Special Edition Six for Friday
Posted on: September 20, 2019
While Five for Friday has run its course, today I have a special treat for you, a literal special edition Six for Friday.
Mailing books to friends must be some kinda addicting, like yawns. As I was emailing a friend that I was going to be mailing her a box of books (Sorry K! I haven’t gotten to the post office yet!), another friend was emailing me that he was mailing me a box of books!
And boy was this box a humdinger!
Take a few minutes to feast your eyes, and then I’ll tell you what you’re looking at.
if that blew your mind, here’s the cover art of each volume! You’ll have to forgive my garbage photography.
I don’t know about you, but all I can say is WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!
The Collected Stories of Roger Zelazny was published by NESFA, in 2009. Mostly organized by era, the volumes include short stories and poetry, but essays, interviews, and other selected non-fiction. These are true collectors editions.
Tables of Contents are filled with wonderful entries like these:
The wrap around cover art was done by Michael Whelan, and looking at these gorgeous covers and spines is like the best ever hidden pictures game! I spy a unicorn, candles, a robot companion, Tarot cards, Egyptian gods, keys, snowflakes, chess pieces, and is that the Archangel Michael, and Alice in Wonderland? For an embiggen-able image of this gorgeous artwork, click here. To learn a little more about how the editors at NESFA took on this amazing project, click here.
I’ve read a little bit of Zelazny. Read Lord of Light, loved it to pieces. I’ve read a few of his short stories, but I couldn’t tell you their titles.
I need some help in figuring out where to start with these beautiful volumes. I’m not the kind of reader who reads author collection cover to cover, I’m more a “dip my toes in” kind of reader. But where to start? Here’s your homework for this weekend: Tell me about your favorite Zelazny short stories! I need your guidance in where to start.
11 Responses to "Special Edition Six for Friday"
September 20, 2019 at 10:05 am
I have that collection! That said, I have not yet read everything therein. I think you can safely open random books to random stories and get a good sense for Zelazny, though his writing style and technique changed a lot over the 30+ years of his career.
Some of my favorite stories:
“The Great Slow Kings”
“A Rose for Ecclesiastes”
“The Graveyard Heart”
“The Engine at Heartspring’s Center”
“24 Views of Mount Fuji, by Hokusai”
(Mr. Zelazny should also be recognized for the brilliant titles he attached to his stories)
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September 20, 2019 at 4:03 pm
I’m not a jump around reader, so I’d start with volume 1, first story, and head on through. But you say that’s not your style, so still volume 1, but jump around in that. Since these are chronological, reading in that order, at least to some degree, makes sense.
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September 20, 2019 at 5:13 pm
I haven’t read many Zelazny short stories, but the Beamers recently read “Lord of Light.” I think it’s a classic; some of the other Beamers, not. https://beamerbooks.wordpress.com/2019/08/28/whom-gods-destroy-they-first-make-god/
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September 23, 2019 at 10:15 am
I have no suggestions for you as I *ahem* haven’t read any Zelazny … yet.
But holy cow that’s a beautiful set of books! ❤ ❤ ❤
September 23, 2019 at 5:04 pm
I just love it when a series of books conspire to create a full set with a stunning picture on the spines. Such a simple idea and yet so impressive and it’s not something you see a lot of which is a shame when you think that once the book goes on your shelf the spine is the only thing visible and all the beautiful artwork is effectively hidden.
Lynn 😀
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the Little Red Reviewer 
September 20, 2019 at 7:16 am
You have fabulous friends to send you such a collection. Are you going to read them in time order? I think I would start with most recent and read back through the years.
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