Manna From Heaven [Hardcover]

Roger Zelazny (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 23, 2005

This new collection includes all five previously uncollected "Amber" stories, plus the prologue from the rare limited edition of Trumps of Doom, and 16 other fantasy and science fiction stories (including a collaboration with Harlan Ellison).

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 192 pages
• Publisher: Wilder Publications (August 23, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1592241999
• ISBN-13: 978-1592241996
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #407,884 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

80 of 82 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars At Last! All of the 'Amber' short stories under one cover!, September 24, 2004

By 

LVX "rosy-cross" (North America) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Manna From Heaven (Hardcover)

This book was eagerly anticipated by fans of Zelazney's 'Amber' fiction, because all of the 'Amber' short stories had been out of print for years. "Manna From Heaven" places all of the 'Amber' short stories-- along with a number of Zelazney's other uncollected pieces-- together under a single cover.

If the 'Amber' stories were ALL that this edition offered, I'd still give the book three or four stars. What a joy to discover that "Manna From Heaven" is FULL of quality fiction by Roger Zelazney, and that many of the other stories in this book even manage to surpass its 'Amber' material! I've read several anthologies of Zelazney's short stories, and I've enjoyed them all, but "Manna From Heaven" EASILY takes the cake!

Aside from the 'Amber' shorts, which were great by the way, I particularly enjoyed "Kalifriki of the Thread" and the title story, "Mana From Heaven" [sic]. These stories were so good that I was surprised not to have seen them collected elsewhere. (Makes you wonder what other Zelazney goodies may still be lying around in the vault???). Naturally, some of the tales in this collection are more compelling than others, but not a single story falls flat. Each carries its own weight. This is unusual enough for any collection of short stories, but as a fan of Roger Zelazney's work, I was also intrigued by the fact that these selections represented a fair cross section of his work as an adult author-- several of the short stories in this volume were from Zelazney's later years, but "Manna From Heaven" also includes a couple of wonderful unpublished pieces from Roger's pre-fame college days!

I would recommend this collection for all readers, whether they're already fans of Zelazny's work, or merely readers who enjoy a well-crafted short story. There's truly something for just about everybody between these two covers.

33 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Manna From Heaven, May 25, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Manna From Heaven (Hardcover)

Roger Zelazny has been gone for nearly ten years. During that time I am not the only reader who has scoured fanzines, websites, second-hand book stores, and occasionally friends' libraries for anything I could find of his that I had not already read. Here is is, Manna from Heaven. Who but Roger Zelazny writes so beautifully as he ascribes personality and character to natural formations, machines, or even physical principals? Having included the most amazing plot twists, he writes fluidly to mindbending conclusions. Although I've already read some of the short stories in Manna, there is enough new material in the collection to allow me to feel the sheer joy of reading something new and wonderful by Zelazny. I rated Manna From Heaven at five stars because it is his work, and feels like it. Some of the tribute fiction written in his honor is good reading, especially as it gives one the clear opportunity to evaluate those other writers in comparison to the master. Of course, nobody else comes close. Reading Manna From Heaven was a rewarding experience. There is a downside, however. I used to realize how silly it would be to hope for more new stories or books from Roger Zelazny. Now I'm not so sure... some of his characters have made difficult returns...

16 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Worth it for the Amber stories alone ..., May 20, 2005

By 

R. Bliss - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Manna from Heaven (Hardcover)

Like most Zelazny fans, I was very pleased to find a "new" collection of Zelazny stories available for purchase. The "post-_Chronicles_ Amber shorts are both difficult and expensive to find individually. Had I known _Manna.._ was coming out, I could have saved about $ 30.

The "non-Amber" stories in the book, IMHO, varied greatly in quality. I can certainly understand why some of them have been reprinted so infrequently. On the other hand, some Zelazny is better than no Zelazny, so I would still recommend purchasing this collection.

Ron Bliss

Ron Bliss