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Planet of Adventure #4
Los Pnume
De la contratapa:
Los Pnume eran una antigua raza del planeta Tschai que habitaba en las profundidades, en una inmensa red de cavernas con sus esclavos humanos, los Pnumekin. Los Pnume eran los historiadores de Tschai, encargados de recopilar el pasado con una dedicada y erudita atención. Los seres de la superficie nunca veían a los Pnume... si eran afortunados.
Adam Reith no fue tan afortunado. Los Pnume habían oído rumores de un extraño hombre, que afirmaba haber llegado del planeta tierra, y lo deseaban para Eternamente, el museo de la vida de Tschai. El destino de Adam Reith era pues el de convertirse en un espécimen a exhibir en un museo alienígena...
Con esta cuarta y última novela, finaliza Jack Vance su serie épica de Tschai, el Planeta de la Aventura. En ella, la mayor creación literaria de la aventura de ciencia ficción llega hasta su climax, prendiendo la atención del lector hasta su impactante desenlace.
Los Pnume eran una antigua raza del planeta Tschai que habitaba en las profundidades, en una inmensa red de cavernas con sus esclavos humanos, los Pnumekin. Los Pnume eran los historiadores de Tschai, encargados de recopilar el pasado con una dedicada y erudita atención. Los seres de la superficie nunca veían a los Pnume... si eran afortunados.
Adam Reith no fue tan afortunado. Los Pnume habían oído rumores de un extraño hombre, que afirmaba haber llegado del planeta tierra, y lo deseaban para Eternamente, el museo de la vida de Tschai. El destino de Adam Reith era pues el de convertirse en un espécimen a exhibir en un museo alienígena...
Con esta cuarta y última novela, finaliza Jack Vance su serie épica de Tschai, el Planeta de la Aventura. En ella, la mayor creación literaria de la aventura de ciencia ficción llega hasta su climax, prendiendo la atención del lector hasta su impactante desenlace.
192 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1969
13 people are currently reading
512 people want to read
About the author
Jack Vance
778 books1,588 followersAka John Holbrook Vance, Peter Held, John Holbrook, Ellery Queen, John van See, Alan Wade.
The author was born in 1916 and educated at the University of California, first as a mining engineer, then majoring in physics and finally in journalism. During the 1940s and 1950s, he contributed widely to science fiction and fantasy magazines. His first novel, The Dying Earth , was published in 1950 to great acclaim. He won both of science fiction's most coveted trophies, the Hugo and Nebula awards. He also won an Edgar Award for his mystery novel The Man in the Cage . He lived in Oakland, California in a house he designed.
The author was born in 1916 and educated at the University of California, first as a mining engineer, then majoring in physics and finally in journalism. During the 1940s and 1950s, he contributed widely to science fiction and fantasy magazines. His first novel, The Dying Earth , was published in 1950 to great acclaim. He won both of science fiction's most coveted trophies, the Hugo and Nebula awards. He also won an Edgar Award for his mystery novel The Man in the Cage . He lived in Oakland, California in a house he designed.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 101 reviews
May 29, 2018
How many strange events the nights of old Tschai had known! And now another, with himself a participant. He felt ashamed and demeaned: he quivered with rage. If he could get his hands on his captors, what a vengeance he would take!
The Earthman, Adam Reith, sees his dream of escaping from the planet Tschai fade away just as he is about to finish the starship that would take him home. He is kidnapped by mysterious strangers and taken deep underground, to the realm of the secretive Pnume – the last, and probably the oldest, alien race that populates the world. In the best traditions of planetary adventure established by the likes of Edgar Rice Burroughs and Leigh Bracket, the Hero must now face impossible odds in his attempt to escape, be valiant and quick-witted and maybe even pick up a damsel in distress along the way. Jack Vance embellishes on this classic story telling frame with his own brand of lyrical, doom-ladden scenery descriptions, peculiar social and sexual habits for the aliens, dubious moral choices and sly humour. The Planet of Adventure series is more focused on action than on extravagant descriptive passages, which makes it easier to follow up than Lyonesse, and is less elegiac than the Tales of the Dying Earth with science instead of magic ruling the world, although the planet Tschai itself shares some of the characteristics of that future Earth : a dim Sun that bathes the landscape in shades of brown and a sense of an ancient history that is only a dim memory now.
The pegmatite walls were studded with enormous tourmalines which, excited to fluorescence by some means unknown, glowed pink and blue.
A bonus for me are the long tours of caverns studded with precious stones and minerals, lots of names I recognize from my own polished pebbles collection.
Speaking of memory, and putting in a bit of a spoiler about the nature of the Pnume:
... they are indeed the oldest of the races on the planet, and they see themselves mostly as custodians of its past rather than masters of its future. From their dark and glittering underground caverns, the Pnume are viewing the exploits of the surface races like a theater of shadows, quickly fading from the planet's consciousness unless they are captured in the crystal lattice of their Foreverness citadel.
Perhaps men too are off-world. If so, four people sojourn in Tschai. But that has happened before; many times have strange folk come down to Old Tschai. The 'zuzhma kastchai' neither welcome nor repel; they observe, they watch. They expand their collections; they fill the museums of Foreverness; they compile their archives.
... This is the end, my friends, of Adam Reith adventures on the planet Tschai, and what a glorious trip it was. It may not be my favorite series by Jack Vance, but only because I rate the other big two I finished so high. I recommend getting the four book omnibus edition, as the individual episodes are compact and fast paced, and reading them wholesale helps a lot not to lose track of the numerous races Adam meets on his travels.
June 14, 2017
Boisterous conduct.
That is how a character from Jack Vance’s 1969 Planet of Adventure book The Pnume describes events in the minimalistic but witty offering from the GrandMaster that wraps up the tetralogy.
Four alien races and a smattering of atavistic and strangely evolved humans populate the planet Tschai. Vance spends some time with the weird, reclusive and ancient culture of the Pnume (pronounced Pnume) who turn out to be the aboriginal race on Tschai. 60s era John Carter protagonist Adam Reith spices things up with some Austin Powers libidinous escapades in the Pnume shadowy world.
In a setting somewhat reminiscent of Frank Herbert’s (a close friend of Vance) 1973 novel Hellstrom's Hive, Vance illustrates the Pnume as an underground society that eliminates individuality and inhibits sexuality in its human slaves. Vance introduces one of his most interestingly dynamic characters in Zap 210, Reith’s bashful Bond girl.
