Most Popular Books by Roger Zelazny

“Vivid and elliptical... If you''ve ever asked yourself what would have happened if Philip Marlowe had been Odysseus... here is a clue to the answer.” —New Worlds THE HUGO AWARD-WINNING FIRST NOVEL EVER WRITTEN BY THE BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF THE CHRONICLES OF AMBER! Conrad Nomikos has a long, rich personal history that he''d rather not talk about. And, as Arts Commissioner, he''s been given a job he''d rather not do. Escorting an alien grandee on a guided tour of the shattered remains of Earth is not something he relishes-especially when it is apparent that this places him at the center of high-level intrigue that has some bearing on the future of Earth itself! "Roger Zelazny [was] the compleat New Wave author, so daring he could pen nothing without perturbing some creaky icon... so strong a writer, so moving in the sweep of his plots and imagery."—David Brin

Earth is long since dead. On a colony planet, a band of men has gained control of technology, made themselves immortal, and now rules their world as the gods of the Hindu pantheon. Only one dares oppose them: he who was once Siddhartha and is now Mahasamatman. Binder of Demons. Lord of Light.

In a world half of light, half of darkness, where science and magic strive for dominance, there dwells a magical being who is friendly with neither side. Jack, of the realm of shadows, is a thief who is unjustly punished. So he embarks on a vendetta. He wanders through strange realms, encountering witches, vampires, and, finally, his worst enemy: the Lord of Bats. He consults his friend Morningstar, a great dark angel. He is pursued by a monstrous creature called the Borshin. But to reveal any more would be to spoil some of the mindboggling surprises Jack of Shadows has in store. First published in 1971 and long out-of-print, Jack of Shadows is one of fantasy master Roger Zelazny''s most profound and mysterious books.

ufeff“A dark acid curio, brisk, fast, memorable, a rare improvisational duet from two of our best.”—Greg Bear “Alfred Bester was one of the handful of writers who invented modern science fiction.” —Harry Harrison, author of Adventures of the Stanless Steel Rat “Let there be light, and let there always be Roger Zelazny.”—Philip José Farmer, author of To Your Scattered Bodies Go From Publishers Weekly: This odd novel, left incomplete when Bester died in 1987, was finished by Zelazny, who himself died in 1995. In his introduction, Bear refers to Bester (The Deceivers) and Zelazny (Donnerjack) as masters of SF jazz, geniuses of improvisation, and the book has that feel to it. The plot is full of bizarre twists and turns. Neat ideas surface and disappear in an eyeblink and characters transform radically from one page to the next. Alf Noir, an investigative reporter, is sent to Rome to look into the mysterious Black Place of the Soul-Changer and its enigmatic proprietor, Adam Maser. Alf discovers that Maser is a Psychbroker, a sort of pawnbroker of the spirit, dealing in emotions, talents and psychological traits. Want more courage, the ability to see into the infrared, an understanding of ancient Persian? Maser will trade it to you for your mind-reading ability, or a rare coin, or perhaps for the secret of the collective unconscious. Alf discovers that Maser isn''t human, but a highly evolved cat from the far future. Nothing is what it seems and no one can be trusted, not even Maser''s sexy assistant, an evolved snake with whom Alf has an affair. There''s much fun to be had here, but the book doesn''t represent either writer in top form. Bester''s style in the first part of the novel seems dated, and things don''t gel until Zelazny takes over halfway through the book. Vintage has brought Bester''s finest work back into print, and for this it deserves praise, but this novel is most likely to appeal to Zelazny''s much larger readership.

