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Lord Deemon
Roger Zelazny (1937-1995) was a wizard of the he won six Hugos and three Nebulas and is revered by science fiction and fantasy readers. Lord Demon is his last novel, the second of two projects unfinished at his death. Jane Lindskold, his partner and a fantasy author herself, completed it from some manuscript, a few notes, and conversations she'd had with him. Fans are often skeptical of posthumous "It's not real Zelazny"--but Lord Demon comes darned close. It deserves space beside the Amber series, The Dream Master, and Lord of Light. As Zelazny once said of another "It has all my favorite things--blood, love, fire, hate and a high ideal or two." Lord Demon is vintage a "scientific" fantasy built on favorite themes (the necessity of knowing oneself, of taking risks, and of accepting the vulnerability that comes with feeling passionately), drawing on East Asian, Irish, and hero's quest myths, and featuring his signature erudite, smart-mouthed, detached, homicidal when roused but more often immersed in art, poetry, and the creation of alternate realities; unexpectedly kind to the weak and deeply romantic in his approach to women. The bad puns and wildly whimsical turns the story takes are also characteristic.
Fans will hear echoes of Kai Wren and his demon colleagues represent Chaos; the gods live in Origin, imposing their will to order the planes of existence; the powerful demon He of the Towers of Light has sculpted his home to resemble Origin, and approaching it is much like walking the Pattern; and so on. What's unique is what Kai Wren learns in Lord Demon. The immortal doesn't fail, nor does he return triumphant to marry and rule his folk. This hero and the author finally accept the limits of superpower and the pleasures in being "only human." ---Nona Vero
Fans will hear echoes of Kai Wren and his demon colleagues represent Chaos; the gods live in Origin, imposing their will to order the planes of existence; the powerful demon He of the Towers of Light has sculpted his home to resemble Origin, and approaching it is much like walking the Pattern; and so on. What's unique is what Kai Wren learns in Lord Demon. The immortal doesn't fail, nor does he return triumphant to marry and rule his folk. This hero and the author finally accept the limits of superpower and the pleasures in being "only human." ---Nona Vero
270 pages, Hardcover
First published August 1, 1999
6 people are currently reading
738 people want to read
About the author
Roger Zelazny
745 books3,884 followersRoger 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).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews
October 14, 2025
4.5 ⭐️
„Господарят Демон“ се оказа страшно симпатичен фентъзи роман, изпълнен с любопитни препратки към китайските история и култура! Демонът Кай Рен е страхотен основен персонаж, който разказва своята загадъчна и вълнуваща история. Той е майстор в изработката на вълшебни бутилки, обаче към даден момент неговите способности са отнети, както и е забъркан в доста опасни мистични премеждия...
„— И какво, значи, си намислил? — попита ме той.
— Една история, но ще я разкажа на онзи, за когото е предназначена.
— Какво пък, Ирландия е страна на историите. Една повече едва ли ще навреди...“
„— Аз пък мислех, че моят меч-душегубец се е счупил непоправимо още по време на последната война.
— Наистина беше счупен — призна той, — но не непоправимо. Аз го поправих.
Преглътнах онова „защо“, което трептеше на устните ми. Никой от нас не обича душегубците, но много отдавна бяхме принудени да се съгласим, че те поощряват запазването на добрите маниери.“
„— Дочух, че мътиш водата, Кай Рен.
— Така ли? Аз пък помислих, че други я мътят.
— Може би. Може да е едно и също. Илюзия е всичко, което ни свързва с Колелото.
Облещих се. Изглежда не бяха измислица слуховете, че старият демон е станал будист. И по-странни неща са се случвали.“
„— Всяка голяма плоскост — отвърнах — създава около себе си няколко допълнителни, сродни пространства. Обикновено не гледаме на тях като на отделни равнини, тъй като стабилността им е в тясна зависимост с основната плоскост.
— Ако успеем да се преместим в някоя от промеждутъчните равнини на Кон Ши Дзи, няма ли да е по-лесно за дядо да проникне в твоята бутилка?
— Да, стига бутилката да се намира в Кон Ши Дзи.
— Ах!
Тя замълча, но идеята й пробуди верига от разсъждения, която просто не можех да прекъсна...“
„— Законите не престават да съществуват само защото ги е престъпила едната страна — обясни с поучителен тон Седмопръстия. — Напротив, съществуват въпреки това. Алтернативата е хаос или нещо по-лошо.
— Какво по-лошо?
— По-лошо е, когато правилата бъдат определяни от силните — съобразно с техните интереси и желания.“
„Господарят Демон“ се оказа страшно симпатичен фентъзи роман, изпълнен с любопитни препратки към китайските история и култура! Демонът Кай Рен е страхотен основен персонаж, който разказва своята загадъчна и вълнуваща история. Той е майстор в изработката на вълшебни бутилки, обаче към даден момент неговите способности са отнети, както и е забъркан в доста опасни мистични премеждия...
„— И какво, значи, си намислил? — попита ме той.
— Една история, но ще я разкажа на онзи, за когото е предназначена.
— Какво пък, Ирландия е страна на историите. Една повече едва ли ще навреди...“
„— Аз пък мислех, че моят меч-душегубец се е счупил непоправимо още по време на последната война.
— Наистина беше счупен — призна той, — но не непоправимо. Аз го поправих.
Преглътнах онова „защо“, което трептеше на устните ми. Никой от нас не обича душегубците, но много отдавна бяхме принудени да се съгласим, че те поощряват запазването на добрите маниери.“
„— Дочух, че мътиш водата, Кай Рен.
