Frost & Fire

by Roger Zelazny

A collection of short stories and essays.

An Exorcism of Sorts (1989) (Introduction)
Permafrost (1986)
LOKI 7281 (1984)
Dreadsong (1985)
Itself Surprised (1984)
Dayblood (1984)
Constructing a Science Fiction Novel (1984)
The Bands of Titan (1986)
Mana from Heaven (1984)
Night Kings (1986)
Quest's End (1987)
24 Views of Mt. Fuji, by Hokusai (1985)
Fantasy and Science Fiction: A Writer's View (1985)

A frozen planet where the Gods dream miracles... A mythic beast in love with its destroyer...

The extraordinary Roger Zelazny brings otherworlds and wonders to breathtaking life in this magnificent new collection of short fiction. Including two Hugo Award-winning moderm classics, "Permafrost" and "24 Views of Mr. Fuji, by Hokusai," this remarkable anthology carries the reader across time and space into bizarrd realms of the imagination – where Berserkers roam, and alien races die in silence... and computers plot murder...

Genres: Fantasy, Science Fiction, Short Stories, Fiction, Anthologies, Collections, American

288 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1989

About the author

Roger Joseph Zelazny was an American fantasy and science fiction writer known for his short stories and novels, best known for The Chronicles of Amber. He won the Nebula Award three times (out of 14 nominations) and the Hugo Award six times (also out of 14 nominations), including two Hugos for novels: the serialized novel ...And Call Me Conrad (1965), subsequently published under the title This Immortal (1966), and the novel Lord of Light (1967).

Reviews

[Иван Величков · Rating 5 out of 5]

Зелазни е един от малкото автори, чиито сборници с разкази са преведени, без притеснения от страна на родното книгоиздаване, че няма да имат продажби (едноцифрено число са). За съжаление не можа да счупи рамките в кухите им глави и да видим на български късата проза на много други значими писатели.
Сборникът се състои от девет разказа, три есета и един хибрид между двете, като вторите са ме научили много повече за писането, от колкото всички дебели и не чак толкова книги, които съм изчел по въпроса.
Пак да си кажа, че с този автор съм ужасно, ама ужасно пристрастен, така че не се учудвайте на суперлативи и хиперболизации.

