What do you think?
Rate this book
Fantasms and Magics
Slightly different edition of Eight Fantasms and Magics, omitting the two tales: Telek, and Cil. Otherwise, the same contents.
192 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 1969
77 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.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
May 28, 2024
Fantasms and Magics was published in 1978 and contains one novella, one novelette and four short stories published between 1950 and 1958. I'll comment briefly on each. The collection itself should appeal to Vance fans, readers with an enhanced sense of curiosity, and those who are interested in well written 1950s science fiction short stories.
For the most recent review and other Vance reviews please see:
https://vancealotjackvanceinreview.bl...
Update 10/26/17: Eight Fantasms and Magics was published in 1969 and has the same contents as the 1978 Fantasms and Magics but with the addition of Cil and Telek. When I reviewed Fantasms and Magics Goodreads also posted that review for the other book. So I am adding to the end of this review a few comments about Cil and Telek so it reflects the contents of Eight Fantasms and Magics. I will also list the contents of both books. Perhaps one of the librarians could fix this since they are two different publications.
"The Miracle Workers" is a 74 page novella published in 1958 by Amazing Science Fiction. The original inhabitants of the planet Pangborn are strange creatures called First Folk who have been marginalized by humans who arrived many years ago from another planet but who have lost almost all of their science and technology. One of the descendants of these humans, Lord Faide, has waged war to unite the various areas of the planet where other humans reside. Their solders are mostly foot soldiers who carry crossbows and darts and some mounted, armored knights. The only more technically advance items of warfare are several untried cannon like devices and one small, single person shuttle that Lord Faide can minimally operate. They also employ psychic warfare skills called "hoodoo" that the "Jinxmen" use to influence the opposition soldiers by causing them to have visions. Hoodoo can also be used to insert a demon like mentality into one's own soldiers to turn them into amazingly fierce fighters. Unfortunately for Lord Faide and his soldiers, hoodoo does not work on the First Folk who have decided that they have had enough of human interference. Although there is a lot of killing in the story, I found it rather fascinating and interesting and rated it a 3.5
"When the Five Moons Rise" was first published in 1954 in Cosmos Science Fiction and Fantasy Magazine. It is a 14 page short story. The setting is a lighthouse where two persons work. One of them tells the other not to believe anything when five moons rise at once. Strange things happen when the moons do rise, including the disappearance of one of the men. I thought this story was of minimal interest and a rather weak work and rated it a 2.5.
"Noise" was published initially in 1952 by Startling Stories magazine. It is a 13 page short story. A man crash lands on a distant planet and begins sending out distress signals, hoping to get rescued. He gradually begins to see and hear strange seductive things and is not sure if his senses have become more responsive or if he is hallucinating. It is a bizarre and interesting story which I rated as a 3.
"The New Prime" is also known as "Brain of the Galaxy." It was first published in Startling Stories in 1952 and is a 25 page novelette. It consists of five vignettes with different characters and settings. In the first vignette a man with no memory finds himself naked at a 19th century Boston coming out party and has to decide what to do. In the second a different character is in the midst of a losing battle with insect like creatures and decides to order his men to attack the main hive of the creatures he is fighting. In the third a man is in an ancient city of ruins seeking a parchment that can save his lords life. In the fourth a person finds himself in competition to mentally project imaginative images on a screen. In the final scene our main character is captured and tortured by his enemy. It is unclear how these vignettes are related until toward the end of the story where it all comes together. I rated it a 2: "Okay"
"Guyal of Sfere" is from the 1950 The Dying Earth, chapter 6. It is 23 pages long and is fantasy rather than science fiction. Guyal's father advises him to make a quest to visit the Curator at the Museum of Man. He provides him with magical protection as long as he does not stray from the trail. After a strange encounter involving flutes and ghosts, he arrives at a small village where he accidentally commits an offense and is tried and sentenced to visit the Curator, something he wanted to do anyhow. He ends up being paired with one of the women in what appears to be a planned human sacrifice. It is a dense story with much symbolism and mythology that improves with repeated readings. I rated it 4.5
"The Men Return" was first published in 1957 and is a 9 page short story. It is rather like two universes that overlap after the law of causality, physics and reality on Earth is rendered somewhat inoperable and matter now fades in and out of existence. Humans evolved into two different creatures, one rooted in the laws of science and the other having developed in the coexisting world of randomness and surrealism where nothing seems real. Both groups spend all their time seeking food and are not above eating each other. As food becomes more scarce, the groups become more desperate. It is all very bizarre, but I found it rather fascinating and rated it 3: "Liked it."
