Terence Park's Blog - Posts Tagged "roger-zelazny"

Lord of Light

Lord Of Light by Roger Zelazny

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

First read back in the 70's and several times since. Lord of Light Challenged genre boundaries and demonstrated what could be achieved in the genre.
[instant spoiler]
In Lord of Light Zelazny blends Eastern Mysticism with Christianity and a dose of the Afterlife into an intoxicating mix. A distant world has been settled by man who goes on to subdue the advanced life forms already there. Through technology and other means, the more successful colonists go on to acquire powers and become godlike. Many years pass and the past of this world fades to legend; home to some, a stepping stone to ultimate power to others.
[spoiler end]
The state of affairs is intended to be discovered by the reader. It begins:

His followers called him Mahasamatman and said he was a god. He preferred to drop the Maha- and the -atman, however, and called himself Sam. He never claimed to be a god, but then he never claimed not to be a god.

This is a well-written journey into uncharted territory, blending religion, mythology and science into an intelligent and sophisticated tale, and winner of the 1968 Hugo Award. I would happily have read a follow up.