What do you think?
Rate this book
Creatures of Light and Darkness
Two gods, two houses, one quest and the eternal war between life and death. To save his kingdom, Anubis, Lord of the Dead, sends forth his servant on a mission of vengeance. At the same time, from The House of Life, Osiris sends forth his son, Horus, on the same mission to destroy utterly & forever The Prince Who Was a Thousand.
But neither of these superhuman warriors is prepared for the strange & harrowing world of mortal life. The Thing That Cries in the Night may well destroy not only their worlds, but all humankind.
As Zelazny did with the Hindu pantheon in the legendary, groundbreaking classic Lord of Light, the master storyteller here breathes new life into the Egyptian gods with another dazzling tale of mythology and imagination.
But neither of these superhuman warriors is prepared for the strange & harrowing world of mortal life. The Thing That Cries in the Night may well destroy not only their worlds, but all humankind.
As Zelazny did with the Hindu pantheon in the legendary, groundbreaking classic Lord of Light, the master storyteller here breathes new life into the Egyptian gods with another dazzling tale of mythology and imagination.
192 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 1969
About the author
Roger Zelazny
676 books3,635 followersRoger Zelazny made his name with a group of novellas which demonstrated just how intense an emotional charge could be generated by the stock imagery of sf; the most famous of these is A Rose for Ecclesiastes in which a poet struggles to convince dying and sterile Martians that life is worth continuing. Zelazny continued to write excellent short stories throughout his career. Most of his novels deal, one way or another, with tricksters and mythology, often with rogues who become gods, like Sam in Lord of Light, who reinvents Buddhism as a vehicle for political subversion on a colony planet.
The fantasy sequence The Amber Chronicles, which started with Nine Princes in Amber, deals with the ruling family of a Platonic realm at the metaphysical heart of things, who can slide, trickster-like through realities, and their wars with each other and the related ruling house of Chaos. Zelazny never entirely fulfilled his early promise—who could?—but he and his work were much loved, and a potent influence on such younger writers as George R. R. Martin and Neil Gaiman.
He won the Nebula award three times (out of 14 nominations) and the Hugo award six times (out of 14 nominations). His papers are housed at the Albin O. Khun Library of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roger_Ze...
The fantasy sequence The Amber Chronicles, which started with Nine Princes in Amber, deals with the ruling family of a Platonic realm at the metaphysical heart of things, who can slide, trickster-like through realities, and their wars with each other and the related ruling house of Chaos. Zelazny never entirely fulfilled his early promise—who could?—but he and his work were much loved, and a potent influence on such younger writers as George R. R. Martin and Neil Gaiman.
He won the Nebula award three times (out of 14 nominations) and the Hugo award six times (out of 14 nominations). His papers are housed at the Albin O. Khun Library of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roger_Ze...
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 290 reviews
August 22, 2011
Zelazny’s stories often leave me scratching my MENTAL JUNK searching for a new means to describe his impressive creative chops. Well, after several brain limbering exercises, I came up with COSMICaweTASTIC SUPERBitude to describe this lesser known but amazing piece. I'm not sure exactly what it means but I think it's something positive.
This is certainly one of Zelazny’s more creative works, which is really saying something given his penchant to WTF his reader with bizarre and unique imagery.
As with other Zelazny works, he has created a rich, lush backdrop that infuses ancient myth with far-future technology all placed in a “dying earth” type setting peopled with unique characters of dubious morality. This myth/tech combo is probably as close as Zelazny gets to a “common theme” for his work as he has used similar components in many of his novels, most notably Lord of Light and This Immortal. However, what sets this book apart is the experimental style of the writing and his use of different techniques throughout the narrative.
Before I get into my thoughts on the book, I do want to give a piece an unusual piece of “unsolicited” advice to those looking to read this. I would strongly recommend that you read the background description of the novel from Wikipedia before you read the novel. The description does not contain spoilers of the actual plot but provides a great description of the back story, setting and major players. Reading this before-hand allowed me to get a sense of “place” from the very beginning. The reason I think this is helpful is due to the “experimental” style of the prose (Zelazny was never afraid to take risks in his writing). While everything is eventually made clear, I found I was able to enjoy myself more by not having to struggle to piece together the back story and “figure out” what was going on. Of course, you are free to ignore this advice as it is not “necessary” to enjoying the story, but I might have become irritated or bored with the narrative had I not done so and so I pass it along to you for whatever it’s worth. With the above caution, this is a book that I highly recommend to fans of Zelazny or anyone looking for something a little different.
For those of you interested in the “background” of the story, I have included the description from Wikipedia which I think is very good. Feel free to skip it if you don’t think it would be helpful:
Begin Wikipedia Background
End of Wikipedia background
PLOT SUMMARY
The story takes place many years after the above background with Osiris and Anubis still maintaining a balance of power in the universe through their ability to destroy and create life. The main plot involves a “mysterious” emissary from Anubis sent on a mission to the “middle worlds.” The mystery of the real identity of the emissary is a fundamental part of the plot. During his mission, the emissary (known now as Wakim) meets many of the angels/immortals living in the middle world who help him to learn his true identity which culminates in the superb finale of the book. Thus, the book can be seen as a series of interesting encounters all tied in to the overall theme of a power struggle among the gods.
Zelazny’s prose is poetic, the characters are terrific and very memorable (the Steel General is probably among my favorite Zelazny characters) and the world-building is simply genius. In summary, a very unique offering from one of the most “original” authors of speculative fiction writers from the 60’s. I would place this third on my list of favorite Zelazny books, behind Lord of Lightand This Immortal but ahead of the Amber books (at least those I have read so far).
4.5 to 5.0 stars. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!
This is certainly one of Zelazny’s more creative works, which is really saying something given his penchant to WTF his reader with bizarre and unique imagery.
As with other Zelazny works, he has created a rich, lush backdrop that infuses ancient myth with far-future technology all placed in a “dying earth” type setting peopled with unique characters of dubious morality. This myth/tech combo is probably as close as Zelazny gets to a “common theme” for his work as he has used similar components in many of his novels, most notably Lord of Light and This Immortal. However, what sets this book apart is the experimental style of the writing and his use of different techniques throughout the narrative.
Before I get into my thoughts on the book, I do want to give a piece an unusual piece of “unsolicited” advice to those looking to read this. I would strongly recommend that you read the background description of the novel from Wikipedia before you read the novel. The description does not contain spoilers of the actual plot but provides a great description of the back story, setting and major players. Reading this before-hand allowed me to get a sense of “place” from the very beginning. The reason I think this is helpful is due to the “experimental” style of the prose (Zelazny was never afraid to take risks in his writing). While everything is eventually made clear, I found I was able to enjoy myself more by not having to struggle to piece together the back story and “figure out” what was going on. Of course, you are free to ignore this advice as it is not “necessary” to enjoying the story, but I might have become irritated or bored with the narrative had I not done so and so I pass it along to you for whatever it’s worth. With the above caution, this is a book that I highly recommend to fans of Zelazny or anyone looking for something a little different.
For those of you interested in the “background” of the story, I have included the description from Wikipedia which I think is very good. Feel free to skip it if you don’t think it would be helpful:
Begin Wikipedia Background
The Universe was once ruled by the god Thoth, who administered the different forces in the Universe to keep things in balance. In time, he delegated this administration to his "Angels" (other god-like beings), who were each in charge of different "stations", or forces in the Universe. Such stations included the House of the Dead, the House of Life, the House of Fire, and so on.
At some point, Thoth had awakened a dormant, malevolent force on a distant planet. This dark force, called the Thing That Cries In The Night, is so powerful and malevolent that it nearly obliterated Thoth's wife and threatens to consume the galaxy. Thoth works to contain and destroy the creature, and in so doing, neglects his duties in maintaining the Universe. The Angels become rebellious and use the power vacuum to fight amongst themselves for dominance Thoth's son Set, who through an anomaly in Time is also his father, fights the creature across a devastated planet. Just as Set is about to destroy the creature, he is attacked by the Angel Osiris, who unleashes the Hammer That Smashes Suns, a powerful weapon that nearly kills Set and the creature. Thoth's brother, Typhon, who was helping Set in the battle, vanishes without a trace and is presumed dead. Typhon appears as a black horse-shadow, without a horse to cast it. He contains within himself something called Skagganauk Abyss, which resembles a black hole, not a term in common use at the time.
The Thing That Cries In The Night survived the blast, and so Thoth, who has meanwhile been utterly overthrown by his Angels, has no choice but to contain the dark force until he can find a way to destroy it. He also revives the personality of his wife and keeps her safe on a special world known only to him, where the seas are above the atmosphere, not below them. He also scatters Set's weapons and armor across the Universe for safe-keeping in the event that Set can ever be found. Having been overthrown, he is now dubbed The Prince Who Was A Thousand by all in the Universe.
Some of the surviving Angels either hide among the peoples of the Universe as mysterious "immortals", but others— Osiris and Anubis—take over the House of Life and the House of Death, respectively. Other stations are abandoned, and Osiris and Anubis are the only two powers in the Universe now. Osiris cultivates life where he can, while Anubis works to destroy it. Plenty and famine, proliferation and plague, overpopulation and annihilation, alternate in the Worlds of Life between the two Stations, much to the detriment of those who inhabit them.
End of Wikipedia background
PLOT SUMMARY
The story takes place many years after the above background with Osiris and Anubis still maintaining a balance of power in the universe through their ability to destroy and create life. The main plot involves a “mysterious” emissary from Anubis sent on a mission to the “middle worlds.” The mystery of the real identity of the emissary is a fundamental part of the plot. During his mission, the emissary (known now as Wakim) meets many of the angels/immortals living in the middle world who help him to learn his true identity which culminates in the superb finale of the book. Thus, the book can be seen as a series of interesting encounters all tied in to the overall theme of a power struggle among the gods.
Zelazny’s prose is poetic, the characters are terrific and very memorable (the Steel General is probably among my favorite Zelazny characters) and the world-building is simply genius. In summary, a very unique offering from one of the most “original” authors of speculative fiction writers from the 60’s. I would place this third on my list of favorite Zelazny books, behind Lord of Lightand This Immortal but ahead of the Amber books (at least those I have read so far).
4.5 to 5.0 stars. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!
May 24, 2019
May2019 Review
Read with the Weird Fiction group
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Amazingly enough, it was fantastic. There's always more to pick up in this 'mess' of a novel. I use the word 'mess' because I don't know what else to call it. Bits & pieces in varying forms, it is a strange series of snapshots that comes together into a bewildering, intriguing whole. A first time reader remarked that he wanted to start over immediately. Me, too. Wow.
