∎ [PDF] The Killing Machine The Demon Princes Book 2 Jack Vance Gino D'Achille 9780879979386 Books

The Killing Machine The Demon Princes Book 2 Jack Vance Gino D'Achille 9780879979386 Books

Download As PDF : The Killing Machine The Demon Princes Book 2 Jack Vance Gino D'Achille 9780879979386 Books

The Killing Machine The Demon Princes Book 2 Jack Vance Gino D'Achille 9780879979386 Books

Think of all the great names of science fiction from the previous century - Heinlein, Asimov, Bradbury, Silverberg, Dick, Pohl, Cordwainer Smith, Sheckley, Van Vogt, de Camp, Harrison (insert your own) ...

Well, there was one man who was a greater writer than all of the above.

It was Jack Vance.

I won't belabor the point here anymore - if you read enough of his books, I'm certain you'll come to agree with me. This book, The Killing Machine, one of the five-part "Demon Prices" series, is one Vance's best.

Briefly, the scenario is this:

On a faraway planet at some time in the far-flung future, a young man by the name of Kirth Gersen witnesses to the horrible spectacle of his family being murdered in a raid on his village. The killers are the Demon Princes. They're not demons, per se, but intergalactic mobsters/crime bosses who wreak havoc across the galaxy.

They do whatever they like: raid, steal, plummet, kill, rape and massacre. They're extremely powerful, highly secretive and their desire for wealth and power cannot be quenched.

Gersen grows to manhood and dedicates his life to tracking down the Demon Prices. His goal is to assassinate them one at a time, seeking justice and to avenge his slaughtered family.

With great self discipline and constant training, Gersen develops into a powerful man. He may be the only man in the entire galaxy who is even more lethal and dangerous than the Demon Princes themselves.

Gersen makes James Bond look like a rank amateur - his expertise with manual fighting techniques, personal weaponry and private eye investigative skills is unequaled - although he does have flaws; just a chink or two in his armor to make things interesting. He's a gloomy man, fiercely intelligent and driven -- a monomaniac.

His target in this book is the mysterious Kokor Hekkus, one of the Demon Prices. The name Kokor Hekkus literally means "The Killing Machine" in the language of the locals of the planet Thamber, where Hekkus is believed to live - although no one is certain.

In fact, many believe that the planet Thamber may not exist at all. Is it a mythical world? -- A realm of castles, magic and dragons? Or perhaps there really is a Thamber, somehow lost or forgotten from the star charts of the known galaxy.

The Killing Machine is a book of almost unimaginable science fiction fun.

Expertly plotted, tightly written, it is inventive to a wonderful degree. Vance has an ability like no other writer to create a tone that is serious, but at the same time, impregnated with a pervasive, understated sense of humor. Vance's humor is dry, wry and deeply ironic.

There is one scene in the book that is my favorite perhaps in all of science fiction, and I must mention it here:

It's a situation in which the characters build a gigantic fighting vehicle that looks like a giant centipede. This "rolling fortress of death" travels on rows of flexible magnetic-metallic whip-like legs. It shoots deadly bolts of searing laser rays and bristles with an array of other weapon options - and the drivers operate it by sitting comfortably inside on plush captain's chairs, much as if they were tooling around in a luxury RV.

It's just great! You'll know it when you read it!

Although each of the five Demon Princes novels are Class A, 5-star reads, The Killing Machine has always been my favorite of the series. It's the second of the bunch, and you probably don't need to read the first to jump right into the narrative.

This is a book that is magical and fantastical, while also staying true to those principles of hard science fiction, employing plausible inventions of futuristic technology, gadgetry and science.

In my almost 50 years of reading thousands of science fiction novels and short stories - The Killing Machine is among my Top 5 of all time. It's just that good.


Tags : The Killing Machine (The Demon Princes, Book 2) [Jack Vance, Gino D'Achille] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. DAW Books paperback, later printing, 1984. Book 2 in the Demon Princes series.,Jack Vance, Gino D'Achille,The Killing Machine (The Demon Princes, Book 2),DAW Books,0879979380,Science Fiction - General,Fiction,Fiction General,Fiction Science Fiction General,Science Fiction

The Killing Machine The Demon Princes Book 2 Jack Vance Gino D'Achille 9780879979386 Books Reviews

Ornate and studied language, unstated internal dialogue, pointilist descriptions of fantastic milieus. Gorgeous writing.