Addendum for book Eight Fantasms and Magics that includes Cil and Telek:
Cil:
Cil is a 22 page novelette that was not written initially as a stand alone novelette but was published in 1966 as part of the Vance novel The Eyes of the Overworld, part 2. I have reviewed The Eyes of the Overworld so refer readers to that novel rather than writing another one for Cil.
Telek:
Telek is a 58 page novella that was first published in 1952 in Astounding Science Fiction magazine. It is set in the future where the world is controlled by Teleks who are humans who have learned telekinetic powers. These Teleks live apart from regular humans but interact with them and manage much of the industry and finances of the world. Although vastly outnumbered by humans, Teleks have immense power to do damage and to control society. If a Telek is attacked or killed by ordinary humans, there is terrible retribution against them so they are usually treated with deference. In our story a Telek is suddenly killed by an angry worker and the other workers decide to cover this up to avoid retaliation. But Teleks have bug like spying devices that fly around keeping surveillance, making such cover ups extremely difficult. One human, Shorn, who joins a group that is conspiring against the Teleks, offers the Teleks some vital information in exchange for their teaching him telekinesis so he can be a Telek. He hopes to teach other ordinary people this power so they are not dominated and terrorized by the Teleks. The alternative plan is to try to kill all of the Teleks. But if they do not kill every one of them, if even one is left alive, there will be terrible retaliation. This story was likeable enough but not top drawer Vance and I rated it a 3 "Liked it."
Eight Fantasms and Magics (1969): EFM (paperback & hardcover)
Cil
Guyal of Sfere
Men Return
Miracle-Workers
New Prime
Noise
Telek
When the Five Moons Rise
Fantasms and Magics (1978, same as Eight Fantasms but missing Cil and Telek)
Guyal Sfere
Men Return, The
Miracle Workers, The
New Prime, The
Noise
When the Five Moons Rise
For the most recent review and other Vance reviews please see:
https://vancealotjackvanceinreview.bl...
Update 10/26/17: Eight Fantasms and Magics was published in 1969 and has the same contents as the 1978 Fantasms and Magics but with the addition of Cil and Telek. When I reviewed Fantasms and Magics Goodreads also posted that review for the other book. So I am adding to the end of this review a few comments about Cil and Telek so it reflects the contents of Eight Fantasms and Magics. I will also list the contents of both books. Perhaps one of the librarians could fix this since they are two different publications.
"The Miracle Workers" is a 74 page novella published in 1958 by Amazing Science Fiction. The original inhabitants of the planet Pangborn are strange creatures called First Folk who have been marginalized by humans who arrived many years ago from another planet but who have lost almost all of their science and technology. One of the descendants of these humans, Lord Faide, has waged war to unite the various areas of the planet where other humans reside. Their solders are mostly foot soldiers who carry crossbows and darts and some mounted, armored knights. The only more technically advance items of warfare are several untried cannon like devices and one small, single person shuttle that Lord Faide can minimally operate. They also employ psychic warfare skills called "hoodoo" that the "Jinxmen" use to influence the opposition soldiers by causing them to have visions. Hoodoo can also be used to insert a demon like mentality into one's own soldiers to turn them into amazingly fierce fighters. Unfortunately for Lord Faide and his soldiers, hoodoo does not work on the First Folk who have decided that they have had enough of human interference. Although there is a lot of killing in the story, I found it rather fascinating and interesting and rated it a 3.5
"When the Five Moons Rise" was first published in 1954 in Cosmos Science Fiction and Fantasy Magazine. It is a 14 page short story. The setting is a lighthouse where two persons work. One of them tells the other not to believe anything when five moons rise at once. Strange things happen when the moons do rise, including the disappearance of one of the men. I thought this story was of minimal interest and a rather weak work and rated it a 2.5.
"Noise" was published initially in 1952 by Startling Stories magazine. It is a 13 page short story. A man crash lands on a distant planet and begins sending out distress signals, hoping to get rescued. He gradually begins to see and hear strange seductive things and is not sure if his senses have become more responsive or if he is hallucinating. It is a bizarre and interesting story which I rated as a 3.
