Thom reviewed This Immortal by Roger Zelazny
Review of 'This Immortal' on 'Goodreads'
4 stars
This SF road story with mythic elements was lucky enough to share the 1966 Hugo award with Frank Herbert's [b:Dune|234225|Dune (Dune Chronicles, #1)|Frank Herbert|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1434908555s/234225.jpg|3634639]. I have read that it is not as good as Dune, nor Zelazny's other Hugo winner, [b:Lord of Light|13821|Lord of Light|Roger Zelazny|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1330127327s/13821.jpg|1011388], but this is a good read.
Starts off in confusion, but that is to be expected with a main character who is immortal and the victim of evil rumors - or are they true? Many of these elements are not completely cleared up, but the main narrative definitely is. Zelazny's characters have solid motivations and personalities, interacting to form a great narrative. The character least detailed and most alien is... the blue alien (and member of the earth's overlords) being escorted around parts of a post-apocalyptic earth.
Before this I have only read short stories by [a:Roger Zelazny|3619|Roger Zelazny|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1207671346p2/3619.jpg], though the Chronicles of Amber …
This SF road story with mythic elements was lucky enough to share the 1966 Hugo award with Frank Herbert's [b:Dune|234225|Dune (Dune Chronicles, #1)|Frank Herbert|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1434908555s/234225.jpg|3634639]. I have read that it is not as good as Dune, nor Zelazny's other Hugo winner, [b:Lord of Light|13821|Lord of Light|Roger Zelazny|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1330127327s/13821.jpg|1011388], but this is a good read.
Starts off in confusion, but that is to be expected with a main character who is immortal and the victim of evil rumors - or are they true? Many of these elements are not completely cleared up, but the main narrative definitely is. Zelazny's characters have solid motivations and personalities, interacting to form a great narrative. The character least detailed and most alien is... the blue alien (and member of the earth's overlords) being escorted around parts of a post-apocalyptic earth.
Before this I have only read short stories by [a:Roger Zelazny|3619|Roger Zelazny|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1207671346p2/3619.jpg], though the Chronicles of Amber sat on my shelf for many years. At the time, I think I was leery of diving into a 10 volume series. I read this as part of a 1960s reading challenge, and it was quite good for having come out 50 years ago. 3½ stars.
