Roger Zelazny Books

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Roger Zelazny was an American author that wrote science fiction and fantasy. The poet was born in 1937 in Euclid, Ohio, to a Polish immigrant and an Irish American. The author attended Euclid Senior High School.

The people who knew Zelazny called him a bright student. However, they also noticed that he was undisciplined. His gift for the written word was impossible to ignore because he was writing stories for the school’s magazine.

Later on, he graduated from Western Reserve University with a B.A. in English. He also pursued an M.A. at Columbia University, where he took an interest in Elizabethan and Jacobean drama. The author’s stints at the U.S. Social Security Administration kept him busy. But he found time to write science fiction in the evening.

Initially, he experimented with short stories. Then he jumped to novelettes, novellas, and finally, full-length novels. By the late1960s, Zelazny was confident enough in his craft to abandon his day job.

He chose to prioritize novels because they allowed him to maintain his income. Zelazny’s science fiction stories had appeared in ‘Amazing Stories’ and ‘Fantastic Stories of Imagination.’ The author had also made a name for himself in the so-called New Wave, a group of science fiction writers that wanted publishing and the public at large to perceive science fiction as serious literature.

They were more experimental than their predecessors, setting their action adventures in space. Zelazny had all the tools he needed to succeed once he became a full-time writer. His stories took heavy inspiration from myths and magic.

He delved deeply into Norse and Irish mythology, not to mention Japanese legends. His characters were often troubled, to varying degrees, by the absence of their father figures.

It wasn’t uncommon for the author’s martial arts prowess to influence his stories. Zelazny had mastered the epee, a weapon used in the sport of fencing. Although he also studied other martial arts, such as pa Kua and judo.

His characters would manifest the same skills in combat. This was not the only attribute the author’s protagonists inherited from him. His characters loved cigarettes and pipes because the author was equally passionate about the vices.

Admittedly, he abandoned smoking when he realized that it impeded his cardiovascular fitness. It is unclear as to whether he liked science fiction more than fantasy or vice versa. However, he admitted in interviews that fantasy was easier to write.

Science fiction was challenging because he had to justify every concept he created. He couldn’t just pull ideas out of thin air. Zelazny’s readers expected him to explain the world his characters inhabited.

On the other hand, fantasy gave his imagination the freedom to dream. He could do whatever he wanted without having to lay so much groundwork. He once gave the example of four sorcerors summoning an alien creature.

He could write that scene without explaining the nature of the creature. That being said, he still appreciated science fiction because it allowed him to tackle social issues that mattered to him.

Roger Zelazny Awards

Zelazny has won Hugo, Locus, Seiun, Balrog, Prix Tour-Apollo, and Nebula awards.

Best Roger Zelazny Books

The author was married twice. His first marriage ended in divorce. His second marriage produced two sons and a daughter. He died in 1995. Zelazny’s best books include:

Nine Princes In Amber: Corwin woke up in a hospital and quickly realized the truth. Amber was the only true world in the universe. The rest were little more than shadows, including earth. Corwin knew this because he was the son of Oberon, Amber’s king.

To claim the throne of Amber, he must prove his mettle by fighting and overcoming the other princes of Amber.

Lord of Light: The earth was dead. Mortal men had started over on a new planet. They gained mastery over various technologies, using them to conquer death. They are now the dominant species, immortal entities that lord their superiority over smaller life forms.

They have taken inspiration from the Hindu pantheon to fashion a new society. They don’t think anyone can stop them. But they are sorely mistaken. Siddhartha has abandoned his former name. He is now Mahasamatman, the Lord of Light.

Also known as Sam, he will use his gifts to oppose the gods, pulling them out of their heaven and destroying their corruption.

When Does The Next Roger Zelazny book come out?

Roger Zelazny doesn't seem to have an upcoming book. Their newest book is Seven Tales in Amber and was released on January, 9th 2019. It is the newest book in the Chronicles Of Amber Collections.

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