is a mystery, and his ultimate purposes cannot even be guessed." Anatomy of Wonder (2004) II-1160. A fine, unread copy. (#87490).

Small octavo, pictorial wrappers. First edition. Ace Double Novel Books F265. The best homes in the universe are grown from seeds genetically programed on the planet Iszm. "The Houses of Iszm are intelligent, trainable, living plants which provide the planet's main export. A botanist attempts to steal a female in order to break the monopoly escapes with a plant -- of some sort -- growing in his body. As usual Vance's luxuriant imagination is, dare we say it, fertile" (Pringle, The Ultimate Guide to Science Fiction, second edition [1995], p. 177). Bound with SON OF THE TREE by Vance. A very good or somewhat better copy with a touch of dust soiling to the "Houses" cover. (#176318).

Small octavo, pictorial wrappers. First edition. Dell 1708. Book two of the Durdane series. A fine copy. (#176085).

Small octavo, pictorial wrappers. First edition. Ace Books 66900. Second book of the "Tschai" series. A fine copy. Cover art by Jeff Jones. (#176088).

Small octavo, pictorial wrappers. First edition. Dell 3157. Book three of the Durdane series. A fine, unread copy. (#176086).

Small octavo, pictorial wrappers. First edition. Ace Books M149. "Vance returns to the future world of THE DYING EARTH, in which magic reigns rather than technology, but with a difference in tone. The focus in this book of interconnected stories and its sequels is on the picaresque adventures of a thief named Cugel the Clever, and while some of the seriousness of THE DYING EARTH remains (how could a dying world not be serious, after all?), there is also a fair amount of humor as Cugel occasionally trips over himself in his greed. Also, as always with Vance, there is a wealth of invention and imagination" (Darren Harris-Fain). Anatomy of Wonder (1987) 3-380. Barron (ed), Fantasy and Horror (1999) 7-357. Barron (ed), Fantasy Literature 4A-256. Pringle, Modern Fantasy: The Hundred Best Novels 33. Survey of Modern Fantasy Literature I, pp. 441-46. Tymn (ed), Fantasy Literature, p. 169. Crease in front cover near lower fore-edge corner of front cover, inner surface of wrappers tanned, a very good copy. (#176078).

Small octavo, pictorial wrappers. First edition. Ace Books G688. First book of the "Tschai" series. A fine, unread copy. Cover art by Jeff Jones. (#176087).

Small octavo, pictorial wrappers. First edition. Dell 0441. Book one of the Durdane series. Sargent, British and American Utopian Literature, 1516-1985, p. 336. A fine, unread copy. (#176083).

Small octavo, pictorial wrappers. First edition. Dell 3157. Book three of the Durdane series. Neat owner's name in ink on recto of first leaf, a fine copy. (#94627).

Small octavo, pictorial wrappers. First edition. Dell 1708. Book two of the Durdane series. Neat owner's name in ink on recto of first leaf, a fine copy. (#94629).

Small octavo, pictorial wrappers. First edition. Ace Books G688. First book of the "Tschai" series. A fine, unread copy. Cover art by Jeff Jones. (#94020).

Small octavo, pictorial wrappers. First edition. Pyramid V3698. A novel set on Big Planet. "Rivalry between actor-managers on the riverboats of Big Planet ends with the exposing of a royal crime during a performance of Macbeth" (Pringle, The Ultimate Guide to Science Fiction, second edition [1995], p. 327). Sargent, British and American Utopian Literature, 1516-1985, Additions. Tiny, faint stain on rear cover, a nearly fine copy. (#94028).

Small octavo, pictorial wrappers. First edition. Dell 3157. Book three of the Durdane series. A fine, unread copy. (#94018).

Small octavo, pictorial wrappers. First edition. Ace Books 66902. Fourth book of the "Tschai" series. A fine, unread copy. Cover art by Jeff Jones. (#94027).

Small octavo, pictorial wrappers. First edition. Ace Books 66901. Third book of the "Tschai" series. Marooned on the planet Tschai Earthman Adam Reith attempts to steal a starship from the Dirdir. A fine, unread copy. Cover art by Jeff Jones. (#87492).

Small octavo, pictorial wrappers. First edition. Ace Books 66902. Fourth book of the "Tschai" series. A fine, unread copy. Cover art by Jeff Jones. (#87493).

Small octavo, pictorial wrappers. First edition. Pyramid V3698. A novel set on Big Planet. "Rivalry between actor-managers on the riverboats of Big Planet ends with the exposing of a royal crime during a performance of Macbeth" (Pringle, The Ultimate Guide to Science Fiction, second edition [1995], p. 327). Sargent, British and American Utopian Literature, 1516-1985, Additions. A fine, unread copy. (#87500).

Small octavo, pictorial wrappers. First edition. Ballantine Books 03308-6. First book in the Alastor series. "Alastor has an Edenic climate where the Trill, humans living in an easy-going countercultural lifestyle, once a year play 'hassade,' a death-defying all-or-nothing 'Olympics.' Problems arise when interstellar pirates make a kidnapping raid and Trill must discover the traitor among themselves. Life is not interesting without crucial conflict" (Anatomy of Wonder [1987] 3-764). Anatomy of Wonder (1981) 3-764. Tiny private owner's address label on inside front cover, else a fine copy. (#87504).

Small octavo, pictorial wrappers. First edition. Ballantine Books U2169. The submissive People of the Floats, a socialistic community of eleventh-generation descendants of convicts who hijacked a ship taking them to a penal planet, threatened by an intelligent sea beast to whom they pay homage and tribute and an emerging caste system, is preserved by a rebel who "kills the beast and sets technology afoot for potential reunion with main body of humankind. Epic adventure in futuro-exotic setting. Effective presentation of ecology and resulting lifestyle from 'criminal' beginnings" (Anatomy of Wonder [1987] 3-378). Vance's "talent for extracting exotic flavors from commonplace terms has seldom been better used." - James Cawthorn. An expansion of "The Kragen," FANTASTIC, July 1964. 1966 Nebula nominee. Sargent, British and American Utopian Literature, 1516-1985, Additions. Reginald 14441. A fine, unread copy. Cover art by Vincent Di Fate. (#87488).