Oct2018 Review
I'm never sure what to make of this book. It starts out kind of weird, makes a sort of sense at times, & then loses me altogether. Is it SF, myth, fantasy, or poetry? If I had to pin it down today, I'd say the last. It's multi-structured poetry, reading like a novel at times & just when things start to make sense, they don't really. I'm never sure if it is profound or drivel. I really like the experience, but at times I think Lord Uiskeagh has the right idea.
WORDS
Between you and me,
the words,
like mortar,
separating, holding together
those pieces of the structure ourselves.
To say them,
to cast their shadows on the page,
is the act of binding mutual passions,
is cognizance, yourself/myself,
of our sameness under skin;
it rears possible cathedrals
indicating infinity with steeply-high styli.
For when tomorrow comes it is today,
and if it is not the drop
that is eternity
glistening at the pen’s point,
then the ink of our voices
surrounds like an always night,
and mortar marks the limit of our cells.
“What does it mean?” asks Lord Uiskeagh the Red, who is out with twenty men to raise the Border-side against Dilwit of Liglamenti.
His party leans through fog toward the rock where the words are graven.
“Lord, I’ve heard of these things,” remarks his captain. “They are the doings of the poet Vramin, who publishes in this manner: He casts his poems at the nearest world, and wherever they fall they record themselves upon the hardiest substance handy. He boasts that he has written parables, sermons and poems in stones, leaves and brooks.”
“Oh, he does, does he? Well, what’s this one mean? Is it to be taken as a good omen?”
“It means nothing, Lord, for it’s common knowledge that he’s also mad as a golindi at rutting time.”
“Well, then, let us urinate upon it and be on our way to the wars.”
“Very good, Lord.”
The chapter above is typical, if there is such a thing in this book. I think Zelazny let his inner Vramin escape. It was a strange, but enjoyable trip once more.
----- Sep2009 Review ----
I re-read this in Sep09, armed with some extra knowledge gleaned from two of the 6 book collected works of his. In them, he explains that he wrote this novel as an exercise for himself & never expected to publish it. He was asked for it & was surprised that it did so well.
He said he threw everything he had at this novel, in no particular order. It is an amalgamation of styles, mythologies, SF & Fantasy. Somehow, it really works. That's as amazing as is my fascination for the book, re-reading it for the tenth time or so in 30 years. It was every bit as entertaining. I still completely agree with my original review.
----- Original Review written in 2007 when I joined GR. ---
Zelazny is well known for the long, strange trips he takes you through in his stories. This book may well be one of his strangest. There are parts of this book I love, others I dislike & most are somewhat bewildering, especially on the first read. The world is an interesting mix of SF & Fantasy, without any definitive lines. Human nature has remained the same & it has been exaggerated by the power that some wield, but it's done with a light, often humorous touch - e.g. The Agnostics Prayer. (Google it & you'll find it quickly. It's infamous.)
This is a heroic fantasy filled with flawed heroes, noble villains & many who are both. There certainly are maidens to be rescued & wicked witches to fight. Both heroes & villains are in such impossible situations that it is tough to decide who to root for at times. Some characters are both or neither, but I originally felt they should be one or the other. Other characters are so alien that mere human morality doesn't apply. It's difficult to tell who those are at times, too. You'll have to decide for yourself when you reach the end of the novel. Warning: you may change your mind on a re-read - I have.
I found this book very difficult to put down. At times, it was as irritating as a bit lip - I had to read it the same way I poke at a sore spot. Other times, I just HAD to find out what happened next. Whatever the reason, once started, I've always wanted to continue reading. That's possibly the highest praise I can give to a novel. It's too intriguing to put down.
Read with the Weird Fiction group
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Amazingly enough, it was fantastic. There's always more to pick up in this 'mess' of a novel. I use the word 'mess' because I don't know what else to call it. Bits & pieces in varying forms, it is a strange series of snapshots that comes together into a bewildering, intriguing whole. A first time reader remarked that he wanted to start over immediately. Me, too. Wow.
Oct2018 Review
I'm never sure what to make of this book. It starts out kind of weird, makes a sort of sense at times, & then loses me altogether. Is it SF, myth, fantasy, or poetry? If I had to pin it down today, I'd say the last. It's multi-structured poetry, reading like a novel at times & just when things start to make sense, they don't really. I'm never sure if it is profound or drivel. I really like the experience, but at times I think Lord Uiskeagh has the right idea.
WORDS
Between you and me,
the words,
like mortar,
separating, holding together
those pieces of the structure ourselves.
To say them,
to cast their shadows on the page,
is the act of binding mutual passions,
is cognizance, yourself/myself,
of our sameness under skin;
it rears possible cathedrals
indicating infinity with steeply-high styli.
For when tomorrow comes it is today,
and if it is not the drop
that is eternity
glistening at the pen’s point,
then the ink of our voices
surrounds like an always night,
and mortar marks the limit of our cells.
“What does it mean?” asks Lord Uiskeagh the Red, who is out with twenty men to raise the Border-side against Dilwit of Liglamenti.
His party leans through fog toward the rock where the words are graven.
“Lord, I’ve heard of these things,” remarks his captain. “They are the doings of the poet Vramin, who publishes in this manner: He casts his poems at the nearest world, and wherever they fall they record themselves upon the hardiest substance handy. He boasts that he has written parables, sermons and poems in stones, leaves and brooks.”
“Oh, he does, does he? Well, what’s this one mean? Is it to be taken as a good omen?”
“It means nothing, Lord, for it’s common knowledge that he’s also mad as a golindi at rutting time.”
“Well, then, let us urinate upon it and be on our way to the wars.”
“Very good, Lord.”
The chapter above is typical, if there is such a thing in this book. I think Zelazny let his inner Vramin escape. It was a strange, but enjoyable trip once more.
----- Sep2009 Review ----
I re-read this in Sep09, armed with some extra knowledge gleaned from two of the 6 book collected works of his. In them, he explains that he wrote this novel as an exercise for himself & never expected to publish it. He was asked for it & was surprised that it did so well.
He said he threw everything he had at this novel, in no particular order. It is an amalgamation of styles, mythologies, SF & Fantasy. Somehow, it really works. That's as amazing as is my fascination for the book, re-reading it for the tenth time or so in 30 years. It was every bit as entertaining. I still completely agree with my original review.
----- Original Review written in 2007 when I joined GR. ---
Zelazny is well known for the long, strange trips he takes you through in his stories. This book may well be one of his strangest. There are parts of this book I love, others I dislike & most are somewhat bewildering, especially on the first read. The world is an interesting mix of SF & Fantasy, without any definitive lines. Human nature has remained the same & it has been exaggerated by the power that some wield, but it's done with a light, often humorous touch - e.g. The Agnostics Prayer. (Google it & you'll find it quickly. It's infamous.)
This is a heroic fantasy filled with flawed heroes, noble villains & many who are both. There certainly are maidens to be rescued & wicked witches to fight. Both heroes & villains are in such impossible situations that it is tough to decide who to root for at times. Some characters are both or neither, but I originally felt they should be one or the other. Other characters are so alien that mere human morality doesn't apply. It's difficult to tell who those are at times, too. You'll have to decide for yourself when you reach the end of the novel. Warning: you may change your mind on a re-read - I have.
I found this book very difficult to put down. At times, it was as irritating as a bit lip - I had to read it the same way I poke at a sore spot. Other times, I just HAD to find out what happened next. Whatever the reason, once started, I've always wanted to continue reading. That's possibly the highest praise I can give to a novel. It's too intriguing to put down.
April 6, 2024
„Създания от светлина и мрак“ се оказа изключително нестандартна и шантава приказка, обаче много ми хареса! Не успях да разбера всичко, но същевременно ми донесе загадъчно усещане за хармония, която е отвъд човешките представи... В тази книга Роджър Зелазни определено е доста по-поетичен, отколкото в други негови творби, които съм чел. Централно място в историята заемат сюжети от египетската митология, но авторът е вложил и други силни елементи и послания... За мен, книгата е вълнуващ литературен сън, преплитащ съдбите на богове и машини, който препоръчвам на всички почитатели на фентъзи жанра!
„Животът и смъртта не са толкова различни неща.“
„Единственият друг разумен обитател на света, през който минава той, не може да бъде сигурен дали Принцът е създал този свят, или го е открил. Това се дължи на факта, че човек никога не може да бъде сигурен дали мъдростта създава, или просто намира, а Принцът е мъдър.“
„Сега пак е на страната на бунтарите и всеки път търпи поражение във войните на колониите срещу планетата-майка, както и във войните на отделните светове срещу Федерацията. Той винаги фигурира в списъка на някой Главен прокурор, но продължава да свири на своето банджо и нищо не го интересува, защото винаги се е поставял отвъд закона, като се подчинява само на духа му, а не на неговата буква.“
„Той вижда слабостта ти, както вижда недостатъците на всички твари, които среща. Иска да те въвлече в друго бойно поле, където ще бъдеш принуден да се бориш сам със себе си, както и да бъдеш победен от съзнанието за вина, която той се изхитри да съчини.“
„Колелата се въртят и ревът на мотоциклета постоянно се засилва, което, само по себе си, също е вид тишина.“
„Животът и смъртта не са толкова различни неща.“
„Единственият друг разумен обитател на света, през който минава той, не може да бъде сигурен дали Принцът е създал този свят, или го е открил. Това се дължи на факта, че човек никога не може да бъде сигурен дали мъдростта създава, или просто намира, а Принцът е мъдър.“
„Сега пак е на страната на бунтарите и всеки път търпи поражение във войните на колониите срещу планетата-майка, както и във войните на отделните светове срещу Федерацията. Той винаги фигурира в списъка на някой Главен прокурор, но продължава да свири на своето банджо и нищо не го интересува, защото винаги се е поставял отвъд закона, като се подчинява само на духа му, а не на неговата буква.“
„Той вижда слабостта ти, както вижда недостатъците на всички твари, които среща. Иска да те въвлече в друго бойно поле, където ще бъдеш принуден да се бориш сам със себе си, както и да бъдеш победен от съзнанието за вина, която той се изхитри да съчини.“
„Колелата се въртят и ревът на мотоциклета постоянно се засилва, което, само по себе си, също е вид тишина.“
May 18, 2010
Roger Zelazny scored a hit with Lord of Light, a moving SF retelling of Hindu and Buddhist myth. I get the feeling that he thought he should do it again, but that's usually a recipe for disaster. Home Alone is a surprisingly good comedy. Home Alone 2: Lost in New York hovers between dull and embarrassing.
