The Panarch of Pao is dead and Beran Panasper, his young son and heir, must flee the planet to live and avenge his father's death. It is at the secret fortress on the planet Breakness that Beran discovers the dreaded truth behind the assassination of his father-and much more. The people of Pao are a docile lot, content to live in harmony with the rest of the cosmos, but the scientists at Breakness seek to alter the psychology of the Paonese for their own purpose-and Beran holds the key to their audacious plan. Beran will return to Pao, transforming his home world beyond his teacher's wildest dreams. But though he has been fashioned into a man of Breakness, Beran's heart is of Pao. And he brings to his world the seeds of change that will save Pao...or destroy it.
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"One of the finest writers the science fiction field has ever known."
About the Author
Jack Vance was born in 1916 and studied mining engineering and journalism at the University of California. During the Second World War he served in the merchant navy and was torpedoed twice. He started contributing stories to the pulp magazines in the mid 1940s and published his first book, The Dying Earth, in 1950. Among his many books are The Dragon Master, for which he won his first Hugo, Big Planet, The Anome and the Lyoness sequence.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
You are what you speak,
This review is from: The Languages of Pao (DAW, No. 389) (Mass Market Paperback)
"The Languages of Pao," by Jack Vance, is set in part on the planet Pao, a world populated by the descendants of human colonists. Pao's huge population is extremely docile by nature. Because the people's passivity makes them easy prey for conquest and exploitation, the planet's monarch seeks help from Lord Palafox, an official from the technologically advanced world of Breakness. Palafox's plan is to make the Paonese able to defend themselves in the following way: newly created languages will be used as tools to transform Pao's culture and mass psychology.
The back cover of the book notes, "It's one of the extremely few science fiction novels ever based on the science of linguistics." The novel is an effective combination of an intriguing idea, solid plotting, and compelling characters. Vance's finely crafted prose is really a pleasure to read--it's sturdy yet elegant. Vance creates richly detailed portraits of the very different worlds of Breakness and Pao. He fills his story with thoughtful details which really breathe life into the pages. And while this is clearly a science fiction novel, at times Vance infuses it with a flavor of fantasy or fairy tale. This is both a novel of ideas and a novel of characters. The story of Pao raises intriguing questions about the relationships that link language, culture, political power, military power, and educational establishments. The book is not just a tale of massive sociolinguistic experimentation, but also a coming-of-age story and a story of political suspense. It also falls into the genre of military science fiction--in short, it's a rich and complex text. The big ideas of the book are anchored by well-drawn characters who inhabit a volatile web of interrelationships. Particularly poignant is Vance's portrait of one character, who finds himself caught between two very different cultures. "The Languages of Pao" is a noteworthy achievement by a master craftsman of science fiction.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Classic early Jack Vance,
By Psychedelic Warrior "zoot23" (Destin, FL USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Languages of Pao (Mass Market Paperback)
"The Languages of Pao" was first published in 1957. It is written in the classic style of my favorite SF author. The story is set on one of those typical, out-on-the-edge-of-the-galaxy worlds that Vance loves to create, complete with the typical flowery anthropological descriptions of eccentric human societies he is famous for. Beran Panasper is the "Medallion," heir to the throne of his father, the "Panarch" or emporer of the planet Pao. The Panarch is assasinated by Bustamonte, the "Ayudor," Beran's uncle, who becomes regent. Bustamonte tries to kill Beran so that he can become emporer. Beran is saved by Lord Palafox, a dominie of the Breakness Institute, where he takes Beran for safety. Palafox has a plan to change the character of the docile people of Pao by creating new languages which will morph them into technicants, warriors, merchantilists and diplomatic managers, depending on which language is learned. This is Jack Vance in his relative youth and a very enjoyable story.
5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Domination through alterations of lanuage.,
By svaran "svaran" (New Zealand) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Languages of Pao (Mass Market Paperback)
The "languages of poa"is a brilliant book. Jack Vance looks at the subtle methods of control achieved by conquerors who lacking manpower decide to pacify a world after the initial invasion by pacifying the language. It sounds so simple, but only becaue of the deft skill with which Jack Vance handles the complex threads. The story is simple but you are left with the impression that perhaps there should be a bit more concern shown by the general populace by the often blatant manipulations of the advertisers and the spin doctors of various corporations and politicians. Aside from that rather dark warning the "Lanuages of Pao" has all the trade-mark Jack Vance humour...Drollness at it's best.
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