— Така ли? Аз пък помислих, че други я мътят.
— Може би. Може да е едно и също. Илюзия е всичко, което ни свързва с Колелото.
Облещих се. Изглежда не бяха измислица слуховете, че старият демон е станал будист. И по-странни неща са се случвали.“
„— Всяка голяма плоскост — отвърнах — създава около себе си няколко допълнителни, сродни пространства. Обикновено не гледаме на тях като на отделни равнини, тъй като стабилността им е в тясна зависимост с основната плоскост.
— Ако успеем да се преместим в някоя от промеждутъчните равнини на Кон Ши Дзи, няма ли да е по-лесно за дядо да проникне в твоята бутилка?
— Да, стига бутилката да се намира в Кон Ши Дзи.
— Ах!
Тя замълча, но идеята й пробуди верига от разсъждения, която просто не можех да прекъсна...“
„— Законите не престават да съществуват само защото ги е престъпила едната страна — обясни с поучителен тон Седмопръстия. — Напротив, съществуват въпреки това. Алтернативата е хаос или нещо по-лошо.
— Какво по-лошо?
— По-лошо е, когато правилата бъдат определяни от силните — съобразно с техните интереси и желания.“
October 8, 2010
In a word: depressing.
This book was started by Roger Zelazny and finished by Jane Lindskold after his death. I've given the book 3 stars, but it started out as a solid 5. The premise was great. The character of Kai Wren, Lord Demon, was great.
Then Zelazny had to go and die, and Lindskold took over.
The worst part of it all is that I'm fairly certain I can pinpoint the exact moment at which Zelazny stopped writing and Lindskold started. (I'll mention it in a "spoiler" section below -- I don't want to give that info away to people who don't want to see it, because then they'll be looking for the change in voice.)
Anyway, once Lindskold took over, the characters became a little . . . over-dramatic. Zelazny's protagonists are always cool and calm, even in the face of danger or sorrow--we get the idea that they may be feeling pain on the inside, but they try not to let it show, and that makes them all the more interesting. Just look at Corwin of Amber or Conrad Nomikos, to name a few.
Once Lindskold took over, everyone (not just Kai Wren) started being much more animated. She added lots of unnecessary adverbs to her dialogue tags (if one more person says something "indignantly," I'm going to shoot myself). Now, one could argue that this was an intentional change based on the plot of the book, but it wouldn't explain why every character started acting differently at once (unless they were all under some magic spell that we don't know about). Li Piao, for example, had the feeling of a wise old man early on. He lost a lot of his mystique when he started saying things "indignantly" or with any other adverb (that's just the one that comes to mind because it was said so damn often; it's a strong word, so it's noticeable if overused).
Another beef I had with the book (and this could very well have been Zelazny's doing, as it could have stemmed from his notes) was that a lot of things were fixed by magical means and it seemed like a cop-out. It seemed like the characters never had to struggle their way through a problem. "How are we going to get out of this?" "Luckily, I have a spell that will do just the right thing! Isn't that convenient? Again?"
Once again, this could have been Zelazny's intent, as it's a plot point more than a style point. But I'm pretty sure I never noticed this gross misuse of power in Zelazny's sections . . .
My interest dropped GREATLY after chapter 10 (and no, that's not where the Zelazny/Lindskold split was--I believe the split came earlier than that). There was a lot of moving between planes and whatnot, and I lost track of where people were and who had which objects of power in their possession. Mind you, this isn't necessarily because it was poorly described--it was more likely because I was just so disinterested by that point that I wasn't about to put any effort into following what was going on.
For this reason, the last ~90 pages of the 276-page book were disappointing. And that's very frustrating, considering it definitely started out as a 5-star book and had a great premise. I haven't read any of Lindskold's other work, and now I'm reluctant to do so, though I imagine I'll still give Donnerjack a whirl some day.
So sad. So very, very sad. All that potential--wasted. =/
***SPOILER***
I can say with relative certainty that Zelazny stopped writing after chapter VI. After reading a few pages of chapter VII, I sort of did a double-take and went back, and that's when it hit me--the Zelazny goodness had ended, and we were in Lindskold territory. It was frustrating, but I accepted it and the book was still fairly interesting for the next four chapters. It was in those chapters that it dropped from 5 stars to 4. Then, from chapter XI to the end, we lost another star.
I will say this, though--there's a sequence at the beginning of chapter XI that was pretty good. I actually feel like Zelazny may have written that (which is entirely possible, as it's sort of an isolated event within the plot). But if he didn't write it, and Lindskold did--well, kudos to her.
This book was started by Roger Zelazny and finished by Jane Lindskold after his death. I've given the book 3 stars, but it started out as a solid 5. The premise was great. The character of Kai Wren, Lord Demon, was great.
Then Zelazny had to go and die, and Lindskold took over.
The worst part of it all is that I'm fairly certain I can pinpoint the exact moment at which Zelazny stopped writing and Lindskold started. (I'll mention it in a "spoiler" section below -- I don't want to give that info away to people who don't want to see it, because then they'll be looking for the change in voice.)
Anyway, once Lindskold took over, the characters became a little . . . over-dramatic. Zelazny's protagonists are always cool and calm, even in the face of danger or sorrow--we get the idea that they may be feeling pain on the inside, but they try not to let it show, and that makes them all the more interesting. Just look at Corwin of Amber or Conrad Nomikos, to name a few.