Well, this is Zelazny's Home Alone 2. He's decided to do Egyptian mythology instead of Hindu/Buddhist, but none of the symbols and images gel, there's no plot to speak of, and most of the time it's pretty much impossible even to tell what's going on. Actually, on reflection, I take it back: And Call Me Conrad is Home Alone 2, while this dreadful concoction is Home Alone 3, or even Home Alone 4. If I were Dante, I'd make Chris Columbus film it in Hell, with Macaulay Culkin as The Prince Who Was a Thousand and Zelazny playing all the other parts. That'd serve everyone right.
To be fair to Zelazny, it says on Wikipedia that he didn't actually mean to publish the book, but Samuel Delany somehow tricked him into doing so. Bad, bad Samuel Delany! Though if it was a practical joke, I must grudgingly admit it was quite funny.
Well, this is Zelazny's Home Alone 2. He's decided to do Egyptian mythology instead of Hindu/Buddhist, but none of the symbols and images gel, there's no plot to speak of, and most of the time it's pretty much impossible even to tell what's going on. Actually, on reflection, I take it back: And Call Me Conrad is Home Alone 2, while this dreadful concoction is Home Alone 3, or even Home Alone 4. If I were Dante, I'd make Chris Columbus film it in Hell, with Macaulay Culkin as The Prince Who Was a Thousand and Zelazny playing all the other parts. That'd serve everyone right.
To be fair to Zelazny, it says on Wikipedia that he didn't actually mean to publish the book, but Samuel Delany somehow tricked him into doing so. Bad, bad Samuel Delany! Though if it was a practical joke, I must grudgingly admit it was quite funny.
June 20, 2022
Re-Read.
It was years ago when I first devoured a whole slew of Zelazny's books shortly after reading Lord of Light, one of my all-time favorite SFs, and I may have read Creatures of Light and Darkness right after, cementing it as NOT AS GOOD AS the other in my head. I know. Silly. But understandable. Since then, having read so many other of his books, including the great Amber series, this book STILL continued to suffer being read after the other.
Fast forward decades later. I finally get around to re-reading the MFer and I'm suddenly thrilled and truly enjoying the hell out of it. After so many years and so much SF consumed, it's a real joy to read something so short, so light, and yet so vast as SF.
The God of Death and the God of Life got their avatars out into a far-future SF universe full of six alien races, evolving from a mystery and a man-hunt to a Hector vs Achilles all-out battle that destroys continents.
The funny part is the funny parts. Zelazny has a truly quirky personality. Between a priesthood that worships shoes to a future-reading priest reading his own entrails and bitching about his successor's ability to read his guts, there's so much to grin about.
It also has a real Stargate vibe.
Of course, this was published in 1969, so it's really the reverse. Stargate has a Zelazny vibe. :)
I'm thinking I'm going to go on something of a Zelazny re-binge soon. It's definitely worth it. Especially now. It was a brighter time then, and the humor is just about perfect.
It was years ago when I first devoured a whole slew of Zelazny's books shortly after reading Lord of Light, one of my all-time favorite SFs, and I may have read Creatures of Light and Darkness right after, cementing it as NOT AS GOOD AS the other in my head. I know. Silly. But understandable. Since then, having read so many other of his books, including the great Amber series, this book STILL continued to suffer being read after the other.
Fast forward decades later. I finally get around to re-reading the MFer and I'm suddenly thrilled and truly enjoying the hell out of it. After so many years and so much SF consumed, it's a real joy to read something so short, so light, and yet so vast as SF.
The God of Death and the God of Life got their avatars out into a far-future SF universe full of six alien races, evolving from a mystery and a man-hunt to a Hector vs Achilles all-out battle that destroys continents.
The funny part is the funny parts. Zelazny has a truly quirky personality. Between a priesthood that worships shoes to a future-reading priest reading his own entrails and bitching about his successor's ability to read his guts, there's so much to grin about.
It also has a real Stargate vibe.
Of course, this was published in 1969, so it's really the reverse. Stargate has a Zelazny vibe. :)
I'm thinking I'm going to go on something of a Zelazny re-binge soon. It's definitely worth it. Especially now. It was a brighter time then, and the humor is just about perfect.
May 8, 2022
The stunning novel of ultimate conflict between Osiris - Master of Life and Anubis - Master of Death - millennia in our future
The Middle Worlds contain Life and Death
Wakim comes to a world that is not a world, citrine and azure and green, green, green. A green corona hangs about it, at thrice its own diameter, and it seems to pulsate with a pleasant rhythm.
“Behold the House of Life,” says Anubis, from somewhere.
And he does. It is warm and glowing and alive. He has a feeling of aliveness. “Osiris rules the House of Life,” says Anubis. And he beholds a great bird-head atop human shoulders, bright yellow eyes within it, alive, alive-oh; and the creature stands before him on an endless plain of living green which is superimposed upon his view of the world, and he holds the Staff of Life in his one hand and the Book of Life in his other. He seems to be the source of the radiant warmth.
Wakim then hears the voice of Anubis again:
“The House of Life and the House of the Dead contain the Middle Worlds.”
And there is a falling, swirling sensation, and Wakim looks upon stars once more, but stars separated and held from other stars by bonds of force that are visible, then invisible, then visible again, fading, coming, going, white, glowing lines, fluctuating.
“You now perceive the Middle Worlds of Life,” says Anubis.
And dozens of worlds roll before him like balls of exotic marble, stippled, gauged, polished, incadescent.
“… Contained,” says Anubis. “They are contained within the field which arcs between the only two poles that matter.”
“Poles?” says Wakim.
“The House of Life and the House of the Dead. The Middle Worlds about their suns do move, and all together go on the paths of Life and Death.”
Just who was/is the Steel General?“All know of the General, who ranges alone. Out of the pages of history come the thundering hoofbeats of his war horse Bronze. He flew with the Lafayette Escadrille. He fought in the delaying action at Jarama Valley. He helped to hold Stalingrad in the dead of winter. With a handful of friends, he tried to invade Cuba. On every battleground, he has left a portion of himself. He camped out in Washington when times were bad, until a greater General asked him to go away. He was beaten in Little Rock, had acid thrown in his face in Berkeley. He was put on the Attorney General’s list, because he had once been a member of the I.W.W. All the causes for which he has fought are now dead, but a part of him died also as each was born and carried to its fruition. He survived, somehow, his century, with artificial limbs and artificial heart and veins, with false teeth and a glass eye, with a plate in his skull and bones out of plastic, with pieces of wire and porcelain inside him-until finally science came to make these things better than those with which man is normally endowed. He was again replaced, piece by piece, until, in the following century, he was far superior to any man of flesh and blood. And so again he fought the rebel battle, being smashed over and over again in the wars the colonies fought against the mother planet, and in the wars the individual worlds fought against the Federation. He is always on some Attorney General's list and he plays his banjo and he does not care, for he has placed himself beyond the law by always obeying its spirit rather than its letter. He has had his metal replaced with flesh on many occasions and been a full man once more- but always he hearkens to some distant bugle and plays his banjo and follows-and then he loses his humanity again. He shot craps with Leon Trotsky, who taught him that writers are underpaid; he shared a boxcar with Woody Guthrie, who taught him his music and that singers are underpaid; he supported Fidel Castro for a time, and learned that lawyers are underpaid. He is almost invariably beaten and used and taken advantage of, and he does not care, for his ideals mean more to him than his flesh. Now, of course, the Prince Who Was A Thousand is an unpopular cause. I take it, from what you say, that those who would oppose the House of Life and the House of the Dead will be deemed supporters of the Prince, who has solicited no support-not that that matters. And I daresay you oppose the Prince, Wakim. I should also venture a guess that the General will support him, inasmuch as the Prince is a minority group all by himself. The General may be beaten, but he can never be destroyed.
Are you alive? How do you know this?
… One snowflake drifting down a well, a well without waters, without walls, without bottom, without top. Now take away the snowflake and consider the drifting…
This strange mix of Egyptian gods and modern technology is a master-piece of Science Fiction
Enjoy!
The Middle Worlds contain Life and Death
Wakim comes to a world that is not a world, citrine and azure and green, green, green. A green corona hangs about it, at thrice its own diameter, and it seems to pulsate with a pleasant rhythm.
“Behold the House of Life,” says Anubis, from somewhere.
And he does. It is warm and glowing and alive. He has a feeling of aliveness. “Osiris rules the House of Life,” says Anubis. And he beholds a great bird-head atop human shoulders, bright yellow eyes within it, alive, alive-oh; and the creature stands before him on an endless plain of living green which is superimposed upon his view of the world, and he holds the Staff of Life in his one hand and the Book of Life in his other. He seems to be the source of the radiant warmth.
Wakim then hears the voice of Anubis again:
“The House of Life and the House of the Dead contain the Middle Worlds.”
And there is a falling, swirling sensation, and Wakim looks upon stars once more, but stars separated and held from other stars by bonds of force that are visible, then invisible, then visible again, fading, coming, going, white, glowing lines, fluctuating.
“You now perceive the Middle Worlds of Life,” says Anubis.
And dozens of worlds roll before him like balls of exotic marble, stippled, gauged, polished, incadescent.
“… Contained,” says Anubis. “They are contained within the field which arcs between the only two poles that matter.”
“Poles?” says Wakim.
“The House of Life and the House of the Dead. The Middle Worlds about their suns do move, and all together go on the paths of Life and Death.”
Just who was/is the Steel General?“All know of the General, who ranges alone. Out of the pages of history come the thundering hoofbeats of his war horse Bronze. He flew with the Lafayette Escadrille. He fought in the delaying action at Jarama Valley. He helped to hold Stalingrad in the dead of winter. With a handful of friends, he tried to invade Cuba. On every battleground, he has left a portion of himself. He camped out in Washington when times were bad, until a greater General asked him to go away. He was beaten in Little Rock, had acid thrown in his face in Berkeley. He was put on the Attorney General’s list, because he had once been a member of the I.W.W. All the causes for which he has fought are now dead, but a part of him died also as each was born and carried to its fruition. He survived, somehow, his century, with artificial limbs and artificial heart and veins, with false teeth and a glass eye, with a plate in his skull and bones out of plastic, with pieces of wire and porcelain inside him-until finally science came to make these things better than those with which man is normally endowed. He was again replaced, piece by piece, until, in the following century, he was far superior to any man of flesh and blood. And so again he fought the rebel battle, being smashed over and over again in the wars the colonies fought against the mother planet, and in the wars the individual worlds fought against the Federation. He is always on some Attorney General's list and he plays his banjo and he does not care, for he has placed himself beyond the law by always obeying its spirit rather than its letter. He has had his metal replaced with flesh on many occasions and been a full man once more- but always he hearkens to some distant bugle and plays his banjo and follows-and then he loses his humanity again. He shot craps with Leon Trotsky, who taught him that writers are underpaid; he shared a boxcar with Woody Guthrie, who taught him his music and that singers are underpaid; he supported Fidel Castro for a time, and learned that lawyers are underpaid. He is almost invariably beaten and used and taken advantage of, and he does not care, for his ideals mean more to him than his flesh. Now, of course, the Prince Who Was A Thousand is an unpopular cause. I take it, from what you say, that those who would oppose the House of Life and the House of the Dead will be deemed supporters of the Prince, who has solicited no support-not that that matters. And I daresay you oppose the Prince, Wakim. I should also venture a guess that the General will support him, inasmuch as the Prince is a minority group all by himself. The General may be beaten, but he can never be destroyed.