The Pnume had a different tone than the first three books in the series and though Vance ties up the Tschai books, the end seemed truncated.
Still an excellent visit with mad Jack on a distant world. Good fun.
That is how a character from Jack Vance’s 1969 Planet of Adventure book The Pnume describes events in the minimalistic but witty offering from the GrandMaster that wraps up the tetralogy.
Four alien races and a smattering of atavistic and strangely evolved humans populate the planet Tschai. Vance spends some time with the weird, reclusive and ancient culture of the Pnume (pronounced Pnume) who turn out to be the aboriginal race on Tschai. 60s era John Carter protagonist Adam Reith spices things up with some Austin Powers libidinous escapades in the Pnume shadowy world.
In a setting somewhat reminiscent of Frank Herbert’s (a close friend of Vance) 1973 novel Hellstrom's Hive, Vance illustrates the Pnume as an underground society that eliminates individuality and inhibits sexuality in its human slaves. Vance introduces one of his most interestingly dynamic characters in Zap 210, Reith’s bashful Bond girl.
The Pnume had a different tone than the first three books in the series and though Vance ties up the Tschai books, the end seemed truncated.
Still an excellent visit with mad Jack on a distant world. Good fun.
January 5, 2019
The conclusion to a ridiculously good tetralogy. The Pnume deals with Reith’s eventual, and inevitable, dealings with the beings of the title. The Pnume are arguably the most secretive and enigmatic of the alien races inhabiting Tschai, and the novel caters to the expectations that have been cultivated over the duration of the series. To a certain extent, this book was more subdued than the other three novels, and some of the subject matter was a bit surprising. I actually found this novel extremely suspenseful, especially the final chapters, since I am well aware of Vance’s ability to pull the rug from under your feet when you least expect it. He sets up some situations in here that pushes the dread factor far into the red.
I quite enjoyed the new character introduced here. Zap 210 is a Pnumekin that Reith meets in the underground warrens of the Pnume and is a representative example of how the alien races on Tschai exploit and bend humanity to their own ends. There is also another reason why this character is introduced, but this is spoiler territory.
As with the other titles, there is a lot of travelling. The good news (or, perhaps bad news if you’re so inclined) is that by this time the reader is so much more familiar with Tschai that places are becoming familiar. The omnibus edition I own also includes a handy map. This series is a glittering example of admirable world building and should be read by all would-be writers of speculative fiction. Vance never provides too much detail, nor does he provide too little. He also knows when to conclude a good thing. I can’t imagine something like the Tschai series going on indefinitely. At this point Vance has said what he wanted to say, why drag it out any longer? Another lesson that authors can take note of.
Respect!
I quite enjoyed the new character introduced here. Zap 210 is a Pnumekin that Reith meets in the underground warrens of the Pnume and is a representative example of how the alien races on Tschai exploit and bend humanity to their own ends. There is also another reason why this character is introduced, but this is spoiler territory.
As with the other titles, there is a lot of travelling. The good news (or, perhaps bad news if you’re so inclined) is that by this time the reader is so much more familiar with Tschai that places are becoming familiar. The omnibus edition I own also includes a handy map. This series is a glittering example of admirable world building and should be read by all would-be writers of speculative fiction. Vance never provides too much detail, nor does he provide too little. He also knows when to conclude a good thing. I can’t imagine something like the Tschai series going on indefinitely. At this point Vance has said what he wanted to say, why drag it out any longer? Another lesson that authors can take note of.
Respect!
August 29, 2012
This is my favorite book in the Tschai series. This is Jack Vance's writing at his best: the alien world is incredibly imaginative, moody and mysterious, but completely plausible. The story has a poignant and sensitive quality that sets it apart from the rest of the series. As always, the plot is intriguing and original, the pacing is excellent, the characters unique and interesting, and there is a generous sprinkling of Vance's wry, but insightful remarks.
The cover illustration for the ebook edition by David Russell is an excellent depiction of the mysterious Pnume, that accurately prepares the reader for the incredible world they are about to enter.
The cover illustration for the ebook edition by David Russell is an excellent depiction of the mysterious Pnume, that accurately prepares the reader for the incredible world they are about to enter.
May 28, 2024
The Pnume was first published as a paperback novel in 1970. It has also been called Planet of Adventure #4 and Tschai. This is the final of four novels in the Planet of Adventure series involving the planet Tschai. It appears to still be in print in the four novel omnibus titled Planet of Adventure. My copy of The Pnume is 122 pages long. This is the second time I have read it recently. I rated it a 5 both times and highly recommend it. It is a fascinating novel, beautifully written and rich in symbolism, world building and social satire. The Dirdir and The Pnume, the last two novels in the series, are the two finest of the Planet of Adventure series, but I recommend that all four novels be read in order.
For the most recent review and other Vance reviews please see:
https://vancealotjackvanceinreview.bl...
The Pnume continues the story of Adam Reith who is marooned on the planet Tschai where four intelligent civilizations exist, each ruled by a different species and each an enemy of the others. These include the Chasch, the Wankh, the Dirdir and the Pnume. Each of these considers itself superior to others and has humans as servants. These humans try to look like their masters by using costumes, headgear, props, surgery and perhaps genetic manipulation. They are called Chaschmen, Wankhmen, Dirdirmen and Pnumekins. Each one considers themselves to be the only real humans. There are also various enclaves of free humans who are not servants, but they are referred to as sub-men and are considered inferior to all others.
In this fourth and final novel Reith is involved mostly with The Pnume and the Pnumekins. Unlike the other intelligent species on the planet, the Pnume did not come to Tschai from another planet but are indigenous. They are a mysterious and secretive creature, with seven million years of history who now live in vast networks of underground tunnels. The Pnume have Pnumekins as servants. These are humans who live in the tunnels with the Pnume and are educated and controlled by them. They were originally kidnapped from Earth tens of thousands of years ago by the Dirdirs.
Reith continues to be assisted by two recent friends, Traz Onmale (an Emblem Man) and Ankhe at afram Anacho (a Dirdirman). Reith's main goal is to steal or build an airship to escape Tschai and return to Earth. He wants to alert humans on Earth to the presence of the four advanced civilizations on Tschai and inform them that humans, originally from Earth, are being kept as servants and slaves. He is also concerned about the safety of humans back on Earth because both the Dirdir and now the Chasch know about Earth and the humans who reside there.
