See Grand Crusades. Original tree art by Tom Kid |
Jack Vance's writing career was the story of a gifted writer who tried to earn enough money from his imaginative stories about fantasy worlds so that he could spend his whole life writing more stories about imaginary worlds. I read the version of "Son of the Tree" that was published in Thrilling Wonder Stories, in the June 1951 issue.
This scene comes 25 pages into the story when Joe has departed from Kyril. interior art, 1951 |
The interior art that accompanied Vance's story is not attributed to anyone. The image shown to the left on this page might at first seem to have been inspired by the beginning of Vance's story. Joe is inside a space cruiser, newly arrived on the planet Kyril. Based on the illustration, one might have imagined that you were about to read a story about first class travel to the stars with Joe in the middle of a shave and asking for more towels from a stewardess. Think again.
During his trip to Kyril, Joe does not travel in first class accommodations. He has gone from star to star shipped in the hold, like cargo, in some sort of suspended animation. Arriving on Kyril, his only objective is to get a job and earn enough money to move on to another planet.
Elfane |
I find imaginary politics to be mind-numbing. Vance introduces the idea that there are multiple factions of the Mang. Joe ends up "working with" Hableyat, a member of the Bluewater Faction of the Mangs. The Druids have evolved a weird religion on Kyril with a bloated hierarchy of rulers who include Hierophants, Theoarchs, Presbytes and Ecclesiarchs.
two warriors |
Isaac Asimov also included the idea that Earth would become little more than a legend in his future Galactic Empire. However, the Asimov's Galactic Imperials of the future galaxy are all pretty similar in appearance. Not so in Vance's imagined galaxy.
original cover art by Earle Bergey and Edmund Emshwiller |
In Asimov's fictional version of the galaxy, there were no alien creatures of significance. However, Vance included some interesting natives on various exoplanets for his stories such as the alien Star Kings of the planet Ghnarumen. For "Son of the Tree" there is a strange native creature on Kyril that becomes central to the plot of the story.
The version of "Son of the Tree" that I read, as published Thrilling Wonder Stories, has problems and plot holes. I suspect that editor Sam Merwin cut out part of Vance's story in order to fit everything into one issue. 😢
Ifness' aircar, The Asutra |
Fictional Biology
Weird Tales In the Ekcolir Reality |
Son of the Tree |
The Sacred Shin by Anney Fersoni |
Cosmopolis |
More Vance: August 2019
May 2019.
August 2018.
August 2017.
May 2017.
August 2016.
August 2020
Next: the Vance speed limit
In the Ekcolir Reality. Visit the Gallery of Book and Magazine Covers |
No comments:
Post a Comment