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Demon Princes #4
The Face
Kirth Gersen tracks Lens Larque across several worlds, most notably Aloysius, the desert world Dar Sai and the more temperate Methel. He eventually learns that Larque is a Darsh, born Husse Bugold. He had been deprived of an earlobe and made a rachepol or outcast from his clan for a crime considered "repulsive but not superlatively heinous." He took the name Lens Larque, after the lanslarke, an indigenous creature and the fetish of the Bugold clan. (It was this slim clue that enabled Gersen to track him down.) He then became a notorious criminal renowned for his magnificent, if often grotesque and horrifying, jests.
224 pages, Leather Bound
First published November 1, 1979
22 people are currently reading
550 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 79 reviews
June 2, 2025
It's lonely being me, thinks Kirth Gersen, our hero, a predator, shuttling from planet to planet, system to system, one goal in mind: kill each of the villains, one by one. Kirth makes his moves with efficiency; he falls in love with less efficiency. Perhaps I could discard this quest, settle down, he fantasizes... but you are not made for love, you are built for revenge.
It's lonely being me, thinks Lens Larque, our villain, the prey, an outcast from his tribe, his name spoken only in hushed tones, one goal above all others: do as he sees fit. Lens lives and works in the shadows, but still his pride is capable of wounding. It will be my turn to laugh soon, he gloats... my revenge will cease their scorn; they will stare at the sky in horror.
It's lonely being me, thinks Lens Larque, our villain, the prey, an outcast from his tribe, his name spoken only in hushed tones, one goal above all others: do as he sees fit. Lens lives and works in the shadows, but still his pride is capable of wounding. It will be my turn to laugh soon, he gloats... my revenge will cease their scorn; they will stare at the sky in horror.
July 27, 2025
After a 12 year hiatus, Vance returns to the Demon Princes with the forth installment, TF, in 1979. Pretty amazing after all that time and other things written that Vance does not miss a beat getting back into the grove. If you have followed the series so far, you know that Kirth Gersen is going after the five Demon Princes, who collectively led a raid on Gersen's homeworld, enslaving or killing everyone but little Gersen and his granddad. Gersen has now come of age and, honed to a fighting edge, move on to take on Lens Larque.
Larque is from Dar Sai (which has to be a not so hidden reference to Dickerson's Dorsai!). Vance must of had a great time building up Dar Sai's culture and details many of its sociological nuances. Dar Sai was settled as a mining enclave for the vast desert sands contain rare elements from an exploded sun. Nonetheless, the climate is brutal, and it has yielded a brutal culture to go along with it-- the food is horrible and stinky, the women, after about a decade after puberty grow large, sporting hairy mustaches, and violence is the name of the game in just about everything. The other society that receives attention is the sister planet of Dar Sai, settled as a leisure planet by a rich, pompous elite from another world. Of course, they own most of the proceeds from the mining operations on Dar Sai...
Like the other Demon Princes, Larque keeps a very low profile and it takes Gersen quite some time to try and track him down. Perhaps the most unique thing about Larque is how he likes practical jokes, or at least jokes at someone's expense; he can be quite ruthless. Gersen's character is fleshed out in more detail, with more existential angst coming through, especially when Gersen starts to fall for a young women. I am almost sad to move on to the next in the series as I have enjoyed these so much. 4 solid pulpy stars!!
Larque is from Dar Sai (which has to be a not so hidden reference to Dickerson's Dorsai!). Vance must of had a great time building up Dar Sai's culture and details many of its sociological nuances. Dar Sai was settled as a mining enclave for the vast desert sands contain rare elements from an exploded sun. Nonetheless, the climate is brutal, and it has yielded a brutal culture to go along with it-- the food is horrible and stinky, the women, after about a decade after puberty grow large, sporting hairy mustaches, and violence is the name of the game in just about everything. The other society that receives attention is the sister planet of Dar Sai, settled as a leisure planet by a rich, pompous elite from another world. Of course, they own most of the proceeds from the mining operations on Dar Sai...
Like the other Demon Princes, Larque keeps a very low profile and it takes Gersen quite some time to try and track him down. Perhaps the most unique thing about Larque is how he likes practical jokes, or at least jokes at someone's expense; he can be quite ruthless. Gersen's character is fleshed out in more detail, with more existential angst coming through, especially when Gersen starts to fall for a young women. I am almost sad to move on to the next in the series as I have enjoyed these so much. 4 solid pulpy stars!!
October 21, 2022
“Your subject is both elusive and sinister.”
“All of which makes for interesting copy.”
“No doubt. [...] The fellow has a genius for anonimity.”
The Demon Princes series continues, after a hiatus of about twelve years in its publishing schedule. The patient fans of the author were rewarded with a marked boost in quality: the plot is better structured and much more coherent than the first three episodes, the humour and the language is smoother, and the cultural tourism to far away planets more exotic.
The starting point of the adventure is the same as the rest of the series: Kirth Gersen, freelance investigator and agent of retribution for past crimes, is hunting five master criminals who destroyed his home planet and killed his family when he was a child. These evil overlords are known in the galactic Spread as the Demon Princes, and they all have in common an incredible talent for disguising their real identity.