The Pnume is much different from the action packed novel The Dirdir. It still has adventure and drama but it is slower paced, less violent and more mysterious with beautifully detailed world building. In addition to having close interaction with the Pnumes and Pnumekins, Reith encounters Gzhindras who are Pnumekins who have been expelled from their underground tunnels, usually for "boisterous behavior." These gaunt figures who wear black cloaks and wide-brimmed hats wander on the surface as agents for the Pnume who never come out of their tunnels and avoid open air and sunlight. To trade with the Pnume, other species must deal with Gzhindras. The Gzhindras also do the bidding of the Pnumes and accept commissions to kidnap, steal and perform other tasks for those who live on the surface.
Reith continues building an airship with purchased Dirdir parts. One night while asleep he is drugged or gassed, placed in a large bag and kidnapped by Gzhindras. He regains consciousness while being carried and then feels himself being lowered into a deep hole. Reith is able to free himself using his belt buckle to dig a tear in the bag, but is unable to remove the heavy lid from the tall chimney like hole he is in. Eventually some Pnumekins arrive from an adjoining chamber and he hides but is able to overhear their conversation which is in the universal Tschai language. They were expecting him to be in the bag, are perplexed that he is not there and leave after discussing the situation. Soon some Pnume arrive and Reith sees one of these strange beings. "A black hat shaded its eye-sockets; its visage, the cast and color of a horse's skull, was expressionless: under the lower edge of a complicated set of rasping and chewing parts surrounded a near-invisible mouth."
Reith begins his long journey through the labyrinth of caves and rivers in the underground world of the Pnumes. While there he meets a Pnumekin woman who only name is Zith, of Athan Area, in the Pagaz Zone, of rank 210. Reith decides to call her Zap 210. I've commented in the past on some of Vance's female characters being poorly developed, but Zap 210's life in the caverns has been so limited that she has never seen sunlight and knows only what the Pnume allowed her to be taught. So her lack of having much personality is do to her upbringing and not Vance's writing. Reith eventually learns about some of the mysteries of the Pnume and their Museums of Foreverness and how they have recorded a history for much of their seven million years on the planet Tschai. The Pnume "regarded the surface of Tschai as a vast theater, on which wonderful millennium-long dramas were played out." The Dirdir and Chasch frequently (but not very successfully) try to kill Pnumes through explosives or by gassing them in their tunnels, but the Pnume view them not so much as enemies but as one of many alien species that had settled on Tschai only to eventually die out or be killed off by other alien invaders. The Pnume see the big picture and have a long historical view of themselves, other creatures, their planet Tschai and the universe.
Reith later meets other strange groups such as the Khors whose holy grounds are used for night time dancing and mating and who have lethal darts they use to try to kill anybody who trespasses. And there is a remarkable story about Reith's encounter with the Thangs in their trade city Urmank where outsiders provide a livelihood for them through the Khor's stealing and trickery. Here Reith finds a carnival like booth that has colored coded eels that race and where bets are placed against the house. Reith tries to figure out how the game is rigged so he can bet on winning eels to gain badly needed sequins to continue his trip over water by ship.
I found the resolution and ending of the novel to be very satisfying although I would have preferred it to be somewhat longer and more detailed. It was, after all, the ending to the four novel series. There is only one page of narrative between Reith's leaving his meeting with the Pnume and the very end of the novel and series. Each time I read The Pnume it feels rather rushed at the end. But that is a minor reservation, and the novel is highly recommended as is the entire series.
In the Planet of Adventure series Vance creates some strange and interesting cultures on the planet Tschai. Many different, often intriguing, social values, customs, attitudes and behaviors are depicted within the various social groups and between different cultures and species. Vance encourages us to look at ourselves and our own religions, laws, customs, ethics, values, cultural biases, belief systems and social structures. He does this in a well crafted, witty, entertaining and exciting way that I find totally engaging. Over the years I will continue to re-read and appreciate this series and many other Vance works just as I always love a second glass of a great wine. Frequently it even tastes better with repeated sips.
For the most recent review and other Vance reviews please see:
https://vancealotjackvanceinreview.bl...
The Pnume continues the story of Adam Reith who is marooned on the planet Tschai where four intelligent civilizations exist, each ruled by a different species and each an enemy of the others. These include the Chasch, the Wankh, the Dirdir and the Pnume. Each of these considers itself superior to others and has humans as servants. These humans try to look like their masters by using costumes, headgear, props, surgery and perhaps genetic manipulation. They are called Chaschmen, Wankhmen, Dirdirmen and Pnumekins. Each one considers themselves to be the only real humans. There are also various enclaves of free humans who are not servants, but they are referred to as sub-men and are considered inferior to all others.
In this fourth and final novel Reith is involved mostly with The Pnume and the Pnumekins. Unlike the other intelligent species on the planet, the Pnume did not come to Tschai from another planet but are indigenous. They are a mysterious and secretive creature, with seven million years of history who now live in vast networks of underground tunnels. The Pnume have Pnumekins as servants. These are humans who live in the tunnels with the Pnume and are educated and controlled by them. They were originally kidnapped from Earth tens of thousands of years ago by the Dirdirs.
Reith continues to be assisted by two recent friends, Traz Onmale (an Emblem Man) and Ankhe at afram Anacho (a Dirdirman). Reith's main goal is to steal or build an airship to escape Tschai and return to Earth. He wants to alert humans on Earth to the presence of the four advanced civilizations on Tschai and inform them that humans, originally from Earth, are being kept as servants and slaves. He is also concerned about the safety of humans back on Earth because both the Dirdir and now the Chasch know about Earth and the humans who reside there.
The Pnume is much different from the action packed novel The Dirdir. It still has adventure and drama but it is slower paced, less violent and more mysterious with beautifully detailed world building. In addition to having close interaction with the Pnumes and Pnumekins, Reith encounters Gzhindras who are Pnumekins who have been expelled from their underground tunnels, usually for "boisterous behavior." These gaunt figures who wear black cloaks and wide-brimmed hats wander on the surface as agents for the Pnume who never come out of their tunnels and avoid open air and sunlight. To trade with the Pnume, other species must deal with Gzhindras. The Gzhindras also do the bidding of the Pnumes and accept commissions to kidnap, steal and perform other tasks for those who live on the surface.