Are you alive? How do you know this?
… One snowflake drifting down a well, a well without waters, without walls, without bottom, without top. Now take away the snowflake and consider the drifting…
This strange mix of Egyptian gods and modern technology is a master-piece of Science Fiction
Enjoy!
June 20, 2022
Welcome to the future!
A future in which humanity is living on several different planets and there are gods and god-like creatures.
There is also the House of Life and the House of Death. One is ruled by Anubis, the other by Osiris. They are rivals because both want to defeat some mysterious antagonist and gain control over the universe. For this purpose, both send a kind of champion. Osiris sends his son Horus, Anubis sends a mysterious nameless man whom he has groomed for 1000 years.
As the story progresses, we find out that this universe was once ruled by the god Thoth who had awakened a dormant, malevolent force on a distant planet - a force that is so powerful and malevolent that it threatened to consume the galaxy. While trying to contain it, there was a coup.
Thus, what was supposed to be the final battle goes horribly wrong, ending with Thoth's son and brother being missing and presumed dead, hence the power vacuum that Osiris and Anubis are now trying to take advantage of.
It takes a while to get oriented but I was pleasantly surprised that this was part mystery (finding out what had happened after the coup, who the nameless man was and how it would all come to a head).
I think one of the most fascinating aspects, for me, was this futuristic universe that had planets where priests worship a pair of old shoes. Quirky and hilarious and definitely not easy to pull off.
But there was also the blend of scifi with real-world mythology - making some elements very familiar while also literally alien.
The writing style was very unique once again. I've only read one other book by this author but I do remember the tone of voice being the same in that one so it seems to be a signature trait.
All in all, the unusual blend of all the above mentioned factors (plus some more) makes this a tale you have to engage with and which you won't soon forget.
A future in which humanity is living on several different planets and there are gods and god-like creatures.
There is also the House of Life and the House of Death. One is ruled by Anubis, the other by Osiris. They are rivals because both want to defeat some mysterious antagonist and gain control over the universe. For this purpose, both send a kind of champion. Osiris sends his son Horus, Anubis sends a mysterious nameless man whom he has groomed for 1000 years.
As the story progresses, we find out that this universe was once ruled by the god Thoth who had awakened a dormant, malevolent force on a distant planet - a force that is so powerful and malevolent that it threatened to consume the galaxy. While trying to contain it, there was a coup.
Thus, what was supposed to be the final battle goes horribly wrong, ending with Thoth's son and brother being missing and presumed dead, hence the power vacuum that Osiris and Anubis are now trying to take advantage of.
It takes a while to get oriented but I was pleasantly surprised that this was part mystery (finding out what had happened after the coup, who the nameless man was and how it would all come to a head).
I think one of the most fascinating aspects, for me, was this futuristic universe that had planets where priests worship a pair of old shoes. Quirky and hilarious and definitely not easy to pull off.
But there was also the blend of scifi with real-world mythology - making some elements very familiar while also literally alien.
The writing style was very unique once again. I've only read one other book by this author but I do remember the tone of voice being the same in that one so it seems to be a signature trait.
All in all, the unusual blend of all the above mentioned factors (plus some more) makes this a tale you have to engage with and which you won't soon forget.
October 26, 2016
Самият Зелазни казва, че е писал романа като упражнение и никога не е смятал да го публикува. Точно за това е една от любимите ми негови книги, заедно с „Хронобандити” и „Да умреш в Италбар”.
Изказванията, че „Създания от светлина и мрак” е същото като „Господарят на светлината”, само че с египетски богове е все едно да кажеш, че „Магбет” е същото като „Хамлет”, само че с шотландци.
Зелазни заплита брутално визуална, объркана история, на базата на широките си познания за египетската митология, като постоянно прави паралели с последващите я и взаимстващи от нея персийска и гръцка такива. Няма ясно изразени протагонисти и антагонисти, а картините са сюрреалистична комбинация между магично и технологично, между философия, легенда и наситено действие. Цялото повествование е пропито с любимите ми ирония и самоирония, които авторът успява да поднесе почти незабелязано, постоянно играейки си с старите вяврвания на човечеството.
Корицата на първото издание е чук.
Не съм чел оригинала и знам, че Зелазни е накарал не един преводач да крещи и хвърля ръкописи, но нещо ми убягва в превода – няма го тънкият граничеща с поезия финес на словото му, а се губи и част от постоянно съпътстващият произведенията му лек хумор. Новото издание е със същия превод, а ми се искаще романът да бе преразгледан отново. Пък, може и да не съм прав, само оригиналът ще покаже.
Препоръчвам на всеки, който е отвикнал литературата да го води за ръчичка из отъпканите пътеки на клишетата. И както ми каза един приятел, който не беше спал цяла нощ, когато му я дадох да я чете: "Върховна! А сега ми дай нещо нормално."
Изказванията, че „Създания от светлина и мрак” е същото като „Господарят на светлината”, само че с египетски богове е все едно да кажеш, че „Магбет” е същото като „Хамлет”, само че с шотландци.
Зелазни заплита брутално визуална, объркана история, на базата на широките си познания за египетската митология, като постоянно прави паралели с последващите я и взаимстващи от нея персийска и гръцка такива. Няма ясно изразени протагонисти и антагонисти, а картините са сюрреалистична комбинация между магично и технологично, между философия, легенда и наситено действие. Цялото повествование е пропито с любимите ми ирония и самоирония, които авторът успява да поднесе почти незабелязано, постоянно играейки си с старите вяврвания на човечеството.
Корицата на първото издание е чук.
Не съм чел оригинала и знам, че Зелазни е накарал не един преводач да крещи и хвърля ръкописи, но нещо ми убягва в превода – няма го тънкият граничеща с поезия финес на словото му, а се губи и част от постоянно съпътстващият произведенията му лек хумор. Новото издание е със същия превод, а ми се искаще романът да бе преразгледан отново. Пък, може и да не съм прав, само оригиналът ще покаже.
Препоръчвам на всеки, който е отвикнал литературата да го води за ръчичка из отъпканите пътеки на клишетата. И както ми каза един приятел, който не беше спал цяла нощ, когато му я дадох да я чете: "Върховна! А сега ми дай нещо нормално."
January 21, 2021
-Entre casi el Pulp más poético, quizá hoy, y la fantasía científica de vanguardia, quizá entonces.-
Género. ¿Ciencia ficción fantástica? ¿Narrativa fantástica científica?
Lo que nos cuenta. El libro Criaturas de luz y tinieblas (publicación original: Creatures of Light and Darkness, 1969) nos presenta a Anubis, al frente de la Casa de la Muerte, que tras un milenio de preparación tiene a un emisario al que llama Wakim y al que mandará a los Mundos Intermedios para destruir a un inmortal, el Príncipe Que Fue Mil, que se opone tanto a sus designios como a los de Osiris, al frente de la Casa de la Vida. En su viaje, Wakim se dará cuenta de que hay otras facciones y personajes con intenciones propias al respecto de su misión.
¿Quiere saber más de este libro, sin spoilers? Visite:
https://librosdeolethros.blogspot.com...
Género. ¿Ciencia ficción fantástica? ¿Narrativa fantástica científica?
Lo que nos cuenta. El libro Criaturas de luz y tinieblas (publicación original: Creatures of Light and Darkness, 1969) nos presenta a Anubis, al frente de la Casa de la Muerte, que tras un milenio de preparación tiene a un emisario al que llama Wakim y al que mandará a los Mundos Intermedios para destruir a un inmortal, el Príncipe Que Fue Mil, que se opone tanto a sus designios como a los de Osiris, al frente de la Casa de la Vida. En su viaje, Wakim se dará cuenta de que hay otras facciones y personajes con intenciones propias al respecto de su misión.
¿Quiere saber más de este libro, sin spoilers? Visite:
https://librosdeolethros.blogspot.com...
February 1, 2016
"On hoda po plaži. Njegovi tragovi počinju sedam koraka iza njega. Visoko nad glavom visi mu more."
Nedavno sam čitao dijalog N. Gaimana i K. Ishiguroa o žanrovima i pisanju. Tu su se između ostaloga dotakli i borbi mačevima, Gaiman je komentirao kako su borbe u The Buried Giantu, najnovijem Ishigurovom romanu, kratke i potpuna suprotnost recimo onima u Sword and Sorcery podžanru fantastike gdje likovi neprestano dobacuju dosjetke jedan drugome između udaraca mačem i to traje i po stranicu dvije. E takav je veći dio ovog Zelaznijevog romana. Poglavlja počinju s kratkim postavljanjem scene i onda dođe neki neprijateljski nastrojeni lik, pa se malo nadmudruju riječima ili jednostavno čavrljaju, a onda svatko izvadi svoje oružje po izboru i krenu.
"Živećeš manje od minuta", kaže Horus, "ako mi ne otvoriš ovu kapiju. Tvoja smrt će biti dokaz da Horus ne laže. Zatim ću iz šarki izvaliti ove kapije i ući ovde, prelazeći preko tebe u potrazi za tvojim Gospodarem."
"Čekaj! Ako ti zaista jesi On, razumi da samo svoju dužnost vršim, sledeći naređenja Gospodara svog. Ne pomisli da sam toliki nevernik da bi prolaz mogao odbiti nekom ko sebe Horusom naziva. Kako da znam da ti nisi tek neprijatelj što to kaže da bi me prevario?"
I ok, neka, malo akcije da začini stvari, ali kako nema jasnih pravila što je moguće, a što nije moguće, šta je opasno, a šta nije, nema tu napetosti i čitanje postaje zamorno. A što dalje odmiče kao i u slučaju prethodnog kojeg sam nedavno čitao, On koji oblikuje ima sve manje smisla.
