Roger Zelazny

[Chuck]

For you who are science fiction fans: roger Zelazny was a Blackbelt(dan unknown by me) in Aikido. He passed away a couple of years ago. He was a Hugo and Nebula award winning author, he earned his letter in collegiate fencing, and all those who knew him thought him a gentleman and a gentle man. I think I have all his published works, I keep looking just in case. I know he was not a Master of Martial Arts, but his knowledge of aikido helped his writing to flow. His 9 Princes in Amber was the first "Science Fantasy" book I remember reading. I hope you might search him out.

 

[arnisador]

I really enjoyed the first Amber pentology; the next five less so. He has other good books as well. I did not know he was a martial artist.

 

[khadaji]

wow!! If you have all his published works, that amazing. Thats a lot of shelf space. I personaly only have two books of his. One is the short story complement of martial arts storys.

I read some where that he apparently was double jointed in the elbo. SO in his collage days of fencing, he claimed that it was easy for him to do strang moves because half his arm could bend the other way. Personaly I think that would be useful in a fencing duel..

 

[Dan Anderson]

That's interesting data. I didn't know Zelazney was an aikidoka. The initial Amber series is my favorite science fiction series.

Dan Anderson

 

[Rich Parsons]

Originally posted by Dan Anderson
That's interesting data. I didn't know Zelazney was an aikidoka. The initial Amber series is my favorite science fiction series.

Dan Anderson

Amber is not my favorite, yet it is one I have read numerous times though !

 

[Colin Thomas]

Nine Princes in Amber was really an exciting discovery for me. I had been reading SF books from about the age of 12 (1968). I picked up this book in a caravan park in Lincolnshire (UK) and couldn't put it down until I'd finished it and it really blew me away. I would have said that I was about 15 when I read it but looking at the copyright info at the beginning I must have been 18 (1974). I then later read and enjoyed the other volumes in the series:

The Guns of Avalon
Sign of the Unicorn
The Hand of Oberon
The Courts of Chaos

Arnisador, I wasn't aware that he added to the Amber series. What were the next 5 books?

I think Amber was one of my favourite series along with The World of Tiers and Riverworld by Philip Jose Farmer. Then over the years I enjoyed Larry Niven, Asimov, A.E. van Vogt, Clifford Simak, Heinlein, Frank Herbert, Harry Harrison, Michael Moorcock, Bob Shaw, Robert Siverberg, Philip K Dick, Frederick Pohl, Arthur C Clarke and Poul Anderson. Together with many others I can't think of at the moment.

Just listing the books by Roger Zelazny from my shelves in no particular order I've got:

Damnation Alley
Lord of Light
The Last Defender of Camelot
Jack Of Shadows
Changeling
Creatures of Light andf Darkness
Roadmarks
The Changing Land
Eye of the Cat
My Name is Legion
Madwand

Its been a long time since I read them and don't remember them so well. But I seem to remember really liking Lord of Light and Jack of Shadows.

 

[arnisador]

These concern Corwin's son Merlin. See for example:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0380809060/

I believe there are also Amber short stories, by various authors (I think?).

 

[Chuck]

This is my collection of Zelazny.

Frost and Fire, The Changeling, Coils, Lord Demon, This Immortal, The Dream Master, Dilvish the Damned,

(The Amber Novels): Nine Princes in Amber, The Guns of Avalon, The Sign of the Unicorn, The Hand of Oberon, The Courts of Chaos, The Trumps of Doom, Blood of Amber, Sign of Chaos, Knight of Shadows, The Prince of Chaos

Bridge of Ashes, Creatures of Light and Darkness, Lord of Light, Damnation Alley, Eye of Cat, Isle of the Dead, Jack of Shadows, The Mask of Loki, Roadmarks, To Die in Italbar, Alien Speedway (Book 1), If at Faust you don't Succeed, Bring me the Head of Prince Charming, A night in Lonesome October (very Bradburylike), Doorways in the Sand (my personal favorite), A Farce to be Reckoned With, Donnerjack, Psychoshop, The Last Defender of Camelot, The Doors of His Face the Lamps of His Eyes, Unicorn Variations.

Some are short story collections, some were co-written with other great writers. I am sure that I have a couple loaned out that have not come back. I am also sure that there are more out there. (When I hit the book store, I start at "Z".) He also wrote for magazines and wrote articles on writing and science fiction. I found the book "Warriors of Blood and Dream", which he edited, just before his death. In the forward, he describes his Martial Arts journey, including information about his collegiate fencing. My son gave up Tae Kwan Do, and took up fencing. My daughter took up fencing, but really wants a broadsword. I was trying out Kendo, but have let it go for now to concentrate on the TKD, Hapkido, and the cane as a practical weapon.

I din't count them. But if you think that is a lot by one author, you should see my wife's collection of Andre Norton.