The Gray Prince [Paperback]

Jack Vance (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1992

With the guidance of the Gray Prince, the fierce Uldrans prepare to reclaim their rule over the planet Koryphon, seizing power from the hands of the aristocratic Outkers. Original.

Editorial Reviews

Review

- "Excellent ... a fast-paced adventure.... Vance is a splendid storyteller!" --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 188 pages
• Publisher: Tor Books; paperback / softback edition (May 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0812511336
• ISBN-13: 978-0812511338
• Product Dimensions: 6.5 x 4.2 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,873,095 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Missing the Point, September 15, 2004

By 

cuimhne - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Grey Prince (Paperback)

Those hasty readers who sought, and therefore found, "racist filth" here have seriously misunderstood the meaning of Kelsse Madduc's "magnificent joke."

[WARNING: SPOILER FOLLOWS]

The whole point of the book is that the "oppressed" "native" Uldra are not natives but off-world conquerors -- of the Erjin, who are THEMSELVES off-world conquerors, of the autochthonous Morphotes, for whose welfare not one of the bleeding-heart societies of the planet cares a bent farthing.

A further irony is that Uldra and Erjin alike are separately, and actively, plotting to regain their conquests by wholesale slaughter. The Morphotes? They kill on a retail level, so far as I recall....

The only ones, in fact, manifesting a trace of fellow-feeling for the other races of the planet (native and other) are the wicked nasty "colonialists."

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An ironic parody of ideological politics in a SF world, May 23, 2002

By 

Canadien (Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Gray Prince: A Science Fiction Novel (Hardcover)

Vance ventures in the world of politics in The Grey Prince with an ironic tale where the oppressed are found to be oppressors and the self-righteous prove to follow disguised self-interest of grandeur and fame. Curiously, this time the main Vancian character is introduced as somewhat of a villain, the storytelling evolving to show his true side as well as his "noble" rivals - whose true face is not as noble as it appears. The ending, as always, shows an admirable ironic witt.

An intelligent, educated critic at how real world politics can degenetate between natives and colonials, with a keen reminder that "abstract" interest groups rarely defend their members' grassroots views.

Interesting for the student of politics as for the SF fan looking for inspiring social dynamics.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Vance tells a tale of alien succession fascinatingly., July 13, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: The Gray Prince (Paperback)

A returnee to the planet Koryphon discovers changes and mysteries in the behavior of his old friends. The displaced former masters of Koryphon are subservient to human immigrants, who are trying to agree upon a formal relationship with them. Typically humanity cannot agree, and the differences between advocates degenerates to opposition and conflict. The urban factions promote their solution based upon abstractions formed through social fashion and educated consensus. Those who deal most with the native population are faced with the threat of externally imposed order and loss of their way of life. Told in Vance's typically elaborate manner the story shows how the most convoluted human and alien relationship must be understood internally, by the participants, to reach a working relationship. The tale hinges on enlightened self interest of the characters as they all pursue individual goals; not at all transparently. An exemplary Vance title, with all his sense of! ! wonder and roundabout manner of getting to the real point of the story. Well worth a read!!