The Miracle Workers (Vance story)
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The Miracle-Workers is a science fiction novella by Jack Vance published in 1958. It was first published in Astounding Science Fiction in the July 1958 edition.[1] It is about humans on an Earth-like planet which was colonized by space travellers many centuries ago. In the intervening years, the inhabitants have lost their understanding of science and have regressed to a medieval state of technology, aided by their use of voodoo, telepathy, and magic. Change is set in motion when a maverick apprentice Jinxman starts to rediscover the scientific method and learn about science.
The story was nominated for 'Best Novelette' at the 1959 Hugo Awards.[2]
The story is about a colony of human space voyagers founded when they took refuge on the Earth-like planet of Pangborn 1,600 years ago during a space war. The first colonists were still worried about the risk of attack, so they built huge fortresses and mounted heavy weapons from the spaceships on the ramparts. At the time of the story, the society has lost all of their knowledge of modern science, except for a small number of still-functioning air-cars.
They use a medieval level of technology, such as horse-drawn carriages and simple tools. The planet is divided into feudal territories that are defended by mounted knights and foot soldiers carrying crossbows, swords and spears. To supplement these weapons, they have developed a type of telepathy which is used as a battle weapon. The telepathy is done by skilled “Jinxmen”, who cast spells and manipulate enemy troops using wooden cabinets filled with small voodoo dolls representing their opponents.
The "First Folk" (also called "autochthon") are indigenous hominids who live in the forested areas. They were brutally hunted down by the initial human colonists. While the human colonists gradually lost their scientific knowledge, the First Folk took up the scientific method that the first colonists showed them and continued to develop it over the centuries.[3]