And the story is good, too.
One of the greatest sci-fi writers of all time. Demon prince series is pure classic. I love his concept of interstellar travel
I consider Jack Vance to be on a short list of authors who can come up with new insights and make his books quite readable at the same time. I had just finished re-reading the Space Kings which I bought nearly two generations ago, and I found this sequel. The main character evolves further into the story and some new concepts are well presented. Who'd have thought of a formalized kidnapping organisation?
The story "drifts" a bit however later in the book, and the style reminded me of John Carter on Barsoom. A mixture of modern technology with primitive societies. Fights with nomadic chieftains? Damsels in distress? Etc... Maybe sequels are hard to keep as entertaining as the first book?
A better book the the first in the series. The ending, though quite satisfying is a bit abrupt. Still,I recommend it and will continue the series, hoping it continues to get better.
Great book, amusing view of "fantasy" world from a galactic civilization. And I was glad to get the DAW version to complete my set.
Let me first say that I initially read The Demon Princes series back in high school, many moons ago. Having recently re-read this book, I can see why this had such an indelible impression on me. Kirth Gersen is a classic sort of anti-hero. He's basically out for revenge for the Mount Pleasant massacre, in which he at 9 years old and his grandfather were the only survivors. Flash forward many years later, and Gersen has dedicated his life to locating and killing the offenders, five "demon princes." How he goes about doing this is very much in the strain of Edmund Dantes, or perhaps Mad Max. Gersen is smart, resourceful and committed. We get some flashbacks as to how he acquired his skills, but for the most part, all we need to know is that Kirth Gersen is on the trail and he is determined to avenge his family, friends and home.

It's hard to believe at times that this pre-dates even Star Trek, as Vance's galaxy that he has created for Gersen to operate in is fully-realized, though we largely get only swaths of color here and there to allude to it all, usually through the interesting blurbs at the beginning of each chapter. Some parts feel dated, (at one point Gersen takes out his checkbook to pay a debt), but most of the book is wild and colorful. Gersen's weapon is a projac, some kind of energy pistol. His ship is powered by the Jarnell drive, which engages the "intersplit" to navigate around the galaxy. The people he often interacts with are even wilder, becoming as alien as the worlds they have populated.

Highly recommended. Great fun.
Think of all the great names of science fiction from the previous century - Heinlein, Asimov, Bradbury, Silverberg, Dick, Pohl, Cordwainer Smith, Sheckley, Van Vogt, de Camp, Harrison (insert your own) ...

Well, there was one man who was a greater writer than all of the above.

It was Jack Vance.

I won't belabor the point here anymore - if you read enough of his books, I'm certain you'll come to agree with me. This book, The Killing Machine, one of the five-part "Demon Prices" series, is one Vance's best.

Briefly, the scenario is this

On a faraway planet at some time in the far-flung future, a young man by the name of Kirth Gersen witnesses to the horrible spectacle of his family being murdered in a raid on his village. The killers are the Demon Princes. They're not demons, per se, but intergalactic mobsters/crime bosses who wreak havoc across the galaxy.

They do whatever they like raid, steal, plummet, kill, rape and massacre. They're extremely powerful, highly secretive and their desire for wealth and power cannot be quenched.

Gersen grows to manhood and dedicates his life to tracking down the Demon Prices. His goal is to assassinate them one at a time, seeking justice and to avenge his slaughtered family.

With great self discipline and constant training, Gersen develops into a powerful man. He may be the only man in the entire galaxy who is even more lethal and dangerous than the Demon Princes themselves.

Gersen makes James Bond look like a rank amateur - his expertise with manual fighting techniques, personal weaponry and private eye investigative skills is unequaled - although he does have flaws; just a chink or two in his armor to make things interesting. He's a gloomy man, fiercely intelligent and driven -- a monomaniac.

His target in this book is the mysterious Kokor Hekkus, one of the Demon Prices. The name Kokor Hekkus literally means "The Killing Machine" in the language of the locals of the planet Thamber, where Hekkus is believed to live - although no one is certain.

In fact, many believe that the planet Thamber may not exist at all. Is it a mythical world? -- A realm of castles, magic and dragons? Or perhaps there really is a Thamber, somehow lost or forgotten from the star charts of the known galaxy.

The Killing Machine is a book of almost unimaginable science fiction fun.

Expertly plotted, tightly written, it is inventive to a wonderful degree. Vance has an ability like no other writer to create a tone that is serious, but at the same time, impregnated with a pervasive, understated sense of humor. Vance's humor is dry, wry and deeply ironic.

There is one scene in the book that is my favorite perhaps in all of science fiction, and I must mention it here

It's a situation in which the characters build a gigantic fighting vehicle that looks like a giant centipede. This "rolling fortress of death" travels on rows of flexible magnetic-metallic whip-like legs. It shoots deadly bolts of searing laser rays and bristles with an array of other weapon options - and the drivers operate it by sitting comfortably inside on plush captain's chairs, much as if they were tooling around in a luxury RV.

It's just great! You'll know it when you read it!

Although each of the five Demon Princes novels are Class A, 5-star reads, The Killing Machine has always been my favorite of the series. It's the second of the bunch, and you probably don't need to read the first to jump right into the narrative.

This is a book that is magical and fantastical, while also staying true to those principles of hard science fiction, employing plausible inventions of futuristic technology, gadgetry and science.

In my almost 50 years of reading thousands of science fiction novels and short stories - The Killing Machine is among my Top 5 of all time. It's just that good.