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Rating: 
Summary: The Kirkus Reviews is wrong.
Review: After having read the demon Prince's novels for the umteenth time, (just finished the Face), It annoys me that the Editor's review (final paragraph) states incorrectly that "-- a race of beings --". In fact the only Demon Prince who was not human was Attel Malagate "The Woe" who was a star king. What makes this series stand out, is the witty (and wry) commentary that commonly precedes each chapter. Baron Bodissey, Caril Carphen, The Handbook to the Planets -- not to mention the commentary about critics written by "Jaen Holbrook Vaenz" in the Palace of Love. Lovers of Navarath unite!
Rating:
Summary: Classic Vance
Review: I remember waiting, after discovering the first three Demon Princes books in the early 70s (Star King, Palace of Love, and The Killing Machine... all from the 60s) for Vance to complete the series... which he finally did in 1979-1981. Both The Face and The Book of Dreams are a little more elaborate than the three prior books. Vance's wonderful way with atmospheres and strange quirks of culture had grown even more baroque... he'd written the nowadays little known masterpiece Maske: Thaery in the meantime, as well as the Alastor books. Both these books are vintage Vance of the highest order, especially The Face.
Rating:
Summary: A Must-Read for Vance Fans
Review: If you are a Vance fan and don't have a copy of the Demon Princes series, rush out and get this while you can. The last two volumes of the series were written some 10 or 12 years or so after the first three, and these last volumes represent some of Vance's best work. Vol. 2 details the culmination of Kirth Gersen's revenge on the Demon Princes who wiped out his family. In "The Face" (my favorite of the 5), Kirth finally confronts Lens Larque. Larque is a person who enjoys seeking revenge on anyone who stands in his way. He evades Gersen's attempts at bringing him to justice while simultaneously tricking Gersen out of milllions of SVU ($). Gersen eventually tracks down Larque, who is busy with an ingenious scheme for getting revenge against an entire planet. In one of Vance's most satisfying endings, Gersen denies Larque his revenge, while paying back Larque (in the usual way) and everyone else who wronged him. "The Book Dreams" is possibly one of Vance's most violent works. As Gersen relentlessly tracks down the insane Howard Alan Treesong, he uncovers a diabolical plot in which Treesong is methodically attempting to become the ruler of the entire known universe. In several confrontations, Gersen repeatedly guns down Treesong and dozens of his minions, only to have Treesong escape at the last possible second with minor injuries. Eventually, however, Gersen lures Treesong to a place where he can confront him alone. The ending is somewhat amusing, in that Gersen runs into people who are even more fanatical about killing Treesong than he. Nevertheless, Treesong is brought to justice in typical Vancian style.
Rating:
Summary: A most excellent alternate world framed by the usual human v
Review: No matter how many miles in empty space you go, if humans (or humanoid) creatures are found, Jack Vance can create a new world so real you'd swear he had been there. This series, of which this work is but a fragment, chronicles the growth of young Kirth Gerson and his quest for justice after losing all his family to the fabled monsters, the 'Demon Princes'--are they real? And is there life after revenge? An incredible journey into the human condition, by a true master of fantasy and science fiction, Mr. Jack Vance.
Rating:
Summary: One of the greatest Sci-Fi series....ever
Review: This has to be one of the greatest sci-fi series ever. Shall I name the reasons, let me try to count 'em off: 1- Language: Vance's use of language is stilted, strange, peculiar, old-fashioned, even bizarre, surely a cause to complain. No! It is because of this very usage that the language is melodic, the names whimsical, charming, the characters robust, bold, hopping a' skither-and-tither with quirks and mannerisms. 2- Hero: in contrast Vance's 'hero' seems a very cold fish indeed in comparison to his outlandish foes, acquaintances and romantic partners. Yet you are slowly drawn into understanding him, liking him and hoping he succeeds in both his quest and his hope of living a normal life, not that of a hunter-killer. You also end up ever so slightly hating his grandfather, who knowingly cut off his grandson from hope of a normal human existence in his desire to exact revenge from beyond the grave. 3- Redemption: These last two volumes allow the redemption of Kirth Gersen - read 'em and see what I mean. Vance also saves the best villain for last with Howard Alan Treesong, truly a character who gives a new meaning to schizophrenia. 4- Invention: No-one, not one other sci-fi or supposed fantasy author can beat Vance for sheer scope of invention. He creates cultures from sketches and schemes, draws you in, tumbles you about and casts you back out. Yet they have an inherent life to them that makes you suspect they carry on ticking after our attention has moved on. 5- A good 'ol cop with an attitude story - the outsider, the loner, the cop-turned-near criminal - all these are wrapped up in here. It's almost too much but Gersen's character and motivations remain coherent and clear throughout. Look these books are so good that it's they're almost worth buying for the inter-chapter tales of Marmaduke and his companions alone - little skits that make other, more 'serious' sci-fi series scene setters as found in the likes of Dune and Foundation look pompous. Let Vance light up your world, put a smile on your face and thank the Lord that someone else has to deal with Demon Princes.
Rating: 
Summary: Jack Vance is a stud....and so is Kirth Gersen
Review: This is some of the best "old school" sci-fi out there. It's fast paced, and Vance does a great job of describing the necessary technologies, political situations, and character motivations. This book is a pretty fast read, even though it contains more than one story. My favorite story is "The Face". If you're like me, you will discover that you are thinking like the main character by the end of the story. That is, before the "suprise" ending, you will know exactly what the surprise is. And because of the way the story is told, the ending is even better!! Jack Vance has written other sci-fi novels, and they all make for great airplane or subway reading. If you are serious about the "sci" part of the sci-fi, you might want to check out Neal Stephenson, or Michael Crichton. But for people who can appreciate the "fi" side, spend a few hours on this--you won't regret it.
Rating:
Summary: One of the greatest Sci-Fi series....ever
Review: This is some of the best "old school" sci-fi out there. It's fast paced, and Vance does a great job of describing the necessary technologies, political situations, and character motivations. This book is a pretty fast read, even though it contains more than one story. My favorite story is "The Face". If you're like me, you will discover that you are thinking like the main character by the end of the story. That is, before the "suprise" ending, you will know exactly what the surprise is. And because of the way the story is told, the ending is even better!! Jack Vance has written other sci-fi novels, and they all make for great airplane or subway reading. If you are serious about the "sci" part of the sci-fi, you might want to check out Neal Stephenson, or Michael Crichton. But for people who can appreciate the "fi" side, spend a few hours on this--you won't regret it.
Rating:
Summary: Jack Vance is a stud....and so is Kirth Gersen
Review: This is some of the best "old school" sci-fi out there. It's fast paced, and Vance does a great job of describing the necessary technologies, political situations, and character motivations. This book is a pretty fast read, even though it contains more than one story. My favorite story is "The Face". If you're like me, you will discover that you are thinking like the main character by the end of the story. That is, before the "suprise" ending, you will know exactly what the surprise is. And because of the way the story is told, the ending is even better!! Jack Vance has written other sci-fi novels, and they all make for great airplane or subway reading. If you are serious about the "sci" part of the sci-fi, you might want to check out Neal Stephenson, or Michael Crichton. But for people who can appreciate the "fi" side, spend a few hours on this--you won't regret it.
Rating:
Summary: The Rest of the Story
Review: This volume contains the last two of the five Demon Princes stories. My comments on volume One really apply to this volume as well, and my rating applies to the two books together.
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