The book is a classic adventure novel with a simple premise of a protagonist crash-landing on an alien planet and surviving. The reviewer appreciates Vance's mastery of pulp science fiction elements, which shine through in this story.
The book is a classic adventure novel with a simple premise of a protagonist crash-landing on an alien planet and surviving. The reviewer appreciates Vance's mastery of pulp science fiction elements, which shine through in this story. The protagonist's journey is filled with new friends and enemies, but his goal remains the same: to return to Earth with the knowledge he has gained. The reviewer finds the book fulfilling many of the checklist items one comes to expect from Vance, including weird creatures, oddball characters, absurd names, made-up vocabulary, un-subtle satire, hilarious high jinx, and luscious alien scenery.
Quick quotes
A classic set-up for an adventure novel. The premise allowed Vance’s mastery of the pulp s-f elements he had used in his other stories and novels to shine forth unfiltered.
The adventures of our surly protagonist continue in this second book in the series.
The Gray Prince is not advanced Vance, but it fulfills many of the checklist items one comes to expect from the GM of fantasy: weird creatures, oddball characters, absurd names, made-up vocabulary, un-subtle satire, hilarious high jinx, and luscious alien scenery.