KristinT, love it! Especially:

It has one function, and it does it by doing nothing.

This is me at work today.

On Zelazny collections, (Roger loved carrots) Four for Tomorrow (1967) is another good one, and Frost and Fire, a 1989 collection (quite late for Roger who died in '95) has 24? Views of Mount Fuji by Hokusai, which is quite beautiful. The Doors of His Face, the Lamps of His Mouth (1971) is emblematic of the way Roger was one of the leaders of the New Wave in America that changed SF.

Nine Princes in Amber is the real Chandleresque SF/Fantasy novel that started the whole Amber thing and if you connect to it, there is a ton of Roger stuff that you will like.

Of his novels, he gets the most acclaim for Lord of Light which was the Hugo winner for 1967, but my favourite is This Immortal, which shared the Hugo with Dune for 1966. I'm also a big fan of Doorways in the Sand (1975).

I could go on all day, but I won't. Thanks to Deb for the heads-up about this discussion.

The Blue Screen of Death

Bwah!

(Guess who has had to re-start her work computer FOUR times today. Ggggnnng.)

my favourite is This Immortal, which shared the Hugo with Dune for 1966.

• Love* This Immortal. I'm a bad fan, I didn't know about the shared Hugo. Though I did love the line in the book about the woman "wearing" the elephant gun.

Okay, for ArcaneJill:

Time to Go

"Okay Steve, I get it."

"Hmm?" He read on.

"Don't tell me you didn't want me to figure it out. You've left plenty of clues."

"Clues?"

She ticked them off on her fingers. "One. The bowl on the table. In my place. Two. My pillow on the floor, hers on the bed. Three. My imported cheese gone, and I know which of you practically begs for it and it isn't you."

He looked up, brow furrowed. "What are you trying to say?"

"Trying? I'm saying. You love that damned dog more than me. I'm out. Give my regards to Blue."

Bwah! I needed to read funny drabbles today. Thank you, Deena and Kristin.

Susan, got it. Will reply soonish. Dealing with the shitstorm that is real life at the moment.

Yes. Roger. A damned good friend, who was there for me when I needed him, at a very dark time.

By the way, Deb, just read this, and just wanted to let you know that anytime you want to talk about Roger, I'd love to hear it. I only met him the one time at Ad Astra up here when he was co-GoH with Steven Brust (someone else who will argue the merits of Roger's work until the world ends), and I found him to be a very generous and gentle man. I sorely wish I'd known him. The year I first went to the War of the Lilies, a big SCA war in KC that a good friend had convinced to attend, Roger was scheduled to return as Guest of Honour at Ad Astra, and I was terribly torn. I had commitments to the KC folks but I wanted to see Roger again very badly. I went to KC and while I was there, I got word that Roger hadn't made it to Ad Astra. It was June 1995.

Oh, hell, JS, now you've made me weepy again. We got an update when his wife graduated - law school, IIRC. Then there was a long period of nothing, and I was immersed in other things. When the news came that he was dying, I was just poleaxed. Fucking unacceptable; didn't believe it, and will never forgive the cosmos for it. Just - damn. Roger was a darling.

I need to dig his full Plainsong quote out, to show why I can barely read the letter. The timing couldn't have been more perfect had it been a call from the governor to the death chamber at 11:59.

edit: The full quote ran:

I've just finished Deborah Grabien's Plainsong, and it's now sitting right in the middle of the shelf I keep for "favorite books ever".

Deborah Grabien's vision is all her own, her characters unique, her voice distinctive. Write more, lady. It's been a long time between fresh breaths. - Roger Zelazny.

I fucking loved him.

Aw, that's special, Deb. But the loss part sucks... I've not said anything because I've not read anything of his.And, Deena, BWAH!

Deena's made me realise that I have no idea what "Blues Clues" is.