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18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A highly original, quirky, delightful novel, October 5, 2002
Roger Zelazny is a fascinating, singularly unique writer. What other author gives you the likes of Jack the Ripper, Count Dracula, Frankenstein's Monster, and Sherlock Holmes in the same novel? How about Lovecraftian themes and allusions? And it's not even a horror novel. This is wildly romping fantasy at its best. Our narrator is a dog named Snuff; he's no ordinary dog, however. He is the companion of Saucy Jack, the watchdog of unfathomable trapped monsters, calculator of the lines of fate, and immensely important guardian against evil. In certain years, when the moon is right, on All Hallow's Eve, the Elder Gods seek entry back into our world. At those times, the proper individuals and agents instinctively come to the crucial area and seek to either open or close the eldritch gates. During such a lonesome October, these agents prepare their spells and minds for the challenge, while interacting with one another in attempts to learn from, thwart, and sometimes remove their fellow players from the Game. Each player has a companion animal, and it is Snuff's interaction with his cohorts that drives the story along. Snuff's greatest friend is the cat Graymalk, and their relationship and true friendship in the face of possible competition really won me over. The Game is confusing early on, which is at it should be. The reader must struggle to understand not only what the Game actually is but also figure out who and what is on which side of the coming conflict. I remained relatively clueless as to how the final drama would play out, and I am happy to say I did not find it disappointing. It is interesting to consider the players in this Game. While we know Snuff serves Jack the Ripper, we see the man as a cheerful, utterly pleasant man with a grave responsibility, a veritable hero in fact; allusions are made to his trips to town for certain necessary items, and we do see him become deadly dangerous when Snuff is in danger, but largely the character is Jack and never the Ripper. The other characters are basically all portrayed in the same fashion, and it becomes particularly amusing for the Great Detective to continue running around in the guise of a woman, especially since Snuff is never fooled by the disguise the way the humans are. Zelazny gives us a fun read with this novel. It's not particularly funny, yet I view it as a comedy in many ways. There is one section when the text changes completely, describing a transit among the lands Lovecraft fans regard with awe and wonder, but by and large it is a fast, engrossing read sure to delight all fans of well-crafted, lively fantasy. There is only one Roger Zelazny, and no fan of fantasy should deprive himself of the talents of this fantastic author. I should also mention the fact that this book is replete with illustrations by the renowned Gahan Wilson; the illustrations strike me as minimalist and simplistic, but they do seem to suit the story and its style of presentation quite well, adding a further touch of distinction to this uncommonly good novel.
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
wicked fun!, November 28, 2000
Oh, this is lovely! This is inspired! If you find a copy, buy it, read it, cherish it, and know you have my undying envy (I have to rely on libraries).In this book, Zelazny freely borrows from Stoker, Shelly, Conan Doyle, and Lovecraft (most especially Lovecraft!), screen adaptations of the same, and other popular touchstones. "A Night in the Lonesome October" follows 31 days in the lives of watchdog Snuff and his master Jack, as they prepare for a Halloween ritual. Some players want to bring Lovecraft's ancient gods of chaos back to earth; some want to banish them, at least until the next ritual. Discovering who is who and what is where are vital tasks. The story works in its own right, but the more familiar you are with Zelazny's sources, the more fun it is to read. The book is not as powerful as some of Zelazny's works, but it is wickedly fun and well worth rereading (many times!) to catch and savor the details.
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
He saved the best for last, October 5, 1997
By A Customer
A Night in the Lonesome October.... Close your eyes and journey into this Night. A slight breeze, just strong enough to tatter the clouds, whispers in the trees, rustling the leaves like brittle parchment. It carries in it's slight chill the promise of winter to come, welcome after the sweltering nights of summer. Soon it will be All Hallows Eve with all its attendant sprites and spooks. But there is another deed to be done on that night, that, even though it shall decide the future, will be attended by only the chosen few able to read the portents of it's coming. Ever thought you'd find yourself siding with the Wolfman, Dracula or Jack the Ripper in any kind of conflict? Roger Zelazny has taken a cast of characters from literature and screen and combined them in probably the most unique story I've ever had the pleasure to read (and re-read and re-read, ad infinitum). I know a review should talk about the characters and the storyline, etc. but to do so in any way except for the vaguest generalities would definitely cripple the virgin enjoyment of reading this very short novel. Humor, suspense, occult, mystery, history, it's all here. If you were raised in any Western culture you already know the major characters. The story may be vaguely familiar but I assure you it's presented in a way that's completely original. To help you get started here's a general plot. Jack the Ripper is still alive (maybe he's even immortal?) and back in rural England. The predations that he is so famous for are, it turns out, not the doings of a twisted mind, but rather, the necessary preparations for a rare event. Others, such as the Wolfman, Dracula, Dr. Frankenstein, and even the Great Detective, are also converging on the spot where this event will take place accompanied by their familiars. The story is narrated by Jack's familiar Snuff, a demon trapped in the body of a hound. That's enough to get you going. Set aside 3 or 4 hours and enjoy (it's only 150 pages or so). I've read and re-read over fifty of Roger Zelazny's books and could safely be classified as a devoted fan (I've been through 5 copies of both Lord of Light and Eye of Cat). These books all have a core that is uniquely the author's and a style that unfortunately seems to be an acquired taste,like a fine malt Scotch. The comments I've gotten from people that I've tried to expose to him usually go something like 'I tried reading it but I just couldn't seem to get started'. Of course the more intelligent ones got into them right away and then worked their way through the rest of my collection <G>. But now there's a book that I can give to those who 'couldn't get started'. Everyone I've given it to has not only finished it quickly, but also borrowed others to try again.
His final work, Roger Zelazny definitely saved the best for last.
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