Throy Book

It reminded me greatly of Ports of Call. Later Vance, still beautiful to read, but having a feel that the author is cleaning out his notebook of ideas that don't merit a full adventure, and is just providing opportunities for characters to trade barbed witticisms in elaborate verbal duels. After the high point of the series in Ecce and Old Earth, this is an extended wrapping-up of affairs.

A hoped for team-up of Glawen and his quietly bethrothed, Wayness, never comes to pass as she is shunted aside to mind the home fires while Glawen conducts an extended journey in a story where he is little more than an interested observer: the machinations are behind the scenes, mostly set up previously, and once events warrant they come to a crashing conclusion. There are none of the reversals of fortune one would expect, or deception, or indeed much else.