Uz to sam zaplet...zaplet?! Ovo je kao stilizirana sapunica! Tu su sinovi koji su očevi svojim očevima. Novootkrivena braća. Vraćaju se davno otpisani likovi. I tako dalje. Bez smisla i logike. Zelazny je očito htio napisati još jednog Gospodara svjetlosti, zamijenjujući hindu i budističku mitologiju sa egipatskom, no ovdje ništa ne funkcionira.
Nakon ove dvije novele Zelaznyja uzimam s grudom soli. No ipak ću probati čitati i njegove kratke priče. Navodno je tamo fokusiraniji. On koji oblikuje mi se i činio kao kratka priča u koju je nasumice ugurao hrpu nekih svojih promišljanja i hašomanskih "mudrosti".
Šteta. Zelazny definitivo ima zanimljiv razigran stil pisanja. U Stvorenjima svjetlosti i tame se malo više kontrolirao i općenito je čitljiviji nego u On koji oblikuje, a i prijevod je, čini mi se, bolji - no to je možda i do drugačijeg stila pisanja. I humor tu funkcionira. Naprimjer štovanje i molitva cipelama i obući općenito; ili kada se dva gataoca iz utrobe prepiru oko tumačenja, a jednom od tumača su rasuta crijeva. A također je i ovaj roman počeo odlično: crnohumorni opis interakcije između Anubisa i njegovog tisućugodišnjeg sluge te njegovo neminovno komadanje da bi Anubis dokazao nadmoćnost i poantu je urnebesna, kao i njihova brza izmjena o tome što bi bila točna definicija života. No, nažalost nakon toga...
Zelaznyju je definitivno nedostajala čvrsta urednička ruka.
Nedavno sam čitao dijalog N. Gaimana i K. Ishiguroa o žanrovima i pisanju. Tu su se između ostaloga dotakli i borbi mačevima, Gaiman je komentirao kako su borbe u The Buried Giantu, najnovijem Ishigurovom romanu, kratke i potpuna suprotnost recimo onima u Sword and Sorcery podžanru fantastike gdje likovi neprestano dobacuju dosjetke jedan drugome između udaraca mačem i to traje i po stranicu dvije. E takav je veći dio ovog Zelaznijevog romana. Poglavlja počinju s kratkim postavljanjem scene i onda dođe neki neprijateljski nastrojeni lik, pa se malo nadmudruju riječima ili jednostavno čavrljaju, a onda svatko izvadi svoje oružje po izboru i krenu.
"Živećeš manje od minuta", kaže Horus, "ako mi ne otvoriš ovu kapiju. Tvoja smrt će biti dokaz da Horus ne laže. Zatim ću iz šarki izvaliti ove kapije i ući ovde, prelazeći preko tebe u potrazi za tvojim Gospodarem."
"Čekaj! Ako ti zaista jesi On, razumi da samo svoju dužnost vršim, sledeći naređenja Gospodara svog. Ne pomisli da sam toliki nevernik da bi prolaz mogao odbiti nekom ko sebe Horusom naziva. Kako da znam da ti nisi tek neprijatelj što to kaže da bi me prevario?"
I ok, neka, malo akcije da začini stvari, ali kako nema jasnih pravila što je moguće, a što nije moguće, šta je opasno, a šta nije, nema tu napetosti i čitanje postaje zamorno. A što dalje odmiče kao i u slučaju prethodnog kojeg sam nedavno čitao, On koji oblikuje ima sve manje smisla.
Uz to sam zaplet...zaplet?! Ovo je kao stilizirana sapunica! Tu su sinovi koji su očevi svojim očevima. Novootkrivena braća. Vraćaju se davno otpisani likovi. I tako dalje. Bez smisla i logike. Zelazny je očito htio napisati još jednog Gospodara svjetlosti, zamijenjujući hindu i budističku mitologiju sa egipatskom, no ovdje ništa ne funkcionira.
Nakon ove dvije novele Zelaznyja uzimam s grudom soli. No ipak ću probati čitati i njegove kratke priče. Navodno je tamo fokusiraniji. On koji oblikuje mi se i činio kao kratka priča u koju je nasumice ugurao hrpu nekih svojih promišljanja i hašomanskih "mudrosti".
Šteta. Zelazny definitivo ima zanimljiv razigran stil pisanja. U Stvorenjima svjetlosti i tame se malo više kontrolirao i općenito je čitljiviji nego u On koji oblikuje, a i prijevod je, čini mi se, bolji - no to je možda i do drugačijeg stila pisanja. I humor tu funkcionira. Naprimjer štovanje i molitva cipelama i obući općenito; ili kada se dva gataoca iz utrobe prepiru oko tumačenja, a jednom od tumača su rasuta crijeva. A također je i ovaj roman počeo odlično: crnohumorni opis interakcije između Anubisa i njegovog tisućugodišnjeg sluge te njegovo neminovno komadanje da bi Anubis dokazao nadmoćnost i poantu je urnebesna, kao i njihova brza izmjena o tome što bi bila točna definicija života. No, nažalost nakon toga...
Zelaznyju je definitivno nedostajala čvrsta urednička ruka.
January 13, 2023
A weird one even by Zelazny's standards: you can see what he was trying to do with it, and you can see that none of that was meant to be seen by us to begin with. Feels more like the feverish stream of consciousness of an already strange fantasy author, rather than a coherent narrative. But I think it's great credit to him that it's mostly coherent just as well.
And where narrative may be lacking, there the sheer imagination flourishes, the prose prevails, and great many fantastic scenes glimmer forth to inspire. It got me thinking, far more than mostly anything I've read lately. That's a worthy trait on its own.
And where narrative may be lacking, there the sheer imagination flourishes, the prose prevails, and great many fantastic scenes glimmer forth to inspire. It got me thinking, far more than mostly anything I've read lately. That's a worthy trait on its own.
June 4, 2012
Zelazny was one of the cleverest of the SF writers emergiing from the 1960s, in the stew of New Wave, and also one of the gutsiest. "Creatures of Light and Darkness" is his riff on Egyptian mythology, set in a "future" wherein the ancient conflicts of the various gods---Anubis, Osiris, Set, Thoth, Isis, and Typhon---are once more met in an ageless attempt to establish who's in charge.
But wait! It's not quite that simple. Set the Destroyer is not just the Egyptian god, but partly Vishnu, who is engaged in an eternal struggle with the universe itself. In this case, a struggle with the Nameless One, a being that cannot die. Thoth has been trying to kill it since Set disappeared, presumed dead, the last time he fought with this being. Unsuccessfully. Freed from an amnesiac exile, Set joins in battle with it once more.
Typhon is not strictly Egyptian, either, but also Sumerian and Babylonian, the great dragon/horse that annihilates worlds, and may draw his power from the very source of all existence.
All of which culminates in a recapitulation of the birth of Jesus, with a different cast of players in the principle roles, which serves to point out how all these various myths are ultimately subsumed into each other, drawing freely across cultures to inform new myths to replace old. Zelazny's command of all these various myth cycles was admirable and he deployed them with precision, subtlety, and humor within the framework of a rousing conflict. He was unique among writers of his generation for coming nearest to perfect blendings of fantasy and science fiction and this is a masterpiece of speculative cosmogeny.
But wait! It's not quite that simple. Set the Destroyer is not just the Egyptian god, but partly Vishnu, who is engaged in an eternal struggle with the universe itself. In this case, a struggle with the Nameless One, a being that cannot die. Thoth has been trying to kill it since Set disappeared, presumed dead, the last time he fought with this being. Unsuccessfully. Freed from an amnesiac exile, Set joins in battle with it once more.
Typhon is not strictly Egyptian, either, but also Sumerian and Babylonian, the great dragon/horse that annihilates worlds, and may draw his power from the very source of all existence.
All of which culminates in a recapitulation of the birth of Jesus, with a different cast of players in the principle roles, which serves to point out how all these various myths are ultimately subsumed into each other, drawing freely across cultures to inform new myths to replace old. Zelazny's command of all these various myth cycles was admirable and he deployed them with precision, subtlety, and humor within the framework of a rousing conflict. He was unique among writers of his generation for coming nearest to perfect blendings of fantasy and science fiction and this is a masterpiece of speculative cosmogeny.
May 24, 2019
In lots of obvious ways this is an inappropriate comparison, but this book reminded me of Moorcock's Cornelius novels (this is a good thing because Jerry Cornelius is a) a real person and b) the love of my life). I adore the psychedelic mash-up of mythology, cosmology, scifi, magick, sly humour, different writing styles jostled together, big ideas wrapped up in a fast-paced romping plot. (All of which I try to do with my own writing too.)
The only thing I didn't admire about this book was its treatment of the female characters. In all those vast worlds there are only two significant female characters, and their function in the plot is basically . That wasn't ok in 1969 and it's not ok now. It's also a missed opportunity, because both characters have huge potential to do and be more interesting and exciting things.
But that didn't stop me loving it. I finished reading it late last night and immediately wanted to go back to the beginning and read it all again. For a slim novel it's absolutely teeming with images, characters and ideas that speed by so fast you barely grasp them before they're gone. Wonderful stuff.
The only thing I didn't admire about this book was its treatment of the female characters. In all those vast worlds there are only two significant female characters, and their function in the plot is basically . That wasn't ok in 1969 and it's not ok now. It's also a missed opportunity, because both characters have huge potential to do and be more interesting and exciting things.
But that didn't stop me loving it. I finished reading it late last night and immediately wanted to go back to the beginning and read it all again. For a slim novel it's absolutely teeming with images, characters and ideas that speed by so fast you barely grasp them before they're gone. Wonderful stuff.
August 12, 2023
This book felt like a retelling of Egyptian mythos set in a cyberpunk setting, and I was all there for it! It was similar to the last Roger Zelazny book that I read, Lord of Light, where he writes an incredible sci-fi epic about the Hindu Pantheon, and now he has done the same with the Egyptian Pantheon. I think my favorite character in this book was Set or Anubis because it felt like they both always have another secret, even if they don't know it yet.
May 5, 2022
These words that are constructed in sentences which are contained within this book that I am reading yesterday cannot be framed in my mind. The reader, who is me, finishes the book yesterday, but the torture is still in his mind at this moment, which is now of time. What is within those pages is a mystery that is not comprehensible. The reader, who is me, reads this thing, this tiny monster of a book with black holes of sense within every sentence, he reads this thing last week, this week, yesterday and perhaps he wants to stop but can't, and then perhaps/maybe/possibly he will gladly throw these words, which are framed within the book, away, but he cannot. The words are shown on his phone and this aggressive action cannot be applied/performed to such a valuable item.
