Wyst: Alastor 1716

Swordfish Islands, LLC has teamed up with Spatterlight Press and the Jack Vance estate to bring you an illustrated, fine press, version of Wyst: Alastor 1716.

The first time I read Wyst, I did so in a single sitting, and it became one of my favorite works by Jack Vance. The book is about one Jantiff Ravenstroke. A young man, an artist, who doesn't know what to do with his life after high school. He learns of the planet Wyst, the "one world where sun and atmosphere cooperate to produce an absolutely glorious light, where every surface quivers with its true and just color", and perhaps more importantly, a planet where one may live freely, in exchange for working only 13 hours a week.

Jantiff quickly finds himself embroiled in deadly political intrigues and must flee Wyst's mega city of Uncibal, through the witch filled wilds, to a remote spaceport and hopefully, home.

The book has been lavishly illustrated by French Illustrator, Thomas Bonneau (Atom Cyber). There is one illustration per chapter and a gorgeous endsheet.

You can check out more reviews of Wyst over on Goodreads.