Once Lindskold took over, everyone (not just Kai Wren) started being much more animated. She added lots of unnecessary adverbs to her dialogue tags (if one more person says something "indignantly," I'm going to shoot myself). Now, one could argue that this was an intentional change based on the plot of the book, but it wouldn't explain why every character started acting differently at once (unless they were all under some magic spell that we don't know about). Li Piao, for example, had the feeling of a wise old man early on. He lost a lot of his mystique when he started saying things "indignantly" or with any other adverb (that's just the one that comes to mind because it was said so damn often; it's a strong word, so it's noticeable if overused).
Another beef I had with the book (and this could very well have been Zelazny's doing, as it could have stemmed from his notes) was that a lot of things were fixed by magical means and it seemed like a cop-out. It seemed like the characters never had to struggle their way through a problem. "How are we going to get out of this?" "Luckily, I have a spell that will do just the right thing! Isn't that convenient? Again?"
Once again, this could have been Zelazny's intent, as it's a plot point more than a style point. But I'm pretty sure I never noticed this gross misuse of power in Zelazny's sections . . .
My interest dropped GREATLY after chapter 10 (and no, that's not where the Zelazny/Lindskold split was--I believe the split came earlier than that). There was a lot of moving between planes and whatnot, and I lost track of where people were and who had which objects of power in their possession. Mind you, this isn't necessarily because it was poorly described--it was more likely because I was just so disinterested by that point that I wasn't about to put any effort into following what was going on.
For this reason, the last ~90 pages of the 276-page book were disappointing. And that's very frustrating, considering it definitely started out as a 5-star book and had a great premise. I haven't read any of Lindskold's other work, and now I'm reluctant to do so, though I imagine I'll still give Donnerjack a whirl some day.
So sad. So very, very sad. All that potential--wasted. =/
***SPOILER***
I can say with relative certainty that Zelazny stopped writing after chapter VI. After reading a few pages of chapter VII, I sort of did a double-take and went back, and that's when it hit me--the Zelazny goodness had ended, and we were in Lindskold territory. It was frustrating, but I accepted it and the book was still fairly interesting for the next four chapters. It was in those chapters that it dropped from 5 stars to 4. Then, from chapter XI to the end, we lost another star.
I will say this, though--there's a sequence at the beginning of chapter XI that was pretty good. I actually feel like Zelazny may have written that (which is entirely possible, as it's sort of an isolated event within the plot). But if he didn't write it, and Lindskold did--well, kudos to her.
December 21, 2024
Raamatu maailmaloome põhineb seekord siis Hiina mütoloogial, kuid tunda on ka Amberi seeria mitmekülgseid mõjutusi: erinevaid maailmu, mille vahel rännatakse, on ka siin jutus kõvasti, samuti igiomane tumedamate ja helgemate osapoolte omavaheline vastasseis, kus päriselt ei teagi kumb pool need "head" on. Võib-olla kui norida millegi kallal, siis teatud juhtudel oleks tahtnud veelgi rohkem taustainfot saada ja raamatu kulgu sellega pikendada, kuna hetkel saab see suht kiires tempos lugu ikka väga ruttu läbi.
May 19, 2020
Love this one. Demons and gods, a kite flying sorcerer, magic bottles, and a little homage to Corwin of Amber.
Zelazny is excellent, but Lindskold adds something to this - I can't put finger on just what it is, and I can't say who wrote what during the collaboration, but this book is more than the sum of two excellent authors. Maybe it's an added warmth and depth to the characters, a deeper dimension than either author alone. Whatever it is, it's good.
Kai Wren, also known as Lord Demon Godslayer, is an artist. He creates bottles, magical ones with whole universes inside. The one he lives in is a peaceful place, guarded by a pair of Fu dogs, fairies and a dragon. His companion, Ollie, and he are quite content with their lives, until Ollie goes out into the world to order pizza and is killed. This act starts Kai Wren on a journey that leads to unsuspected consequences, as well as some unusual places. He discovers that much of what he held true about the world, others, and himself is quite far from true.
I'm saying this all badly. I just don't have the words, but if you like Zelazny, Lindskold, Brust, or so many others, try this one. It's really good.
Zelazny is excellent, but Lindskold adds something to this - I can't put finger on just what it is, and I can't say who wrote what during the collaboration, but this book is more than the sum of two excellent authors. Maybe it's an added warmth and depth to the characters, a deeper dimension than either author alone. Whatever it is, it's good.
Kai Wren, also known as Lord Demon Godslayer, is an artist. He creates bottles, magical ones with whole universes inside. The one he lives in is a peaceful place, guarded by a pair of Fu dogs, fairies and a dragon. His companion, Ollie, and he are quite content with their lives, until Ollie goes out into the world to order pizza and is killed. This act starts Kai Wren on a journey that leads to unsuspected consequences, as well as some unusual places. He discovers that much of what he held true about the world, others, and himself is quite far from true.
I'm saying this all badly. I just don't have the words, but if you like Zelazny, Lindskold, Brust, or so many others, try this one. It's really good.
August 15, 2022
pretty dang good, would recommend if you want a shorter fantasy piece
my biggest gripe is just that I wished more of the world was explored
though I guess that'd be difficult in the short run time
my biggest gripe is just that I wished more of the world was explored
though I guess that'd be difficult in the short run time
May 15, 2020
A powerful story.
Fascinating cast of characters, great character development.
Fascinating cast of characters, great character development.
October 20, 2024
Actually hard to write a review for this one, because I loved it so much and it is so sad that this was his last book.
Zelazny loved using various mythologies for his stories and Lord Demon is the only one I know of based on Chinese history and mythology. Not sure it will satisfy everyone but I loved the use of this rich historical mythology in such an innovative context.
