Lord of Light by Roger Zelazny

Even before reading Lord of Light, I was already a fan of Zelazny thanks to his Amber fantasy series. Of course the transition from fantasy to science-fiction isn’t always smooth—compare le Guin’s Earthsea and Left Hand of Darkness for example and no two pieces of fiction could be farther apart. In a way, Lord of Light is a big departure from Amber but it’s an enjoyable read nonetheless, one that requires more sophistication from the reader and actually uses the in medias res technique of storytelling. The protagonist is just as compelling as any Zelazny hero and perhaps what motivates me to continue on reading is the author’s interplay of fiction and philosophy, religion and science, all presented in a way that seems light-hearted at times and serious when need be. Great book and a must-read although that might be the fantasy-fan in me talking.

Rating: 5/5.