The evil man is a source of fascination; ordinary people wonder what impels such extremes of conduct. A lust for wealth? A common motive, undoubtedly. A craving for power? Revenge against society? Let us grant these as well. But when wealth has been gained, power achieved and society brought down to a state of grovelling submission, what then? Why does he continue?
The response must be: the love of evil for its own sake.
Each chapter is prefaced by a pseudo-academic introduction, detailing either the homeworlds, the cultures or the background of the criminals. The Face has a clearly defined three part structure, each dealing with a planet Kith Gersen visits in his search for Lens Larque: Aloysius, Dar Sai and Methel.
Aloysius is a transit hub with a small enclave of Darsch expatriates. Gersen tries to flush out his quarry by first impounding a ship known to belong to the criminal, then by impersonating a travelling judge who bends the commercial code to his own purposes.
The most interesting aspect of this opening gambit is the financial angle that will continue in the next two sections and the presentation of the Darsch culture, as witnessed by visits to a local restaurant.
Tintle’s Shade
Fine Darsh provender:
Chatowsies Pourrian Ahagaree.
The naming conventions of Jack Vance remain as wild and as much fun as on my first forays into his fantastic universe. In another series he names this study cultural anthropology, even in the case of societies of human origins that were twisted into aberrant shapes by their environment and by their own idiosyncrasies.
The inhabitants of the planet Dar Sai, as we get first contact with them, like to shock visitors with the vileness of their cuisine and with the risque nature of their entertainment.
In regard to Darsch food, the less said the better. The traveler must adjust himself to a Darsch meal as he might a natural catastrophe.
Whips and humiliation are also on the menu in the intervals for dancing at the ‘Tintle’s Shade’ tavern, with obvious BDSM practices involving male children.
Their erotic relationships are of a quality to alarm placid dispositions, and apparently are based upon hatred and contempt, rather than mutual regard.
We will learn more about the Dar Sai culture and about the expression of love between whip-wielding men and moustachioed matrons after we depart the planet Aloysius for the home world of the infamous Lens Larque.
For once, the plans of Kith Gersen are thwarted by overconfidence and by the ruthlessness of his adversary. Is our galactic Edmont Dantes losing his edge?
Dar Sai is an inhospitable place, a desert planet battered by a merciless sun where the population is forced to live under giant umbrellas cooled by artificial waterfalls. Why would anyone choose to live there? The answer is ‘duodecimates’ – the usual ‘unobtainium’ sort of spice that makes interstellar travel possible – a very scarce resource that can be mined only on this planet.
Kirth Gersen suspects Larque is behind a fabricated bankruptcy and warehouse theft that left thousands of small stake miners and investors destitute. So he plans to buy out a controlling interest in shares of the the suspect company: Kotzash Mutual , hoping to flush out the mastermind behind the heist in this way.
The cultural exploration continues with a new element introduced: the Dar Sai miners are controlled by the neighbouring planet Methel, home to arrogant, aristocratic bankers and investors. Kith Gersen, who managed somehow to sever previous emotional attachments to extremely beautiful damsels, is ready to fall in love again with a banker’s daughter, adding the expected romantic angle into this planetary adventure goulash.
To love Jerdian Chanseth, and with her correspondingly in love, would be a fascinating circumstance.
Between share buying, desert trips and secret assignments with the seductive Jerdian, the reader gets a crash course in corporate management and in Darsch / Metheli manners. One of the things that appear important is the way the locals differentiate between theft and robbery: trickery and betrayal are admired and violent confrontation is institutionalized, but petty theft is punished in an extremely original way, by staking the culprit at the bottom of the town’s cesspit:
He was fixed under the public latrine for three days, and everyone expressed themselves as the mood took them.
The culmination of the Dar Sai adventure is both spectacular and bloody, with Kith Gersen finally asked to demonstrate his martial skills in a Darsch tournament. Yet the elusive Lens Larque still escapes identification.
The hadaul was about to start; the most characteristic of all Darsch spectacles, an activity somewhere between a game and a gang fight, given savor by tricks, broken faith, and opportunism: in short, a microcosm of Darsch society.
With control of the Kotzash Mutual finally achieved, but with little to show in his private quest to reveal the identity of the Demon Prince, it is time for Gersen to fly over to the place where the power brokers dwell.
Methel planet is part of the same solar system as Dar Sai but, being further away, it enjoys a much more temperate climate. The whole planet is basically a gated community designed to keep indesirables out, with everybody except the ruling class included in the outcast category. The Metheli live in sumptuous villas, surrounded by private parks, their wealth built on their dealings in duodecimates mined on Dar Sai. The rest of the population is concentrated in a single metropolis / spaceport.
Beside the long delayed confrontation between hunter and quarry, the visit to Methel is important for a rare introspective mood in Kith Gersen: the beautiful landscape and his romance with Jerdian Chanseth, rekindled on her home planet, prompt a re-evaluation of his obsession with revenge and a more than passing consideration of settling down here.
Kith Gersen’s plans for a happy ending run afoul of elite xenophobia, something that apparently our hero shares with Lens Larque: both blocked in their quest to settle down by the same man: the girl’s father.
The conclusion is not only spectacular, but also ironic in a typical Jack Vance way, where amoral characters somehow receive their just retribution. The meaning of the novel’s title has had to wait to reveal its mystery until the final page, but it was worth it.