Reith continues building an airship with purchased Dirdir parts. One night while asleep he is drugged or gassed, placed in a large bag and kidnapped by Gzhindras. He regains consciousness while being carried and then feels himself being lowered into a deep hole. Reith is able to free himself using his belt buckle to dig a tear in the bag, but is unable to remove the heavy lid from the tall chimney like hole he is in. Eventually some Pnumekins arrive from an adjoining chamber and he hides but is able to overhear their conversation which is in the universal Tschai language. They were expecting him to be in the bag, are perplexed that he is not there and leave after discussing the situation. Soon some Pnume arrive and Reith sees one of these strange beings. "A black hat shaded its eye-sockets; its visage, the cast and color of a horse's skull, was expressionless: under the lower edge of a complicated set of rasping and chewing parts surrounded a near-invisible mouth."
Reith begins his long journey through the labyrinth of caves and rivers in the underground world of the Pnumes. While there he meets a Pnumekin woman who only name is Zith, of Athan Area, in the Pagaz Zone, of rank 210. Reith decides to call her Zap 210. I've commented in the past on some of Vance's female characters being poorly developed, but Zap 210's life in the caverns has been so limited that she has never seen sunlight and knows only what the Pnume allowed her to be taught. So her lack of having much personality is do to her upbringing and not Vance's writing. Reith eventually learns about some of the mysteries of the Pnume and their Museums of Foreverness and how they have recorded a history for much of their seven million years on the planet Tschai. The Pnume "regarded the surface of Tschai as a vast theater, on which wonderful millennium-long dramas were played out." The Dirdir and Chasch frequently (but not very successfully) try to kill Pnumes through explosives or by gassing them in their tunnels, but the Pnume view them not so much as enemies but as one of many alien species that had settled on Tschai only to eventually die out or be killed off by other alien invaders. The Pnume see the big picture and have a long historical view of themselves, other creatures, their planet Tschai and the universe.
Reith later meets other strange groups such as the Khors whose holy grounds are used for night time dancing and mating and who have lethal darts they use to try to kill anybody who trespasses. And there is a remarkable story about Reith's encounter with the Thangs in their trade city Urmank where outsiders provide a livelihood for them through the Khor's stealing and trickery. Here Reith finds a carnival like booth that has colored coded eels that race and where bets are placed against the house. Reith tries to figure out how the game is rigged so he can bet on winning eels to gain badly needed sequins to continue his trip over water by ship.
I found the resolution and ending of the novel to be very satisfying although I would have preferred it to be somewhat longer and more detailed. It was, after all, the ending to the four novel series. There is only one page of narrative between Reith's leaving his meeting with the Pnume and the very end of the novel and series. Each time I read The Pnume it feels rather rushed at the end. But that is a minor reservation, and the novel is highly recommended as is the entire series.
In the Planet of Adventure series Vance creates some strange and interesting cultures on the planet Tschai. Many different, often intriguing, social values, customs, attitudes and behaviors are depicted within the various social groups and between different cultures and species. Vance encourages us to look at ourselves and our own religions, laws, customs, ethics, values, cultural biases, belief systems and social structures. He does this in a well crafted, witty, entertaining and exciting way that I find totally engaging. Over the years I will continue to re-read and appreciate this series and many other Vance works just as I always love a second glass of a great wine. Frequently it even tastes better with repeated sips.
June 18, 2021
Excellent and fitting end to the series! We left off book three with Reith, after pulling off an insane escape for his friend the Dirdirman from the Glass Box and getting the one up on the nasty piece of work who was 'helping' Reith build the spaceship. The Pnume starts off right where we left off, and then Reith is kidnapped by agents of the Pnume and taken underground. Fittingly, the final volume deals primarily with the Pnume, the indigenous Aliens of Tschai, and their human minions.
The Pnume are fascinating aliens who were 'civilized' long before the first set of aliens arrived on Tschai 30,000 years ago or so. We know they have an interest in Reith as he has discovered their spies numerous times in the previous three volumes. Why do they have such an interest? TP reads as something of a mystery/adventure as Reith slowly uncovers the motivations of the Pnume (much to his horror!) and along the way kidnaps a female, human minion of the Pnume to help him escape. As par for the series, very interesting anthropological analysis of the Pnume and lots of fast paced action along the way.
Reith is a somewhat 'typical' lead for Vance-- basically honest, wants to do what is right, a good guy in a tough spot and one who knows how to handle himself when the excrement hits the spinning blades. In The Adventure Planet, Reith just wants to return to Earth and therefore his 'quest' is to find/build/steel a spaceship. Of course, he encounters many trials and tribulations along the way. TP is quick and at times brutal-- great wrap up to a great adventure series. 4.5 stars!!
The Pnume are fascinating aliens who were 'civilized' long before the first set of aliens arrived on Tschai 30,000 years ago or so. We know they have an interest in Reith as he has discovered their spies numerous times in the previous three volumes. Why do they have such an interest? TP reads as something of a mystery/adventure as Reith slowly uncovers the motivations of the Pnume (much to his horror!) and along the way kidnaps a female, human minion of the Pnume to help him escape. As par for the series, very interesting anthropological analysis of the Pnume and lots of fast paced action along the way.
Reith is a somewhat 'typical' lead for Vance-- basically honest, wants to do what is right, a good guy in a tough spot and one who knows how to handle himself when the excrement hits the spinning blades. In The Adventure Planet, Reith just wants to return to Earth and therefore his 'quest' is to find/build/steel a spaceship. Of course, he encounters many trials and tribulations along the way. TP is quick and at times brutal-- great wrap up to a great adventure series. 4.5 stars!!
July 16, 2015
-Sin salirse del marco general, tonos ligeramente más oscuros.-
Género. Ciencia-Ficción.
Lo que nos cuenta. Adam Reith por fin se ha hecho con la nave que le puede sacar del planeta y volver a la Tierra, pero a pesar de los consejos de Traz y Anacho es incapaz de terminar con la vida de Aila Woudiver, por lo que acaba siendo preso en una acción que le lleva a conocer las profundidades del planeta y a los esquivos Pnume. Ultimo libro de la tetralogía conocida como Ciclo de Tschai o también como El Planeta de la Aventura.
¿Quiere saber más de este libro, sin spoilers? Visite:
http://librosdeolethros.blogspot.com/...
Género. Ciencia-Ficción.
Lo que nos cuenta. Adam Reith por fin se ha hecho con la nave que le puede sacar del planeta y volver a la Tierra, pero a pesar de los consejos de Traz y Anacho es incapaz de terminar con la vida de Aila Woudiver, por lo que acaba siendo preso en una acción que le lleva a conocer las profundidades del planeta y a los esquivos Pnume. Ultimo libro de la tetralogía conocida como Ciclo de Tschai o también como El Planeta de la Aventura.