- Може би екзорсизъм – Кратко есе, което служи за въведение. Зелазни просто пише за всекидневието си до момета на излизане на книгата, а е по-увлекателно от литературните напъни на 2/3 от колегите му. Сигурен съм, че ако намеря негов списък за пазарува от кварталната бакалия, пак ще го прочета с кеф.
- Вечен лед – Разказът е носител на „Хюго” и е разкошно изживяване. Любимата смеска на автора от митично и технологично, пълнокръвната яркост на малкото действащи лица и брутално добрите експерименти със словото – сюжетни и стилистични, показват, че през 80-те са знаели какво заслужава „Хюго”.
На планета пълна с редки минерали и с изключително странен природен цикъл, в дългите зимни, неблагоприятни за туристи дни, се води война. Война между технологията и природата. Една двойка са единстевените посетители в суровото време извън туристическия сезон. Всеки от тях крие своите тайни, а те са свързани с видимата, но ненатрапчива битка на и за планетата.
- Локи 7281 – Изпълнен с хумор и лек параноичен ужас фантастичен разказ-закачка към приятелите автори на писателя. Гледал съм запис как Зелазни го чете небрежно и с полуусмивка, публиката беше запленена, когато не се превиваше от смях.
Един дигитален редактор решава, че впиянченият писател, който го използва вече не става за нищо. Така и така отдавна му пренаписва текстовете, без онзи да забележи, не е ли време да взема съвсм да го махне от картинката? А какво ли мислят електронните му колеги по въпроса?
- Лебедова песен – Странна смесица между есе и разказ, получила се поради объркване с пощата и авторска приумица. Есеистичните части носят силен екологичен заряд, а прозаичните – фантастичен такъв, като двете неща са споени в неразделима сплав, само както Зелазни може. И първи (почти) контакт – разкошен.
- Неприятна изненада – Зелазни танцува в света на Берсеркерите. И е по-добър танцьор, от колкото Саберхаген някога е бил.
Чакащ да бъде унищожен от армия берсеркери човешки кораб намира странен артефакт. Оказва се оръжие на отдавна загинала раса за противодействие на безжалостните машини. И, хей, не е изненада, от историята знаем, че колкото и силно да е едно оръжие, разумът измисля пътища да му противодейства.
- Дневна кръв – Темата от предишния разказ, разгледана от друга гледна точка. Как се ограничава популацията на вампирите? Защо не са завладели света? За всеки хищник има по-голям хищник, не се надувайте.
На едно малко село вече му е писнало от тормоза на локалния вампир. Когато смелчаците от него решават да решат проблема, получават неочаквана помощ. Дали?
- Създаване на научнофантастичен роман – заглавието говори само. Всяка дума от това есе е жигосана в главата ми.
- Пръстените на Титан – френетично съновидение с фантастичен привкус. Почти Лъвкрафтско.
Един изследователски кораб просто изпраща сонда да изследва аномалия на Титан. Записът е... изненадващ
- Манна небесна – Шеметно фентъзи с привкус на Амбър. Кратко, но напълно завършено. Зелазни отново ни показва, че обема няма значение за полета на фантазията.
Дейв е обикновен човечец с потайно минало. Когато нещата стават проблемни, обаче, и приятелката му изчезва, се оказва, че обикновеното е само дреха. Той ще трябва да открие старите си познайници и да използва нарочно забравени умения. за да я спаси. А магията, магията се завръща на земята и май никога не си е отивала напълно.
- Нощни крале – Епично произведение в стил „градско фентъзи” много преди да стане модерно. Инжектирано с голяма доза хумор, яка битка на физическо и философско ниво и многообещаваща епика, достойна за запълване на 50 от модерните напоследък тухларници.
Един обикновен собственик на необикновен магазин има доста натоварена вечер, оказва се, че тя е само прелюдия към поредния сблъсък във вечната битка между доброто и злото.
- Краят на похода – Кратка приказка с необикновен разказвач и изненадващ финал.
Стотици са се опитвали да го убият. Няма сила, която е способна на това. Поне не физическа такава.
- 24 изгледа от планината Фуджи на Хокусай – Отново „Хюго”, отново Зелазни, отново невероятен. Идеален пример как твърдо фантастичното може да звучи като приказка, като легенда. Това произведение е повлияло на десетки, десетки съвременни писатели.
Едно принудително поклонение в Япония. Една жена бягаща и преследваща. Един художник, живял отдавна. Една планина, която не се променя и се променя постоянно. Една любов извън законите на физиката.
- Фентъзи и научна фантастика: гледната точка на един писател – Финалната точка на сборника отново е есе, пълно с технически заряд. Задължително за всеки, който иска да борави с жанровете и да ги преплита.

Както за всяка книга от автора и за тази помня кога/къде съм я купил и кога/как съм я чел за първи път.
Както за всяка книга от автора и за тази не помня колко пъти съм я препрочитал – от начало до край, разбъркано, на части, спорадично, търсейки нещо определено и хванат за пореден път в магията ,забравил за търсенето.

Ма много препоръчвам.

[Craig · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an entertaining collection of short works from Zelazny, including both fiction and some essays. The main attraction is his Hugo-winning novella "24 Views of Mt. Fuji, by Hokusai", an early cyberpunk masterpiece from 1985, but the other stories are fun, too, including his contributions to Saberhagen's Berserker and Niven's Wizard universes.

