Sjambak: A Classic Science Fiction Adventure

Look, I have the free Kindle version of this, so the price is right. There is literally no reason not to download it for a quiet moment when you have nothing else to do. Sjambak is a nice little sci-fi story by Jack Vance, although it is not particularly "Vancian" with only a little of the characteristic dialogue and things just being slightly off-kilter. It's a quick read, 20 or 30 pages long if it were a book. Sadly, it is missing the Virgil Finlay art referred to in the text. To say it about a space cowboy is to both mislead and tell the truth: its really about a journalist looking for a story, space travel, terraforming and ambition. The Sjambak is...well, better to read it and find out. This not earthshattering stuff: it's a sci-fi short story of the type mass-produced in the 1940's and 50's. But its fun, cheap, and written by Jack Vance, so you know its better than it has a right to be.

I give this short story 5 stars because there simply is no bad Jack Vance work. Is this Vance at his very best? No. This is a run-of-the-mill sf short story of the kind that appeared in pulp magazines through the 40s, 50s and 60s. Writer's like Vance cranked out slightly interesting and amusing yarns like this by the dozen to put coin in their pocket. But Vance is most likely the greatest sf writer of them all, though far less known than the "big guns" such as Asimov, Heinlein and Bradbury. But Vance is a far, far superior writer to all of the above, (yes, even Bradbury) and the primary reason for that is his extremely unique and elegant style. Sjambak merely hints at the brilliant potential of Vance. Readers who have read only this story should not make a judgment on Vance until they have read some of his novels, such as "The Demon Princes" or "The Planet of Adventure" series, or "Lyonesse", which are sublime beyond belief. There is no true joy like reading a Jack Vance book.

This science fiction adventure is fast paced and enjoyable enough, if rather far-fetched and not especially memorable. Murphy, a reporter, is ordered to get a sensational story on a remote world where it is rumored that a horseman rides out to meet spaceships. The conservative rulers of this planet want to show off their civilization without any sensationalism. Murphy, of course, gets around them.

In my opinion, Jack Vance is one of the best writers in the history of science fiction. Cordwainer Smith is the only name that eclipses him, and barely at that. Sjambak is in the second rank of this authors output, but if you already like Vance, just get it. If you like SF as literature, get Vance and Smith and you will then LOVE the genre.

Low price, BIG softcover 1-story edition makes it a MUST for Vance collectors. Story is puzzling- read it SEVERAL times & unfold it.

Having read the entirety of Jack Vance, I have to say I was very disappointed in this book. Basically it is a short story and not one of his best. My favorite Jack Vance short story is "The Moon Moth". Vance's creativity is unparalleled in the world of science fiction as far as I am concerned.

Not one of Vance's best stories, but interesting to read it. Compared to some of his other stories and novellas, this is lackluster.

This novelette, published by Jack Vance in If magazine in 1953, could be described as a routine potboiler, the kind that science fiction authors churned out by the ream in the 1950s. Except that there is no "routine" Jack Vance story. This tale, like nearly all of Vance's fiction, portrays a fascinating planet, with a well-visualized sociology, history, culture and ecology. That Vance created so many planetary civilizations-- each unique in its own way-- is a tribute to his incredible gifts of imagination. If this free story whets your appetite for Jack Vance's SF, try this excellent Kindle anthology: The Men Return One caveat: despite the blurb, this Kindle book does NOT include Virgil Finlay's illustrations.