¿Quiere saber más de este libro, sin spoilers? Visite:
http://librosdeolethros.blogspot.com/...
March 5, 2023
Best in the series.
First and second reading in Swedish (legimus)
Third reading in Blackstone audio
First and second reading in Swedish (legimus)
Third reading in Blackstone audio
November 16, 2025
Flojito este último volumen, y el final también. Lástima, porque en el tercero había remontado. He detectado una cierta premura para acabar la saga y dedicarse a otras cosas por parte del autor.
Añado la reseña de toda la saga:https://dreamsofelvex.blogspot.com/20...
Añado la reseña de toda la saga:https://dreamsofelvex.blogspot.com/20...
September 12, 2018
The final episode in Jack Vance’s Tschai series, The Pnume, was the best yet—at least, until the ending seemed rushed and anticlimactic. As usual, Vance is tremendous at creating insights into an alien sociology, and the underground society of the Pnume and their human, turned sub-human, servants, the Pnumekin. The Pnume is a straightforward adventure. It begins with a dream sequence involving a guy that the protagonist should have killed; and sure enough, that villain manages to overcome Adam Reith’s overconfidence and sell our hero into the hands of the mysterious underground Pnume.
But even though that event is heavily foreshadowed, Vance hits his stride when Reith is trying to escape from the vast, labyrinthine underground complex of the Pnume. Reading this section (roughly half of the novel’s length) was like playing a level in a video game that requires stealth. Those kinds of missions, whether on-screen or played out in a table-top game of D&D are tremendously hard. Timing is everything, and Reith generally demonstrates pretty good timing, but it’s when things go wrong that his quick-thinking really comes across as special. At many times, Reith is able to turn the conventions of the Pnume against the aliens in attempting his escape.
Vance also has Reith abduct and force a female character to act as friendly, but coerced, native guide. There were several points in the novel where Reith could have taken advantage of her, but the way Vance handled it made it more of a “road trip” adventure with sexual tension than the cliché of winning the alien female’s heart. And where Vance could have merely had Reith use her knowledge and discard her, there was another twist where he shows how much he cared about her.
One of the cute aspects of the female supporting character, strangely named Zap 210 for her place in the Pnume complex coordinates, was her naivete when sexual matters are present. At one point, she is horrified to see a male kiss a female, and at another, she and Reith encroach on some pagan fertility rituals. This was classic Vance in describing the alien custom. “In the towns and villages, men and women wore identical clothes; sexual activity was regarded as unnatural conduct. Only in the sacred groves, with nudity and the ritual masks to emphasize sexual disparity, did procreation occur. Men and women, in assuming the masks, assumed new personalities; …” (p. 73n) At another point (in another culture), Zap 210 mistakenly adorns herself with a sash without realizing that it was symbolic of an available working girl, and that proved problematical.
The only reason The Pnume doesn’t receive my highest rating is because the ending seemed rushed to me. Then again, maybe I just didn’t want it to end, period.
But even though that event is heavily foreshadowed, Vance hits his stride when Reith is trying to escape from the vast, labyrinthine underground complex of the Pnume. Reading this section (roughly half of the novel’s length) was like playing a level in a video game that requires stealth. Those kinds of missions, whether on-screen or played out in a table-top game of D&D are tremendously hard. Timing is everything, and Reith generally demonstrates pretty good timing, but it’s when things go wrong that his quick-thinking really comes across as special. At many times, Reith is able to turn the conventions of the Pnume against the aliens in attempting his escape.
Vance also has Reith abduct and force a female character to act as friendly, but coerced, native guide. There were several points in the novel where Reith could have taken advantage of her, but the way Vance handled it made it more of a “road trip” adventure with sexual tension than the cliché of winning the alien female’s heart. And where Vance could have merely had Reith use her knowledge and discard her, there was another twist where he shows how much he cared about her.
One of the cute aspects of the female supporting character, strangely named Zap 210 for her place in the Pnume complex coordinates, was her naivete when sexual matters are present. At one point, she is horrified to see a male kiss a female, and at another, she and Reith encroach on some pagan fertility rituals. This was classic Vance in describing the alien custom. “In the towns and villages, men and women wore identical clothes; sexual activity was regarded as unnatural conduct. Only in the sacred groves, with nudity and the ritual masks to emphasize sexual disparity, did procreation occur. Men and women, in assuming the masks, assumed new personalities; …” (p. 73n) At another point (in another culture), Zap 210 mistakenly adorns herself with a sash without realizing that it was symbolic of an available working girl, and that proved problematical.
The only reason The Pnume doesn’t receive my highest rating is because the ending seemed rushed to me. Then again, maybe I just didn’t want it to end, period.
August 14, 2015
What Adam Reith thinks is a dream, turns out to be reality. That Ai Woudiver had sold him to the Gzhindra, who carried him in a sack and delivered him to the cave dwelling Pnumekin, it's all true. He has a rude awakening. But we trust Reith's instincts to pull him through. First of all he cuts through his sack and enlists the help of a Pnumekin girl to help him navigate through the labyrinth and get to the surface. They escape through a tunnel that leads them further north to the land of the truculent Khor, defile their mating ground, escape to Zsafathra. Then to Urmank, a Thang trade city. They shake off a tail of Gzhindra spies and finally make their way to Sivishe, only to find the warehouse dilapidated and the spaceship gone. But in the warehouse sleeps a man, who has strict instructions to take Adam Reith to see a man about a spaceship, but only Adam. So he leaves the girl, Zap 210 in the warehouse. Follows the man and meets Anacho. Anacho doesn't know where the spaceship is, only that Traz took it, leaving the word, ONMALE, scrawled on the warehouse wall as a clue. When they go back to the warehouse, they find Zap 210 had been taken by the Gzhindra. Adam goes after her, rescues her. The three of them fly to meet Traz on the Plains Adam's ship crashed in the first book. The rest is history.
The Planet of Adventure concludes with this book. What's the one thing that's going to stick with me? Jack Vance's characterization of the numerous, Chasch, Wankh, Dirdir, Pnume and other submen we encountered along the fortuitous journey. Despite their barbarism, their untoward mannerisms and customs, he made them as human as possible. He kept the series true to the precept that all of the inhabitants of Tschai are inhabited from Man. It's very subtle, but we'll done. So much so that even if you know someone is Chasch, Dirdir, Wankh, Pnume, you can't help but fall in love with their portrayal, especially Adam Reith's love interests.