[Martin Doychinov · Rating 5 out of 5]

Може би екзорсизъм: Увод-есе, в който не е описано нищо особено, но пък е направено по безкрайно интересен начин!
Вечен лед: Разказ, спечелил "Хюго" и неслучайно. Много интересен свят и сюжет, в който парчетата на пъзела се нареждат накрая, а финалът е шесссс. 5
Локи 7281: Класен хумор! Редактираща програма решава, че може да пише по-добре от впиянчения й собственик. Заигравката с колегите и приятели на Зелазни е култ! 5
Лебедова песен: Нещо между есе и разказ, създаден по недоразумение. Нито рак, нито риба. 3,5
Неприятна изненада: Разказ, ситуиран в берсерковата вселена на Фред Себерхаген (четирите издадени у нас чакат на все по-огромната купчина за четене) и написан по молба на нейния създател. Класическа фантастика, каквато трябва да бъде! 5
Дневна кръв: Вампирски разказ, написан оригинално и с чувство за хумор. Ако някой се зачуди имат ли кръвопийците естествен враг, да го прочете! 5
Създаване на научнофантастичен роман: Малко писатели са квалифицирани колкото Зелазни да пишат за писането. Още по-малко умеят и да го напишат толкова добре.
Пръстените на Титан: Класна класическа космическа 🙂 фантастика. Краят ми дойде претупан. 4
Мана небесна: Яката ра'ота - много благо фентъзи, развиващо се в съвременна обстановка. 5
Нощни криле: Абсолютно същото впечатление като предишния разказ. 5
Краят на похода: Мега-добра идея, но ми дойде недоразвит сюжета, особено финалът! 4
24 изгледа от планината Фуджи на Хокусай: Другият награден разказ в сборника. Първата половина от него е по-скоро скучновата (макар и безспорно майсторски написана) пътеписна импресия за мен - незадълбочения читател. Нямах идея какъв е сюжетът преди последните 30-на страници... А те са мега-добри! 4
Фентъзи и научна фантастика: гледната точка на един писател: Когато писател като Зелазни описва мислите си относно писането в тези жанрове, размитите граници между тях, миналото и евентуалното им бъдеще, няма хън-мън!
В обобщение - разнолик сборник, в който има по нещо за всеки. Трите есета дават добра представа защо авторът е един от най-големите! 4.55*

[Bee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Zelazny was a master of the short story form. I believe there was an interview where he said he preferred writing short stories to novels (but novels kept the lights on). My personal favorite collection is Unicorn Variations for the breadth of his work, for the experiments, especially Go Starless In The Night, but Frost and Fire will always have a huge place in my heart. When I first read it and was amazed yet again by his skill and talent to draw me into other worlds, I wished I could do the same. This book reminded me that my childhood dream was to become a writer. Shortly after, I changed my major from Econ, as a preamble to an MBA, to English with a Writing Emphasis. I've never regretted this decision. No, I won't achieve the heights that Zelazny soared to but thank you kind sir for the stories, for the inspiration. Even after all these years since you departed, you remain muchly missed. You will always my writing hero.

[J.j. Metsavana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kuna Zelazny raamatud meeldivad mulle väga alustasin kogumiku lugemist võibolla liiga kõrgendatud ootustega ning pettusin. Siin on häid ja väga häid lugusid segamini üsna keskpäraste laastudega, mis mitte ainult ei pannud õlgu kehitama vaid on juba praeguseks täielikult ununenud. Mind on alati pannud imestama tuntud autorite nagu näiteks ka Kingi komme panna enda kogumikke jutte, millede kohta nad isegi eessõnades kipuvad vabandusi otsima. Umbes, et see jutt sai kirjutatud ühe päevaga või seda juttu nõudis mult ajakiri ja no siis viskasin kiiruga mida valmis jne. Algajate autorite puhul, kellede jutupagas pole väga suur, saab sedalaadi katsetuste avaldamisest aru aga Zelaznyl peaks olema märksa sügavamad sahtlid. Ühe laastu puhul suutis ta oma eessõnas pealegi puändi ette lobiseda, mis oli kogu loo keskseks üllatuseks. Aga õnneks leidus siin ka väga häid lugusid, selliseid mille pärast mulle Zelaznyt alati lugeda on meeldinud seega üldmulje on siiski positiivne.

