The Languages of Pao is a Science Fiction novel by Jack Vance.A central theme of the book is the way in which language shapes thought and behavior.
This work contains examples of:
- Artificial Gravity: Palafox has an "anti-gravity mesh" implanted on his feet.
- Bio-Augmentation: Palafox has multiple mechanical enhancements in his body, as do most Dominies of Breakness.
- Bittersweet Ending: Palafox has finally been killed and Beran Panasper manages to form a ruling regime, although its future is uncertain.
- Cynical Mentor: Palafox acts like this towards Beran at first, though later he freely admits that he does it all for his own benefit.
- Death Ray: Palafox can project one from one of its fingers.
- Dirty Old Man: Palafox, who wants to have all women in Pao to himself.
- Easily Conquered World: The Brumbos of Batmarsh manage to conquer Pao (population 15 billion) with an army of ten thousand.
- Language Equals Thought: Palafox designs languages and forces people to learn them in order to create castes of specialized workers.
- Manipulative Bastard: Palafox, like all Breakness Dominies, unless they haven't been paying attention to their lessons.
- Planet of Hats: Pao's inhabitants are physically homogeneous. They all follow the same fuzzily defined religious cult. There are no revolutionaries or political dissidents.
- Praetorian Guard: The modified human Mamarone who guard the Panarch.
- Proud Merchant Race: The traders of Mercantil.