“Isn’t this a strange and wonderful universe? I believe that I might enjoy another half gill of this excellent liquor.”
There’s one more episode, one more Demon Prince to follow, the most elusive and the most intelligent of the lot. I can’t wait to find out how the cards will be dealt next. Kirth Gersen gets back in the saddle and rides into the sunset, whistling probably something along the lines of ‘My Darling Clementine’ as he leaves love behind in order to focus on revenge.
He went out to his Fantamic Flitterwing, climbing aboard, and departed the planet Methel.
November 28, 2012
This book is book 4 of 5 in Demon Princes series.
The plot is like before Kirth Gersen is hunting down one of the Demon Princes who destroyed his family and homeland when he was a boy. Lens Larque is not the weirdest, most dangerous of the villains Gersen has faced in his quest for revenge. He was smart enough be a real challenge though.
What made this book great is the witty, clever way Vances makes fun of human behavior with the Darsh culture and the Methlen culture. The Darsh are ugly people, have a caotic way of life, disgusting cuisine and the Methlen are vain snobs who look down on every other human in the Universe.The Darsh also have an exciting game of survival called hadaul. There is also Kirth Gersen's inner struggles with part of him that wants to settle down to happy normal life and the single minded, ruthless part of him that wants to live only for killing the famous criminals who destroyed his family. Vance is not the kind of writer that writes straight SF thriller.
Vance usual high level writing plus character like Kirth Gersen and the way he seemlessly created far future human cultures and says something about human condition is the landmark of his SF works in novels or short stories.
The plot is like before Kirth Gersen is hunting down one of the Demon Princes who destroyed his family and homeland when he was a boy. Lens Larque is not the weirdest, most dangerous of the villains Gersen has faced in his quest for revenge. He was smart enough be a real challenge though.
What made this book great is the witty, clever way Vances makes fun of human behavior with the Darsh culture and the Methlen culture. The Darsh are ugly people, have a caotic way of life, disgusting cuisine and the Methlen are vain snobs who look down on every other human in the Universe.The Darsh also have an exciting game of survival called hadaul. There is also Kirth Gersen's inner struggles with part of him that wants to settle down to happy normal life and the single minded, ruthless part of him that wants to live only for killing the famous criminals who destroyed his family. Vance is not the kind of writer that writes straight SF thriller.
Vance usual high level writing plus character like Kirth Gersen and the way he seemlessly created far future human cultures and says something about human condition is the landmark of his SF works in novels or short stories.
December 24, 2023
I don’t write reviews.
“Still, I often wonder about myself. Am I a man, or a motivated mechanism? Or an absurd, distorted idea?”
Kirth Gersen wonders about himself, as do I. What will he do after he finalizes his revenge? Will life cease to have any meaning?
Now is not the time to worry about such things since we still have one more volume to go. In this story, Vance shows his talent for creating societies and cultures. The world of Dar Sai and the Darsh people, though thoroughly unappealing, are really well thought-out. The Darsh men, completely hairless with elongated earlobes, are known for their strong odors, while the women are renowned for their mustaches. This strange desert-dwelling society also spawned one of the notorious Demon Princes, Lens Larque.
Although the revenge aspect of these books is predictable, the characters and worlds unfold satisfyingly and treat the reader to interesting scenarios.
“Still, I often wonder about myself. Am I a man, or a motivated mechanism? Or an absurd, distorted idea?”
Kirth Gersen wonders about himself, as do I. What will he do after he finalizes his revenge? Will life cease to have any meaning?
Now is not the time to worry about such things since we still have one more volume to go. In this story, Vance shows his talent for creating societies and cultures. The world of Dar Sai and the Darsh people, though thoroughly unappealing, are really well thought-out. The Darsh men, completely hairless with elongated earlobes, are known for their strong odors, while the women are renowned for their mustaches. This strange desert-dwelling society also spawned one of the notorious Demon Princes, Lens Larque.
Although the revenge aspect of these books is predictable, the characters and worlds unfold satisfyingly and treat the reader to interesting scenarios.
July 5, 2010
4.5 stars. Book 4 of the excellent, and under-rated, Demon Prince series by Jack Vance. In this installment, Kirth Gersen, our revenge seeking hero, searches out the "demon prince" known as Lens Larque.
Vance is a master story-teller with an incredible imagination and a talent for concise, descriptive writing that immerses his readers in the worlds he creates without needing a lot of pages to do it. Each of the Demon Prince novels are only around 200 pages but every page is so filled with the history, the culture, the economy, the governments and the people of the Oikumene (the universe setting in which these stories take place) that authors with 600 pages coukd provide this much depth. Yet such information is so seamlessly interwoven into the plot, that you never get the "info dump" feeling that can sometimes detract from the pace of the story.
Bottom-line, Vance is rightfully considered one of the best writers of science fiction's golden age and this is a superb example of why. Highly Recommended!!!!
Vance is a master story-teller with an incredible imagination and a talent for concise, descriptive writing that immerses his readers in the worlds he creates without needing a lot of pages to do it. Each of the Demon Prince novels are only around 200 pages but every page is so filled with the history, the culture, the economy, the governments and the people of the Oikumene (the universe setting in which these stories take place) that authors with 600 pages coukd provide this much depth. Yet such information is so seamlessly interwoven into the plot, that you never get the "info dump" feeling that can sometimes detract from the pace of the story.