[Elar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aasta oli 2001, kui esimene Zelazny raamat mulle kaitseväeteenistuses päevnikuna ööd valvates näppu sattus, tookord oli see F-sarja “Avaloni püssid” ning hoolimata tõigast, et “Amberi” sari saigi tookord totaalselt vales järjekorras läbi töötatud, sai Zelaznyst kiirest üks mu lemmikkirjanikke. “Amberi” sarja puhul meeldis mulle hea tasakaal, kus kogu fantaasiarikas maailma ülesehitus ja kirjeldus oli balansseeritud märulit täis perekonnadraamaga, igav ei hakanud. Seda sama emotsiooni ja mitmekesisust otsin ma alati ka autori teistest raamatutest. Antud kogumikus, kus lühijuttudele hulgas olid ka mõned taustainfot lisavad artiklid ja esseed kirjutamisest, leidus ka paar lugu, mis mulle just seda “Amberi” seeriast pärit mitmekülgset emotsiooni ja kogemust pakkusid, nii et kindlasti lugemist väärt.

Pikemat arvustust loe ulmeajakirjast "Reaktor" - https://www.ulmeajakiri.ee/?raamatuar...

[Mairi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jumalik kraam! Jutukogu ja kirjutamisõpik üheskoos. Ilmselt kuulub detailsemat töötlemist vajavate raamatute hulka.

[Roger · Rating 4 out of 5]

Roger Zelazny was a (prose) poet and artist as well as a science fiction writer. A copy of his anthology Frost and Fire fell into my lap a few weeks ago and it has proven to be a fine read full of essays and award winning stories. I loved it! Zelazny is on a long list (and it keeps getting longer) of favorite authors who have crossed over. He was special and tonight I lift a glass (cranberry juice) to him.

[Artemiz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Minu mõtted on siin.

[Julie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was giving Zelazny another try in the hopes I might like his short story work better. I did like it better, but not enough to justify trying anything more. These stories were "okay." I wanted to like 24 Views of Mt. Fuji the most, but even here I was disappointed. My biggest criticism is that all his characters sound exactly the same. I could lift one from a story here and put him in a story there, and little would change. I also found I often didn't "get it." I know that's a crap thing to say about an author, but it's true.
The best part of this collection for me was the introduction by the author himself. I would have gladly read more of that.

[Ben Haines]

like zelazny a lot, sometimes it's a bit sketchy but it's fun if you can go with it.

Liked the little intro paragraphs for each story, and the meta pieces about his writing process. Not afraid to do something structurally weird like Dreadsong or 24 views of mt. fuji. they are mostly interesting ideas and mostly interestingly written even when they're not.

[7thTrooper · Rating 4 out of 5]

Zelazny stiger mer i aktning. Detta är den första riktiga kontakt med hans kortare verk jag haft än så länge. Minst sagt inte besviken. Två av novellerna (Permafrost och 24 Views of...) är Hugo-vinnare och den sistnämnda tillhör samlingens toppskikt, en lyrisk och melankolisk sak där huvudkaraktären, en kvinna vid namn Mari, företar en slags pilgrimsresa kring Fuji. Zelazny i högform när han tänder på alla cylindrar. Permafrost är bra, men inte lika bra. I allmänhet är alla inkluderade minst just bra, bortsett från Itself Suprised som är en parentes som jag hade velat plocka bort. Förutom 24 Views... så var LOKI 7281, Night Kings, Mana From Heaven, Dayblood (proto-urban fantasy?) och Dreadsong de bästa. Men det är bara Itself Suprised som lämnar mig så gott som helt opåverkad. Kött och potatis SF, typ, om än bättre än genomsnittet i och med att det är Zelazny som skrivit den.

