Creatures of Light and Darkness

Of all the Zelazny books I have read, this book definitely gets an A+ for creativity. The book kind of reads like a short story that's been stretched out somewhat, but it's really more of an epic poem written in the far future. The characters that Zelazny weaves are just so creative: Madrak the "non-theistic, non-sectarian" priest and his non-commital prayers, Vramin the poet with this green hair and beard, The Prince Who Was A Thousand and his ability to teleport anywhere in the Universe. I think this and Lord of Light present Zelazny at his best: he's creative, very witty and not afraid to bend reality as we know it. It's a short book but a great read. Take my advice: if you don't fully understand it the first time, read it again and you'll get so much more out of it.

Zelazny's classic "Lord of Light" told of a technological future world where humans had set themselves up as the Hindu gods. It is a tour de force, highly original work that takes science fiction so far it becomes fantasy and mythology. "Creatures of Light and Darkness" takes all of this two steps further. The result is highly non-linear, sometimes hard to follow, with characters that are almost abstract rather than human. And it is all, incredibly, indescribably brilliant...so far beyond the general run of the mill science-fiction and fantasy writing to be outside the genre. I can only imagine people either hating or loving this book. I happen to love it...

This book made me read other Roger Zelazny books because it was just so good.The battles he portrays are monsterous with his descriptions of the characters thoughts and movements.I really couldn't stop reading.There really is no one writer like him.I would also recommend Lord Demon by this author.

This is a wonderful work of poetic prose. Most authors couldn't pull this style of writing off. And , perhaps, only Bradbury has done it better. To compare this novel with "Lord of Light" is to compare variations of a theme.Simply because they both have to do with non-christion pantheons,doesn't mean that they have anything to do with each other. More quatrane, than coherant novel. This work is a wonder of philosphical imagery. ah, hell...I just liked it alot, o.k ?

The Egyptian pantheon, the lands of the dead and living, a Steel General, some very old shoes, prayers that apologize for disturbing a deity which may or may nor exist.... Only Zelazny could combine them all, and only Zelazny could bring it all off so brilliantly. What a loss that he is no longer with us, and what a tragedy that this book is no longer in print.