Bottom-line, Vance is rightfully considered one of the best writers of science fiction's golden age and this is a superb example of why. Highly Recommended!!!!
December 18, 2010
ORIGINALLY POSTED AT Fantasy Literature.
Here’s another thoroughly delightful installment (book 4 of 5) of The Demon Princes. The plot is as usual: Kirth Gersen is hunting down one of the Demon Princes who destroyed his family and homeland when he was a boy. There’s no doubt that Gersen will kill Lens Larque; the question is how he’ll kill him and what adventures he’ll have on the way.
The Face distinguishes itself by introducing a couple of cultures which Vance uses to make fun of human behavior. Lens Larque is one of the Darsh of the planet Dar Sai. They’re a large ugly people with a disgusting cuisine, a fondness for flagellation, and some pretty entertaining mating habits. Their women have a short period of beauty during adolescence, but then become meaty, mustached, and mean. Thus, the men chase only the young women and the older women capture young men who aren’t big enough to resist. (Vance mentions that “the system has permutations unnecessary now to explore.”) The Darsh also have an exciting game of survival called hadaul.
The other culture is the Methlen. These folks are snobs who look down on everyone else in the universe. They live in Llalarkno, an exclusive country club type area of the planet Methel, and they don’t want anyone who’s not Methlen living there. They especially hate the Darsh whose planet is close to theirs. When Lens Larque tries to buy a house in Llalarkno, he’s insulted and run-off by the neighbor. He hatches an elaborate plan to get even and Kirth Gersen gets involved with both societies as he tries to track down the elusive Larque.
The Face is hilarious and has a particularly clever and satisfying ending. You don’t really need to read the previous Demon Princes books to enjoy The Face, but why wouldn’t you?
Here’s another thoroughly delightful installment (book 4 of 5) of The Demon Princes. The plot is as usual: Kirth Gersen is hunting down one of the Demon Princes who destroyed his family and homeland when he was a boy. There’s no doubt that Gersen will kill Lens Larque; the question is how he’ll kill him and what adventures he’ll have on the way.
The Face distinguishes itself by introducing a couple of cultures which Vance uses to make fun of human behavior. Lens Larque is one of the Darsh of the planet Dar Sai. They’re a large ugly people with a disgusting cuisine, a fondness for flagellation, and some pretty entertaining mating habits. Their women have a short period of beauty during adolescence, but then become meaty, mustached, and mean. Thus, the men chase only the young women and the older women capture young men who aren’t big enough to resist. (Vance mentions that “the system has permutations unnecessary now to explore.”) The Darsh also have an exciting game of survival called hadaul.
The other culture is the Methlen. These folks are snobs who look down on everyone else in the universe. They live in Llalarkno, an exclusive country club type area of the planet Methel, and they don’t want anyone who’s not Methlen living there. They especially hate the Darsh whose planet is close to theirs. When Lens Larque tries to buy a house in Llalarkno, he’s insulted and run-off by the neighbor. He hatches an elaborate plan to get even and Kirth Gersen gets involved with both societies as he tries to track down the elusive Larque.
The Face is hilarious and has a particularly clever and satisfying ending. You don’t really need to read the previous Demon Princes books to enjoy The Face, but why wouldn’t you?
April 14, 2023
Second time in Orbit omnibus (legimus)
October 13, 2022
What do Heinlein, Herbert and Clarke have in common? Well, lots of things I suppose. But foremost is that None Of Them Are As Cool As Jack Vance. This fourth book of the Demon Princes series is my favorite so far. The three sections relate Gersen's activities across three different planets in pursuit of the elusive Lens Larque, with each featuring Vance's imaginative and absurd world-building. Along the way he participates in the invented game Hadaul (which I'd like to see played in real life) and tries to reconcile being a revenge-fueled monomaniac with his latent human instinct to meet a nice girl and settle down.
October 5, 2018
4.5 stars. Each of these books in Jack Vance's Demon Princes series has the same basic formula:
Our hero seeks revenge on one of five bad guys, tracking him across the galaxy. Yet he pines for a quiet life, and falls in love along the way even though he knows he must live a solitary life on the hunt.
Yet each of these stories feels fresh and entertains because of the incredibly rich alien worlds Vance paints, with mesmerizing detail. He describes alien worlds, landscapes, cultures and peoples with unbounded creative depth, giving each such odd, unique and fascinating qualities that they jump to life.
Our hero seeks revenge on one of five bad guys, tracking him across the galaxy. Yet he pines for a quiet life, and falls in love along the way even though he knows he must live a solitary life on the hunt.
Yet each of these stories feels fresh and entertains because of the incredibly rich alien worlds Vance paints, with mesmerizing detail. He describes alien worlds, landscapes, cultures and peoples with unbounded creative depth, giving each such odd, unique and fascinating qualities that they jump to life.
November 11, 2020
4.5 stars. Only Jack Vance could write a 200-page SF novel set across three perfectly realised but totally different planets, which is mainly about trying to buy shares in a company, and in which you don't even truly encounter the villain until the last 3 pages, and pull it off. He does it with aplomb. Even if at times I started to wonder where this litany of apparently haphazard events was leading, all of those moments were worth it for the final payoff - which is a perfectly judged and truly unexpected twist.