De vanliga styrkorna finns där och är om inte annat mer framträdande på de kortare novellerna. Det fantastiska språket, den torra humorn och den där förmågan att med en slags skalpellprecision få fram en stämning, en bild eller en karaktär. Det enda som kan bli lite tröttsamt, men i och med att det är så kort så blir det inte ens det, är väl hans kärlek för att skriva i förstaperson. Det tenderar till att få alla karaktärer att smälta ihop till en enda. Men Zelazny är fortfarande ljusår bortom de flesta inom genren och det finns ingen nu aktiv som kan komma i närheten när han är på topp.

[April · Rating 4 out of 5]

My thoughts (along with two other Zelazny works -- I'm a huge fan of his, and firmly believe every one should get beyond the Amber series to see how wonderful his writing is):

http://www.greenmanreview.com/book/bo...

[BCS · Rating 5 out of 5]

I started reading this again. The story that got me was 23 Views of Mount Fuji, by Hokusai. Zelazny writing cybernetic tragedy in classical style.

[Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

Roger Zelazny is an amazing writer. He builds enticing and complete worlds; his characters come alive, fully developed. I am a huge fan. I bought this book for the last story "24 Views of Mt. Fuji, by Hokusai," but I am glad to have all of them!

An Exorcism of Sorts (Introduction) - This is an interesting peek into how RZ comes up with his ideas.
Permafrost - A global fight between lovers.
LOKI 7281 - An absolutely fabulous comedic story. Sometimes SF/Fantasy writers attempt comedy, and it comes off forced or juvenile. This one is quick and quirky with enough tongue-in-cheek moments to be very fun.
Dreadsong - A straight SF story that is thought-provoking and a little sad.
Itself Surprised - A strong SF, space adventure that explores both advanced technology and human motivations. Outstanding.
Dayblood - A unique take on the vampire story. Short, sweet, and to the point. A fascinating idea.
Constructing a Science Fiction Novel - Excellent advice from a master!
The Bands of Titan - Another short entry with a cute, tongue-in-cheek premise. Many younger readers may not understand: think sock hop (google it).
Mana from Heaven - A magical tale, rather like a "sword and sorcery" type story, without the swords. It's set in "modern" day. Strong characters, including the female ones.
Night Kings - Another monster story, great for Halloween. Well written and totally engaging.
Quest's End - Very short story about wizards, dragons, magic, and love! Lovely twisted ending.
24 Views of Mt. Fuji, by Hokusai - I had read this book in the late 1970s, when I was an older teen. I have never forgotten this story or the first one. It really impressed me with the "battle of lovers" theme. RZ states that the first story is his Frost, while this one revolving around a volcanic mountain is his Fire. The similarity necessary for bookends is maintained by the lovers' theme. There are so many layers to this story. I recommend reading it with the prints of Hokusai available to compare to the opening of each section. I didn't have that available, and it makes the story richer, more compelling. RZ gets a little philosophical throughout, and now I understand what he was suggesting. I certainly didn't understand most of it at my first reading. Phenomenal!

I absolutely, highly recommend this book to anyone.

[Daryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

After a brief sojourn to read/review a couple of books won from Goodreads, I'm back to my (re)reading of the Zelazny canon. By the late '80s, I was buying the new Zelazny books in hardcover when they came out; like the recent Amber novels, my copy of Frost & Fire is a first printing. Does it matter? Probably not. There's a lot of variety in this collection, but I'm not as enthralled with it as I am with, say, Unicorn Variations. There are a number of classic Zelazny very short stories with a humorous twist or outlook: "Dayblood," "Bands of Titan," "Night Kings," and "Quest's End" fall into that category. Two Hugo award winners here, but I just couldn't really get in to either of those. "Permafrost" felt a bit drawn out and confusing. "24 Views of Mt. Fuji, by Hokusai" is a long piece, a novella, and I really struggled to get through it; every time I sat down to read it, I tired out quickly, and it took me a long time to finish it. It's one of Zelazny's more philosophical stories, and it takes awhile for the plot to get going. Surprisingly (perhaps), the two stories I liked the most in this collection are both examples of Zelazny playing in someone else's universe. I've never read any of Fred Saberhagen's Berserker stories, but "Itself Surprised" is a great story set in that world. The salvage crew that picks up an old Berserker weapon reminded me of kind of a mashup of the Firefly and Star Trek universes - and I mean that in only the best way. "Mana From Heaven" is part of a sequel to Larry Niven's The Magic Goes Away (which I have read, but couldn't tell you a thing about at this point) - great characters and the use of the magic/mana developed by Niven. Of course, I really enjoyed Roger's short introductions to each of the stories, which give a little insight into his writing process. And we learn a lot more of that in the two non-fiction pieces included here: "Constructing a Science Fiction Novel" (from which I've taken various pieces of advice over the years, particularly in Zelazny's method of describing characters when they first appear), and "Fantasy and Science Fiction: A Writer's View" which addresses a few things about those two genres that I've been thinking about lately (and Zelazny's tendency to blur the lines between them).

[Jason Waltz · Rating 3 out of 5]

This 1989 collection of Zelazny shorts is something else. It’s offers quite the smorgasbord of storytelling, with 13 pieces of speculative fiction (I’ll say!) and essays. I picked this book up because I had enjoyed Zelazny’s Amber Chronicles a few years back but had never read anything else of his (well, beside Damnation Alley years ago). I figured with a name as well known as his, there had to be some decent writing in here and two or three pieces of advice to boot. I wasn’t that far off in my expectations.

Roger positioned advisory style essays at beginning, midpoint and end of the collection. He also prefaced each piece with the why, when, and sometimes how of its creation. I found these sections beneficial and I enjoyed learning his take on speculative fiction and reading about the paths individual pieces took. He offered solid instruction and experienced opinion in “Constructing a Science Fiction Novel” and “Fantasy and Science Fiction: A Writer’s View,” providing me with the kernels of advice I’d sought.

The ten stories are quite a range of sub-genre, topic, style, length – a little bit of everything, it seems. I found the stories progressed to my liking as the book went along, and only two of them I could have done without. Granted, those seemed to be the most science fiction orientated and least action filled, not necessarily indications of inferior writing; just reminders why I don’t normally read such works. I don’t enjoy them. Zelazny readily admits all of his writing is a blend of science fiction and fantasy, a weaving of the fabulous both explainable and unexplainable. He calls it science fantasy and believes he could write no other way.

In some stories it works — “Permafrost”; “24 Views of Mt. Fuji” — and in some stories I can see it yet it just doesn’t work the same for me — “Dread Song.” Overall, I’d recommend over half the stories and each of the essays, but nothing in this book brought to mind the joy I’d found in Amber. Thus, I was somewhat disappointed with it. Would I still recommend Frost & Fire by Roger Zelazny to my friends? Yes

[Richard Magahiz · Rating 4 out of 5]