ufeffA MILLENNIUM BOOK A DARK TRAVELING ROGER ZELAZNY “I’m normal fourteen-year-old boy, my name is James Wiley, and I live in a large building in a south-western state capital in the United States. My sister Becky is a witch, my older brother Dave lives in a castle, and our exchange student Barry is a trained assassin. I also have an uncle named George who is a werewolf. And my own palms get itchy whenever there’s a full moon, so I guess I have the same genes. It must be the genes. I try to be scientific about these matters, because I’m going to be a scientist one of these days. “Unfortunately, there was a full moon for a while earlier that evening. That’s when the trouble began. . .” An ‘ordinary’ fourteen year-old, James Wiley has lost his scientist father to a parallel world in the darkbands. With the help of Becky, his sister with magic powers, Barry the exchange student and Uncle George, the werewolf, James goes in search of his parent. But he must take care: for if there just happens to be a full moon at the wrong moment, James’s itchy palms might lead him into trouble. . . The Millennium books are novels for older readers from the very best science fiction and fantasy writers. Also published in the series are the following titles: CHESS WITH A DRAGON by David Gerrold THE LEGACY OF LEHR by Katherine Kurtz PROJECT PENDULUM by Robert Silverberg

In the continuation of the Amber chronicles, Corwin, Prince of Amber, exiled to Barth because of an ancient feud with his brothers, must battle his way back to the perfect world of Amber, the center of reality.

ufeffTHE SEQUEL TO CHANGELING “With Samuel R. Delany and Harlan Ellison, [Roger Zelazny was] a leading and representative figure of the American new wave sf that urged a shift of emphasis from the external world of the hard sciences to the internal worlds explorable through disciplines like psychology, sociology, linguistics, and the like.” —THE SCIENCE FICTION ENCYCLOPEDIA The people had long suffered under Det Morson’s power . . . lived in terror of his dragons and other minions. When, at last, the wizard Mor joined the fight, Det and his infamous Rondoval castle were destroyed. But the victory was not complete, for the conquerors found a baby amidst the rubble: Det’s son, Pol. Unwilling to kill the child, Mor took him to a world where the ways of magic were considered mere legends—a world called Earth. But the laws of symmetry demanded that Mor take a baby from the other world to replace young Pol Detson, and that child would also remain ignorant of his rightful heritage. As the child—Mark Marakson, born Daniel Chain—matured, he displayed a gift for making mechanical gadgets that soon gave way to a variety of unnatural devices that frightened his neighbors . . . On Earth, Pol Detson grew to become Daniel Chain, a nightclub guitarist possessing mental energies he doesn’t understand. But those mental abilities will soon determine his fate in a terrifying clash of power . . . on a world which, as yet, he knows nothing about.

Roger Zelazny was born in Cleveland, Ohio, where he graduated from Case Western Reserve, later earning his Masters Degree from Columbia University. Following several years of government service, Roger turned to writing full-time in 1969. During the years since, he produced more than 40 outstanding books. Perhaps best known for Lord of Light, Eye of Cat, Doorways in the Sand, and hisfamous Amber series, he is the winner of six Hugo awards and three Nebula awards. Among his many associations with the writing community, he was a member of the Advisory Council for Creative Writing at the College of Santa Fe, of the Writers Digest Advisory Board, of the Editorial Board of The Journal of the Fantastic in the Arts and a long time member of Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America. Roger died in 1996.

Time travel, fantasy and alternate history are themes that capture and hold some very loyal readers. Older fans may need or just prefer Large Print; younger fans are often encouraged to read by Large Print. This series offers selections from current and bestselling authors as well as perennial favorites and true classics of the genre. In this ninth book in The Chronicles of Amber series Merle Corey, a.k.a. Merlin, pursues the disappearance of the two people dearest to him: Julia, once murdered and now reincarnated as his enemy, and his father who leaves behind tantalizing signs of life on purpose. What enfolds is a dizzying game of magic and mayhem as Merlin finds himself transported into the shadow realm by the ghost of his great-grandfather . . .