Kai Wren is an artisan creating in ceramic and glassware, the beginning of the book is when he completes an orange and green bottle that he has been working on for around 120 years. Because Kai Wren is not human and has the nickname of Lord Demon amongst demon-kind due to his 'chi' magic powers and his fighting prows which are considerable. Fighting is not really his focus though crafting beautiful items i what he does and his has many of them though others have been given away.
Kai Wren lies in a bottle of his own construction in which a palace, gardens, workshops and an ocean all fit in comfortably. It is guarded by a Chinese style dragon and two Fo dogs. I have always loved the Fo dogs of Chinese mythology, so that was a great touch.
Conflict arises when someone or someones start trying to kill Kai Wren and that annoys him enough to make him leave his seclusion and start spending more time with other demons. The demon world building is great, I cant tell how much it actually is based on Chinese legend because I am not that proficient in that mythology, but I do recognise some parts, and as always, I just adore Zelazny's writing.
Long, long ago the demons were living with gods in 'Origin' a domain incredibly rich in chi, they were eventually vanquished by the gods and banished to a domain known as Kong Shyh Jieh the 'empty lands'. The empty lands contained no landscape initially and had little natural chi. Now the demons had the power to remodel the empty lands, but to do that they needed life force 'chi' and because it accumulated so slowly they were basically starving. It was centuries (we find) before they had the wherewithal to remodel the empty lands and by then they had already impetrated a lot of stuff from Earth, to which they could travel using gates. Now the reason for the strong Chinese influence on demon kind is delicately described here; it is because more of the original gates opened into China, and it was there that the demon-kind first mingled extensively with Earth and humans.
The attempts to kill Kai Wren and steal his Fo dogs is apparently the forerunner in a new war, in which a consortium of demons are trying to win their way back to Origin. In order to save himself (initially) and the balance of worlds (eventually) Kair Wren fors a group of alies including humans to confront his attackers. That is just a taster - I loved reading this so much withour knowing anything ahead of time that I would not want to spoil it for anyone else.
Just one more tiny bit: On page 120 there is a MARVELOUS Easter egg; Lord Demon has his powers stolen and is confined on Earth in a sanatorium. And he reflects that this has happened to a fictional character: A total bend of the knee to Corwin and Amber which I adored, though I rather suspect that came from Jane Lindskold who completed this book after Zelanzy's death.
Zelazny loved using various mythologies for his stories and Lord Demon is the only one I know of based on Chinese history and mythology. Not sure it will satisfy everyone but I loved the use of this rich historical mythology in such an innovative context.
Kai Wren is an artisan creating in ceramic and glassware, the beginning of the book is when he completes an orange and green bottle that he has been working on for around 120 years. Because Kai Wren is not human and has the nickname of Lord Demon amongst demon-kind due to his 'chi' magic powers and his fighting prows which are considerable. Fighting is not really his focus though crafting beautiful items i what he does and his has many of them though others have been given away.
Kai Wren lies in a bottle of his own construction in which a palace, gardens, workshops and an ocean all fit in comfortably. It is guarded by a Chinese style dragon and two Fo dogs. I have always loved the Fo dogs of Chinese mythology, so that was a great touch.
Conflict arises when someone or someones start trying to kill Kai Wren and that annoys him enough to make him leave his seclusion and start spending more time with other demons. The demon world building is great, I cant tell how much it actually is based on Chinese legend because I am not that proficient in that mythology, but I do recognise some parts, and as always, I just adore Zelazny's writing.
Long, long ago the demons were living with gods in 'Origin' a domain incredibly rich in chi, they were eventually vanquished by the gods and banished to a domain known as Kong Shyh Jieh the 'empty lands'. The empty lands contained no landscape initially and had little natural chi. Now the demons had the power to remodel the empty lands, but to do that they needed life force 'chi' and because it accumulated so slowly they were basically starving. It was centuries (we find) before they had the wherewithal to remodel the empty lands and by then they had already impetrated a lot of stuff from Earth, to which they could travel using gates. Now the reason for the strong Chinese influence on demon kind is delicately described here; it is because more of the original gates opened into China, and it was there that the demon-kind first mingled extensively with Earth and humans.
The attempts to kill Kai Wren and steal his Fo dogs is apparently the forerunner in a new war, in which a consortium of demons are trying to win their way back to Origin. In order to save himself (initially) and the balance of worlds (eventually) Kair Wren fors a group of alies including humans to confront his attackers. That is just a taster - I loved reading this so much withour knowing anything ahead of time that I would not want to spoil it for anyone else.
Just one more tiny bit: On page 120 there is a MARVELOUS Easter egg; Lord Demon has his powers stolen and is confined on Earth in a sanatorium. And he reflects that this has happened to a fictional character: A total bend of the knee to Corwin and Amber which I adored, though I rather suspect that came from Jane Lindskold who completed this book after Zelanzy's death.
December 7, 2025
I read this book a long time ago - as a teenager - and I remember really liking it. I didn't care who wrote it or who finished it. What mattered was the fact that the book was interesting, with just the right amount of mythology to be interested, to make me want to learn more about it. It was, and still is, memorable.
But it’s a classic example of “don’t reread books you liked as a teen”. Some chapters were so dry; this happened, then this happened, and then this, with no connectivity between them; like it was an outline of the story meant to be embellished later. And as you read, it becomes clear how uneven the composition is. And the great premise of revenge and betrayal slipped into “the love was the reason” towards the end, even if it was absolutely contradictory to the nature of demons.
