The Sword and Laser discussion

The traditional way to read this book is 1 chapter a day as the chapters are each a day in October. Here is a space for daily comments. No spoilers for any days books beyond the current calendar date.

PS: You are actually 1 day behind because the first chapter is a pre-October prologue.

This is my 3rd reread of this book and I still love the choice to have the book fully narrated by an adorable puppy. Okay, the hints indicate he's a hellhound or something vicious like that, but good pup.

Making the rounds. The thing in the circle, the things in the mirror, the thing in the steamer trunk, the thing in the wardrobe.

Work, work, work.

I started out intending to read it the traditional way, but found I don't have that much self-control. Now powering through it. 😊

I love the interplay between Snuff and Graymalk the cat on the 2nd of October chapter.
“Why do you tell me this?”
“Perhaps because I am a cat and it amuses me to be arbitrary and do you a good turn.”
[after Snuff has shared information in turn]
“And why do you tell me this?”
“I pay my debts.”

A very succinct way of sketching out the characters of Snuff and Graymalk and their essential natures, canine and feline respectively.

Oh, and Snuff is a very good boy.

I enjoy the slow introduction of characters in the beginning and matching the families up with their humans.

So now we have Snuff and Jack
Graymalk and Crazy Jill
and an Owl with Morris and McCabe (sp? I'm listening to the audio)

I'm not keeping track of the ingredients specifically but they sound like horror classics. Mandrake from"field far from here at the place of a killing by somebody else."

Melanie wrote: "an Owl with Morris and McCabe (sp? I'm listening to the audio)"

MacCab

Thanks.

October 3
The terms openers and closers are dropped but not explained...
Add Needle and The Count to the character list.

Ah, I noticed Quicklime, the black snake who lives in the belly of the mad monk, Rastov was missing from yesterday's list.

A chapter a day? I'm afraid I can't do that, Dave.

It's more like the bingeing owl in the Tootsie Pops commercial. "How many days does it take to get to the end of A Night In The Lonesome October?"

"A-one," (reads single chapter)
"A-two," (reads another chapter)
(Crunch) "A....three." (binge rest of book)

The Chapters are too short to do 1 a day.

If I decide to read, I want more than a 2 to 5 minute read.

Scott wrote: "Ah, I noticed Quicklime, the black snake who lives in the belly of the mad monk, Rastov was missing from yesterday's list."

Yes. them too!

October 4
add Cheeter and ???, detective and companion
Nothing quite notable today.

Tassie Dave wrote: "The Chapters are too short to do 1 a day.

If I decide to read, I want more than a 2 to 5 minute read."

The chapters get steadily longer as the book progresses.

And it's easy to catch up if you 'fall behind".

October 5
Review of the list of characters and familiars, add the Good Doctor.
foreshadowing: more paw prints @ Snuff's house

October 6
They need to find the center of characters for ... something important. Things in the Mirrors acting up.

I love reading day by day. But also I loved on October 6, (view spoiler)["Never trust a cat, anyway. All they're good for is stringing tennis racquets." (hide spoiler)]

I am pretty sure I've read this before. I remember animals talking and I remember (view spoiler)[the discussion about the center of the lines currently being in the center of the road which seemed wrong (hide spoiler)]. I just don't remember the end haha.

terpkristin wrote: "I am pretty sure I've read this before. I remember animals talking and I remember (view spoiler). I just don't remember the end haha."

And I just looked. Apparently I did read it before, though not day by day. My copy of the book really doesn't look read, though hahaha.

October 7- Snuff interacts with the detective; add the rat (Bobo). They adventure together. We learn Snuff and Jack can speak @ midnight. There is a mention of Prowler and stalking lessons.

October 8- This is a longer chapter compared to the tiny ones earlier in the month.

Jack and Snuff get a visit from the suspicious smelling, companionless Larry Talbert, the thing in the attic almost escapes, Jack and Snuff (and Larry) are revealed as (view spoiler)[closers.
"Good dog you got there. knows how to CLOSE a door." (hide spoiler)]

The druid tries to poison Snuff; Snuff rescues Graymalk. For some reason this line made me actually laugh out loud: (view spoiler)["I have to check on some things around the house." (hide spoiler)]

Most of the characters are easily recognizable but anybody not up on their classic Universal Monsters might want to look up Larry Talbot. Who he is explains a few things.

I really enjoy the cosy domestic scene on the 12th, with Jack and Snuff sitting snug at home reading about murders and mutilations.

Then on the 13th we meet a new complication in the shape of the vicar, who suspects there are ungodly goings-on in the parish.

I'm in a busy season at work, so I haven't been posting each day, but I am continue to listen to a chapter a day.

The 15th- This chapter gets a little grotesque (view spoiler)[dragging death bodies (hide spoiler)], but somehow still feels cozy.

I didn't get a hold of a copy until the 8th, and needed to do some catching up, but I'm really enjoying reading at this pace. Some times I'm lucky to get 15 minutes to read in a day, so it's been a great way to motivate myself to AT LEAST read my Zelazny chapter. And when I finish it, I go back to my other books if I have time.