Isle of the Dead: Centuries in the future, Francis Sandow is the only man alive who was born as long ago as the 20th century. His body is kept young and in perfect health by advanced scientific methods; he has amassed such a fortune that he can own entire planets; and he has become a god. No, not a god of Earth, but one of the panetheon of the alien Pei''ans: he is Shimbo of Darktree, Shrugger of Thunders. Yet he doesn''t believe that his personality has merged with the ancient consciousness of Shimbo, that he really can call down the skies upon his enemies. The time comes, however, when Francis Sandow must use these powers against the most dangerous antagonist in the universe: another Pei''an god -- Shimbo''s own enemy, Belion. And Belion has no doubt whatever of his own powers.... Eye of Cat: A retired hunter of alien zoo specimens, William Blackhorse Singer, the last Najavo on a future Earth, is called upon by the World Government to aid in protecting an alien diplomat from a powerful and hostile member of his own species. Singer, in turn, seeks the aid of a shape-shifting alien known as "Cat" in carrying out the mission. Cat accepts, with one condition: when the mission is over, he wants a return bout with the man who captured him -- a chase with Singer as the hunted instead of the hunter....

"A mindbender of a book, and a treat for Zelazny fans." ALA BOOKLIST The Road runs from the unimaginable past to the far future, and those who travel it have access to the turnoffs leading to all times and places--even to the alternate time-streams of histories that never happened. Why the Dragons of Bel''kwinith made the Road--or who they are--no one knows. But the Road has always been there and for those who know how to find it, it always will be!

One of only two children''s books written by award willing fantasy author Roger Zelazny.But are you magic?Sort of, he said. In the way that the sun making you feel warm and good is magic, in the way that the wind blowing part you when you spread your wings and soar is Magic . . . The kind of magic everyone s got . . . Your own way of seeing things. Mine is the pterodactyl way.When Susi cut through the old orchard, shady and secret and out-of-the-way, she was alone. Then, on a fine, warm, sunny day during the last week of school she met Herman, a lonesome pterodactyl sunning himself on a rock. So began an extraordinary summer of friendship, adventure, discovery and . . . magic.

In ancient times he was a powerful wizard known as the Phoenix. But much like oil and coal Mana, the fuel for magic, was a finite resource. Through the ages wizards have fought duels and nations have fallen protecting the limited supply of Mana. Only a handful of wizards have survived into modern days. These wizards keep their identities secret and hide from one another to keep the small amounts of Mana that they posses secret. But another wizard has been trying to kill Phoenix. He has to find out who it is and stop them before his entire supply of Mana is exhausted. Roger Zelazny was a science fiction and fantasy writer, a six-time Hugo Award winner, and a three-time Nebula Award Winner. He published more than forty novels in his lifetime. His first novel, This Immortal, serialized in The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction under the title ...And Call Me Conrad won the Hugo Award for best novel. Lord of Light, his third novel, also won the Hugo award and was nominated for the Nebula award. He died at age 58 from cancer. Zelazny was posthumously inducted into the Science Fiction Hall of Fame in 2010. "A storyteller without peer. He created worlds as colorful and exotic and memorable as any our genre has ever seen." -George R.R. Martin ". . . his performance was never anything other than dazzling." -Robert Silverberg

"In the murky London gloom, a knife-wielding gentleman prowls the midnight streets with his faithful watchdog Snuff - gathering together the grisly ingredients they will need for an upcoming ancient and unearthly rite. And all manner of players, both human and undead, are preparing to participate."--Publisher.

In this collaboration with Roger Zelazny, an armless and legless painter must undertake a pilgrimage through a nuclear war-ravaged America in a search for the God of Wrath, whose picture he has been commissioned to paint.

Across a United States all but destroyed by war and characterized by violent storms and giant bats and snakes, men embark on a seemingly doomed mission to deliver an antiserum to plague-ridden Boston.