I read and finish this thing for which there is no understanding. Why do I read it last week? Why do I read it yesterday? There are temporal paradoxes involved, but my mind could not understand the meaning of the words, the turnings of the language, the flow of the sentences, and the goal of these 200 pages and temporal paradoxes are learned only by reading and understanding of a Wikipedia page. The bet is rearing inside my mind, it cries amidst the light of 4 and 5-star ratings and I want to acknowledge it: no human being or any other intelligent creature should be able to enjoy this piece of literature framed within this book. This thought grows with every line I read last week/yesterday, but shatters and shrinks, retreating, retreating, until it is but a pile of invisible dust in dark recesses of a reader's mind.
The reader, who is me, and me being the reader in question, is confused and crashed, destroyed by this Thing That Is Framed Within The Book, and only questions do live inside his puny mind. Questions which the reader hopes would be answered by someone smart enough, some hero who has 5 star-on classes within this page on Goodreads and who is able to read this text.
The reader is destroyed and no more. Old is the language but not the language is the killer. The maniac with crazy-red eyes and absolutely no love or compassion for the people is the pointless story contained in the words the reader reads yesterday and Zelazny's friend who, long time ago, decides to publish these words.
The reader forgets these words one year from now. This is as it should be.
I read and finish this thing for which there is no understanding. Why do I read it last week? Why do I read it yesterday? There are temporal paradoxes involved, but my mind could not understand the meaning of the words, the turnings of the language, the flow of the sentences, and the goal of these 200 pages and temporal paradoxes are learned only by reading and understanding of a Wikipedia page. The bet is rearing inside my mind, it cries amidst the light of 4 and 5-star ratings and I want to acknowledge it: no human being or any other intelligent creature should be able to enjoy this piece of literature framed within this book. This thought grows with every line I read last week/yesterday, but shatters and shrinks, retreating, retreating, until it is but a pile of invisible dust in dark recesses of a reader's mind.
The reader, who is me, and me being the reader in question, is confused and crashed, destroyed by this Thing That Is Framed Within The Book, and only questions do live inside his puny mind. Questions which the reader hopes would be answered by someone smart enough, some hero who has 5 star-on classes within this page on Goodreads and who is able to read this text.
The reader is destroyed and no more. Old is the language but not the language is the killer. The maniac with crazy-red eyes and absolutely no love or compassion for the people is the pointless story contained in the words the reader reads yesterday and Zelazny's friend who, long time ago, decides to publish these words.
The reader forgets these words one year from now. This is as it should be.
February 12, 2015
1968 – Roger Zelazney picks up the phone and is greeted by his agent, Danny Rose.
Danny: Rog, baby, just got off the phone with my pal Murray at Doubleday, you know how much they love you at Doubleday.
Roger: Really, they love me at Doubleday?
Danny: What? Are you kidding me? Do – do they love you at Doubleday? Do they love you? Roger, I’m telling you they love you, you can do no wrong over there, trust me.
Roger: OK, wow far out.
Danny: They want you to do something unique, Roger, you’ve got to sell it, make a doozy, we’re talking Broadway doozy here.
Roger: OK, cool, what do they want?
Danny: They want weird, Roger, can you do weird? I told Murray, I say “Murray, you want weird, you’re calling and asking me can Roger W. Zelazney do weird? You know W is his middle initial and it doesn’t stand for Walter. Murray, this is Danny talking, Roger can do weird.”
Roger: Wow, OK, like Sam Delaney weird?
Danny: We all love Chip, believe me some more than others, you - you don’t want to know, but more weird than Delaney.
Roger: Alfred Bester weird?
Danny: Alfred Bester weird, Roger, are you listening to me? This is your agent Danny Rose, am I getting through? Hello? Operator?
Roger: I can here you, Danny. OK, Philip K. Dick weird?
Danny: I love Phil, we all love Phil, but WEIRDER THAN PHILIP K. DICK!!!
Roger: Wow, ok, so anything as long as it’s weird?
Danny: You’re getting the picture, any ideas?
Roger: Well, OK, how about a setting in the far, far future, fantastically far future, where there is a conflict between the Egyptian gods Anubis and Osiris?
Danny: Brilliant! Genius, I’m going to tell Murray you’re a weird genius! A futuristic story about Snoopy and Hiram, that’s great!!
Danny: Rog, baby, just got off the phone with my pal Murray at Doubleday, you know how much they love you at Doubleday.
Roger: Really, they love me at Doubleday?
Danny: What? Are you kidding me? Do – do they love you at Doubleday? Do they love you? Roger, I’m telling you they love you, you can do no wrong over there, trust me.
Roger: OK, wow far out.
Danny: They want you to do something unique, Roger, you’ve got to sell it, make a doozy, we’re talking Broadway doozy here.
Roger: OK, cool, what do they want?
Danny: They want weird, Roger, can you do weird? I told Murray, I say “Murray, you want weird, you’re calling and asking me can Roger W. Zelazney do weird? You know W is his middle initial and it doesn’t stand for Walter. Murray, this is Danny talking, Roger can do weird.”
Roger: Wow, OK, like Sam Delaney weird?
Danny: We all love Chip, believe me some more than others, you - you don’t want to know, but more weird than Delaney.
Roger: Alfred Bester weird?
Danny: Alfred Bester weird, Roger, are you listening to me? This is your agent Danny Rose, am I getting through? Hello? Operator?
Roger: I can here you, Danny. OK, Philip K. Dick weird?
Danny: I love Phil, we all love Phil, but WEIRDER THAN PHILIP K. DICK!!!
Roger: Wow, ok, so anything as long as it’s weird?
Danny: You’re getting the picture, any ideas?
Roger: Well, OK, how about a setting in the far, far future, fantastically far future, where there is a conflict between the Egyptian gods Anubis and Osiris?
Danny: Brilliant! Genius, I’m going to tell Murray you’re a weird genius! A futuristic story about Snoopy and Hiram, that’s great!!
March 30, 2024
3.5/5
The language is beautiful. The world is fascinating. The characters are lacking. The story is a mess.
Zelazny's strengths are prose, worldbuilding, and imagination in general. His weaknesses are characters, drama, and plot. In every other book by Zelazny which I have read, the weaknesses almost overcame the strengths. Here, however, the plot is almost thrown aside in favor of prose, poetry, and raw imagination, making it one of Zelazny's strongest works -- with the caveats mentioned above.
If what you care about is plot and characters then, I am sorry to say, I think you won't like this book. And it seems that, indeed, many didn't like it at all. I understand why.
Above all, I am starting to view Zelazny as lazy. He has so many wonderful ideas, but almost never puts in the work to fully realize them. I know this book was initially only an exercise and not meant for publication, but its faults are similar to those of Jack of Shadows and Lord of Light. It is as if Zelazny puts his ideas on page in the same pace and rawness in which they come to him, without taking the time to expand them, edit them, and form them into a fully-realized narrative.
The Possibly Proper Death Litany is hilarious, as is much of the humor in this book. While often a very serious book, the humor is overall excellent.
The language is beautiful. The world is fascinating. The characters are lacking. The story is a mess.
Zelazny's strengths are prose, worldbuilding, and imagination in general. His weaknesses are characters, drama, and plot. In every other book by Zelazny which I have read, the weaknesses almost overcame the strengths. Here, however, the plot is almost thrown aside in favor of prose, poetry, and raw imagination, making it one of Zelazny's strongest works -- with the caveats mentioned above.
If what you care about is plot and characters then, I am sorry to say, I think you won't like this book. And it seems that, indeed, many didn't like it at all. I understand why.
Above all, I am starting to view Zelazny as lazy. He has so many wonderful ideas, but almost never puts in the work to fully realize them. I know this book was initially only an exercise and not meant for publication, but its faults are similar to those of Jack of Shadows and Lord of Light. It is as if Zelazny puts his ideas on page in the same pace and rawness in which they come to him, without taking the time to expand them, edit them, and form them into a fully-realized narrative.
The Possibly Proper Death Litany is hilarious, as is much of the humor in this book. While often a very serious book, the humor is overall excellent.
January 30, 2020
This is, without a doubt, one of the most evocative and most imaginative books I have ever read. Not because of the plot, or characters, or worldbuilding; while adequate, there are other books that are far better in this respect. However, there are very few writers that can match Zelazny in the beauty of the prose, a turn of a phrase, and in experimentations in style and storytelling. For me personally, this by itself can be a source of immense pleasure, and this book has it all.
However, precisely due to this, not everybody will enjoy Creatures of Light and Darkness as much.
However, precisely due to this, not everybody will enjoy Creatures of Light and Darkness as much.
September 11, 2009
Between poetry, SF and acid trip... The plot is somewhat hard to follow, but you can very well read the book without that.
The story works like a kind of impressionist painting, where every short chapter acts as an image rather than a plot fragment. We never learn whose point of view it is and the heroes remain mysterious. As for the plot, it is quite different from the typical SF plot that tries to be extra coherent to compensate for the lack of realism of the setting. Here the characters have a weird theatrical quality about them, and the bits and pieces of the story build something like a great surrealist picture, where the beginning and the end are not so much definite moments in the story as simply the moments when the narrator starts to take, then to lose, interest in what happens. To be absolutely honest, althought I only read that book a few months ago, I'm not sure I remember every detail of the plot...
Still, the style and atmosphere are very poetical and enjoyable. If you like traditional Japanese theatre and SF, do give it a try.
The story works like a kind of impressionist painting, where every short chapter acts as an image rather than a plot fragment. We never learn whose point of view it is and the heroes remain mysterious. As for the plot, it is quite different from the typical SF plot that tries to be extra coherent to compensate for the lack of realism of the setting. Here the characters have a weird theatrical quality about them, and the bits and pieces of the story build something like a great surrealist picture, where the beginning and the end are not so much definite moments in the story as simply the moments when the narrator starts to take, then to lose, interest in what happens. To be absolutely honest, althought I only read that book a few months ago, I'm not sure I remember every detail of the plot...
Still, the style and atmosphere are very poetical and enjoyable. If you like traditional Japanese theatre and SF, do give it a try.
December 21, 2010
This was one of Zelazny's earlier novels, and I was surprised to find how well it holds up; better, in fact, than than LORD OF LIGHT and the Amber sequence, in my opinion. He mixes mythology (Egyptian) with some of the common themes of science fiction and fantasy in a dream-like style very characteristic of what was known as New Wave back in the day. His mix of techniques comes off very well, and produces a short and beatiful story.