It has been a few years since I've read this author's work and even longer since I've read an anthology of his shorter pieces but since I am a big fan of the novels of his I read I started this book with great expectations. The first few pieces, however, kind of left me cold, including the starting novelette which won a number of awards. I could sort of see some of the gimmicks that he was fond of in other pieces peeking out with a lot of other areas I felt were lacking, such as the generation of sufficient empathy for the characters. I thought that some of the stream of consciousness chunks he favored in his later work mainly just left me disoriented. I thought I was going to love the Berserker story "LOKI 7281" but it didn't really work for me in the end.
About halfway through the collection, though, there were pieces I did like, not because they were hugely ambitious but because they accomplished what I think he set out to do. The one I liked the best, which was also the one I was keenest to read, was the last piece, the novella "24 Views of Mount Fuji, by Hokusai" which for me lived up to the accolades it received including a Hugo Award for best novella. His command of the framing device of the Japanese prints with the understated introduction of the futuristic aspects was what I liked about his stories in the first place.
Along the way, there is a brief non-fiction piece where he discusses his writing technique, specifically in the context of his novel Eye of Cat. He states that the most important job for a science fiction writer has to do with establishing the setting, in contrast to which the development of characters is relatively easy, which I thought was remarkable because of the fine way he has demonstrated he can draw vivid individuals with a few strokes. I think a lot of authors try to imitate his crisp character-defining dialogue but often fall short, delivering us only banter.

[Merike Linnamägi · Rating 4 out of 5]

To my surprise I realized I do not enjoy short story collections.
I have not read many of them and I do enjoy rereading my favorite stories from the short story collections I love, but I rarely read short story collections from start to end. Especially when talking about fantasy of science fiction.
And I guess it is my love for the good word building. I can't really get fully into a new world in a 5-20 page story and be fully immersed. It takes time to be shown the glory and intricacy of the worlds the authors build. And I think it is hard both for authors and readers to fully get into a a new world. It is very different (easier) if these are short stories set up all in a same world, or of course when the stories are set in the real world.

My favourites from the book are "LOKI 7281", "Dayblood", "Night Kings", first is about computers (a theme in several stories in this collection), the two others about vampires or somewhat similar mythological beings and the balance of good and evil.
To my surprise I actually enjoyed "24 Views of Mt. Fuji, by Hokusai", it had a very slow start so it took me a while to fully get into the story (I usually prefer more action so I was disliking it in the beginning). It is also the longest story in the book, so it has time for the slow build. You get the small inferences and hints and references to a lot of things both from Japanese culture and other things from Don Quichotte to LotR. And I did find the ending satisfying.
All in all a nice collection, but I would have preferred to read several of these stories as fully fleshed books of their own. They did work on their own, they did, but I was sill left wanting for more.

[James Proctor · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm a relative latecomer to the author and feel an odd gratitude for that. My intro to genre fiction came fast and furious and very early in life and I was unable to appreciate Zelazny then. I read the first book in his Amber cycle and threw it on the discard pile along with Fellowship of the Ring. And while I findTolkien tolerable now, the thrill of discovering the works of Roger Zelazny over the last decade or so has been incredibly rewarding. He has a terrific command of both fantasy and science fictional genres, a rare quality that he accomplishes with elegance and flair. Whether in short story, serial, or standalone forms, his storytelling is compelling. He brings a literary quality that satisfies on another level entirely. This collection of shorts further cements this impression, particularly with the essay "Constructing a Science Fiction Novel" and the stories "LOKI 7281" and "24 Views of Mt Fuji, By Hokusai".

[Richard Clay · Rating 5 out of 5]

The last - and possibly the best - collection of short stories Zelazny put out in his lifetime, this one's essential reading for anyone interested in late Twentieth Century SF. It was, at one stage, received wisdom that Mr Z 'went off' after the '60s and never lived up to his earlier promise. I have to say, there is no evidence for this here whatsoever. 'Permafrost' is riveting, 'LOLKI 7281' hilarious and his contributions to other people's fictional universes (Niven's and Saberhagen's) function perfectly well as independent stories. And his two vampire stories are witty and logical.

This was the last book solely by Zelazny and published during his lifetime that I hadn't read. There's about a dozen volumes of collaborations and posthumous material out there, I think. Fortunately for me.

