A Night in the Lonesome October (20) (Rediscovered Classics) Paperback – Unabridged, October 1, 2014

Purchased: 5 stars/5 starsI realize I am likely the last person on earth to read (and review) Roger Zelazny¡¦s A Night in the Lonesome October but I am damn glad I finally read it! This book came to me as a recommendation from a well-read friend and I won¡¦t lie, I was a bit afraid I just wouldn¡¦t ¡§get¡¨ this book. Quite to my delight, not only did I get this book but I loved it, devoured it, and am fairly certain I will read it again and again.Nearly all of Lonesome October is told from the perspective of animals, a device I have been absolutely partial too since first reading Christopher Moore¡¦s The Lust Lizard of Melancholy Cove. Among the animals are Snuff the dog, Graymalk the cat, Needle the bat, and Nightwing the owl; each of the animals are companions to the Players in the Game. Among the Players are Jack, the Mad Monk, the Count, the Good Doctor, and the Great Detective. One quickly figures out that yes, all of these characters are exactly who you think they are and it makes the read so much more fun.Each of the animals has his/her own unique voice and personality; the reader is able to connect with these characters just as they would any human character. The interactions between the animals are brilliantly conceived; each animal is, for all intents and purposes, just as much a part of the Game as their human companions. In fact, much of the Game is set up and determined by the animals themselves who barter and bargain with one another for information that will help their companion win the Game. One of the book¡¦s pure highlights is the animal to animal interactions: the animals are strong characters with intelligence, cunning, humor, and loyalty and every characteristic plays out throughout the novel!While the reader is left mostly in the dark about what the Game actually is, the reader doesn¡¦t care. The book moves swiftly, the dialogue is very well written and witty, and there is so much going on that the particulars of the Game don¡¦t really matter until the end. And the end, dear reader, is when you need to know the particulars of the Game. While the Game, and by extension, the ending could have been long and drawn out, Zelazny doesn¡¦t dawdle. Everyone, including the completely involved reader, comes together in the last chapter to play out the Game. If you¡¦re not rooting for your ¡§team¡¨ at this point, you need to start from the beginning and read the book again!Bottom line: I adore this book! Zelazny plays to one of my greatest loves in books, giving the animals their own voice. Why shouldn¡¦t the animals talk or tell the story? After all, the animals are always present and paying attention º (Side note: it would probably suck for me if my animals ever grew a ¡§real¡¨ voice and started talking) From a technical perspective everything about this book is excellent as well: the writing style is smooth, the dialogue is top-notch, and the action moves swiftly and smooth straight through from start to finish. As for whom I would recommend this book too: any adult or mature young adult with a love of the paranormal, animals, and a sense of humor! Happy reading :)

Truly a zany little novel. I'm glad I remembered to read it in October! I only recently learned of this, which was Roger Zelazny's last book. Set in and near London, it features a cast of familiar fictional characters appropriate for a Halloween theme. What makes it even more amusing is that the main character is a dog. All the major human characters have animal familiars who are sentient -- dog, cat, owl, raven, snake, and so on. A very imaginative, light-hearted romp.I won't say anything about the plot so you can discover it for yourself. If you're like me you'll have to look up Larry Talbot... The illustrations by Gahan Wilson are perfect.

The title of this review is the penultimate sentence of "A Night in the Lonesome October." The premise is somewhat high-concept but the execution is masterful. It's a great mash-up of every piece of pop culture from nineteenth-century England. At first you think Count Dracula, Jack the Ripper, Dr. Frankenstein and Sherlock Holmes are all playing the Game that is played only when the night of October 31 features a full moon, because the narrator, immortal watchdog Snuff, thinks so too. In order to figure out who is ACTUALLY playing, or what the stakes in the Game are, you need to read almost the whole book.As I read "October," I was continually impressed by Zelazny's use of the English language. He continually comes up with witty rhymes and phrases such as "The pair on the stair were in the air" (referring to attacking demons that Snuff's master, Jack the Ripper, was temporarily able to contain through magic), and of course, the sentence I used as the title of this review. I don't usually read fantasy, but this book was novel enough that I made an exception to this rule. Also, I am in a book club that is reading it this month.Some of the characters in this book are trying to destroy the world (or hand it over to the Elder Gods, which would lead to the destruction of mankind); some are trying to save it; and some have no higher purpose than saving one innocent life. (The latter rapidly became my favorite characters despite their lycanthropy. The former, like all imperial powers, are morally ambiguous.) I deduct one star for Snuff and the cat Graymalk's excursion into the Dreamworld, during which I couldn't keep my eyes open despite coming right off of 11 hours' sleep. Other than that, this book was more or less flawless.

Highly recommended as a daily read (especially to children that can handle some mildly scary stuff!). Well written, fun and entertaining!

I've been struggling to read lately and this book broke my slump. Inventive, fun and charming, I found it the perfect Halloween read. The ending was satisfying, the characters instantly loveable. The horror is more spoopy than scary with clear call-outs to Classic Horror tropes, but the story itself never feels old or tired. I really enjoyed following our scheming cast of animals and their human sidekicks as they plot and prepare for what awaits them at the end of the spookiest month.

Very secure packaging. I was delighted upon receiving the book in such a good condition. As a regular Amazon customer (of books), I assure you this does not happen often. Good quality print and paper. Got a cute bookmark too 🙂Appreciate the efforts of the seller, ABC Book Shop. Keep up the good work 👍

Entre el increíble narrador, los dioses primigenios, el elenco de secundarios y las ilustraciones, de lo mejorcito que he leido

Wenn ich das Buch als Teenager hätte lesen können, ich wäre in die Geschichte verliebt. Mit freundlichenTier Charakteren , guten Grusel, auch Blutig, aber kein Gore! Mit einer Leichtigkeit geschrieben dieWirklich Kunst ist. Heute, als mitte 40er für mich noch schöner . Weil ich die ganzen Anspielungen aufHorrorfiguren und Romane von Kind auf mitgemacht habe. Wirklich toll, aber gutes Englisch nötig.