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6th out of 51 books
—
73 voters
Jack of Shadows
In a world half of light, half of darkness, where both science and magic strive for dominance, there dwells a man who is friendly with neither side. Jack, of the realm of shadows, is a thief who is unjustly punished. The vendetta on which he then embarks results in his becoming a man of prominence and, ultimately, perhaps, a hero.
Paperback, 236 pages
Published
May 2nd 1989
by Roc
(first published January 1st 1971)
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Roger Zelazny…One of the Grandest Masters of Science Fantasy has yet to disappoint me and Jack of Shadows is no exception. Along with Jack Vance (to whom this book was an homage), there is no author better at stuffing story into less than 200 pages. This GEMtastic example weighs in a svelte 142 pages and contains a full serving of juicy plot with zero filler fat.
Jack of Shadows takes place on a world that does not rotate and so half of the planet is always sun side and the other half of the pla...more
Jack of Shadows takes place on a world that does not rotate and so half of the planet is always sun side and the other half of the pla...more
Aug 15, 2012
Erich Franz Guzmann
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommended to Erich by:
Stephen
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What a terrific read of science and magic. Roger Zelazny is the supreme master at mixing the two together. Roger Zelazny truly is fantastic at making someone despicable actually likeable. The Hero, more likely the anti-hero (it is up to you to choose) of the story, Jack is a character most would think to dislike, but simply for Zelazny work of masterful science/fantasy fiction, and in the first few chapters and especially at the end he makes you end up rooting for Jack, the Jack of Shadows! This...more
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A very interesting fantasy/SF story. Jack, the hero, is an amoral, immortal whose self-interest leads further & further into an interesting quest that ultimately changes the world. Zelazny blends fantasy with SF until you're not quite sure which label applies. The story is told in his wonderfully concise style that makes re-reads a pleasure while the story haunts you in odd moments. Highly recommended.
Re-read 7Dec09 - nothing to add to this review. That about sums it up.
Re-read 7Dec09 - nothing to add to this review. That about sums it up.
The nightside thief Jack of Shadows is killed for merely contemplating a theft, but those from the nightside have multiple lives and a thirst for vengeance...
The main character is not particularly likable and as a tale of revenge it's fairly good but it's no Hamlet. The thing with even Zelazny's lesser works is he had an incredible talent for writing mythologically. You can feel the other stories spinning off from a person or a place mentioned in this one, perhaps with a vague sense that those s...more
The main character is not particularly likable and as a tale of revenge it's fairly good but it's no Hamlet. The thing with even Zelazny's lesser works is he had an incredible talent for writing mythologically. You can feel the other stories spinning off from a person or a place mentioned in this one, perhaps with a vague sense that those s...more
It's been many a long year since I've read any of Zelazny's work. When I was in high school, he was easily my favorite author. I loved his lush, stream-of-consciousness (or perhaps stream-of-time) descriptions, his surrealistic worldscapes, his brilliant what-ifs. I enjoyed his larger-than-life protagonists and their Bond-like poise and witty repartee, the puns and wordplay. I loved how he worked with the tragic hero archetype - the hero who is fatally flawed and brings all to ruin, and who can...more
Je suis fan de longue date de Zelazny. Ses livres exploitant la mythologie me parlaient, vu que c'est un domaine que j'apprécie. Il m'a même fait découvrir la mythologie d'Inde.
Ici, pas de mythologie, mais toujours un univers original et riche, un peu sous-exploité dans ce livre mince.
Il a imaginé une planète offrant toujours la même face au soleil, un peu comme Mercure, avec une face sombre (où règne la magie) et une face illuminée (technologique, proche de notre monde moderne), avec un disposi...more
Ici, pas de mythologie, mais toujours un univers original et riche, un peu sous-exploité dans ce livre mince.
Il a imaginé une planète offrant toujours la même face au soleil, un peu comme Mercure, avec une face sombre (où règne la magie) et une face illuminée (technologique, proche de notre monde moderne), avec un disposi...more
I love a good revenge story.
That might explain why I love Roger Zelazny so much.
When Zelazny’s characters are treated poorly, they will stop at nothing to see the offending party punished. And I don’t mean this in an “eye for an eye” sort of way. If you take a Zelazny character’s eye, you can plan on losing a whole lot more than that when he comes looking for you, because his plan for revenge will far exceed whatever the original offense was.
Jack of Shadows (the man, not the book) is no exceptio...more
That might explain why I love Roger Zelazny so much.
When Zelazny’s characters are treated poorly, they will stop at nothing to see the offending party punished. And I don’t mean this in an “eye for an eye” sort of way. If you take a Zelazny character’s eye, you can plan on losing a whole lot more than that when he comes looking for you, because his plan for revenge will far exceed whatever the original offense was.
