Space Opera

A minor Vance novel, especially considering it was written during the same period as The Demon Princes series, The Dragon Masters, The Last Castle, and The Eyes of the Overworld, all of which would be better choices for anyone wanting to try Jack Vance's mid-1960s work, which is when his writing really came into its own on a consistent basis. Still, it's worth a read for anyone who appreciates Vance's ability to create alien cultures and settings--an ability he indulges here by sending a touring opera company across the galaxy to bring cultural enlightenment to the natives, inspired by an alien music/dance troupe that had made a splash in Earth's artistic community. The eventual goal is to return the favor by performing classic operas for the people of Rlaru, the home of the alien music company, while also trying to explain the mystery of their abrupt disappearance from Earth at the height of their popularity. Each stop on the tour results in a different form of cultural misunderstanding, and most of the novel's pleasure comes from these chapters' combination of comedy with Vance's usual lush descriptions of the settings. The mystery dplot is less satisfying, and a side-plot about a stowaway who tries to force the tour to bring her to her ancestral planet doesn't have much of a point, except to expose the company to another odd planetary setting and culture. Very funny at times, episodic with mostly stereotypical characters, Vance's attempt to create a literal space opera is not the best place to start with Vance, but will likely be appreciated by those already familiar with this great author.