Thanks, Joe. One of the many reasons I'm grateful for Steve Donoghue is he introduced me your channel back in GarbAugust. Like with Steve, your joy of reading is infectious. As you know, the Princes of Amber series is part of his Fantasy Starter Kit. I'm reading along, but books behind, with Varsha's SF Masterwork's discussions at Reading by the Rainy Mountain. Lord of Light is my favorite so far. The group pointed out the "fit" bit I missed. LOL LoL. As you said so well, Roger Zelazny packs his few pages. Holiday cheers to you and yours.
@JosephReadsBooks nice! Glad you're enjoying the stories. How far have you managed to get? If you haven't read it yet, I definitely recommend checking out Lord of Light.
@@shawnvogt888 I have read everything in the video. Lord of Light This Immortal To Die in Italbar Creatures of Light and Darkness Jack of Shadows The first 5 Amber novels. Lord of Light is my favorite.
@JosephReadsBooks that's great! Haven't watched the video all the way through yet, so apologies. The newer Amber series with Corwin's son Merlin is also very good. I think someone in the comments already recommended Dilvish the Damned, but that was another entertaining read. Heck, I pretty much enjoy anything written by him. :)
Incredible vid!!!! As someone interested in getting into Zelazny but haven’t yet, this is just perfect for me. I have the Amber books, Lord of Light, and Eye of Cat (from a used bookstore) at home ready to go. He sounds awesome
I recently finished “Lord of Light” and I could not help but to make comparison with the contemporary published “Dune”: While they are very different in tone/atmosphere/style (even with a shared theme in Buddhism, Herbert was clearly having a greater interest into the practical side of (Zen) Buddhism, and even that is just one part of the many other schools of thoughts that influenced him), it is clear that both Zelazny and Herbert shared a healthy skepticism against the powerful and used their books to point out both the technical and social mechanisms that the powerful could use to stay in power. Both have “reluctant saviors” with superhuman enhancements at the core of their stories, using the indigenous population and the dispossessed as their primary base of support for their rebellion in true “Lawrence of Arabia” style. “Yama”, the “Death God” as the weapons guy for the “Gods”: Probably a riff on Robert Oppenheimer, with him famously quoting Krishna from the “Bhagavad Gita” after the successf of the Trinity Nuclear Bomb Test: “Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds”. That the illusionist “Mara” pretended to be “Kali” when opposing “Yama” in the opening chapter, becomes SO much more emotional later, when Zelazny telegraphs as clear as day that “Yama” was in love with Kali and even married her, just to be left by her and her even changing her “Divine” character: Ouch! 😣 “Krishna” claiming Sam/“Buddha” as one of his avatars: Fun jab of an actual aspect of some Vishnu Hindu Traditions, showing how a rebel against the Hindu Caste System, have been cast as a fundamental part of it… Also a fun callback during the hunting scene with Rudra and Murugan, when they say that Sam went by “Kalkin” in the days he sent the “Demons” underground, as a reference to Vishnu’s future tenth and final avatar, “Kalki” who is said will bring our timeline to an apocalyptic end and start a new and rejuvenated one. Also the whole hunting scene is just such great fun: “You Fertility Deities are worse than Marxists!” 😆 And the whole Rudra being rebuffed by Kali, as she is “too cold”, only for then to tell that when Kali’s preferred boytoy poet lover got reincarnated as a bird, Rudra ruthlessly hunted and killed every bird he found of that species: Double ouch! 😅 “Then the fit hit the Shan”! 😆
Interesting timing of this video, as I'm just over halfway through Lord of Light, which is my first Zelazny, and I'm obsessing over it. I read chapter 4 of Lord of Light yesterday and then posted a gushing comment about it in the "now reading" channel in the Fireside. 😂 I think chapter 4 is one of the best pieces of writing I've ever experienced. It blew my mind. I can't wait to read Amber next year!
Can't remember if I told you already, but I think you'd like his Dilvish short stories. Awesome sword-and-sorcery. The novel that finishes the series kinda sucks, but everything else is rad.
@JosephReadsBooks "The Bells of Shoredan" and "Devil and the Dancer" are my favorites. He channeled his inner Robert E. Howard and he pulled them off perfectly.