The plot itself is very simple, with no multi-layered intrigues or complex plots; it's straightforward and clear. We simply observe the protagonist's actions, his mistakes, and his successes. He himself is a well-developed character, an aesthete and an aristocrat. Other characters are also full of extraordinary traits - but they often begin to behave illogically, not corresponding to their original archetypes.
The book still is dynamic and reads fast, and the world of demons and gods and Chinese mythology makes the story colorful. +1 to the rating because of that and nostalgia goggles.
But it’s a classic example of “don’t reread books you liked as a teen”. Some chapters were so dry; this happened, then this happened, and then this, with no connectivity between them; like it was an outline of the story meant to be embellished later. And as you read, it becomes clear how uneven the composition is. And the great premise of revenge and betrayal slipped into “the love was the reason” towards the end, even if it was absolutely contradictory to the nature of demons.
The plot itself is very simple, with no multi-layered intrigues or complex plots; it's straightforward and clear. We simply observe the protagonist's actions, his mistakes, and his successes. He himself is a well-developed character, an aesthete and an aristocrat. Other characters are also full of extraordinary traits - but they often begin to behave illogically, not corresponding to their original archetypes.
The book still is dynamic and reads fast, and the world of demons and gods and Chinese mythology makes the story colorful. +1 to the rating because of that and nostalgia goggles.
December 23, 2025
Roger Zelazny was one of the most witty and elegant prose stylists in late twentieth century fiction in general and in science fiction and fantasy in particular. When he died - far too young - he left a couple of novels incomplete, which were finished off by his partner Jane Lindskold. This is one of those. Overall, I'm glad Lindskold did so, as there's much to enjoy here, but there's no doubt the prose loses a lot of its polish about seven or eight chapters in - up to which point, I'm pretty sure it's all, or nearly all Zelazny's. I wouldn't hesitate to read one of Lindskold's solo efforts, as it's clear she was making a genuine, if not always wholly successful attempt to emulate the style of a unique writer - no-one could have managed to do so wholly successfully. Without such an intimidating brief, I feel her own style would emerge. My only serious reservation is that Lord Demon is maybe a quarter again as long as most of Zelazny's solo novels and it's hard to keep up the pace of an adventure story past the two hundred and fifty page mark.
August 30, 2021
Interesting! This story is about gods and demons, the truce and how it almost ended, their lives and loves or lack of same, and vengeance. It was hard to put down. The story also involved humans and demon offspring. There is ambition and long-simmering treachery, battles mundane and magical at once, politics of gods (briefly) and demons especially, a touch of romance and plenty of camaraderie. I found the ending to be satisfying, tying off many loose ends, yet leaving the door open for a sequel, if one thinks that reading about a demon and human dating and the high potential for romance and an unlikely love would fill another novel. Alas, that is unlikely as this is Mr. Zelazny's last novel. This may be another re-read. Dad and hubby really liked the book and thought I would as well. They were right. It figures, as Dad got me hooked on SF&F at a very young age. Hubby had best know my tastes after over 19.5 years of marriage.
July 28, 2021
If this book was a sequel to others in a series, then I would give it a better rating.
The reader is dumped into a universe that includes planet Earth, but also other worlds like Heaven and Hell. The main characters are either demons or gods, therefore a lot of superpowers are on display. There are few guidelines as to how these superpowers are distributed amongst the characters, with demons casting apparently random spells according to their situation. Character building is almost non-existant.
This is the only book I can remember, where reading the book cover before the book provides the reader with a useful introductory information that they will not get from the book contents. The positives are attributed to the authors. The writing style appears professional, the book is well-structured and the storyline is so chaotic, it is unpredictable.
The reader is dumped into a universe that includes planet Earth, but also other worlds like Heaven and Hell. The main characters are either demons or gods, therefore a lot of superpowers are on display. There are few guidelines as to how these superpowers are distributed amongst the characters, with demons casting apparently random spells according to their situation. Character building is almost non-existant.
This is the only book I can remember, where reading the book cover before the book provides the reader with a useful introductory information that they will not get from the book contents. The positives are attributed to the authors. The writing style appears professional, the book is well-structured and the storyline is so chaotic, it is unpredictable.
January 21, 2025
Ma ei tea kas asi oli tõlkes, või on ka originaal nii viletsalt kirjutatud? Sisu on nii hüplik ja suvaliste tegevuste virvarr, kolme lausega võib tegevus suvalisel hetkel kardinaalselt muutuda. Nagu kamp põhikooli lapsi oleks hakanud otsast natuke kirjutama ja siis järgmine on omakorda midagi juurde lisanud jne...
Kui algus veel natukenegi lubas, siis lõpp läks päris viletsaks.
Ei saa aru kuidas sellel raamatul nii kõrge keskmine hinne saab siin olla?
Kui algus veel natukenegi lubas, siis lõpp läks päris viletsaks.
Ei saa aru kuidas sellel raamatul nii kõrge keskmine hinne saab siin olla?
August 7, 2024
A nice book with an interesting world and atmosphere. Quite simple, but enjoyable. This book would have been better if it had more time to flesh out the world. I also thought that it did not explore the ideas that were brought up during the story deeply. But overall, it was an enjoyable simple read.
August 18, 2024
Täiesti teistsugune maailm - mulle meeldib kontseptsioon, et on pudelimeister, kes loob pudeli sisse suuri paralleelmaailmu.
Hoolimata keerukast maailmast ja keerukast sissejuhatusest lahenesid probleemid kuidagi väga lihtsalt. Jäi tunne nagu tasakaal oli veidi nihkes.
