Maske: Thaery Paperback – November 25, 2003

Jack Vance was a special kind of writer – a literary genius.Because he wrote primarily in the science fiction field, he was pegged (and often dismissed) as a “genre writer.” But a more accurate term would be: “genre artist.”Many don’t know he also achieved enormous success in the murder-mystery, crime novel genre, having won the top award in that field, the Edgar. He wrote three books under the Ellery Queen pseudonym, and a host of other crime novels under other names. His shocking novel “Bad Ronald” was made into highly rated TV movie in the 1970s.The New York Times Magazine described Vance as, "one of American literature's most distinctive and undervalued voices.”Writer Michael Chabon said of Vance:"Jack Vance is the most painful case of all the writers I love who I feel don't get the credit they deserve. If The Last Castle or The Dragon Masters had the name Italo Calvino on it, or just a foreign name, it would be received as a profound meditation, but because he's Jack Vance and published in Amazing Whatever, there's this insurmountable barrier … It's not Twain-Hemingway; it's more Poe's tradition, a blend of European refinement with brawling, two-fisted frontier spirit."ABOUT THIS BOOK:In this book, Maske: Thaery, many of those elements that make Vance's cult fans love him the most are present:• The setting is a far-off planet with a mild climate, bucolic and scenic countryside, vast swelling oceans and mysterious continents populated by strange flora and fauna.• The time is uncounted thousands of years in the future, but human beings have an uneasy relationship with advanced technology. The result is a society that seems fundamentally of European Middle Ages design, but mixed with many of the technological gimmicks of the 20th Century, and some advanced space technology.• Vance’s peculiar obsession with making his characters constantly haggle, bargain and bicker over small or large amounts of money.• The luxury space yacht. This is one of the most endearing Jack Vance creations – think of today’s luxury RV motorhome – except this is one that can flit between the stars, traveling in comfort from planet to planet.• The lonely hero: A decent, intelligent handsome man of low or middling birth, but who views himself as something special, or as rightfully belonging among more a more elite caste of society – who is yet humble and despises those who make pretensions.• Long sailing voyages across achingly lovely oceans features gorgeous sunsets and exotic moonlight.• Country inns where a person can rest, eat a wonderful meal of spiced stew, fresh salad, and crusty home-baked bread, accompanied by a delicious selection of wines.• An extremely beautiful, but aloof, haughty and disdainful heroine.• A society structured along the lines of a vivid caste system.The lowly-born hero in this case is Jubal Droad – although it’s not his caste that is low, so much as the remote corner of the world to which he belongs, a section of the continent called Glentlin, “a barren unproductive land of small population.”There is a definite resemblance to that of 13th or 14th Century Scotland vis-à-vis that of England. For example, a “high born” Scot from a wealthy family may nevertheless fin himself near the bottom of the pecking order among elite English, aristocratic society.The plot of this book revolves around the attempt of Jubal Droad, a “lowly Glint,” who is determined to make something important of himself in the world, and his burning desire to be taken seriously as a man of “high birth and status” among the Thariots, who dominate the world culture of the planet Maske.Jubal travels to the major city of Thaery, Wysrod, where he quickly embroils himself in the highest levels of government and society intrigue – mostly by agreeing to take a dangerous mission as a spy.The result is a marvelous adventure that takes Jubal off planet to other worlds, as well as across the oceans of his home planet, Maske. His life is frequently in danger, the elites of society do everything they can to keep their thumb down on a person they view as “ low-caste” -- all the while, Jubal confronts everything from mystical mysteries of magic to the crass, materialistic commercialism of greedy capitalists.Reading Maske: Thaery gives one a feeling that is equivalent to the joy of a glorious summer day, combined with the shimmering magical feeling of Tolkien's Middle Earth, along with the thrill of working through the twists and turns of an international spy thriller.It’s a brilliant book -- yet at the same time, definitely accessible to readers of just about all levels, from young adult to those who like to chew on great works of literature. This book is both great literature and easy to read at the same time -- thanks to the unique talent of the amazing Jack Vance.

I consider Jack Vance to be the finest speculative fiction writer of the 20th Century. This book is up to his usual high standard, and it is one of my Vance favorites. It might be correct to call Jack Vance a Speculative Sociologist and he, once again, displays his deft touch here.

In this earlier book by Jack Vance, we can see many of the themes Jack put into later books- strange societies with odd rules, clothing and behaviors, and the idea of the roguish man making his way by his wits, outdoing the villains by his cleverness, rather than by powerful thews, flashing swords or arcane skills.Here we have the young Jubal Droad, who is a scion of a noble family, but whose family, much like d'Artagnan's (being a Gascon) is looked upon as being rather coarse and not quite "right" for "society". Our Hero is out on a rite of manhood- a year of public service and self-introspection when he encounters a very rude (and it turns out later) powerful man. Indeed, the tale reminds me quite a bit of d'Artagnan- but without the rest of the Musketeers. When he next meets his shadowing and powerful enemy Jubal is set upon by hired thugs who would have administered a extremely painful punishment. Our hero escapes by his wits and the skin of his teeth. In his quest for vengeance and a career, Jubal finds himself hired by the equally powerful and secretive Nai the Hever as a "Sanitary Inspector", little knowing that Nai's "Sanitary Inspector" are actually secret agents.Propelled by his thirst for vengeance and his desire to make good, Jubal is propelled through a series of interesting and exotic locations and encounters. Any fan of Vance will expect (and find) some very strange peoples with exotic garb and local customs.Not Vance's best, but an entertaining read nevertheless.

Well Vance is just brilliant if you love words, description, ironic humour and want your fantasy world to appear almost more real than the mundane reality that surrounds you. This ticks all the boxes.

I haven't time to go into a long winded review of this book but I will say I think Jack Vance is one of the great American authors and I am so grateful that he was as prolific as he was.

Of course, if you like Jack Vance, you'll read anything by him. Maske: Thaery feels like part of a series that (unfortunately) never happened - lots of intriguing possibilities. Plot flow is a bit jerky.

Well-written enjoyable sci-fi. If you like Jack Vance and you want a shorter novel that's not part of a longer series, this will satisfy.

As with all of his novels, Vance writes with a clever descriptive style that is very enjoyable to read!

This is is Jack Vance at his best-fun,inventive with soaring imagination and wicked,wicked humour.If you read it and don't fall in love with the joy of words and humour-you have no soul.If you are a writeryourself- read it and despair!Unlike Ozymandias-these words will live for ever!

I'm exceptionally fond of Jack Vance's scifi and fantasy works (for the latter, check out the 'Lyonesse' series or the Cudgel books) and this novel is almost a cross-over of the two genres - our young hero butting heads with haughty aristocrats and an eccentric Civil Service in an effort to right some wrongs. The story has almost a quasi-medieval feel to it, but is set against a background of interplanetary travel.Not the best Vance book for a beginner, but a solid example from his back catalogue, now widely available thanks to electronic publishing.

Jack Vance is a perfect story teller.

Brilliant book

A great read with lots of imagination, wit and storytelling.