Saturday, June 1, 2013

Which of Jack Vance's novels is your all-time personal favorite?


Prolific science fiction and fantasy writer Jack Vance passed away on Sunday leaving behind scores of great novels and countless fans. Vance died at the age of 96, and during his life he wrote over 60 books, including a handful under various pennames. During his career, he won almost every major sci-fi and fantasy award given, including a World Fantasy Awards in 1984 and1990, Hugo Awards in 1963, 1967 and 2010, the Jupiter Award in 1975, and an Edgar Award in 1961. He was named a Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America Grand Master in 1997.

Vance wrote so many books that tracking down a complete list of them is no easy task. As far as I can tell, his official Web site, www.jackvance.com, does not provide his complete bibliography, but it does direct you to his page at the Internet Speculative Fiction Database. That Web site, http://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/ea.cgi?136, does give a list of Vance’s books. What follows is an alphabetical list of those books, according to the ISFD, minus the numerous editions of his collected works and omnibus editions. Without further ado, here’s the list.

1. Araminta Station (1987)
2. A Room to Die In (1965)
3. Bad Ronald (1973)
4. Big Planet (1957)
5. City of the Chasch (1968)

6. Cugel's Saga (1983)
7. The Deadly Isles (1969)
8. Ecce and Old Earth (1991)
9. Emphyrio (1969)
10. Isle of Peril (1957)

11. Lurulu (2004)
12. Lyonesse: Madouc (1989)
13. Lyonesse: Suldrun's Garden (1983)
14. Lyonesse: The Green Pearl (1985)
15. Marune: Alastor 933 (1975)

16. Maske: Thaery (1976)
17. Monsters in Orbit (1965)
18. Night Lamp (1996)
19. Ports of Call (1998)
20. Servants of the Wankh (1969)

21. Showboat World (1975)
22. Slaves of the Klau (1958)
23. Space Opera (1965)
24. Strange Notions (1985)
25. Take My Face (1957)

26. The Anome (1973)
27. The Asutra (1974)
28. The Blue World (1966)
29. The Book of Dreams (1981)
30. The Brave Free Men (1973)

31. The Dark Ocean (1985)
32. The Dirdir (1969)
33. The Eyes of the Overworld (1966)
34. The Face (1979)
35. The Five Gold Bands (1950)

36. The Four Johns (1964)
37. The Fox Valley Murders (1966)
38. The Gray Prince (1975)
39. The House on Lily Street (1979)
40. The Jack Vance Lexicon: From Ahulph to Zipangote (1992)

41. The Killing Machine (1964)
42. The Languages of Pao (1958)
43. The Madman Theory (1966)
44. The Man in the Cage (1960)
45. The Palace of Love (1967)

46. The Pleasant Grove Murders (1967)
47. The Pnume (1970)
48. The Star King (1964)
49. This is Me, Jack Vance! (or, More Properly, This is "I") (2009)
50. Throy (1992)

51. To Live Forever (1956)
52. Trullion: Alastor 2262 (1973)
53. Vandals of the Void (1953)
54. The View from Chickweed's Window (1979)
55. Wyst: Alastor 1716 (1978)

In the end, how many of these books have you had the chance to read? Which did you like or dislike? Which is your personal favorite? Why? Let us know in the comments section below.

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