September 16, 2021
The gonzo prose is fun, and there are some great set pieces. But the degree to which women in this book have no agency or interiority and simply revolve their lives around men is exhausting.
June 30, 2022
"Creatures of Light and Darkness" is my first Roger Zelazny book and I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it. Zelaznys' work asks what would it be like to write a heroic epic set in the far future and instead of focusing on the doings of humans he focuses on the doings of the Gods.
The focus of the novel is a retelling of the Egyptian myth of the conflict between Set and Horus. There are some cameos of dieties from other cosmologies.
This book is about 200 pages and it does take a minute to absorb the story because it is odd and the writing tries to mimic the style of ancient epics. I enjoyed this. The only story I can even compare it to is "10 Billion Days and 100 Billion Nights" which was its own brand of odd.
The focus of the novel is a retelling of the Egyptian myth of the conflict between Set and Horus. There are some cameos of dieties from other cosmologies.
This book is about 200 pages and it does take a minute to absorb the story because it is odd and the writing tries to mimic the style of ancient epics. I enjoyed this. The only story I can even compare it to is "10 Billion Days and 100 Billion Nights" which was its own brand of odd.
February 7, 2018
(Original review date: 2 August 2011)
If you're ever in the mood for complex, confusing, grandiloquently-phrased science fiction that retells ancient myths in a far-future cosmic setting with advanced technology granting godlike powers upon petty, immortal human beings, then do yourself a favor and read Zelazny's Lord of Light. It's extraordinary.
And if, after reading that, you want more of the same (and don't mind if it's just a little worse in every way), then you might want to try Creatures of Light and Darkness.
It's not that this one is bad - it's that Lord of Light does all of the same things and does them so much better. Here again, you encounter men who have made themselves into gods (Egyptian gods this time, rather than Hindu ones - so perish the thought that Zelazny is ripping off his own work, that would be ridiculous). Here again, you are dropped into the middle of the action with little to no way of knowing WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON until either you read through the ENTIRE book (twice, preferably, if you can stand it), or you cheat and look it up on Wikipedia. Here again there is a character who long ago fought a formidable foe, was vanquished, was killed, and is now back from the dead to fight it again. Here again, he is stymied by the other petty "gods" because absolute power corrupts, yadda yadda yadda. Here again, everyone talks like a god damn King James Bible.
All of those components manage to gel brilliantly, somehow, in Lord of Light, which is hugely more complicated, interesting, and multilayered than this one. This one is much shorter, much more half-assed, and has the added annoyance of incorporating various "experimental" chapters - one in verse! one in script format! Ughity-ugh.
In a universe where Lord of Light didn't exist, this one probably would have gotten three stars from me, because it's still a cool concept, and it's still kind of fun to try and see through the prose and get at the real story going on behind the scenes. And Zelazny's a good writer, and I enjoy his brand of opulent phrasing now and then. But it's just so unnecessary that Creatures of Light and Darkness even exists; I'd so much rather go back and read Lord of Light again.
If you're ever in the mood for complex, confusing, grandiloquently-phrased science fiction that retells ancient myths in a far-future cosmic setting with advanced technology granting godlike powers upon petty, immortal human beings, then do yourself a favor and read Zelazny's Lord of Light. It's extraordinary.
And if, after reading that, you want more of the same (and don't mind if it's just a little worse in every way), then you might want to try Creatures of Light and Darkness.
It's not that this one is bad - it's that Lord of Light does all of the same things and does them so much better. Here again, you encounter men who have made themselves into gods (Egyptian gods this time, rather than Hindu ones - so perish the thought that Zelazny is ripping off his own work, that would be ridiculous). Here again, you are dropped into the middle of the action with little to no way of knowing WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON until either you read through the ENTIRE book (twice, preferably, if you can stand it), or you cheat and look it up on Wikipedia. Here again there is a character who long ago fought a formidable foe, was vanquished, was killed, and is now back from the dead to fight it again. Here again, he is stymied by the other petty "gods" because absolute power corrupts, yadda yadda yadda. Here again, everyone talks like a god damn King James Bible.
All of those components manage to gel brilliantly, somehow, in Lord of Light, which is hugely more complicated, interesting, and multilayered than this one. This one is much shorter, much more half-assed, and has the added annoyance of incorporating various "experimental" chapters - one in verse! one in script format! Ughity-ugh.
In a universe where Lord of Light didn't exist, this one probably would have gotten three stars from me, because it's still a cool concept, and it's still kind of fun to try and see through the prose and get at the real story going on behind the scenes. And Zelazny's a good writer, and I enjoy his brand of opulent phrasing now and then. But it's just so unnecessary that Creatures of Light and Darkness even exists; I'd so much rather go back and read Lord of Light again.
September 9, 2016
Nutshell: standard Z mess with immortals & incomprehensible occurrences.
Volume is sealed by a dedication to Delany, and the text is reminiscent of The Einstein Intersection.
Concerned with the Heliopolitan Ennead: Isis, Osiris & their son Horus; Set & Nephthys; Anubis (offspring of Osiris & Nephthys), and Thoth (son of Set in some variants). Greek Typhon shows up; in Kemetic, Typhon is equated to Seth, but here Typhon is Apophis, possessing qualities of the Abyss (155). Some other immortals show up, but I can’t place them in the mythology, including a lovecraftian Thing that Should Not Be (or something like that). (Norns appear, as well as Cerberus, so it’s a mix of all comers paganism.)
Form is unstable: verse, prose, play script. Mode is unstable: some items are horatian satire, some high mythic, some realism.
Narrative opens with Anubis placing Set (who has retrograde amnesia) into a “body-cutting machine” (18) to replace his limbs and whatnot in what is a scene of extremely effective visceral horror. Revealed that Set is a master of “temporal fugue,” and can “make time follow the mind” (26).
Steel General, rides Sleipnir (42), has a metal body, is “a kind of negative Orpheus and men follow him to Hell,” and “one of the very few masters of temporal fugue” (43). Noted that both Horus and Osiris had independently destroyed the Steel General in the past (56). I can’t place this guy in kemetic, either, though there’s a Greek analogue in Talus, maybe. More than likely this is the apotheosis of Uncle Joe Stalin, the Man of Steel, as the spirit of Revolution: “Out of the pages of history come the thundering hoof beats of his war horse Bronze. He flew with Lafayette Escadrille. He fought in the delaying action at Jarama Valley. He helped to hold Stalingrad in the dead of winter. With a handful of friends, he tried to invade Cuba. On every battleground, he has left a portion of himself. He camped out with Washington when times were bad, until a greater General asked him to go away. He was beaten in Little Rock, had acid thrown in his face in Berkeley. He was put on the Attorney General’s list, because he had once been a member of the IWW” (76). But also: “he shot craps with Leon Trotsky, who taught him the writers are underpaid; he shared a boxcar with Woodie Guthrie, who him his music and that singers are underpaid; he supported Fidel Castro for a time, and learned that lawyers are underpaid” (77). So, yeah, very nice.
Great moment when one entrail reader reads the entrails of a rival entrail reader (83-84), and another when Steel General and Set have a temporal fugue duel (85-89) that basically destroys the planet on which the contest occurs. Beautiful section thereafter about machine sexuality (108-09).
Aside from these lucid intervals, though, no idea WTF happened.
Recommended for deviants from the social norm, readers who know that all wives be bitches to their lords, and interlocutors who ask their assailants to consider the possibility of having portions of themselves which might withstand the destruction of their bodies.
Volume is sealed by a dedication to Delany, and the text is reminiscent of The Einstein Intersection.
Concerned with the Heliopolitan Ennead: Isis, Osiris & their son Horus; Set & Nephthys; Anubis (offspring of Osiris & Nephthys), and Thoth (son of Set in some variants). Greek Typhon shows up; in Kemetic, Typhon is equated to Seth, but here Typhon is Apophis, possessing qualities of the Abyss (155). Some other immortals show up, but I can’t place them in the mythology, including a lovecraftian Thing that Should Not Be (or something like that). (Norns appear, as well as Cerberus, so it’s a mix of all comers paganism.)
Form is unstable: verse, prose, play script. Mode is unstable: some items are horatian satire, some high mythic, some realism.
Narrative opens with Anubis placing Set (who has retrograde amnesia) into a “body-cutting machine” (18) to replace his limbs and whatnot in what is a scene of extremely effective visceral horror. Revealed that Set is a master of “temporal fugue,” and can “make time follow the mind” (26).
Steel General, rides Sleipnir (42), has a metal body, is “a kind of negative Orpheus and men follow him to Hell,” and “one of the very few masters of temporal fugue” (43). Noted that both Horus and Osiris had independently destroyed the Steel General in the past (56). I can’t place this guy in kemetic, either, though there’s a Greek analogue in Talus, maybe. More than likely this is the apotheosis of Uncle Joe Stalin, the Man of Steel, as the spirit of Revolution: “Out of the pages of history come the thundering hoof beats of his war horse Bronze. He flew with Lafayette Escadrille. He fought in the delaying action at Jarama Valley. He helped to hold Stalingrad in the dead of winter. With a handful of friends, he tried to invade Cuba. On every battleground, he has left a portion of himself. He camped out with Washington when times were bad, until a greater General asked him to go away. He was beaten in Little Rock, had acid thrown in his face in Berkeley. He was put on the Attorney General’s list, because he had once been a member of the IWW” (76). But also: “he shot craps with Leon Trotsky, who taught him the writers are underpaid; he shared a boxcar with Woodie Guthrie, who him his music and that singers are underpaid; he supported Fidel Castro for a time, and learned that lawyers are underpaid” (77). So, yeah, very nice.
Great moment when one entrail reader reads the entrails of a rival entrail reader (83-84), and another when Steel General and Set have a temporal fugue duel (85-89) that basically destroys the planet on which the contest occurs. Beautiful section thereafter about machine sexuality (108-09).
Aside from these lucid intervals, though, no idea WTF happened.
Recommended for deviants from the social norm, readers who know that all wives be bitches to their lords, and interlocutors who ask their assailants to consider the possibility of having portions of themselves which might withstand the destruction of their bodies.
August 30, 2015
Странните богове на Зелазни
Цялото ревю тук: http://knijenpetar.blogspot.com/2015/...