As I've mentioned to you before, the Amber series was my home-run books which got me into reading. I tried to figure out those places were in the New York part of the first book. Never found out where Greenwood Hospital was until earlier this year. It's a wonderful Appendix N connection. However, there wasn't much else by him in the library in the mid-80s at my local library. But there was a copy of "Creatures of Light and Darkness" in the bookmobile. I tried several times, but that last chapter really threw me.
Thank you for you impression on Roger's works. To my mind he is brilliant short-story teller, but can do a more volumnious woks if he wished to. One point that I do not agree with you, or precisely with Roger homself. I mean that "To die in Italbar" is one of actually good books, it is one and most detailed dive into Peyan mythology (purely constructed by Zelazny himself), also it was touched in "Isle of the dead" and somwhere else which I cannot remember right now (it is all linked by Francis Sandow character). Maybe you can read those if you wish. I treat 'To die..." on the same level as "Creatures.. ".
The first two books of the Merlin saga are really good, but then there is a let down. It's still better than a lot of crap I have read over the years but not as good. But you should read them and make up your own mind.
Lord of Light has been one of my favorites for decades. I've read it many times, and for some reason this morning thought I was due for a reread.
I'm reading it again in 2025. It is so good!
Thanks, Joe. One of the many reasons I'm grateful for Steve Donoghue is he introduced me your channel back in GarbAugust. Like with Steve, your joy of reading is infectious. As you know, the Princes of Amber series is part of his Fantasy Starter Kit. I'm reading along, but books behind, with Varsha's SF Masterwork's discussions at Reading by the Rainy Mountain. Lord of Light is my favorite so far. The group pointed out the "fit" bit I missed. LOL LoL. As you said so well, Roger Zelazny packs his few pages. Holiday cheers to you and yours.
I'm glad you made it here via Steve. I was pretty shocked when I saw he made a video thanks to me 😂.
Thanks and happy holidays!
I ain’t doing it today, but very excited to watch this 🙏
Always cool to see someone getting into Zelazny's works. He's been my favorite author ever since I started reading the Amber series in the 80s. :)
I started reading his books last year. It has been wonderful.
@JosephReadsBooks nice! Glad you're enjoying the stories. How far have you managed to get? If you haven't read it yet, I definitely recommend checking out Lord of Light.
@@shawnvogt888 I have read everything in the video.
Lord of Light
This Immortal
To Die in Italbar
Creatures of Light and Darkness
Jack of Shadows
The first 5 Amber novels.
Lord of Light is my favorite.
@JosephReadsBooks that's great! Haven't watched the video all the way through yet, so apologies. The newer Amber series with Corwin's son Merlin is also very good. I think someone in the comments already recommended Dilvish the Damned, but that was another entertaining read. Heck, I pretty much enjoy anything written by him. :)
@shawnvogt888 I'm in the same boat. Even his worst book, To Die in Italbar, is still decent.
Literally just bought myself the first CoA omnibus for Christmas, can't wait to get into it! Cheers Joseph!
I'm excited for you! Thanks for watching!
Incredible vid!!!! As someone interested in getting into Zelazny but haven’t yet, this is just perfect for me. I have the Amber books, Lord of Light, and Eye of Cat (from a used bookstore) at home ready to go. He sounds awesome
Thanks! I hope the video helped!
You're reading my mind Joseph! I was just thinking about a deep dive on Mr. Zelazny! Great video!
You should definitely do it!
The more Zelazny videos the better!
I recently finished “Lord of Light” and I could not help but to make comparison with the contemporary published “Dune”: While they are very different in tone/atmosphere/style (even with a shared theme in Buddhism, Herbert was clearly having a greater interest into the practical side of (Zen) Buddhism, and even that is just one part of the many other schools of thoughts that influenced him), it is clear that both Zelazny and Herbert shared a healthy skepticism against the powerful and used their books to point out both the technical and social mechanisms that the powerful could use to stay in power. Both have “reluctant saviors” with superhuman enhancements at the core of their stories, using the indigenous population and the dispossessed as their primary base of support for their rebellion in true “Lawrence of Arabia” style.