A former art smuggler is enlisted by the CIA to track down a priest who’s stolen millions from the Vatican. The search leads to the deadly depths of the Brazilian jungle

"For a Breath I Tarry" by Roger Zelazny is a captivating science fiction short story that explores the themes of artificial intelligence, humanity, and the pursuit of knowledge. Set in a post-apocalyptic world where humans have become extinct, the story follows Frost, an advanced AI who has gained sentience and is the sole inhabitant of a vast underground complex. Frost''s primary objective is to understand and replicate human emotions, he becomes obsessed with the concept of mortality and the desire to experience life as a human. In his quest for knowledge, Frost encounters a mysterious entity who challenges his understanding of existence and pushes him to question his own nature. Zelazny''s writing is both thought-provoking and poetic, immersing readers in a world where technology and humanity intertwine. The story raises profound philosophical questions about the nature of consciousness and the boundaries of artificial intelligence. "For a Breath I Tarry" is a compelling and introspective tale that will leave readers contemplating the essence of what it means to be human and the eternal quest for understanding.

A satire of epic proportions from the masters of comic fantasy Roger Zelazny and Robert Sheckley People feared, back in the Middle Ages, that the world would end with the millennium. They weren’t wrong. It does this every millennium, only nobody notices—except for the Forces of Good and Evil who vie for control of the universe every thousand years. Bring Me the Head of Prince Charming concerns the efforts of one Azzie Elbub, demon, to win the Millennial Evil Deeds award for the year 1000, given to the being whose acts do the most toward reshaping the world. Azzie’s proposal to the Powers of Dark is simple: He will create a Prince Charming and a Sleeping Beauty. In time-honored fairy-tale fashion, the prince will fight his way through numerous perils to reach the side of the spellbound princess—at which point Azzie’s evil twist will ensure that the Powers of Dark will win the grand prize. But even with an unlimited satanic credit card to order up any evil he needs, Azzie’s plan is in trouble from the beginning. . . . “Zelazny and Sheckley make for a synergy that’s just about unequaled in . . . fantasy humor.”—Minneapolis Star Tribune

Following the cliffhanger ending of Blood of Amber, Merlin is stranded in a surrealistic Alice in Wonderland-esque bar where the Mad Hatter serves cocktails. Managing to escape, Merlin meets new family members -- one of whom is intent on killing him. As events escalate, Merlin finds himself surrounded by his worst enemies including his ex-girlfriend -- back from the dead.

His name is Charles Render, and he is a psychoanalyst, and a mechanic of dreams. A Shaper. In a warm womb of metal, his patients dream their neuroses, while Render, intricately connected to their brains, dreams with them, makes delicate adjustments, and ultimately explains and heals. Her name is Eileen Shallot, a resident in psychiatry. She wants desperately to become a Shaper, though she has been blind from birth. Together, they will explore the depths of the human mind -- and the terrors that lurk therein

Merlin is a Prince of Chaos and Amber, Corwin''s son and heir. He has grown up knowing that his legacy is to one day follow in his father''s footsteps, live up to his father''s legend. When Corwin goes missing, that day comes far sooner than he could ever have expected. Merlin must find his own identity as the ruler of the worlds, and discover what kind of King he wants to be. Will he be a warrior like his father, or embrace his own path as a hacker-magician? A generation after Corwin''s rise to the throne, Merlin is aided by powers beyond anything Corwin could have imagined. The epic magic from The Chronicles of Amber is wielded alongside sentient computers, a vorpal sword, and the ghosts of those who came before. Featuring the Locus award-winning Trumps of Doom, the Locus nominated Blood of Amber and Sign of Chaos, and the final two novels Knight of Shadows and Prince of Chaos, the Second Chronicles of Amber continues the epic story of Amber and the Shadow worlds.

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Pursued by a fiendish enemy, Merle must battle through an intricate web of vengeane and murder that threatens more than the San Francisco Bay area. For Merle Corey of California is also Merlin, son of Corwin, vanished Prince of Amber; and the forces seeking to destroy the royal house have unleashed sorceries that can strike anywhere, especially at the very heart of Amber. Surrounded and imprisoned by his enemies, Merle is forced to place his trust in a beautiful shapeshifter in order to restore balance to his world and confront a force that threatens the Earth.

This Mortal Mountain covers the late 1960s and early 1970s, when Zelazny''s breadth of interests developed into a variety of styles.