The Planet of Adventure concludes with this book. What's the one thing that's going to stick with me? Jack Vance's characterization of the numerous, Chasch, Wankh, Dirdir, Pnume and other submen we encountered along the fortuitous journey. Despite their barbarism, their untoward mannerisms and customs, he made them as human as possible. He kept the series true to the precept that all of the inhabitants of Tschai are inhabited from Man. It's very subtle, but we'll done. So much so that even if you know someone is Chasch, Dirdir, Wankh, Pnume, you can't help but fall in love with their portrayal, especially Adam Reith's love interests.
April 7, 2020
In the final part of the Planet of Adventure tetralogy, Adam Reith, the man from Earth, has at last come to the notice of Tschai's only truly native species, the furtive Pnume, who exist in tunnels beneath the planets surface.
Taken by the Pnume's surface agents, the shadowy Ghzindra, Reith finds himself underground, trussed in a sack. Like all of Tschai's residents, the Pnume have their own hybridized men for servants, the Pnumekin, and Reith plans his escape through the aid a Pnumekin girl named Zap 210, a morose yet invaluable companion.
After the brio and promise of the first volume of the series, which was variously sustained in the following two episodes, The Pnume is something of a disappointing end. The plot largely jettisons Reith's two friends who had accompanied him thus far, Traz Onmale the sub-man and Anacho the Dirdirman. The fledgling romance he shares with Zap 210 is a poor replacement.
I don't know whether Vance was keen to get on with something else forming in his fervid imagination and grew bored with this story or what, but it certainly appeared rushed towards the end. The resolution itself was a real anticlimax.
A disappointing end, but still a fun series.
Taken by the Pnume's surface agents, the shadowy Ghzindra, Reith finds himself underground, trussed in a sack. Like all of Tschai's residents, the Pnume have their own hybridized men for servants, the Pnumekin, and Reith plans his escape through the aid a Pnumekin girl named Zap 210, a morose yet invaluable companion.
After the brio and promise of the first volume of the series, which was variously sustained in the following two episodes, The Pnume is something of a disappointing end. The plot largely jettisons Reith's two friends who had accompanied him thus far, Traz Onmale the sub-man and Anacho the Dirdirman. The fledgling romance he shares with Zap 210 is a poor replacement.
I don't know whether Vance was keen to get on with something else forming in his fervid imagination and grew bored with this story or what, but it certainly appeared rushed towards the end. The resolution itself was a real anticlimax.
A disappointing end, but still a fun series.
July 18, 2023
4/5
Con este libro concluye la tetralogía que es el ciclo de Tschai. Una aventura repleta de fantasía, imaginación y futuros improbables, puro escapismo. Se pone fin a la odisea sin pausa de Adam Reith por abandonar el planeta. El personaje de Zap 210 aporta mucho interés a la trama, pues su inocencia acerca de su identidad y biología permite a Vance elaborar diálogos llenos de reflexiones. El onirismo presente en casi todas las obras de este autor me hace conectar con la obra desde la primera página. Y lo más importante: evadirme.
Jack Vance es uno de mis autores favoritos, a pesar de no haber leído ni tan siquiera la mitad de su extensa producción literaria. No obstante, es suficiente para saber que en Vance siempre encontraré un refugio a los pesares, una vía rápida de desconexión. Y eso para mí es lo más valorable de un escritor.
Con este libro concluye la tetralogía que es el ciclo de Tschai. Una aventura repleta de fantasía, imaginación y futuros improbables, puro escapismo. Se pone fin a la odisea sin pausa de Adam Reith por abandonar el planeta. El personaje de Zap 210 aporta mucho interés a la trama, pues su inocencia acerca de su identidad y biología permite a Vance elaborar diálogos llenos de reflexiones. El onirismo presente en casi todas las obras de este autor me hace conectar con la obra desde la primera página. Y lo más importante: evadirme.
Jack Vance es uno de mis autores favoritos, a pesar de no haber leído ni tan siquiera la mitad de su extensa producción literaria. No obstante, es suficiente para saber que en Vance siempre encontraré un refugio a los pesares, una vía rápida de desconexión. Y eso para mí es lo más valorable de un escritor.
October 20, 2023
Excellent conclusion to this classic series. Extremely fun read. I would have liked a little bit more to the ending. It felt rushed. I am going to miss reading this series. Highly recommend for fans of science fiction adventure, classic pulp planetary romance stuff.
September 13, 2019
This is an extremely satisfying ending to this series - and one which shows off other new facets of Vance's range. Here we get romance, genuine emotion, and even (shock! horror!) switches in viewpoints between characters. We also get some of his absolute finest prose in the descriptions of Tschai's geography and climate, particularly in the final climactic voyage - like reading the greatest travel book ever written, which just happens to be about a world which doesn't exist. I could read 1000 pages of it, though it checks in at less than 150. I'm genuinely surprised that I got to the age of 37 without ever even hearing about this series, despite having read quite a bit of Vance's fiction; to say that "The Planet of Adventure" is underrated is itself an understatement of epic proportions. It's superb.
January 7, 2019
VANCE
7/10. Media de los 30 libros leídos del autor : 7/10.
Nada menos que 30 libros leí de Vance, la mayoría de joven lector de CF en editoriales míticas: Orbis, Edhasa, Ultramar, Nova,...
De imaginación desbordante, creaba mundos y sociedades como churros, desbordando imaginación y superando nuestra capacidad de asombro. Una media de 7/10 en tantos libros no es fácil de mantener.
Creó muchas sagas (ninguna mala o aburrida) y me quedo con la de "Tschai", que son 4 libros, este el cuarto. Si hubiera de escoger uno que no sea saga, pues "Lámpara de Noche".
Un gran clásico.
7/10. Media de los 30 libros leídos del autor : 7/10.
Nada menos que 30 libros leí de Vance, la mayoría de joven lector de CF en editoriales míticas: Orbis, Edhasa, Ultramar, Nova,...
De imaginación desbordante, creaba mundos y sociedades como churros, desbordando imaginación y superando nuestra capacidad de asombro. Una media de 7/10 en tantos libros no es fácil de mantener.
Creó muchas sagas (ninguna mala o aburrida) y me quedo con la de "Tschai", que son 4 libros, este el cuarto. Si hubiera de escoger uno que no sea saga, pues "Lámpara de Noche".
Un gran clásico.
June 26, 2017
The deeper I got into this series, the more I loved it. More amazing world building and depictions of beautiful and bizarre alien landscapes. Plus nonstop action and adventure to boot. This is a pulp series, no doubt, but a classic.
