Book Review/Podcast episode: Lord of Light by Roger Zelazny

Lord of Light by Roger Zelazny

Paperback, 296 pages

Published March 2010 by Harper Voyager (first published 1967)

Hugo Award for Best Novel (1968)

Nebula Award Nominee for Best Novel (1967)

Let me be straight right off the bat. This book is not for me. I understand that this is a genius work of science fiction but much of it is over my head. I am assuming that if I had a more intense knowledge of eastern religion I would have been blown away by this. I probably would not have finished this book if not for the reason I did. This was the 11th and final book I read for the Dickheads podcast series on the Hugo award-winning novels of the 1960s. So the deal was I had to finish the book, no choice. Eventually, we will be doing an episode about both Zelazny Winners this one and This Immortal which shared the award with Dune.

Lord of Light is the second book in series maybe, I have read conflicting reports. The plot of the novel was really hard for me to follow. The Earth has died and refugees have made it to a colony world, only a few have the technology and they use it to impersonate classic eastern goods, following Buddhist and Hindu traditions. This is a method they use to hold people back from Progressing since they fear a repeat of the disasters that killed the earth. Thematically, of course, this means the novel is like a reverse of A Canticle for Lebowitz.

Unlike that novel, this story didn't work for me. I was bored and confused for most of the pages since I was really lost trying to figure out what was going on. If I knew more about Siddhartha and Mashasamatman and the mythologies I am sure I would be more impressed by what was happening. My problem was that most of this novel relies on parallels with these mythologies and honestly, this stuff bores me. In the small moments when the novel touches on more traditional SF elements, I would get excited but those were very few and far between.

In the last pages when the gods talk about the colony getting a printing press was one of my favorite scenes. I wish the book was more direct like in those moments. I understand that this is probably a masterpiece but it is not for me. I will take A Canticle for Lebowitz any day.

Dickheads episode recording soon featuring Ivan Zoric and Mark Conlan. Will add the link here when it is live.