Kõik oli nagu olemas, aga midagi jäi puudu.
3,5⭐️
Hoolimata keerukast maailmast ja keerukast sissejuhatusest lahenesid probleemid kuidagi väga lihtsalt. Jäi tunne nagu tasakaal oli veidi nihkes.
Kõik oli nagu olemas, aga midagi jäi puudu.
3,5⭐️
May 21, 2023
A refreshing and unexpected gem of urban fantasy. Suspense, combat, weird planes of existence and some romance.
The characters aren't very deep, but the action is flowing and the mystery unravels nicely while giving glimpses of Chinese culture and fantasy.
The characters aren't very deep, but the action is flowing and the mystery unravels nicely while giving glimpses of Chinese culture and fantasy.
July 29, 2024
Kui see oleks olnud mu esimene raamat RZ-l, siis võibolla poleks järgmist kätte võtnudki. Liiga teises maailmas, kõik omadused ja reeglid mõeldakse välja justkui käigupealt. Feng shui huvilisi võibolla kõnetab, võibolla.
Eestindaja on seda ilmselt pidanud lasteraamatuks, sest nimed on tõlgitud.
Eestindaja on seda ilmselt pidanud lasteraamatuks, sest nimed on tõlgitud.
August 20, 2020
One of the best. The most enjoyable experience. Highly recommend.
September 14, 2020
Another superb book by Roger Zelazny.
December 7, 2020
סיפור פנטזיה, המשלב אומנות, יצירה ועולמות אחרים.
ספר פילוסופי, מהסוג שיכול לשנות את המחשבה של הקורא
ספר פילוסופי, מהסוג שיכול לשנות את המחשבה של הקורא
January 27, 2021
Divertissant
October 29, 2024
Great story
January 12, 2025
3.4/5
May 10, 2025
Тинейджърска боза с идеализирана китайска естетика.
March 29, 2021
I first read and reviewed Lord Demon in 2014, but re-read it again this month as part of my reading of the Zelazny canon. Here's what I wrote back then, followed by current comments:
There are three writers whose books occupy a special place on my shelves, whose books I tend to collect and keep, and whose books I re-read over and over. Those three are J.R.R. Tolkien, Neil Gaiman, and...Roger Zelazny. Lord Demon was one of the novels Zelazny was writing at the time of his unfortunate death and later finished by his friend and protege Jane Lindskold. Lindskold does an amazing job of keeping the feeling of the novel going, for the most part, but the farther one reads in it, the more one can feel the absence of Zelazny (the last chapter especially seems very different from the rest of the novel). For that reason alone, I'd probably have to lower the rating to 4 1/2 stars. However, the plot and characters here (as well as most of the writing) is vintage Zelazny: the casual but regulated use of magic, the movement between dimensions, the thorough plotting and discussions of motivation, plans, and events, the very odd and interesting characters presented matter-of-factly. Lots of things here reminded me of Zelazny's classic Amber series (and in a good way). I probably wouldn't recommend this to someone unfamiliar with Zelazny, but it's a great addition (and finale) to the works of a true master.
I think I was a bit over-generous when I wrote the above paragraph back in '14. I hadn't read Zelazny for awhile, other than my frequent re-reading of the Amber series. Now that I've read the bulk of Zelazny (this is book #48) in the last two years, I have a slightly more critical perspective. Unlike Donnerjack, the other posthumous Zelazny release finished by Lindskold, the background on the writing of this novel is less known, other than the fact that Zelazny wrote substantially less of it than he did Donnerjack. Being so immersed in Zelazny's works, that's a bit more obvious to me on this reading; I can't say I can pinpoint exactly where Lindskold took over, but the more one gets into the book, the more the voice becomes less of Zelazny (someone trying to sound like Zelazny, of course, but not always succeeding). There's some good ideas here (that I'll credit to Zelazny), but the further the book progresses, the more characters are introduced and the more convoluted it becomes. Shifting character allegiances and motivations, of course led me to question how true the book stayed to Zelazny's original vision. And that took away from some of the joy of reading it. It's still a darn good book, but not worth the 5 or 4 1/2 stars I bestowed upon it seven years ago. I'm going with 3 1/2 this time around, rounding up to 4.
There are three writers whose books occupy a special place on my shelves, whose books I tend to collect and keep, and whose books I re-read over and over. Those three are J.R.R. Tolkien, Neil Gaiman, and...Roger Zelazny. Lord Demon was one of the novels Zelazny was writing at the time of his unfortunate death and later finished by his friend and protege Jane Lindskold. Lindskold does an amazing job of keeping the feeling of the novel going, for the most part, but the farther one reads in it, the more one can feel the absence of Zelazny (the last chapter especially seems very different from the rest of the novel). For that reason alone, I'd probably have to lower the rating to 4 1/2 stars. However, the plot and characters here (as well as most of the writing) is vintage Zelazny: the casual but regulated use of magic, the movement between dimensions, the thorough plotting and discussions of motivation, plans, and events, the very odd and interesting characters presented matter-of-factly. Lots of things here reminded me of Zelazny's classic Amber series (and in a good way). I probably wouldn't recommend this to someone unfamiliar with Zelazny, but it's a great addition (and finale) to the works of a true master.
