When you're dealing with a writer like Jack Vance (probably the most recommended author on this blog), even his minor entries read like major feats of awesomeness compared to most books you will read.?Galactic Effectuator is a slender compilation of two novellas about Miro Hetzel, a private detective willing to take on cases that take him to the furthest reaches of his galaxy.
The first story takes us way out to the absolute edge of the Gaean Reach (the region of space containing planets civilized by humanity) to a planet called Maz, a border planet overseen by an uneasy alliance of alien cultures inhabited by a most interesting and unusual race of native warriors called the Gomaz. Maz is a stopping point for rogues, people who want to disappear and tourists who consider themselves 'adventure travelers' longing to catch a glimpse of the bloody, ritualistic and regular Gomaz inter-tribal battles.
Hetzle heads to Maz to uncover the truth behind corporate espionage and meets a surly assassin driven nearly insane by an elaborate prank and an intriguing lady he wouldn't mind taking out on a date.
The second book concerns a much more personal matter when a man, after being drugged and abducted, realizes his manhood has been surgically replaced with someone else's, making it impossible to sire his own children. immediately (and correctly) suspecting his wife's former suitor, the mad surgeon Faurence Dacre, he turns to Hetzle for help.
Hetzle makes for a charming, witty sleuth in the tradition of Sherlock Holmes. He even gathers all the players in a room at the end as he announces his findings. Set in the always brilliant world of Vance's imagination, the fusion of detective and fantasy genres is absolutely delightful.
After a serious economic downturn in America that effects the global economy (sound familiar?) proletariat rebellions have led to China's global communist domination and America becoming nearly a third world country. 
You wouldn't necessarily think an independent, militant lesbian sci fi drama with spoken word poetry would in any way be a watchable, let alone an enjoyable cinematic experience, but the vibrant 
I heard about 
Jam packed with quirky humor and two fisted action, I wasn't too shocked to learn that 
T.C. Boyle specializes in fringe characters, usually misguided and desperate men who go to extreme measures to quelch their boredom, fear, and/or pain. 
It's no big surprise to learn that David Cronenberg wrote 
This is certainly one of many Jack Vance books I will be recommending. And while this is not my absolute favorite of his – it is one of the most fun. Two wily rogue showboat captains adventure on a planet settled by Earth's misfits.
Marc Singer (Beastmaster) plays a tough guy news cameraman convinced that “The Visitors”, humanoid aliens that have landed on our planet led by the beautiful Diana, are evil. Singer is totally right, the Visitors are evil, and they quickly enslave the human race by expertly manipulating the very news station Singer once worked as a photog for. This 3 and a half hour mini series began the whole V cycle, continuing with V – The Final Battle and concluding with V – The Series. Throughout the story, poignant parallels are drawn between the alien regime and Fascist movements of the 20th century, sometime there parallels are a little too poignant (I remember Robin ((who I hate)) having to say goodbye to her grandfather or something equally schmaltzy being a perfect time to order take out). All in all, this series is great, and even though there are some evident shortcoming and the production feels a little bit dated (it was a TV show made in 80s, after all), this is an ideal program to commit to on a chilly weekend if you happened to find yourself too hung over to really leave the house.