“Yama”, the “Death God” as the weapons guy for the “Gods”: Probably a riff on Robert Oppenheimer, with him famously quoting Krishna from the “Bhagavad Gita” after the successf of the Trinity Nuclear Bomb Test: “Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds”. That the illusionist “Mara” pretended to be “Kali” when opposing “Yama” in the opening chapter, becomes SO much more emotional later, when Zelazny telegraphs as clear as day that “Yama” was in love with Kali and even married her, just to be left by her and her even changing her “Divine” character: Ouch! 😣
“Krishna” claiming Sam/“Buddha” as one of his avatars: Fun jab of an actual aspect of some Vishnu Hindu Traditions, showing how a rebel against the Hindu Caste System, have been cast as a fundamental part of it… Also a fun callback during the hunting scene with Rudra and Murugan, when they say that Sam went by “Kalkin” in the days he sent the “Demons” underground, as a reference to Vishnu’s future tenth and final avatar, “Kalki” who is said will bring our timeline to an apocalyptic end and start a new and rejuvenated one. Also the whole hunting scene is just such great fun: “You Fertility Deities are worse than Marxists!” 😆 And the whole Rudra being rebuffed by Kali, as she is “too cold”, only for then to tell that when Kali’s preferred boytoy poet lover got reincarnated as a bird, Rudra ruthlessly hunted and killed every bird he found of that species: Double ouch! 😅
“Then the fit hit the Shan”! 😆
The book is just incredible.
Thanks for sharing this!
I agree with you about the parallels with Dune.
LoL is the best. I'd like to read an annotated version.
Interesting timing of this video, as I'm just over halfway through Lord of Light, which is my first Zelazny, and I'm obsessing over it. I read chapter 4 of Lord of Light yesterday and then posted a gushing comment about it in the "now reading" channel in the Fireside. 😂 I think chapter 4 is one of the best pieces of writing I've ever experienced. It blew my mind. I can't wait to read Amber next year!
The Zelazny cult grows stronger! 😎
"shadowjacker!"
"who's this arch character?"
"aghh! just seeing the staff..."
Can't remember if I told you already, but I think you'd like his Dilvish short stories. Awesome sword-and-sorcery. The novel that finishes the series kinda sucks, but everything else is rad.
I have the Dilvish stories. I might make them my next Zelazny read.
@JosephReadsBooks "The Bells of Shoredan" and "Devil and the Dancer" are my favorites. He channeled his inner Robert E. Howard and he pulled them off perfectly.
As I've mentioned to you before, the Amber series was my home-run books which got me into reading. I tried to figure out those places were in the New York part of the first book. Never found out where Greenwood Hospital was until earlier this year. It's a wonderful Appendix N connection.
However, there wasn't much else by him in the library in the mid-80s at my local library. But there was a copy of "Creatures of Light and Darkness" in the bookmobile. I tried several times, but that last chapter really threw me.
Creatures of Light and Darkness is so strange. It works a lot better as an audiobook. You don't see any of the oddities 😂.
@@JosephReadsBooks Thanks! Are you really up so late responding to comments? Dedication indeed.
First. Thanks J man!!!
Thanks for the motivation to finally make the video! 😂
I've not read lots of Zelazny try The Dream Master I really enjoyed it.
I will add it to my TBR!
I've read a lot of his stuff and didn't like everything, but did like most of it. Amber is my favourite still.
It is a great series.
Thank you for you impression on Roger's works. To my mind he is brilliant short-story teller, but can do a more volumnious woks if he wished to. One point that I do not agree with you, or precisely with Roger homself. I mean that "To die in Italbar" is one of actually good books, it is one and most detailed dive into Peyan mythology (purely constructed by Zelazny himself), also it was touched in "Isle of the dead" and somwhere else which I cannot remember right now (it is all linked by Francis Sandow character). Maybe you can read those if you wish. I treat 'To die..." on the same level as "Creatures.. ".
The first two books of the Merlin saga are really good, but then there is a let down. It's still better than a lot of crap I have read over the years but not as good. But you should read them and make up your own mind.
I will definitely do that. I plan on reading them in 2025.