Не си го спомням такъв Зелазни, но сигурно защото не съм обърнал достатъчно внимание точно на тази книга, или пък просто сега го възприемам по друг начин, повече от двайсет години след прочитането на последното негово творение. Някак си ми стана мъчно – дали заради митичното му име като писател или заради някакъв „друг акъл“ от онова време, но Създанията на Зелазни не ми повлияха много добре. Този микс от фантастика и фентъзи ми се стори някак повехнал и неубедителен, наситен с прекалено много философски капани, които хвърлят в потрес несвикналите, или пък само навеждат на мисълта, че авторът се е пренесъл за известно време в някакви негови си сънищни територии. Боговете на Древен Египет са ясни – едва ли има някой, който да не е наясно с митологията на тази стара цивилизация. Тук са Анубис, Озирис, Сет, Тот, Хор и другите владетели на човешкото битие, истински технолози на мирозданието във физически и емоционален смисъл, заели полагащите им се позиции, конструират светове и хора със силите, които притежават. Зелазни е навлязъл мощно в териториите на Светлината и Мрака, Животът и Смъртта, играе си на математик пред сложна геометрична фигура – тесаракт или нещо подобно – и мощно манипулира читателите с почти непревземаем смисъл. Е, не е чак толкова сложно, но несвикналите с фантазьорските елементи и особена техника на писане на Зелазни, могат страшно да се объркат.
„Създания от светлина и мрак“ („Бард“, 2015, с превод на Александър Бояджиев) ми се видя доста хаотична и непревземаема, но това явно идва от личната ми представа за добра художествена литература. Не трябва да се забравя и това, че книгата на Зелазни е рожба на шейсетте години на 20-и век и може да крие в себе си ��овече, отколкото аз мога да видя. Още в самото начало има някаква ритуалност в писането, сякаш се представя тайно знание, което малцина могат да възприемат. (Продължава в блога: http://knijenpetar.blogspot.com/2015/...)
Цялото ревю тук: http://knijenpetar.blogspot.com/2015/...
Не си го спомням такъв Зелазни, но сигурно защото не съм обърнал достатъчно внимание точно на тази книга, или пък просто сега го възприемам по друг начин, повече от двайсет години след прочитането на последното негово творение. Някак си ми стана мъчно – дали заради митичното му име като писател или заради някакъв „друг акъл“ от онова време, но Създанията на Зелазни не ми повлияха много добре. Този микс от фантастика и фентъзи ми се стори някак повехнал и неубедителен, наситен с прекалено много философски капани, които хвърлят в потрес несвикналите, или пък само навеждат на мисълта, че авторът се е пренесъл за известно време в някакви негови си сънищни територии. Боговете на Древен Египет са ясни – едва ли има някой, който да не е наясно с митологията на тази стара цивилизация. Тук са Анубис, Озирис, Сет, Тот, Хор и другите владетели на човешкото битие, истински технолози на мирозданието във физически и емоционален смисъл, заели полагащите им се позиции, конструират светове и хора със силите, които притежават. Зелазни е навлязъл мощно в териториите на Светлината и Мрака, Животът и Смъртта, играе си на математик пред сложна геометрична фигура – тесаракт или нещо подобно – и мощно манипулира читателите с почти непревземаем смисъл. Е, не е чак толкова сложно, но несвикналите с фантазьорските елементи и особена техника на писане на Зелазни, могат страшно да се объркат.
„Създания от светлина и мрак“ („Бард“, 2015, с превод на Александър Бояджиев) ми се видя доста хаотична и непревземаема, но това явно идва от личната ми представа за добра художествена литература. Не трябва да се забравя и това, че книгата на Зелазни е рожба на шейсетте години на 20-и век и може да крие в себе си ��овече, отколкото аз мога да видя. Още в самото начало има някаква ритуалност в писането, сякаш се представя тайно знание, което малцина могат да възприемат. (Продължава в блога: http://knijenpetar.blogspot.com/2015/...)
November 10, 2015
‘Creatures of Light & Darkness’ is surely the most quintessentially Zelaznian of all Roger Zelazny’s books, almost to the point of self-parody. It is likely the only Egyptological science-fiction book to conclude with a chapter-length chamber verse-drama - shades of Thomas Lovell Beddoes...
Apparently Zelazny intended it as an ‘exercise’, not for publication - it certainly has an unfinished and experimental feel - and was only convinced to publish at the instigation of fellow-fantasist Samuel Delany. I find this surprising, since Zelazny was a professional writer, even at his most avant-garde, and I can’t imagine him wasting his word-count for private purposes. But if he did write this book purely for the desk drawer it must represent the last quixotic gesture of his spectacular early career, before he settled down to a regular output that was always interesting, occasionally remarkable, but often rose scarcely above the level of hack-work.
Apparently Zelazny intended it as an ‘exercise’, not for publication - it certainly has an unfinished and experimental feel - and was only convinced to publish at the instigation of fellow-fantasist Samuel Delany. I find this surprising, since Zelazny was a professional writer, even at his most avant-garde, and I can’t imagine him wasting his word-count for private purposes. But if he did write this book purely for the desk drawer it must represent the last quixotic gesture of his spectacular early career, before he settled down to a regular output that was always interesting, occasionally remarkable, but often rose scarcely above the level of hack-work.
April 25, 2022
I couldn't get into this at all. Zelazny has a weird habit of describing characters in ultra-detail but then having no detail at all for scenes and places. The result is a page's worth of description letting you know exactly what a character looks and sounds like but then putting them in a "dark nether realm." As a result, you can never visualize where the characters are or what the setting is like, and as a result I couldn't become involved in the story.
June 25, 2016
This was amazing. At first, the disjointed narrative stream us kinda jarring, but Whoa! Zelazny outdoes himself with his genius. I'm sure in the hands of a lesser writer, this book would've come off utterly short of the marvel it actually is.
This was a splendid read, full of vigor and imagination. A work of art.
This was a splendid read, full of vigor and imagination. A work of art.
December 1, 2021
I can't quite decide if I believe this book was written as part of a fever dream or a drug-induced hallucination. It reads like an attempt to rewrite Egyptian myths with some Sci-Fi thrown in, mostly it ends up being twisty and convoluted with no apparent reason why. An interesting read but one that leaves you as baffled at the end as it does at the beginning.
March 16, 2014
If it were legal for novels to participate in Olympic track & field events (stay with me here, I’m going somewhere with this), Creatures of Light and Darkness would win just about anything involving speed. This book is a fast read. Granted, it’s short—only 199 pages—but it’s not the small size of this book that makes it so quick—the blazing pace and blurring page-turns are what put this masterpiece of Egyptian mythology ahead of the pack.
Egyptian mythology—yeah. If you don’t know anything about it, that’s okay. I don’t know a whole lot myself (aside from the fact that sphinxes have wings and pyramids look like half-buried D8’s), but the story was still great. One of the things that amazes me most about Creatures is that the plot was quite complicated (half of the characters go by more than one name, which you’d think would be a pain) yet I was still able to keep up. Mind you, this wasn’t a result of my exceeding intelligence (we’re talking about a guy who thinks daily head-butts are a good way to splurp blort dibble), but rather Zelazny’s masterful storytelling. I really can’t explain how I kept everything straight in my head, so my only conclusion is that Mr. Z willed it so.
I don’t really want to mention anything that spoils the plot, so I’ll just say that it’s a book about a bunch of people trying to kill each other, or maybe not kill each other, or maybe no one’s really sure what he/she is supposed to be doing at any given time. Sound familiar? If you’ve read Zelazny’s Amber books, that may be why. Not to say Creatures has a ton of similarities with Amber, but I can sorta draw a connection there. (Of course, I can also sorta draw a horse, but it just ends up looking like a five-armed octopus with dual mustaches. So maybe I have no idea what I’m talking about here.)
There are a lot of things that make this book interesting, not the least of which is its history-- Zelazny never intended to have Creatures published. It was strictly an experiment in form (some of the chapters are just long poems; the final one is written as a play), but some editor heard about it and insisted on seeing it and immediately bought it after reading. And now it’s one of only three (I believe) Zelazny books in print. (The others being the Chronicles of Amber and Lord of Light, which are both better than this book, but that doesn’t make this book any less awesome.)
If you’re not a Zelazny fan, you may not like it. If you are a Zelazny fan, you’ve probably read it. If you’re somewhere in the middle, I can’t help you. You’re weird.
EDIT: I just read the Wikipedia article on this book and realized I didn't actually follow the plot as well as I'd originally thought. But apparently I'd been duped into thinking I'd followed the plot, which is just as good, and still testament to Zelazny's storytelling skill: he can make it so I enjoy the book even if the plot was beyond me! FANTASTIC!
Re-read March 09-15, 2014
I continue to be amazed by how many different plot points Zelazny could keep track of at once. This book is even better the second time!
Egyptian mythology—yeah. If you don’t know anything about it, that’s okay. I don’t know a whole lot myself (aside from the fact that sphinxes have wings and pyramids look like half-buried D8’s), but the story was still great. One of the things that amazes me most about Creatures is that the plot was quite complicated (half of the characters go by more than one name, which you’d think would be a pain) yet I was still able to keep up. Mind you, this wasn’t a result of my exceeding intelligence (we’re talking about a guy who thinks daily head-butts are a good way to splurp blort dibble), but rather Zelazny’s masterful storytelling. I really can’t explain how I kept everything straight in my head, so my only conclusion is that Mr. Z willed it so.
I don’t really want to mention anything that spoils the plot, so I’ll just say that it’s a book about a bunch of people trying to kill each other, or maybe not kill each other, or maybe no one’s really sure what he/she is supposed to be doing at any given time. Sound familiar? If you’ve read Zelazny’s Amber books, that may be why. Not to say Creatures has a ton of similarities with Amber, but I can sorta draw a connection there. (Of course, I can also sorta draw a horse, but it just ends up looking like a five-armed octopus with dual mustaches. So maybe I have no idea what I’m talking about here.)
There are a lot of things that make this book interesting, not the least of which is its history-- Zelazny never intended to have Creatures published. It was strictly an experiment in form (some of the chapters are just long poems; the final one is written as a play), but some editor heard about it and insisted on seeing it and immediately bought it after reading. And now it’s one of only three (I believe) Zelazny books in print. (The others being the Chronicles of Amber and Lord of Light, which are both better than this book, but that doesn’t make this book any less awesome.)
If you’re not a Zelazny fan, you may not like it. If you are a Zelazny fan, you’ve probably read it. If you’re somewhere in the middle, I can’t help you. You’re weird.
EDIT: I just read the Wikipedia article on this book and realized I didn't actually follow the plot as well as I'd originally thought. But apparently I'd been duped into thinking I'd followed the plot, which is just as good, and still testament to Zelazny's storytelling skill: he can make it so I enjoy the book even if the plot was beyond me! FANTASTIC!
Re-read March 09-15, 2014
I continue to be amazed by how many different plot points Zelazny could keep track of at once. This book is even better the second time!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 290 reviews