August 30, 2024
An intriguing thought: every single one of the Demon Princes so far have been very sensitive and take umbrage at the slightest insult, going to extravagant lengths to enact revenge.
(This 4th Demon Prince, Lens Larque, via the mechanism of The Face, being the most excessive (and goofy) example so far).
And Kirth Gersen’s motivation is similar: his entire life has been put on hold, to the service of revenge: granted, the motivation for revenge is the killing of his entire family and village, not a mere trifle. There’s a moment of rare reflection and character building for Kirth, where he desires to buy a house in the suburbs, have a wife, kids, settle down - only to be unable to do so, unable to turn his back on his all-consuming mission of revenge.
So once again, we have a tale of mystery; Gersen has to figure out who the Demon Prince is. All we have is the beautiful name: Lens Larque. Gersen has to slowly uncover the masks of various do-no-gooders, follow slim trails and scant clues.
The bulk of this happens through a very complicated (and quite silly) corporate takeover, to flush Lens Larque out of hiding. And Lens Larque’s devilish plan for this corporation (only revealed in the final sentences of the story is the mystery of what the eponymous "Face" is) is even sillier and more ridiculous.
Once again, we have delightfully strange cultural customs, imagined and described in great detail. (There’s a chapter that invents a strange game, a physical contest Gersen takes part in, explaining the rules of this sport in great detail.) Once again, every chapter has a lovely epigraph, "excerpts" from writings of the Oikumene, the great interplanetary corporate gathering of humankind. (On one occasion, the epigraph contains a whole fantasy short story). Once again, the whimsical and strange prose of a master.
I wonder that these Demon Princes haven’t cottoned on to the pursuing avenger. They must be a little out of the loop.
I don't think it will be a 5 star read for many folk, but for me, the eclectic characters, world-building and prose of Jack Vance just hits the spot. When he's on a roll, it's perfection.
Would I re-read: yes.
(This 4th Demon Prince, Lens Larque, via the mechanism of The Face, being the most excessive (and goofy) example so far).
And Kirth Gersen’s motivation is similar: his entire life has been put on hold, to the service of revenge: granted, the motivation for revenge is the killing of his entire family and village, not a mere trifle. There’s a moment of rare reflection and character building for Kirth, where he desires to buy a house in the suburbs, have a wife, kids, settle down - only to be unable to do so, unable to turn his back on his all-consuming mission of revenge.
So once again, we have a tale of mystery; Gersen has to figure out who the Demon Prince is. All we have is the beautiful name: Lens Larque. Gersen has to slowly uncover the masks of various do-no-gooders, follow slim trails and scant clues.
The bulk of this happens through a very complicated (and quite silly) corporate takeover, to flush Lens Larque out of hiding. And Lens Larque’s devilish plan for this corporation (only revealed in the final sentences of the story is the mystery of what the eponymous "Face" is) is even sillier and more ridiculous.
Once again, we have delightfully strange cultural customs, imagined and described in great detail. (There’s a chapter that invents a strange game, a physical contest Gersen takes part in, explaining the rules of this sport in great detail.) Once again, every chapter has a lovely epigraph, "excerpts" from writings of the Oikumene, the great interplanetary corporate gathering of humankind. (On one occasion, the epigraph contains a whole fantasy short story). Once again, the whimsical and strange prose of a master.
I wonder that these Demon Princes haven’t cottoned on to the pursuing avenger. They must be a little out of the loop.
I don't think it will be a 5 star read for many folk, but for me, the eclectic characters, world-building and prose of Jack Vance just hits the spot. When he's on a roll, it's perfection.
Would I re-read: yes.
April 28, 2024
The Face was first published in 1979 by DAW Books. It is a 194 page novel that is the fourth in the five novel series by Jack Vance called The Demon Princes and was published twelve years after the third novel in the series. It is still in print. Kirth Gersen continues his tracking and killing of the five demon princes who killed his parents and destroyed his colony where he lived when he was a child. Kirth and his grandfather were the only survivors, and his grandfather had Keith trained for many years in hand to hand and weapons combat so that he could avenge the family. This is my second reading of all five novels, having read them previously several years ago. My appreciation for each of them has increased and my rating for The Face has increased from a 4 to a 5. I continue to find it and the sequel, The Book of Dreams, to be the most fascinating and best written in the series although all five are very readable, highly entertaining and heartily recommended.
https://vancealotjackvanceinreview.bl...
In this novel Kirth Gersen attempts to track down Lens Larque also known as The Face. Larque is an ugly looking outcast (rachepol) from the Darsh people who had his ear cut off by his clan for committing a "repulsive" crime. He is now an infamous criminal who is noted for his cruel jests often done for revenge or one-upmanship. He is very intelligent so Gersen must apply all of his skills to outmaneuver him. Although Larque is given rather minimal development, his people, the Darsh from the planet Dar Sai, are described in fascinating detail. They are a harsh, crude, violent, odorous, people enjoy whipping and a brutal combat sport called hadaul. Their food is vile and inedible to outsiders. They are contrasted with their planetary neighbors with whom they have much contact. These are the Methlens who live on the nearby planet of Methel. The Methlens reside in an exclusive community called Llarlarkno where only other Methlen may live. They are extremely ostentatious and proud, considering themselves superior to all other beings, especially the coarse Darsh.