October 6, 2016
Jack Vance may be a stylist in English. In French translation, however... le meh.
July 6, 2017
Het slot van de Tschai tetralogie. Na zijn ontsnapping uit de ondergrondse wereld van de Pnume weet Adam Reith weer in Sivishe tekomen, de Dirdirstad waar zijn ruimteschip staat....stond.
Want eenmaal weer in Sivishe blijkt zijn schip verdwenen te zijn.
In dit vierde deel dus de laatste lotgevallen van de aardling Adam Reith die drie boeken eerder neerstortte op Tschai, de waanzinnige planeet. Succesvol wist hij te ontsnappen aan de Chash, de Wankh wist hij zover te krijgen dat zij de Wankhmensen verstootten en hij wist uit de glazen doos van de Dirdir te ontsnappen.
In dit laatste deel, waar hij zelfs vanuit zijn benarde situatie als ontvoerde een ontsnapping weet te bewerkstelligen ontmoet hij de meest onlogische partner voor zijn terugreis, Zap 210, een jonge vrouw van het Pnumekerelras.
Na zijn ontsnapping beleven zij diverse avonturen alvorens in Sivishe aan te komen.
Daar blijkt zijn ruimteschip verdwenen te zijn maar als snel ontmoet hij Anacho die zich verscholen houdt een informatie voor Adam heeft.
Traz is gevlucht met het schip naar een voor Anacho onbekende maar voor Adam wellicht bekende plek.
De laatste regels van dit imposante werk in vier delen beschrijft hoe het gezelschap Adam Reith, Anacho, Traz en Zap 210 richting de aarde vertrekken.
Naast de cingologie van de Duivelsprinsen is dit het beste werk van Jack Vance.....vind ik dan tenminste :-)
Want eenmaal weer in Sivishe blijkt zijn schip verdwenen te zijn.
In dit vierde deel dus de laatste lotgevallen van de aardling Adam Reith die drie boeken eerder neerstortte op Tschai, de waanzinnige planeet. Succesvol wist hij te ontsnappen aan de Chash, de Wankh wist hij zover te krijgen dat zij de Wankhmensen verstootten en hij wist uit de glazen doos van de Dirdir te ontsnappen.
In dit laatste deel, waar hij zelfs vanuit zijn benarde situatie als ontvoerde een ontsnapping weet te bewerkstelligen ontmoet hij de meest onlogische partner voor zijn terugreis, Zap 210, een jonge vrouw van het Pnumekerelras.
Na zijn ontsnapping beleven zij diverse avonturen alvorens in Sivishe aan te komen.
Daar blijkt zijn ruimteschip verdwenen te zijn maar als snel ontmoet hij Anacho die zich verscholen houdt een informatie voor Adam heeft.
Traz is gevlucht met het schip naar een voor Anacho onbekende maar voor Adam wellicht bekende plek.
De laatste regels van dit imposante werk in vier delen beschrijft hoe het gezelschap Adam Reith, Anacho, Traz en Zap 210 richting de aarde vertrekken.
Naast de cingologie van de Duivelsprinsen is dit het beste werk van Jack Vance.....vind ik dan tenminste :-)
February 28, 2021
Jack Vance is one of those science fiction/fantasy authors who has been on my radar since childhood, but who I only started reading recently. For a writer of his age, he’s not bad, although a lot of the expected machismo and unexamined privilege is definitely present. This book takes place on the planet of Tschai, in which aliens and humans coexist in a quasi-medieval society despite the existence of space travel. The title aliens seem to be native to the planet, but forced to live underground by the more aggressive conquering race, the dirdir (who we don’t see much of in this outing). They capture the hero of the book, evidently wanting to stuff him and put him on display in some kind of museum, and in escaping them he winds up kidnapping one of their enslaved human girls, who they keep meek and under-developed through feeding her hormone suppressants. Hence, the hero gets to have a virgin who rapidly develops from a little girl to a busty young woman once the suppressants are gone. In fairness, Vance does treat her as a self-motivated character and gives the audience an opportunity to learn about surface Tschai as she does. World-building seems to be Vance’s strong suit and that is really what to read this for.
April 19, 2020
Le dernier et seul roman de la série dans lequel Anacho et Traz sont quasi-absent. C'est aussi le volet le plus daté, le moins acceptable au regard de l'évolution des moeurs des cinquante dernières années.
Ce quatrième volet était celui qui m'avait laissé le souvenir le plus mitigé, mais il est pourtant au niveau des trois autres. Il est juste un peu différent dans sa conception.
C'est de la littérature des années 60 : les livres font 200 pages au format poche. Écrits de nos jours, ils seraient beaucoup plus politiquement corrects et en 10 volumes de 500 pages. Avec une seconde série de 10 volumes pour faire une suite, car la fin du cycle de Tschaï est pour le moins abrupte.
Ce planet-opéra picaresque est une référence absolue à partir de laquelle de nombreux auteurs ont élaborés leurs propres mondes. Je pense en particulier au Majipoor de Silverberg.
Jack Vance est à mes yeux l'un des plus grands auteurs du XXème siècle, tous genres confondus. Ce cycle n'est probablement pas ce qu'il a écrit de mieux, mais c'est probablement ce qu'il a écrit de plus marquant.
Ce quatrième volet était celui qui m'avait laissé le souvenir le plus mitigé, mais il est pourtant au niveau des trois autres. Il est juste un peu différent dans sa conception.
C'est de la littérature des années 60 : les livres font 200 pages au format poche. Écrits de nos jours, ils seraient beaucoup plus politiquement corrects et en 10 volumes de 500 pages. Avec une seconde série de 10 volumes pour faire une suite, car la fin du cycle de Tschaï est pour le moins abrupte.
Ce planet-opéra picaresque est une référence absolue à partir de laquelle de nombreux auteurs ont élaborés leurs propres mondes. Je pense en particulier au Majipoor de Silverberg.
Jack Vance est à mes yeux l'un des plus grands auteurs du XXème siècle, tous genres confondus. Ce cycle n'est probablement pas ce qu'il a écrit de mieux, mais c'est probablement ce qu'il a écrit de plus marquant.
May 15, 2019
This series belongs to my absolute all time favorites. I think I've read these books ten times or more and they are still interesting, great to read and fun.
For people who would like to try and start reading science fiction: please choose something by Jack Vance.
For people who would like to try and start reading science fiction: please choose something by Jack Vance.
August 14, 2025
Mannered, exotic, refractory.