"The New Prime" is also known as "Brain of the Galaxy." It was first published in Startling Stories in 1952 and is a 25 page novelette. It consists of five vignettes with different characters and settings. In the first vignette a man with no memory finds himself naked at a 19th century Boston coming out party and has to decide what to do. In the second a different character is in the midst of a losing battle with insect like creatures and decides to order his men to attack the main hive of the creatures he is fighting. In the third a man is in an ancient city of ruins seeking a parchment that can save his lords life. In the fourth a person finds himself in competition to mentally project imaginative images on a screen. In the final scene our main character is captured and tortured by his enemy. It is unclear how these vignettes are related until toward the end of the story where it all comes together. I rated it a 2: "Okay"
"Guyal of Sfere" is from the 1950 The Dying Earth, chapter 6. It is 23 pages long and is fantasy rather than science fiction. Guyal's father advises him to make a quest to visit the Curator at the Museum of Man. He provides him with magical protection as long as he does not stray from the trail. After a strange encounter involving flutes and ghosts, he arrives at a small village where he accidentally commits an offense and is tried and sentenced to visit the Curator, something he wanted to do anyhow. He ends up being paired with one of the women in what appears to be a planned human sacrifice. It is a dense story with much symbolism and mythology that improves with repeated readings. I rated it 4.5
"The Men Return" was first published in 1957 and is a 9 page short story. It is rather like two universes that overlap after the law of causality, physics and reality on Earth is rendered somewhat inoperable and matter now fades in and out of existence. Humans evolved into two different creatures, one rooted in the laws of science and the other having developed in the coexisting world of randomness and surrealism where nothing seems real. Both groups spend all their time seeking food and are not above eating each other. As food becomes more scarce, the groups become more desperate. It is all very bizarre, but I found it rather fascinating and rated it 3: "Liked it."
Addendum for book Eight Fantasms and Magics that includes Cil and Telek:
Cil:
Cil is a 22 page novelette that was not written initially as a stand alone novelette but was published in 1966 as part of the Vance novel The Eyes of the Overworld, part 2. I have reviewed The Eyes of the Overworld so refer readers to that novel rather than writing another one for Cil.
Telek:
Telek is a 58 page novella that was first published in 1952 in Astounding Science Fiction magazine. It is set in the future where the world is controlled by Teleks who are humans who have learned telekinetic powers. These Teleks live apart from regular humans but interact with them and manage much of the industry and finances of the world. Although vastly outnumbered by humans, Teleks have immense power to do damage and to control society. If a Telek is attacked or killed by ordinary humans, there is terrible retribution against them so they are usually treated with deference. In our story a Telek is suddenly killed by an angry worker and the other workers decide to cover this up to avoid retaliation. But Teleks have bug like spying devices that fly around keeping surveillance, making such cover ups extremely difficult. One human, Shorn, who joins a group that is conspiring against the Teleks, offers the Teleks some vital information in exchange for their teaching him telekinesis so he can be a Telek. He hopes to teach other ordinary people this power so they are not dominated and terrorized by the Teleks. The alternative plan is to try to kill all of the Teleks. But if they do not kill every one of them, if even one is left alive, there will be terrible retaliation. This story was likeable enough but not top drawer Vance and I rated it a 3 "Liked it."
Eight Fantasms and Magics (1969): EFM (paperback & hardcover)
Cil
Guyal of Sfere
Men Return
Miracle-Workers
New Prime
Noise
Telek
When the Five Moons Rise
Fantasms and Magics (1978, same as Eight Fantasms but missing Cil and Telek)
Guyal Sfere
Men Return, The
Miracle Workers, The
New Prime, The
Noise
When the Five Moons Rise
March 30, 2012
This is such an incredible book all around. The strange voodoo mimic fighting of the first story ("The Miracle Workers") to the completely bizarre 1957 kick in the mind "The Men Return". Check out this passage:
"Out on the plain one of the Organisms, Alpha, sat down, caught a handful of air, a globe of blue liquid, a rock, kneaded them together, pulled the mixture like taffy, gave it a great heave. It uncoiled from his hand like rope. The Relict crouched low. No telling what deviltry would occur to the creature. He and all the rest of them unpredictable! The Relict valued their flesh as food; but the Organisms would eat him if opportunity offered. In the competition he was at a great disadvantage. Their random acts baffled him. If, seeking to escape, he ran, the worst terror would begin. The direction he set his face was seldom the direction the varying frictions of the ground let him move. But the Organisms were as random and uncommitted as the environment, and the double set of disorders sometimes compounded, sometimes canceled each other. In the latter case the Organism might catch him...It was inexplicable. But then, what was not? The word 'explanation' had no meaning."