Gersen meets and falls in love with a Methlen woman, Jerdian Chanseth, whose family and society forbid her to have a friendship or romance with him. Gersen even entertains the idea of abandoning his quest to track down demon princes by considering getting married and settling down. He also tries to take control over a mining company that Larque uses as a front. This leads him to interactions with Darsh people as he tries to purchase stock in the company. It also involves stealing a spaceship, impersonating a judge, and fighting in a violent hand to hand combat sport the Darsh call hadaul.
The novel is full of irony, humor, twists and colorful but scathing portraits of two societies that were very different but recognizable. Vance describes their histories, cultures, sexual behaviors, governments, laws, traditions and social conventions in more world building detail than one would expect in a 194 page novel. The people on the planet Dar Sai although very different from the inhabitants of the planet Methel, but both are equally unlikable. The unexpected ending of the novel is humorous, clever and inspired, one of the finest endings to any Vance novel. I will continue to reread The Face and the other novels in The Demon Prince every few years. The only other authors I routinely love to reread are Jane Austen, Marcel Proust, Shakespeare and Terry Pratchett.
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In this novel Kirth Gersen attempts to track down Lens Larque also known as The Face. Larque is an ugly looking outcast (rachepol) from the Darsh people who had his ear cut off by his clan for committing a "repulsive" crime. He is now an infamous criminal who is noted for his cruel jests often done for revenge or one-upmanship. He is very intelligent so Gersen must apply all of his skills to outmaneuver him. Although Larque is given rather minimal development, his people, the Darsh from the planet Dar Sai, are described in fascinating detail. They are a harsh, crude, violent, odorous, people enjoy whipping and a brutal combat sport called hadaul. Their food is vile and inedible to outsiders. They are contrasted with their planetary neighbors with whom they have much contact. These are the Methlens who live on the nearby planet of Methel. The Methlens reside in an exclusive community called Llarlarkno where only other Methlen may live. They are extremely ostentatious and proud, considering themselves superior to all other beings, especially the coarse Darsh.
Gersen meets and falls in love with a Methlen woman, Jerdian Chanseth, whose family and society forbid her to have a friendship or romance with him. Gersen even entertains the idea of abandoning his quest to track down demon princes by considering getting married and settling down. He also tries to take control over a mining company that Larque uses as a front. This leads him to interactions with Darsh people as he tries to purchase stock in the company. It also involves stealing a spaceship, impersonating a judge, and fighting in a violent hand to hand combat sport the Darsh call hadaul.
The novel is full of irony, humor, twists and colorful but scathing portraits of two societies that were very different but recognizable. Vance describes their histories, cultures, sexual behaviors, governments, laws, traditions and social conventions in more world building detail than one would expect in a 194 page novel. The people on the planet Dar Sai although very different from the inhabitants of the planet Methel, but both are equally unlikable. The unexpected ending of the novel is humorous, clever and inspired, one of the finest endings to any Vance novel. I will continue to reread The Face and the other novels in The Demon Prince every few years. The only other authors I routinely love to reread are Jane Austen, Marcel Proust, Shakespeare and Terry Pratchett.
August 1, 2012
A complex revenge story that leads the protagonist on an indirect route to vengeance. Very typical of the author, who prefers imaginative conflicts, interesting characters, and a colorful setting.
Slightly too long: I found my interest wandering midway through, as the story's momentum was blunted by the protagonist's soul-searching and meandering. It had a shaggy-dog story feel to it, as the protagonist is led from clue to clue and goal to goal until the meet-up became inevitable.
The ending is a classic, explaining the mystery of the antagonist and his various strange plots and plans.
Edit:(After rereading as part of the series)
It seems like Vance's writing style had evolved between the last book and this one (as one might expect, given the twelve year gap). He expends more effort on the weird cultures of the Oikumene, particularly on the repulsive Darsh and the inexplicably hoity-toity Methlen. And to my surprise, Kirth Gersen attempts charm on a young woman, to some success.
In the context of the previous books, Gersen's soul-searching and the meandering later part--after Gersen loses the trail of his quarry--doesn't feel as soggy.
The ending is still awesome.
Slightly too long: I found my interest wandering midway through, as the story's momentum was blunted by the protagonist's soul-searching and meandering. It had a shaggy-dog story feel to it, as the protagonist is led from clue to clue and goal to goal until the meet-up became inevitable.
The ending is a classic, explaining the mystery of the antagonist and his various strange plots and plans.
Edit:(After rereading as part of the series)
It seems like Vance's writing style had evolved between the last book and this one (as one might expect, given the twelve year gap). He expends more effort on the weird cultures of the Oikumene, particularly on the repulsive Darsh and the inexplicably hoity-toity Methlen. And to my surprise, Kirth Gersen attempts charm on a young woman, to some success.
In the context of the previous books, Gersen's soul-searching and the meandering later part--after Gersen loses the trail of his quarry--doesn't feel as soggy.
The ending is still awesome.