Jack of Shadows (the man, not the book) is no exceptio...more
One thing out of the way first: Roger Zelazny is easily one of my favorite authors. Few other authors can combine such weird plots/worlds/images/circumstances etc. with such unique yet relatable characters, and this book is no different. That being said, something just didn't sit entirely right with it for me. The overall premise is pretty intriguing and is pretty characteristic of Zelazny's patented science-fantasy style. I wish I could say that I liked it more because there are some really gre...more
This is the first time I've ever been disappointed in a Zelazny book. It was not my cup of tea--the main character wasn't likable. I enjoyed the first half of the book. Jack of Shadows is a unique character and the world(s) that he inhabits is a very colorful setting. I enjoyed how his enemy set up a very unique trap for Jack. But after the story shifts in the middle, it just left me cold. In the introduction, Zelazny said this wasn't one of his "experimental" novels, but I found it more unconve...more
I first read (a borrowed copy of) this book over thirty years ago - I think it was the first Zelazny I ever read. Since then I have looked for it in shops, but it has never seemed to be in print. This week, I found an online copy, and I have just re-read it.
It does suffer a little in comparison to the polish of modern fantasy novels: apparently Zelazny wrote it in a single pass, without much advance plotting or any rewriting - but the ideas of a planet divided with magic on the dark side, and sc...more
It does suffer a little in comparison to the polish of modern fantasy novels: apparently Zelazny wrote it in a single pass, without much advance plotting or any rewriting - but the ideas of a planet divided with magic on the dark side, and sc...more
I file this under a strange genre I may have made up called New Mythology. It describes a Hell-like place where the main character, Jack originates and what he goes through there. He also travels from this place, the Darkside, through Twilight, to the Lightside (the "normal realm" much like our society). The writing is not spectacular, but it's not bad. The action is not gripping, but I was captivated nonetheless. I couldn't put my finger on it. Perhaps it was that this story is a unique and dif...more
A wonderfully weird blend of science (technology) and fantasy (magic). The rather short story has a strange and disjointed quality. Zelazny seems to start the tale right in the middle and it jumps forward suddenly several times, giving you the feeling mid-page that you just skipped a chapter. Instead of a generic hero, Jack's a self-centered thief, a rogue who reminds me a lot of Jack Vance's Cugel without the frivolity (which I later discovered was Zelazny's intent). Jack goes from bad to worse...more
Super quick read. I really liked the concept, but I felt like it could've been executed slightly better. This, like a lot of Zelazny stuff, had a very strong make-it-up-as-you-go feel that has its strengths and weaknesses. On one hand, it always feels like anything is possible, which is a major strength over something predictable. On the other, characters get into problems which are quickly solved by a quick introduction to a new set of rules or form of magic for the universe, which often isn't...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
As with many of Zelazny's stories, this one walks the line between fantasy and science fiction. Jack is, perhaps, not one of Zelazny's most likable characters, but is still interesting enough that the reader will want to find out what happens to him. In reading it, certain themes and ideas that would show up in later books -- especially the second Amber series -- were evident, in particular the idea of using computers to solve magical "equations" along with the concept of the amoral character be...more
I read this when I was just starting out reading SF - so, it has been awhile, and I may not like it as much if I read it now, as I did then. But it is one of those stories that stays with you - that you can remember years later. And I can't say that about all the books I have read.
Also, although I gave it a 4 star ratine, I am not sure "I really liked it" sums up how I felt about it. Jack is the epitomy of an anti-hero, and not that likable in many respects; but, as I said before, it is one of t...more
Also, although I gave it a 4 star ratine, I am not sure "I really liked it" sums up how I felt about it. Jack is the epitomy of an anti-hero, and not that likable in many respects; but, as I said before, it is one of t...more
Interesting book. This short novel reads more like a plot outline than a complete plot. As usual, Zelazny throws the reader into the middle of his created world and pelts ideas at him or her like skipping stones. This time, unfortunately, he doesn't take the time to expand on any of the plot points or to delve significantly into Jack's motivations or inner life. For once, I wish this book were about twice its length. Given more pages, the many interesting ideas could have been fleshed out and wo...more
It took me a really really long time to read this book even though it’s such a tiny book. That isn’t to say that I didn’t enjoy reading it because I did. When I started reading this book I was looking for a book that would be different to what I would normally read. Jack of Shadows was pretty different and I found it to be enjoyable for the most part.
There were some parts of the book that I wasn’t too fond of because I thought what they described were a bit too inappropriate and I didn’t see how...more
There were some parts of the book that I wasn’t too fond of because I thought what they described were a bit too inappropriate and I didn’t see how...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
A hard to find novel, but worth it if you can track it down. My copy fell apart long ago, and should I find a new one I'll grab it.
In a world frozen with a dark side and a light side (science predominate on the light side magic on the dark) one man functions in both worlds...