...Ya...!
This preceded Silverberg's "Son of Man" & Butler's "Adulthood Rights". The Men Return was just waaaaaay too ahead of it's time. Groundbreaking short story oddness written very well in short edible blue globe chunks.
"Out on the plain one of the Organisms, Alpha, sat down, caught a handful of air, a globe of blue liquid, a rock, kneaded them together, pulled the mixture like taffy, gave it a great heave. It uncoiled from his hand like rope. The Relict crouched low. No telling what deviltry would occur to the creature. He and all the rest of them unpredictable! The Relict valued their flesh as food; but the Organisms would eat him if opportunity offered. In the competition he was at a great disadvantage. Their random acts baffled him. If, seeking to escape, he ran, the worst terror would begin. The direction he set his face was seldom the direction the varying frictions of the ground let him move. But the Organisms were as random and uncommitted as the environment, and the double set of disorders sometimes compounded, sometimes canceled each other. In the latter case the Organism might catch him...It was inexplicable. But then, what was not? The word 'explanation' had no meaning."
...Ya...!
This preceded Silverberg's "Son of Man" & Butler's "Adulthood Rights". The Men Return was just waaaaaay too ahead of it's time. Groundbreaking short story oddness written very well in short edible blue globe chunks.
March 15, 2016
This is one of those books, increasingly few these days, that I picked up on a whim browsing a second hand book store. They are increasingly few because I don't have any second hand book stores near me any more; they've all closed down. Anyhow, I thought you can't go wrong with Vance, anything he's done should be worth a read.
The opening story (more of a novella) was worth the price alone. "The Miracle Workers" set in a far future planet that earthmen colonised but they have lost all knowledge of the technology that brought them there and gain instead extensive empathic/psychic skills. They fight among themselves but at last tensions between them and the dispossessed native inhabitants are coming to a head. This story was Vance at his best.
The other stories were a mixed bunch, some I enjoyed more than others. It did include a Dying Earth story that I had read before ("Guyal of Sfere") but I only dimly recalled it and it was a pleasure to read it again.
There may be better collections to pick up of this author's work these days but if you are lucky enough to have a second hand book store near you and stumble upon it, you could do worse than pick it up.
The opening story (more of a novella) was worth the price alone. "The Miracle Workers" set in a far future planet that earthmen colonised but they have lost all knowledge of the technology that brought them there and gain instead extensive empathic/psychic skills. They fight among themselves but at last tensions between them and the dispossessed native inhabitants are coming to a head. This story was Vance at his best.
The other stories were a mixed bunch, some I enjoyed more than others. It did include a Dying Earth story that I had read before ("Guyal of Sfere") but I only dimly recalled it and it was a pleasure to read it again.
There may be better collections to pick up of this author's work these days but if you are lucky enough to have a second hand book store near you and stumble upon it, you could do worse than pick it up.
October 12, 2020
Great stories in typical Jack Vance style (atmospheric, bizarre and melancholic blend of sci-fi and fantasy), although in general his style seems suited more to novels and novellas than really short form. Here the author too often finishes the story with a quick twist , instead of having the time to build up fantastic scenery and characters and an epic storyline as he does in longer form. Still very much recommended.
February 16, 2025
If you're curious as to what kind of book this will be, let me refer you to the cover... yeah that pretty much sums it up. Whether you like him or not, you have to admit, there aren't any out there even remotely like Jack Vance.
December 12, 2015
not his best.
April 27, 2020
I think I first read this in 1973 and probably bought this copy in 1987 so have read it at least four times. It's a collection of six stories originally published in magazines in the 1950s with a one page introduction to the book by the author. One of the stories "Guyal of Sfere" has also been published (in a slightly longer form) in "The dying earth" collection and I have a feeling that two of the other stories "The new prime" and "The men return" have also been published in other collections. The other stories in this book are "The miracle workers" (the longest story at 73 pages), "When the five moons rise" and "Noise". If you like the author's work this is a good read.
Read
December 8, 2018#50 1988
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews