Roger Joseph Zelazny (May 13, 1937 – June 14, 1995)[2] was an American fantasy and science fiction writer known for his short stories and novels, best known for The Chronicles of Amber. He won the Nebula Award three times (out of 14 nominations) and the Hugo Award six times (also out of 14 nominations), including two Hugos for novels: the serialized novel ...And Call Me Conrad (1965), subsequently published under the title This Immortal (1966), and the novel Lord of Light (1967).[3]
Zelazny was born in Euclid, Ohio, the only child of Polish immigrant Joseph Frank Żelazny and Irish-American Josephine Flora Sweet. In high school, he became the editor of the school newspaper and joined the Creative Writing Club.[4] In the fall of 1955, he began attending Western Reserve University and graduated with a B.A. in English in 1959.[4] He was accepted to Columbia University in New York and specialized in Elizabethan and Jacobean drama, graduating with an M.A. in 1962.[4] His M.A. thesis was entitled Two Traditions and Cyril Tourneur: an Examination of Morality and Humor Comedy Conventions in "The Revenger's Tragedy".
Between 1962 and 1969 he worked for the U.S. Social Security Administration in Cleveland, Ohio, and then in Baltimore, Maryland, spending his evenings writing science fiction.[4][5] He deliberately progressed from short-shorts to novelettes to novellas and finally to novel-length works by 1965.[4] On May 1, 1969, he quit to become a full-time writer, and thereafter concentrated on writing novels in order to maintain his income.[5] During this period, he was an active and vocal member of the Baltimore Science Fiction Society, whose members included writers Jack L. Chalker and Joe and Jack Haldeman among others.
His first fanzine appearance was part one of the story "Conditional Benefit" (Thurban 1 #3, 1953) and his first professional publication and sale was the fantasy short story "Mr. Fuller's Revolt" (Literary Calvalcade, 1954).[4] As a professional writer, his debut works were the simultaneous publication of "Passion Play" (Amazing, August 1962) and "Horseman!" (Fantastic, August 1962).[4] "Passion Play" was written and sold first.[4] His first story to attract major attention was "A Rose for Ecclesiastes", published in The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, with cover art by Hannes Bok.
Zelazny was married twice, first to Sharon Steberl in 1964 (divorced, no children), and then to Judith Alene Callahan in 1966. Prior to this he was engaged to folk singer Hedy West for six months from 1961 to 1962.[4] Roger and Judith had two sons, Devin and Trent (an author of crime fiction), and a daughter, Shannon. At the time of his death, Roger and Judith were separated and he was living with author Jane Lindskold.[6]
Raised as a Catholic by his parents,[4] Zelazny later declared himself a lapsed Catholic and remained that way for the rest of his life.[5] "I did have a strong Catholic background, but I am not a Catholic. Somewhere in the past, I believe I answered in the affirmative once for strange and complicated reasons. But I am not a member of any organized religion."[5]
Zelazny died in Santa Fe on June 16, 1995, of kidney failure associated with cancer. At the time of his death, he had been a twenty-year resident of Santa Fe.[7]
Themes
In his stories, Zelazny frequently portrayed characters from myth, depicted in the modern or a future world. Mythological traditions his fiction borrowed from include:
Another recurring motif of Zelazny's is the "absent father" (or father-figure). Again, this occurs most notably in the Amber novels: in the first Amber series, the protagonist Corwin searches for his lost, god-like father Oberon; while in the second series, which focuses on Corwin's son Merlin (not to be confused with the Arthurian Merlin), it is Corwin himself who is strangely missing. This somewhat Freudian theme runs through almost every Zelazny novel to a smaller or larger degree. Roadmarks, Doorways in the Sand, Changeling, Madwand, A Dark Traveling; the short stories "Dismal Light", "Godson", "The Keys to December"; and the Alien Speedway series all feature main characters who are either searching for or have lost their fathers. Zelazny's father, Joseph, died unexpectedly in 1962 and never knew his son's successes as a writer.[8]
Two other personal characteristics that influenced his fiction were his expertise in martial arts and his addiction to tobacco. Zelazny became expert with the épée in college, and thus began a lifelong study of several different martial arts, including judo, aikido (which he later taught as well, having gained a black belt), tai chi, and baguazhang. In turn, many of his characters ably and knowledgeably use similar skills whilst dispatching their opponents. Zelazny was also a passionate cigarette and pipe smoker (until he quit in the early 1980s), so much so, that he made many of his protagonists heavy smokers as well. However, he quit in order to improve his cardiovascular fitness for the martial arts; once he had quit, characters in his later novels and short stories stopped smoking too.[5]
He also often experimented with form in his stories. The novel Doorways in the Sand practices a flashback technique in which most chapters open with a scene, typically involving peril, not implied by the end of the previous chapter. Once the scene is established, the narrator backtracks to the events leading up to it, then follows through to the end of the chapter, whereupon the next chapter jumps ahead to another dramatic non-sequitur.
In Roadmarks, a novel about a road system that links all possible times, places and histories, the chapters that feature the protagonist are all titled "One". Other chapters, titled "Two", feature secondary characters, including original characters, pulp heroes, and real historical characters. The "One" storyline is fairly linear, whereas the "Two" storyline jumps around in time and sequence. After finishing the manuscript, Zelazny shuffled the "Two" chapters randomly among the "One" chapters in order to emphasize their non-linear nature relative to the storyline.[9]
Creatures of Light and Darkness, featuring characters in the personae of Egyptian gods, uses a narrative voice entirely in the present tense; the final chapter is structured as a play, and several chapters take the form of long poems.
Another common stylistic approach in his novels is the use of mixed genres, whereby elements of each are combined freely and interchangeably. Jack of Shadows and Changeling, for example, revolve around the tensions between the two worlds of magic and technology. Lord of Light, perhaps one of his most famous works, is written in the classic style of a mythic fantasy, while it is established early in the book that the story itself takes place on a colonized planet.[10]
Legacy
Zelazny's stories inspired other authors in his generation including Samuel R. Delany, whose novel Nova and many of his short stories were written "partly in response to Zelazny’s eruption into the field."[11] In 1967 Algis Budrys listed Zelazny, Delany, J. G. Ballard, and Brian Aldiss as "an earthshaking new kind of" writer, and leaders of the New Wave.[12]Neil Gaiman said Zelazny was the author who influenced him the most,[13] with this influence particularly seen in Gaiman's literary style and the topics he writes about.[11]Andrzej Sapkowski considered Zelazny his spiritual teacher, whose work inspired him to write his first novel.[14]
In addition, Zelazny was the Worldcon Guest of Honor at Discon II in Washington, D.C. in 1974, and won an Inkpot Award for lifetime achievement at San Diego Comic-Con in 1993. "A Rose for Ecclesiastes" was included in Visions of Mars: First Library on Mars, a DVD taken on board the Phoenix Mars Lander in 2008.[6]
Tributes
The ostracodSclerocypris zelaznyi was named after him.[20]
The Chronicles of Amber is a series of fantasy novels by American writer Roger Zelazny. The main series consists of two story arcs, each five novels in length. Additionally, there are a number of Amber short stories and other works. While Zelazny's will expressly forbade sequels by other authors, four posthumous prequels authorized by Zelazny's family were authored by John Gregory Betancourt.
Dangerous Visions is an anthology of science fiction short stories edited by American writer Harlan Ellison and illustrated by Leo and Diane Dillon. It was published in 1967 and contained 33 stories, none of which had been previously published.
Jack of Shadows is a science fantasy novel by American author Roger Zelazny. It was serialized in The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction in 1971 and published in book form that same year.
Creatures of Light and Darkness is a 1969 science fiction novel by American writer Roger Zelazny. Long out of print, it was reissued in April 2010. The novel is set in the far future, with humans on many worlds. Some have god-like powers, or perhaps are gods—the names and aspects of various Egyptian gods are used. Elements of horror and technology are mixed, and it has points in common with cyberpunk.
The Guns of Avalon is fantasy novel by American writer Roger Zelazny, the second book in the Chronicles of Amber series. The book continues straight from the previous volume, Nine Princes in Amber, although it includes a recapitulation.
Roadmarks is a science fantasy novel by American author Roger Zelazny, written during the late 1970s and published in 1979.
Martha Soukup is a science fiction author and playwright for the Monday Night PlayGround emerging playwrights group. In 2003, she won their annual June Anne Baker Prize commission.
Doorways in the Sand is a science fiction novel by American writer Roger Zelazny. Featuring both detective fiction and comic elements, it was originally published in serial form in the magazine Analog Science Fiction and Science Fact; the hardcover edition was first published in 1976 and the paperback in 1977. Zelazny wrote the whole story in one draft, no rewrites and it subsequently became one of his own five personal favorites in all his work. Doorways in the Sand was nominated to the Nebula and Hugo awards.
The Dream Master (1966), based on the novella "He Who Shapes"', is a science fiction novel by American writer Roger Zelazny. Zelazny's originally intended title for was The Ides of Octember. It won the 1965 Nebula Award for Best Novella.
Here There Be Dragons is a children's book by American writer Roger Zelazny. It is one of two stories he wrote for children, the other being Way Up High, and one of three books without heroic protagonists. The two children's books were first published with separate dust jackets but sold only in shared slipcases bearing the title Here There Be Dragons/Way Up High . One thousand copies of each book were produced in 1992 signed by Zelazny with illustrations by Vaughn Bodē.
Deus Irae is a post-apocalyptic science fiction novel started by American author Philip K. Dick and finished with the help of American author Roger Zelazny. It was published in 1976. Deus irae, meaning God of Wrath in Latin, is a play on Dies Irae, meaning Day of Wrath or Judgment Day. This novel was based on Dick's short stories "The Great C" and "Planet for Transients".
NESFA Press is the publishing arm of the New England Science Fiction Association, Inc. The NESFA Press primarily produces three types of books:
To Die in Italbar (1973) is a science fiction novel by American writer Roger Zelazny. To Die in Italbar follows Mr. H, a man who needs only to touch someone to heal or hurt them, during a deadly galactic pandemic.
Paolo Tadini Bacigalupi is an American science fiction and fantasy writer. He has won the Hugo, Nebula, John W. Campbell Memorial, Compton Crook, Theodore Sturgeon, and Michael L. Printz awards, and has been nominated for the National Book Award. His fiction has appeared in The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, Asimov's Science Fiction, and the environmental journal High Country News. Nonfiction essays of his have appeared in Salon.com and High Country News, and have been syndicated in newspapers, including the Idaho Statesman, the Albuquerque Journal, and The Salt Lake Tribune.
"The Doors of His Face, the Lamps of His Mouth" is a science fiction novelette by Roger Zelazny. Originally published in the March 1965 issue of The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, it won the 1966 Nebula Award for Best Novelette and was nominated for the 1966 Hugo Award for Best Short Fiction.
The Best Science Fiction of the Year #11 is an anthology of science fiction short stories edited by Terry Carr, the eleventh volume in a series of sixteen. It was first published in paperback by Pocket Books in July 1982, and in hardcover by Gollancz in the same year.
This Immortal, serialized as ...And Call Me Conrad, is a science fiction novel by American author Roger Zelazny. In its original publication, it was abridged by the editor and published in two parts in The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction in October and November 1965. It tied with Frank Herbert's Dune for the 1966 Hugo Award for Best Novel.
Way Up High is a children's book by American writer Roger Zelazny. It is one of two stories he wrote for children, the other being Here There Be Dragons, and one of three books without heroic protagonists. One thousand copies of each of the two books signed by Zelazny were published in 1992 with illustrations by Vaughn Bodē.
This is a partial bibliography of American science fiction and fantasy author Roger Zelazny.
Nebula Award Stories 10 is an anthology of award-winning science fiction short works edited by James Gunn. It was first published in the United Kingdom in hardcover by Gollancz in November 1975. The first American edition was published in hardcover by Harper & Row in December of the same year. Paperback editions followed from Berkley Medallion in the U.S. in December 1976, and Corgi in the U.K. in June 1977. The American editions bore the variant title Nebula Award Stories Ten. The book has also been published in German.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 "...And Call Me Roger": The Literary Life of Roger Zelazny, Part 1, by Christopher S. Kovacs. In: The Collected Stories of Roger Zelazny, Volume 1: Threshold, NESFA Press, 2009.
1 2 3 4 5 "'...And Call Me Roger': The Literary Life of Roger Zelazny", Part 3, by Christopher S. Kovacs. In: The Collected Stories of Roger Zelazny, Volume 3: This Mortal Mountain, NESFA Press, 2009.
1 2 3 "...And Call Me Roger": The Literary Life of Roger Zelazny, Part 6, by Christopher S. Kovacs. In: The Collected Stories of Roger Zelazny, Volume 6: The Road to Amber, NESFA Press, 2009.
↑ "...And Call Me Roger": The Literary Life of Roger Zelazny, Part 5, by Christopher S. Kovacs. In: The Collected Stories of Roger Zelazny, Volume 5: Nine Black Doves, NESFA Press, 2009.
↑ "...And Call Me Roger": The Literary Life of Roger Zelazny, Part 4, by Christopher S. Kovacs. In: The Collected Stories of Roger Zelazny, Volume 4: Last Exit to Babylon, NESFA Press, 2009.
↑ "...And Call Me Roger"": The Literary Life of Roger Zelazny, Part 2, by Christopher S. Kovacs. In: The Collected Stories of Roger Zelazny, Volume 2: Power & Light, NESFA Press, 2009.
↑ "Of Meetings and Partings" by Neil Gaiman, introduction to This Mortal Mountain: Volume 3 of The Collected Stories of Roger Zelazny, NESFA Press, edited by David G. Grubbs, Christopher S. Kovacs, and Ann Crimmins, 2009, page 12.
↑ Andrzej Sapkowski: "I had to find my own channel. And I found it... " / / Star Road. — 2003. — № 7—8.
↑ Lord of the Fantastic: Stories in Honor of Roger Zelazny edited by Martin H. Greenberg, Avon Eos, 1998.
↑ Shadows & Reflections: A Roger Zelazny Tribute Anthology edited by Trent Zelazny & Warren Lapine, Positronic Publishing, 2017.
↑ Martens, Koen (May 1988). "Seven new species and two new subspecies of Sclerocypris SARS, 1924 from Africa, with new records of some other Megalocypridinids (Crustacea, Ostracoda)". Hydrobiologia. 162 (3). Springer Netherlands: 243–273. doi:10.1007/BF00016672. S2CID11073671.
Further reading
Yoke, Carl (1979). Roger Zelazny: Starmont Reader's Guide 2. West Linn, Oregon: Starmont House.
Republished as Yoke, Carl B. (2007). Roger Zelazny. Borgo Press. ISBN978-0916732134.
Biographies and literary critiques
Kovacs, Christopher S. (February 2009). "'...And Call Me Roger': The Early Literary Life of Roger Zelazny". The New York Review of Science Fiction #246. 21 (6): 1, 8–19. Essay-length excerpt of full biography published in Collected Stories (next entry).
Kovacs, Christopher S. (2009). "'...And Call Me Roger': The Literary Life of Roger Zelazny". The Collected Stories of Roger Zelazny. Vol.1–6. Boston: NESFA Press.
Krulik, Theodore (1986). Roger Zelazny. New York: Ungar Publishing.
Lindskold, Jane M. (1993). Roger Zelazny. Twayne's United States Authors Series. New York: Twayne Publishers. ISBN978-0805739534.
Yoke, Carl (1979). Roger Zelazny and Andre Norton: Proponents of Individualism. Ohio Authors. Columbus, Ohio: State University of Ohio.
Bibliographies
Kovacs, Christopher S. (2010). The Ides of Octember: A Pictorial Bibliography of Roger Zelazny. The Collected Stories of Roger Zelazny. Boston: NESFA Press. ISBN978-1886778924.
Kovacs, Christopher S. (2015). The Ides of Octember: A Pictorial Bibliography of Roger Zelazny. The Collected Stories of Roger Zelazny (2nd reviseded.). Boston: NESFA Press. ISBN978-1-61037-309-8.
Levack, Daniel J. H. (1983). Amber Dreams: A Roger Zelazny Bibliography. San Francisco: Greenwood. ISBN0313276781.
Stephens, Christopher P. (1991). A Checklist of Roger Zelazny. New York: Ultramarine Press. ISBN0893662208.
Stephensen-Payne, Phil (1993). Roger Zelazny, Master of Amber: A Working Bibliography. Galactic Central Bibliographies Series #38. Borgo Press. ISBN0809547368.
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