June 19, 2017
Reviewed in my review of "Planet of Adventure" ...
December 9, 2013
The Pnume is the fourth and final volume of Jack Vance's Planet of Adventure tetralogy (eventually republished in one volume by Tor), written in the early 1970s. In this series of science-fiction novels, the earthman Adam Reith is stranded on the planet Tschai, home to four different alien races and the human slaves they plucked from Earth in some prehistorical era. In this book, Reith is kidnapped by the mysterious Pnume, the only alien race that is actually indigenous to Tschai, living deep underneath the planet's surface. After Reith has raised scandal all over the planet, the Pnume, who have sat back and let alien races contend on Tschai for their own amusement, want this bold earthman for their underground museum. Reith, however, wants to finish building a new spaceship and get back home.
Before writing the Planet of Adventure series, Vance was commissioned to produce a young adult work. Eventually he added some sex and more profound themes. The Pnume features more explicit sexuality than the earlier books. A human female that Reith rescues from Pnume slavery knows nothing of human reproduction, but Reith decides to show her in practice, yet another damsel in distress whose weakness and ignorance he takes advantage of to fulfill his own lusts. This tetralogy is definitely of its time, and just a few years later science-fiction would come to examine gender issues and ethics in greater depth.
However, this is an entertaining read, and the underground world of the Pnume is more intriguing and thought-provoking than the dull Dirdir plot of the preceding volume. While this -- and Planet of Adventure as a whole -- is not great literature, it may prove worthwhile for readers interested in classic science-fiction.
Before writing the Planet of Adventure series, Vance was commissioned to produce a young adult work. Eventually he added some sex and more profound themes. The Pnume features more explicit sexuality than the earlier books. A human female that Reith rescues from Pnume slavery knows nothing of human reproduction, but Reith decides to show her in practice, yet another damsel in distress whose weakness and ignorance he takes advantage of to fulfill his own lusts. This tetralogy is definitely of its time, and just a few years later science-fiction would come to examine gender issues and ethics in greater depth.
However, this is an entertaining read, and the underground world of the Pnume is more intriguing and thought-provoking than the dull Dirdir plot of the preceding volume. While this -- and Planet of Adventure as a whole -- is not great literature, it may prove worthwhile for readers interested in classic science-fiction.
April 4, 2025
A fine ending to the four book series, though all of them combined are around 550 pages, they are currently sold as a single book.
In a week Adam Reith will be able to leave Tschai, but of course matters aren't that simple under the dim brown sun. He's kidnapped by wild Pnumekin and must escape from a deep underground city of the Pnume. During his escape he acquires the master map of the complex and forces a Pnumekin woman to interpret it. She freaks out, she's seen secrets far beyond her status, she will be killed in a cruel fashion. Accepting that to live, she too must leave, she directs what paths and portals to take. She has no name, just a long locator description, which Reith shortens to Zap 210.
They have a number of strange encounters and Zap 210 finds herself enjoying surface life. When Reith suggests that she should not follow him anymore because of the danger, she says "I have no (surface) job skills, shall I become a drudge, a prostitute..." etc. Yes, he's still a bit clueless. When they finally return to the warehouse, the spaceship is gone, Reith must go alone to meet some one with a message and Zap 210 is kidnapped by the Pnumekin.
Reith goes to rescue Zap 210 and the last of the "great Earthman" trope plays out, Reith frees Zap 210 and forces the Pnume to stop using humans as their slaves, causing yet again another great upheaval. Reith and company fly off to Earth, Zap 210 is luckier than most Vance girlfriends, she had very few injuries and traumatic encounters and Reith is a decent person.
In a week Adam Reith will be able to leave Tschai, but of course matters aren't that simple under the dim brown sun. He's kidnapped by wild Pnumekin and must escape from a deep underground city of the Pnume. During his escape he acquires the master map of the complex and forces a Pnumekin woman to interpret it. She freaks out, she's seen secrets far beyond her status, she will be killed in a cruel fashion. Accepting that to live, she too must leave, she directs what paths and portals to take. She has no name, just a long locator description, which Reith shortens to Zap 210.
They have a number of strange encounters and Zap 210 finds herself enjoying surface life. When Reith suggests that she should not follow him anymore because of the danger, she says "I have no (surface) job skills, shall I become a drudge, a prostitute..." etc. Yes, he's still a bit clueless. When they finally return to the warehouse, the spaceship is gone, Reith must go alone to meet some one with a message and Zap 210 is kidnapped by the Pnumekin.
Reith goes to rescue Zap 210 and the last of the "great Earthman" trope plays out, Reith frees Zap 210 and forces the Pnume to stop using humans as their slaves, causing yet again another great upheaval. Reith and company fly off to Earth, Zap 210 is luckier than most Vance girlfriends, she had very few injuries and traumatic encounters and Reith is a decent person.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 11, 2012
This one is my favorite of the Tschai series. There's something entertaining about the weird, secretive Pnume culture: stratified and accorded class-appropriate knowledge, mostly seemingly in regard to secret passages that riddle their underground habitat. And here Adam Reith spends time within the Pnumekin society, rather than just brushing past it.
The second half of the book is of course more travelogue through the strange world of Tschai.
While I appreciate the evolution of his travelling companion, Zap 210, as she is weaned of Pnume influence, I'm not sure that I buy her as a love interest for Reith. She never displays much strength of will or force of personality that would make him a worthy match. As it is, her appeal seems limited to being a damsel in distress.
The second half of the book is of course more travelogue through the strange world of Tschai.
While I appreciate the evolution of his travelling companion, Zap 210, as she is weaned of Pnume influence, I'm not sure that I buy her as a love interest for Reith. She never displays much strength of will or force of personality that would make him a worthy match. As it is, her appeal seems limited to being a damsel in distress.
December 30, 2016
features an eerie journey underground and an increasingly amusing journey above ground as Adam finally meets the right girl while desperately racing back to the starship that has at long last been built and is ready for that much-delayed journey to Earth.
summary: Creepy creatures dwell below; sunlit love throbs above.
review for the Planet of Adventure tetralogy is here
summary: Creepy creatures dwell below; sunlit love throbs above.
review for the Planet of Adventure tetralogy is here
October 15, 2014
Fourth and last part of the Planet of Adventure/Chash cycle, and just as good as the previous parts, with another interesting race of creatures. This has really been one of the best SF cycles I've ever read.
December 14, 2008
Yep. Finished the series. Excellent stuff. Surprising ending and inventive throughout. Looking forward to tracking down some more Vance.
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