April 18, 2012
I recorded all of Jack Vance's Demon Princes books in 50-55 minute episodes for Golden Hours, my local radio service for blind and reading-impaired listeners. Too bad I didn't make CD copies for myself, since the radio station broadcast the tape versions and then erased them too reuse.
I guess I'll have to re-record them for Golden Hours and this time keep a copy, since Jack Vance has a wicked and sardonic sense of humor that I really enjoy, and this series of books is his absolute best.
I especially enjoyed the scam that the hero Kirth Gersen pulls in The Killing Machine to get millions of credits out of the hostage syndicate, and at the same time save the heroine from the villain, Kokor Hekkus.
The final page of The Face is priceless, the entire story is a build up to the last line,...
[SPOILER ALERT-DON'T READ AHEAD IF YOU DISLIKE REVELATIONS!]
"There's a great ugly Darsh face over your garden wall,"...
the face of Lens Larque, the villain, carved into the planet's moon by a sequence of explosive charges ironically set off by Kirth Gersen, himself.
I guess I'll have to re-record them for Golden Hours and this time keep a copy, since Jack Vance has a wicked and sardonic sense of humor that I really enjoy, and this series of books is his absolute best.
I especially enjoyed the scam that the hero Kirth Gersen pulls in The Killing Machine to get millions of credits out of the hostage syndicate, and at the same time save the heroine from the villain, Kokor Hekkus.
The final page of The Face is priceless, the entire story is a build up to the last line,...
[SPOILER ALERT-DON'T READ AHEAD IF YOU DISLIKE REVELATIONS!]
"There's a great ugly Darsh face over your garden wall,"...
the face of Lens Larque, the villain, carved into the planet's moon by a sequence of explosive charges ironically set off by Kirth Gersen, himself.
August 14, 2012
My favorite of the Demon Prince series. The ending took me completely by surprise the first time I read the book.
February 16, 2021
I think this volume has the strongest new and interesting culture yet for which Kith Gerson to track down the fourth Demon Prince in his quest for revenge. Vance is always creative in thoughtful ways, but often his ideas are almost one-offs...his rich developement of the Darsh from their entertainment to their food I think will stick with me longer than most "alien" races.
What is also interesting is how Gerson reflects at the pattern/rut he has gotten into in this find the guy/kill the guy series of novels without being ponderous nor falsely enlightened.
These two elements are what make these books a good slice above what they appear to be on the surface.
And while Vance is not afraid of anti-heroes by any means, the spiteful ending was particularly well done.
What is also interesting is how Gerson reflects at the pattern/rut he has gotten into in this find the guy/kill the guy series of novels without being ponderous nor falsely enlightened.
These two elements are what make these books a good slice above what they appear to be on the surface.
And while Vance is not afraid of anti-heroes by any means, the spiteful ending was particularly well done.
December 2, 2020
Kirth Gersen is tracking down the five Demon Princes, entities outwardly human but prone to evil of all varieties, including the murder of Gersen’s family. On the planet Dar Sai Kirth tracks down number four on his list - going by the name Lens Larque - and finds that he is the known perpetrator of a huge theft of duodecimates (ultraheavy elements) which has left an ore company’s shares seemingly worthless. When Kirth’s first subterfuge fails spectacularly and Larque escapes, Kirth decides to investigate the shares in the companies more closely and commences to buy up the ostensibly worthless stock, and winds up fighting in a free-for-all for a hefty pile of shares. Jack Vance has resumed his series after 15 years and has given us a delightful read. His prose craft and lush descriptions turn what is basically a straightforward revenge tale into something just a bit more, and the final confrontation on Methel has a delicious ending!
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.
October 11, 2025
This is at least the third time I've read this, starting when it was quite new. In fact, I remember seeing the Daw edition in the book store. It may have been the first Demon Prince book I read.
This time I was a little disappointed and dropped my rating from 5 stars to 4. Expectations may be playing a role, because I was very pleasantly surprised with The Palace of Love (book 3) on this read, remembering it as weaker than the others.
12 years elapsed between Vance writing Palace (1967) and the Face (1979) and in those years Vance wrote some of his masterpieces. Interestingly, I didn't see a huge difference in style. He seems to have reached a level of excellence in 1966 with Cugel that he maintained the next dozen years. Palace was a masterpiece of humor, highlighted by the mad poet Navarth, one of Vance's best characters, but relatively uneventful. The Face gets back to the action roots of the series, and also contains more character development of Girsen. It is roughly divided into three parts, each taking place on a different world. I found the plot of part 1 a little contrived and not terribly interesting. Part 2 is largely about the Darsh culture, one of Vance's most vividly developed societies. It is hard to summarize, but the hardy Darsh with their bizarre gender roles and violent and unorthodox reproduction habits, are humans that are more alien than 90% of the non-humans in sci-fi. This is the best part of the book and a highlight of the series.
Part 3 is about a related culture, the Methlen, and develops one of Vance's favorite themes, that of an arrogant and effete noble class. The Methlen almost seem like a rehash of the Lords in Emphyrio. But they are not nearly as interesting as the Darsh and Vance once again wraps up the story a little too quickly and easily.
Of the first four, The Face is the best action thriller. The Killing Machine is brilliant pulp but belongs to an earlier Vance who has still not reached his peak skill. Palace is the most literary, but much slower.