The dark side of this world is "ruled" or dominated by magic while the light side is dominated by science and technology. The magic beings on the dark side are usually limited as the their power emanates from a location. Jac...more
In a world frozen with a dark side and a light side (science predominate on the light side magic on the dark) one man functions in both worlds...
The dark side of this world is "ruled" or dominated by magic while the light side is dominated by science and technology. The magic beings on the dark side are usually limited as the their power emanates from a location. Jac...more
This was the first Roger Zelazny book I encountered aged about thirteen; I became an instant and total fan of this author. This was the book I re-read at least once a year for all my teens and twenties. I am still immensely fond of it.
The descriptions of the world, its societies and factions, the strange personal powers of its inhabitants and the events that befall Jack of Shadows make it a deeply satisfying reading experience.
The descriptions of the world, its societies and factions, the strange personal powers of its inhabitants and the events that befall Jack of Shadows make it a deeply satisfying reading experience.
Fantasy/Science Fiction hybrid set on a world where one side always faces the sun and the other is always dark. The light side features science while the dark side is the realm of magic. Our hero Jack is a sort of spy/mythic hero and these are his adventures. Zelazny weirdness is all over the writing of this rather lighthearted tale.
http://www.books.rosboch.net/?p=1531
http://www.books.rosboch.net/?p=1531
I love this book. It's one of my all-time favourites and Zelazny at his best: the hero is unforgivably evil; the magic and the hero are world-bendingly strong; the opening is a fantastic construction; and much of the physics of the world is there, consistent, yet unexplained. For me, this is right up there with _A Night in the Lonesome October_ and _Today We Choose Faces_.
Excellent concept for a sci-fi book. The first half is intriguing and a 'can't put down'. The pace slows down a little towards the end but I'm re-reading to see if that's true as I generally get interrupted a lot.
So far I'm loving re-reading it. Definitely a favourite book of mine.
This book also inspired one of my favourite Hawkwind tracks of the same name.
So far I'm loving re-reading it. Definitely a favourite book of mine.
This book also inspired one of my favourite Hawkwind tracks of the same name.
Dec 03, 2009
Valerie
added it
The concept is worthy of a better development, and it worries me that so many of the reviews focus on revenge. But then, there's a growing tendency toward such thinking in our society, and I don't remember it playing a large part in the book.
Still, it IS a fascinating concept, and I enjoyed the book more than I enjoyed other Zelazny books I've read.
Still, it IS a fascinating concept, and I enjoyed the book more than I enjoyed other Zelazny books I've read.
I also finally got around to reading Zelazny's Jack of Shadows, a cute little novel about a planet that doesn't really rotate, in the sense that it moves in such a way that one side is always in light and one side is always nighttime. On the light side science works and magick doesn't, and on the dark side magick holds sway and higher technology (at least as high tech as a car) stops working.
It's not bad, but I've read better by Zelazny. Jack is an interesting character, sort of in the Corwin mo...more
It's not bad, but I've read better by Zelazny. Jack is an interesting character, sort of in the Corwin mo...more
One of my favorite books. I am perhaps the the best judge or guide. I have an ability to take what an author is giving and filling in the rest. This is a novella, pretty small but I love the world created, even if the main character is something of a prick. Dare I say, I would love to see this as a movie? There, I said it.
Jack keeps getting killed - he's that kind of guy. Every time it happens, he wakes up in the Dung Pits of Glyve, which are about as pleasant as they sound. He always discovers that he's clutching a little pebble. He throws away the pebble, and laboriously makes his way back to what passes for civilization on the dark side of the Earth, where Magic rules.
There are rumours about the bright side, where they have a thing called Science. People say it may be even more powerful than Magic. Jack's cur...more
There are rumours about the bright side, where they have a thing called Science. People say it may be even more powerful than Magic. Jack's cur...more
The world that this story is set in is interesting, but the actual story is a waste of time. If it wasn't for the fact that it was a short novel, I would have stopped reading long ago. The main character consistently does the worst thing that he can each and every time he has a choice to make...what a stupid, horrible life.
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beyond Reality: JACK OF SHADOWS: roll call and initial impressions (*NO SPOILERS*) | 3 | 61 | May 04, 2012 10:35am | |
| Beyond Reality: JACK OF SHADOWS: finished reading (*SPOILERS*) | 6 | 28 | May 04, 2012 09:45am |
Roger Zelazny made his name with a group of novellas which demonstrated just how intense an emotional charge could be generated by the stock imagery of sf; the most famous of these is 'A Rose for Ecclesiastes' in which a poet struggles to convince dying and sterile Martians that life is worth continuing. Zelazny continued to write excellent short stories throughout his career, which share the inve...more
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“I'm a lost soul. We do wail.”
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Feb 08, 2012 03:39pm
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