I think I was a bit over-generous when I wrote the above paragraph back in '14. I hadn't read Zelazny for awhile, other than my frequent re-reading of the Amber series. Now that I've read the bulk of Zelazny (this is book #48) in the last two years, I have a slightly more critical perspective. Unlike Donnerjack, the other posthumous Zelazny release finished by Lindskold, the background on the writing of this novel is less known, other than the fact that Zelazny wrote substantially less of it than he did Donnerjack. Being so immersed in Zelazny's works, that's a bit more obvious to me on this reading; I can't say I can pinpoint exactly where Lindskold took over, but the more one gets into the book, the more the voice becomes less of Zelazny (someone trying to sound like Zelazny, of course, but not always succeeding). There's some good ideas here (that I'll credit to Zelazny), but the further the book progresses, the more characters are introduced and the more convoluted it becomes. Shifting character allegiances and motivations, of course led me to question how true the book stayed to Zelazny's original vision. And that took away from some of the joy of reading it. It's still a darn good book, but not worth the 5 or 4 1/2 stars I bestowed upon it seven years ago. I'm going with 3 1/2 this time around, rounding up to 4.
April 26, 2010
Lord Démon est un roman de Roger Zelazny publié à titre posthume et finalisé par sa femme Jane Lindskold, ce qui explique que celle-ci soit créditée comme auteur. Zelazny est bien sûr connu pour saga des Princes d’Ambre mais aussi pour une multitude d’autres romans dont certains lui valurent le prestigieux prix Hugo. On retrouve dans Lord Démon ce qui a définit le style de l’auteur, à savoir l’intrusion de la mythologie dans un univers contemporain.
Lord Démon est l’histoire de Kai Wren, souffleur de verre et démon depuis plusieurs siècles. Il est surnommé « l’exterminateur de dieux » en référence aux guerres qui ont opposé dieux et démons dans un passé lointain. Retiré de sa communauté d’appartenance, il passe son temps reclu dans sa bouteille magique, à fabriquer des objets en verre qu’il enchante grâce à son chi. Un beau jour son serviteur humain est assassiné, ce qui va le pousser à sortir de sa tanière et à affronter le monde extérieur.
Lord Démon remixe, avec une habileté variable, la mythologie chinoise pour nous en proposer une version prémâchée a priori comestible et divertissante. On voit défiler dans le roman des Taoïstes, du feng shui, des dragons et bien d’autres choses pour émerveiller petits et grands. Zelazny est complètement décomplexé dans cette approche et charcute les mythes à sa guise pour en faire un pur roman de fantasy.
L’histoire est centrée sur Lord Démon, et retrace ses pérégrinations et errances au sein de la société des démons et des humains. Car voyez-vous Kai est un peu perdu, et le meurtre de son ami le plonge dans de profondes interrogations sur son moi et son existence. Alors Kai réfléchit, puis enquête, puis se bat, puis réfléchit, puis enquête… C’est un peu la faiblesse du roman : Lord Démon navigue entre le polar, le roman psychologique (si, si) et l’action pure sans vraiment trouver d’identité forte. Parmi les regrets, on citera aussi le scénario, un peu falot pour une histoire qui débutait comme une enquête. Pourtant, pleins de points positifs sont à noter : le style frais et éternellement moderne de Zelazny est bel et bien là, toujours enchanteur, les nostalgiques d’Ambre trouveront sûrement de quoi se satisfaire. Zelazny manipule toujours aussi bien la mythologie, et s’en écarte suffisamment pour créer quelque chose d’original et de personnel.
Lord Démon est l’histoire de Kai Wren, souffleur de verre et démon depuis plusieurs siècles. Il est surnommé « l’exterminateur de dieux » en référence aux guerres qui ont opposé dieux et démons dans un passé lointain. Retiré de sa communauté d’appartenance, il passe son temps reclu dans sa bouteille magique, à fabriquer des objets en verre qu’il enchante grâce à son chi. Un beau jour son serviteur humain est assassiné, ce qui va le pousser à sortir de sa tanière et à affronter le monde extérieur.
Lord Démon remixe, avec une habileté variable, la mythologie chinoise pour nous en proposer une version prémâchée a priori comestible et divertissante. On voit défiler dans le roman des Taoïstes, du feng shui, des dragons et bien d’autres choses pour émerveiller petits et grands. Zelazny est complètement décomplexé dans cette approche et charcute les mythes à sa guise pour en faire un pur roman de fantasy.
L’histoire est centrée sur Lord Démon, et retrace ses pérégrinations et errances au sein de la société des démons et des humains. Car voyez-vous Kai est un peu perdu, et le meurtre de son ami le plonge dans de profondes interrogations sur son moi et son existence. Alors Kai réfléchit, puis enquête, puis se bat, puis réfléchit, puis enquête… C’est un peu la faiblesse du roman : Lord Démon navigue entre le polar, le roman psychologique (si, si) et l’action pure sans vraiment trouver d’identité forte. Parmi les regrets, on citera aussi le scénario, un peu falot pour une histoire qui débutait comme une enquête. Pourtant, pleins de points positifs sont à noter : le style frais et éternellement moderne de Zelazny est bel et bien là, toujours enchanteur, les nostalgiques d’Ambre trouveront sûrement de quoi se satisfaire. Zelazny manipule toujours aussi bien la mythologie, et s’en écarte suffisamment pour créer quelque chose d’original et de personnel.