On to Book of Dreams
This time I was a little disappointed and dropped my rating from 5 stars to 4. Expectations may be playing a role, because I was very pleasantly surprised with The Palace of Love (book 3) on this read, remembering it as weaker than the others.
12 years elapsed between Vance writing Palace (1967) and the Face (1979) and in those years Vance wrote some of his masterpieces. Interestingly, I didn't see a huge difference in style. He seems to have reached a level of excellence in 1966 with Cugel that he maintained the next dozen years. Palace was a masterpiece of humor, highlighted by the mad poet Navarth, one of Vance's best characters, but relatively uneventful. The Face gets back to the action roots of the series, and also contains more character development of Girsen. It is roughly divided into three parts, each taking place on a different world. I found the plot of part 1 a little contrived and not terribly interesting. Part 2 is largely about the Darsh culture, one of Vance's most vividly developed societies. It is hard to summarize, but the hardy Darsh with their bizarre gender roles and violent and unorthodox reproduction habits, are humans that are more alien than 90% of the non-humans in sci-fi. This is the best part of the book and a highlight of the series.
Part 3 is about a related culture, the Methlen, and develops one of Vance's favorite themes, that of an arrogant and effete noble class. The Methlen almost seem like a rehash of the Lords in Emphyrio. But they are not nearly as interesting as the Darsh and Vance once again wraps up the story a little too quickly and easily.
Of the first four, The Face is the best action thriller. The Killing Machine is brilliant pulp but belongs to an earlier Vance who has still not reached his peak skill. Palace is the most literary, but much slower.
On to Book of Dreams
April 14, 2015
I have re-read all five books of The Demon Princes series at least seven times. I own all five in hardbound editions, signed by the author. I would like to give The Face five stars together with the final book of the series.
Of all the characters created by Jack Vance, Lens Larque is one of the most colorful. He is not so much evil as vengeful. Once the reader comes to appreciate this villain's goal and his motivation, one might even like to see some part of the plan reach fulfilment. Yet, our hero stands in his way.
The Demon Princes series is an all-time classic that simply does not age. It is the story of a man raised from childhood for a life of revenge...a life he himself would not likely have chosen. He fears to become (if not having done so already) a mono-maniac in this regard. In pursuit of his goal he feels himself slowly becoming closer in kind to the five arch criminals he is bent on destroying...as indeed he slowly does to some degree. The stories are set in a Jack Vance world...in a plurality of Jack Vance worlds...all described in such depth and breadth, and with a weight of history to them that these details alone make the stories fresh each time I re-read them. Then there is the dialogue between characters, at once both subtle and overt. It hardly matters that one has read it six times before. One day I shall translate this series into Esperanto. But first I must finish translating The Dying Earth.
Of all the characters created by Jack Vance, Lens Larque is one of the most colorful. He is not so much evil as vengeful. Once the reader comes to appreciate this villain's goal and his motivation, one might even like to see some part of the plan reach fulfilment. Yet, our hero stands in his way.
The Demon Princes series is an all-time classic that simply does not age. It is the story of a man raised from childhood for a life of revenge...a life he himself would not likely have chosen. He fears to become (if not having done so already) a mono-maniac in this regard. In pursuit of his goal he feels himself slowly becoming closer in kind to the five arch criminals he is bent on destroying...as indeed he slowly does to some degree. The stories are set in a Jack Vance world...in a plurality of Jack Vance worlds...all described in such depth and breadth, and with a weight of history to them that these details alone make the stories fresh each time I re-read them. Then there is the dialogue between characters, at once both subtle and overt. It hardly matters that one has read it six times before. One day I shall translate this series into Esperanto. But first I must finish translating The Dying Earth.
June 21, 2014
Complex revenge story of man whose family was mostly obliterated during a slave raid on his home planet. Our hero was raised by his revenge seeking grandfather, and trained to do just that; however, that outwardly applied motivation has definite cracks and warps. Gersen kills the bad guy, but actually deprived him of something of great value. Gersen leaves the room as it is happening. This is the first of the demises of the Demon Princes in which a kind of two way vengeance is extracted. The ending--which I remembered from my first reading, at least 20 years ago--is still howling good.
August 24, 2007
This is my favorite of the five books in the "Revenge" series by Jack Vance. The premise is simple, but as usual Vance's detail and stylistic voice enriches the book beyond the ordinary.
Any science fiction or fantasy fan must read at least one Jack Vance book, you don't know what you are missing. Or, it might not be for you, I suppose one could call it an acquired taste as well.
Any science fiction or fantasy fan must read at least one Jack Vance book, you don't know what you are missing. Or, it might not be for you, I suppose one could call it an acquired taste as well.
January 29, 2010
After getting into a rut Vance continued his series after a dozen years, and the wait was worth it. A terrific thriller.
October 9, 2010
JV, cleaver & hilarious as always.
February 6, 2012
My favourite of the Demon Princes novels by this brilliant author.
March 31, 2016
One line made me laugh out loud. The rest of the novel was okayish, but nothing to write home about.
August 13, 2013
This was hilarious, Jack Vance was a genius
September 11, 2022
My favourite of the Demon Princes and the best ending.
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