[Triinu · Rating 3 out of 5]

Viimane lugu oli nii umbehea, et peaaegu oleksin neli tärni pannud, aga siis meenutasin ülejäänud kogu ja kainenesin.
Polnud halb, üldse mitte, aga ei olnud ka Oi Kui Eriline.
Viimases loos tundsin ära mehe, kes kirjutas "Valguse isanda", mu suure lemmiku.
Mitmes varasemas loos tundsin ära mehe, kes kirjutas Amberi lood, kõigi sealsete heade külgede ja halbade külgedega. Kui olin noor, armastasin Amberi maailma väga. Aga need jutud nii siis kui praegu olid lihtsalt seiklus. Hea seiklus, aga vähe muud.
Viimane lugu oli ... korraga atmosfääriline, tunnetatav, ja mõistatus, mis üha kestis ja kestis, sest lahendusi ei antud korraga, vaid nad hargnesid jupikaupa lahti. Ning ometi oli ka põnev, et mis siis juhtub, mis plaan on, mis ...
VÄGA hea töö.

[Ions · Rating 4 out of 5]

another New-to-ME Zelazny book! Collections of short stories are always a lot of fun, double so if you're a fan of the author! This felt like a appetizer sampler of all the things I love about Zelazny's story telling, a big ol serving of little bits that really showcase his genius with the blurring of Science Fiction and Fantasy.

[Eva Kenieva · Rating 5 out of 5]

The only story in this I read was “Loki 7281″, but it was great. It's about a sentient computer system. The inventors should have realized that naming a computer after the god of mischief would come back to bite them. It’s a good and very funny story.

[Ernesto · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read it in the nineties and throughly enjoyed Zelazny’s mix of science fiction and fantasy. I particularly remember “Itself surprised” based on the Fred Saberhagen berserker battle spaceship concept, “Mana from heaven” and of course the central masterpiece “24 views of Mount Fuji”.

[Yasen Marinov · Rating 5 out of 5]

Първият ми по-сериозен контакт с научнофантастичната литература. Отне ми един-два разказа, докато се настроя подходящо, но всичко в този сборник е просто прекрасно! Страхотна комбинация между фантастика и фентъзи, определено ще се върна към автора и ще подхвана някой от романите му.

[Märt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nagu raamatu tagakaan lubas - oli kõike ja see kõik oli meeldiv.

[Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wish 24 Views of Mt Fuji was a novel, and came with glossy prints of the Hokusai works referenced.

[Fred · Rating 4 out of 5]

I recognize the first story, Permafrost. I first read it in the 1980's, late 80's, maybe even 90's.

[Garick Cooke · Rating 3 out of 5]

It seems odd not to greet another collection by Roger Zelazny with an immediate huzzah; the truth is, however, that Frost & Fire is not the equal of its predecessors, Unicorn Variations or The Last Defender of Camelot. This, despite being bookended by two Hugo winners ("Permafrost" and "24 Views of Mt. Fuji, by Hokusai").

I find that, not long after reading this collection, most of the stories have exited memory without leaving much of an impression; so, rather than leaving a capsule review of each one, I'm just going to hit the high points.

"Permafrost," besides winning a 1987 Hugo for best novelette, was also nominated for a Nebula. This was his final Hugo--a remarkable 22 years after his first. I've now read it twice recently (besides reading it back in the 1980s when the collection first appeared) in an effort to see why. But I can't. It's a competent-enough tale, redolent of Zelazny's usual themes, but not, I think, one of his best.

The same could be said of "24 Views of Mt. Fuji." Zelazny references so many works of art, literature, and music that it often seems more like a list of his eclectic influences than an actual story. Also, he attempts a female first-person viewpoint to no good effect. (As an aside, Zelazny was sometimes accused of misogyny, or at least neglect of his female characters; this collection seems to be his defense, with female characters notably better-developed and better-treated than in earlier works.) It is remarkable, however, that he continued to experiment even late in his career.

His essay "Constructing a Science Fiction Novel" which details the inspirations and methods behind Eye of Cat, may be worth the price of admission all on its own. The collection as a whole is not his finest, but is probably still a necessity for fans of Zelazny or even just fans of SF in general.