August 28, 2012
One of Zelazny's trademarks is the ability to write about his superhuman characters and fantastic worlds so matter-of-factly that we can believe in their existence, no matter how distant they might seem (in the hands of a lesser author) from ordinary life. When this is done well, as it is in most of Amber, Lord of Light, and especially in his short stories, we never notice the tension between the wild imagination of the scenario and the realism of the writing. In Lord Demon, this tension is apparent from the first dialogue, in which the immortal demon protagonist discusses pizza toppings with his 300-year-old servant. The combination of the high mythic and the mundane is frequently amusing - and a novel can certainly do worse than amuse - but rarely believable. The story itself is classic Zelazny, with a powerful but slightly naive hero navigating the politics and intrigues of his fellow immortals. In fact, it reads a bit like a pastiche of his earlier works (particularly Lord of Light), and at times even explicitly references them.
If one is inclined to put up with the protagonist, who ranges from oblivious to obtuse in matters of intrigue, the twists and turns of the plot are decently executed, and the world fairly imaginative for all its blatant Orientalism. The dialogue is stilted, though, even in the rare cases in which the speaker is a native speaker of modern English, and the flow is not helped by the protagonist's insistence on becoming infatuated with every major female character. Perhaps the blame isn't all Zelazny's - the novel was completed posthumously by Lindskold, and I like to think the master would have given it a bit more polish - but it showcases enough of his weaknesses, and few enough of his strengths, that a dedicated fan (such as myself) might prefer to pretend that Lindskold was the sole author. Freed from the burden of expectations that the name Zelazny carries, Lord Demon might stand on its own as a passable high-fantasy political drama; the flashes of Amber and Lord of Light only make its shortcomings more glaring in comparison. Ultimately, despite its few moments of charm, this is a book that fails to fulfill its promises at every turn.
If one is inclined to put up with the protagonist, who ranges from oblivious to obtuse in matters of intrigue, the twists and turns of the plot are decently executed, and the world fairly imaginative for all its blatant Orientalism. The dialogue is stilted, though, even in the rare cases in which the speaker is a native speaker of modern English, and the flow is not helped by the protagonist's insistence on becoming infatuated with every major female character. Perhaps the blame isn't all Zelazny's - the novel was completed posthumously by Lindskold, and I like to think the master would have given it a bit more polish - but it showcases enough of his weaknesses, and few enough of his strengths, that a dedicated fan (such as myself) might prefer to pretend that Lindskold was the sole author. Freed from the burden of expectations that the name Zelazny carries, Lord Demon might stand on its own as a passable high-fantasy political drama; the flashes of Amber and Lord of Light only make its shortcomings more glaring in comparison. Ultimately, despite its few moments of charm, this is a book that fails to fulfill its promises at every turn.
October 29, 2008
At risk of making some persons exceptionally angry, I can say that what makes me interested in Roger Zelazny is just about everything that is not his well-known Amber series. Lord Demon has some similarities to the Amber books but draws on the same information in a more complete manner. Kai Wren, the Lord Demon, is a more fully developed character throughout the book - some may argue co-writer Jane Lindsgold played a part in that. In any case, Zelazny's inspirations (East Asian myths, etc.) are obvious in Lord Demon and seem to actually serve a purpose. And there are dogs!
What I get out of Demon that I failed to get out of the Amber series is the personality. I found Demon a much more touching story, even in the midst of some epic battles; I am not talking of the relationships Kai Wren forms with the ladies in his worlds, but the connections he makes with any of the other characters, particularly Li Piang, a character Kai Wren refers to at one point as being a sort of "grandfather" figure for him. I found Kai Wren's journey to discover himself and learn to trust himself after being screwed over by people he thought he could trust to be somewhat charming as it is a universal concern - with only the difference of here the concern is between demons and gods. And, again, puppies.
What I get out of Demon that I failed to get out of the Amber series is the personality. I found Demon a much more touching story, even in the midst of some epic battles; I am not talking of the relationships Kai Wren forms with the ladies in his worlds, but the connections he makes with any of the other characters, particularly Li Piang, a character Kai Wren refers to at one point as being a sort of "grandfather" figure for him. I found Kai Wren's journey to discover himself and learn to trust himself after being screwed over by people he thought he could trust to be somewhat charming as it is a universal concern - with only the difference of here the concern is between demons and gods. And, again, puppies.
October 10, 2012
I really enjoyed reading this and I really wished Zelazny had survived to see it through publication. I think it would have been better if he'd lived long enough to properly finish it. As it stands, Lord Demon is imaginative and epic and full of fascinating characters and cultures, and just choppy enough and full of uneven loose ends to keep me from falling in love with it utterly. It's highly worth reading and I'll look forward to reading it again, but if anything it's strongest in that it makes me want to go back through Zelazny's bibliography and read all his works I'd never gotten around to reading before.
The best review I've seen of it is on The SF Site.
The best review I've seen of it is on The SF Site.
April 23, 2009
The main character Kai Wren is a glassblower who creates entire worlds inside the bottles he makes; worlds in which many of his demon-friends live, each inside their own bottle.
Lord Demon appeals to me because of its contemporary nature and adult-like subject matter. The personal interactions and learning experiences of Zelazny’s characters are much like those of human beings, instead of what we’d expect from a typically-crafted, supernatural demon. In this way, he creates characters to which we can relate, and from which we can learn lessons in friendship, trust, and the balance between those values and self-protection.
Coming from a person who's not really a fan of fantasy and sci-fi, this is a very good read!
Lord Demon appeals to me because of its contemporary nature and adult-like subject matter. The personal interactions and learning experiences of Zelazny’s characters are much like those of human beings, instead of what we’d expect from a typically-crafted, supernatural demon. In this way, he creates characters to which we can relate, and from which we can learn lessons in friendship, trust, and the balance between those values and self-protection.
Coming from a person who's not really a fan of fantasy and sci-fi, this is a very good read!
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