Wandering the provinces of Thaery, footloose Jubal Droad of Glentlin is carelessly injured during an encounter with the arrogant Ramus Ymph, scion of a powerful ruling family. Jubal begins a quest for personal justice, from a position of disadvantage. Striking his first blow, Jubal narrowly escapes gruesome retaliation at the hands of Scales and Balance, formidable operatives of the Faithful Retribution Company-assigned to his case by the vindictive Ymph! Applying for employment under Nai the Hever, Jubal negotiates with energy and conviction, but can only win a low-wage position with Department Three of the Sanitation and Hygiene Office. Reconciling gloomily to the prospect of inspecting kitchen drains, Jubal is surprised that his training places such emphasis on martial skills. Department Three is something different than it seems. Tracking Ramus Ymph off-world to quirky, densely-touristed Eiselbar, Jubal connects the pieces of Ymph's astounding ambition. Returning to Maske, he follows Ymph across the Long Ocean to Wellas-where he precipitates events which will preserve Thaery and Wellas from exploitation, and resolve his own conflict, through the peculiar agencies of the tree-worshipping Waels. Along the way, Jubal softens the heart of icily-remote Mieltrude, daughter of Nai the Hever. Maske: Thaery is Volume 51 of the Spatterlight Press Signature Series.Released in the centenary of the author's birth, this handsome new collectionis based upon the prestigious Vance Integral Edition. Select volumes enjoyup-to-date maps, and many are graced with freshly-written forewords contributedby a distinguished group of authors. Each book bears a facsimile of theauthor's signature and a previously-unpublished photograph, chosen from family archives for the period the book was written. These uniquefeatures will be appreciated by all, from seasoned Vance collector to new reader sampling the spectrum of this author's influential work forthe first time. - John Vance II