Book Log 61/2016 - Roger Zelazny: A Night in the Lonesome October

[jacey]

A friend recommended this to me a couple of years ago and I kept forgetting about it – which is a pity because it’s great. Set in a Victorianesque England and told from the point of view of Snuff, the dog, who belongs to Jack, it’s horrific, quirky and funny (those aren’t mutually exclusive). We’re left to figure out what’s happening as a bunch of characters from (his)story and fiction (Jack the Ripper, Dracula, Rasputin, Dr Frankenstein, Larry Talbot and The Great Detective amongst others) prepare for some kind of game or contest which involves a fair amount of grave robbing and—it seems—a little murder and mayhem. There are factions—openers and closers—and we must fathom who is aligned with whom. Snuff does occasionally get to discuss things with Jack, but mostly his circle of friends-who-might-be-enemies includes the familiars of the other magical types: cat, rat, snake, bat and owl. We follow the crew through the days of October, day by day, as the game builds to Halloween. Light in tone, but grim in subject I have to admire Zelazny’s imagination and brilliance.

Review copy provided by Netgalley.

Comments

[lil-shepherd.livejournal.com]

I've always felt that book was the sudden excellent book amid a lot of dross that some writers produce at the end of their careers. (And I say this was someone who whose top three SF books include 'Lord of Light' and whose top three fantasies include the first five 'Amber' books, which I regard as a single novel.)

[birdsedge.livejournal.com]

I used to read Zelazny when I was a teen, but going back to Amber after so many years left me a bit cool about them. John Moran recomended Lonesome October and I read it as a reissue. So glad I did.

[nojay.livejournal.com]

Following a recommendation, I read this book one chapter each day throughout October.

[birdsedge.livejournal.com]

Good plan. I'm afraid I wasn't so disciplined - I just galloped through it.