Wyst: Alastor 1716
First edition cover
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| Author | Jack Vance |
|---|---|
| Cover artist | Eric Ladd |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Series | Alastor |
| Genre | Science fiction |
| Published | 1978 (DAW SF Books) |
| Media type | Print (Hardback), mass-market paperback |
| Pages | 222 pp |
| ISBN | |
| Preceded by | Marune: Alastor 933 |
Wyst: Alastor 1716 (1978) is a science fiction novel by Jack Vance first published by DAW Books. It is the third and last novel set in the Alastor Cluster, a group of thousands of stars and planets ruled by the mysterious Connatic, which is a part of Vance’s Gaean Reach.
Arrabus on the planet Wyst is an "egalistic" nation, where everyone is supposedly equal to everyone else. Arrabins work only two hours per week ("drudge"), assigned at random each week. In return, they receive a ration of synthetic food, and are housed in gigantic block tenements. Natural food ("bonter") is very rare, resulting in a flourishing black market trade with the "Weirdlands", the lands beyond Arrabus. An executive committee of four, selected at random and known as the Whispers, governs Arrabus.
Jantiff Ravensroke, a restless young artist from the planet Zeck (Alastor 503), wins an art contest and receives a round-trip voucher and three hundred ozols to any planet of his choosing. Jantiff decides on Wyst, having read of its "glorious light, where every surface quivers with its true and just color."
He arrives in the city of Uncibal in Arrabus and is assigned a room in Block 17-882, where his roommate is Skorlet, a middle-aged woman. He is introduced to her lover Esteban and their young daughter Tanzel, as well as the peculiarities of the Arrabin mindset. It is not long before Jantiff learns of the darker side of Arrabin culture. His camera, art supplies, and other belongings are stolen the first day, making him more equal to the other inhabitants.
Soon after meeting the beautiful Kedidah, Jantiff is invited on a forage, an expedition into the Weirdlands for real food. However, the resident farmers combat the thievery of the Arrabins with traps and guard dogs, and Jantiff returns to the city empty-handed.
Later, Esteban announces that he is arranging a bonterfest catered by Weirdland gypsies, but that each person must pay 500 tokens. Jantiff, Skorlet, Kedidah and Tanzel make tentative plans to attend. Skorlet gets Jantiff to pay for Tanzel by arranging for Kedidah's current roommate, an old man named Sarp, to switch with Jantiff.
By chance, Jantiff overhears a conversation between Skorlet, Esteban, Sarp and an unknown individual about a mysterious plan; it is evident that this plan hinges somehow on Jantiff's drawings. The talking ends suddenly when Skorlet discovers Jantiff in the bedroom. Jantiff reports the suspicious conversation to the Cursar, the Connatic's representative on Wyst. The Cursar, without tangible proof, can only enjoin Jantiff to do all he can to uncover the plot.
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