As an astronomy nerd, I'm a little curious to figure out the moon's phases. Snuff occasionally notes the moon's phase or rising or setting, but since I'm reading an old-fashioned paper book, I can't cheat and Ctrl+F "moon" and figure it out easily. (view spoiler)[For a while, the description of the shape matched ours currently, but now it seems like it's not in the sky, while we're nearing full, so I think it's 2-weeks off from us... which actually would make sense because then there'll be a full moon on Halloween... (hide spoiler)]

I'm interested in the Talbot character, but I don't want to ruin anything by looking him up. I do suspect (view spoiler)[ that his "companion" is connected to his hand, which Snuff has noted once or twice. Perhaps there's a flea or other small creature which he keeps in his hand. But that doesn't explain his newly revealed ability to predict the future on its own, so whether the missing companion is connected to his abilities or not is hard to say. (hide spoiler)]

Also, as a cat person, I'm very pro-Graymalk, but today I was definitely feeling Snuff groaning about not wanting to do all the grueling work... Mine's not as bad as his, but anyone who's had to clean up after little kids would read his aching trudge and be like "I feel you, dog." (Sorry, I couldn't help myself)

Welcome to the party!

Poor Quicklime. Sounded like a bad time to live in the belly of a mad monk who drinks way too much.

I love the great comradery among hard working people in Oct 17th chapter. Just good feelings all around. :-D

You know, I agree with Snuff. Sometimes throwing back your head and howling really *is* the best thing to do.

Joanna wrote: "I love the great comradery among hard working people in Oct 17th chapter. Just good feelings all around. :-D"

Team work makes the dream work! Sad that it sounds like that's the end of the friendliness, but it sounds like the mood's about to take a turn to more genuinely creepy things...

Also, just laughing at my own post from the 16th... There is now proof that I'm not reading ahead, because the very first paragraph on the 17th answered my suspicions about the moon's phases in the book, and it is the perfect opposite of our phases this year.

Joanna wrote: "I love the great comradery among hard working people in Oct 17th chapter. Just good feelings all around. :-D"

October 17 is possible y favorite chapter.

Yes, we got a super, super moon.

For anyone who's interested, Day 22 is based on Lovecraft's Dreamlands story The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath

Interesting. Thanks for the reference. Graymalk's litany as they traversed Dreamworld certainly named many lands and beings. Snuff again notes a couple of times that most can't tell when he is smiling.

The plot is thickening!

Oct. 22:
You tell from the context, but "carpe baculum" means "seize the stick" so the cat is telling Snuff to "go fetch"

The vivisectionists yesterday were a bit rough. Fortunately Graymalk brought Jack to deal with them.

And then today somebody rendered all Snuff's diligent working keeping track of the various Things moot! How rude.

This stood out to me in today's reading and the way it lands for me reminds me of part of what I really enjoy in Zelazny's prose.

"Growing moon. Angry cat. Feather on the wind. Autumn comes. The grass dies."

Yeah, this chapter reminds us it is in fact a horror book. (view spoiler)[Animal mutilation (hide spoiler)] is a trigger meriting a warning for some people too. Several chapters have good last-liners, IMO.

No rounds in the house today, just a glowing bottle of port. Snuff runs into another wolf who knows his name! But nobody else is around today.

A little late into the book to be introducing new characters, but the wolf did know Snuff's name...

And today was the reveal that one "player" was a faker all along. time for Snuff to rework his calculations!

Melanie wrote: "A little late into the book to be introducing new characters, but the wolf did know Snuff's name..."

The reveal of the wolf’s identity is one of my favourite moments in the book. It’s very clever how Zelazny weaves all the different parts of the story together.

An now we are hemorrhaging characters it seems.

4 chapters left and I'm still completely in the dark on what's happening let alone how it will all play out. Great stuff.
I'll be sad on 1st November when I can no loger read another chapter.

And today, on the 28th, we get a pretty detailed description of the Game from Bubo, Snuff's new friend and housemate. And Snuff nails down the location. I like how this chapter ends with Snuff again referencing his smile.

The Great Detective rescues Snuff! And demonstrates a great deal of knowledge about the various goings on.

The penultimate day has arrived. Preparations are in place and we get the first pretty detailed description of what will transpire the next night. Snuff tries too late to let LT know about Linda Enderby and the vicar's preparations but he can't rouse him from a meditative trance. Snuff throws back his head and howls, which is a good thing to do when you're frustrated!

Caught up! Thankful that Snuff is still in one piece. One more day to go.

And the big day (or night) has arrived! Secrets revealed. The Great Detective's finest disguise yet! Bubo plays a major role (though apparently also almost screws things up from underestimating Jack and Snuff)! The real meaning of Carpe Baculum is exposed! Experiment man pets the cat and helps save the good doggie!

And finally:

"Jack and Jill went down the hill. Gray and I ran after."

It was a delightful and fun book. And the approach I took, listening to the audiobook in one day late September then reading the ebook one day at a time starting on 09/30, worked really well for me. I felt like each approach engaged differently with the text. I thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

Just finished listening. I definitely feel cozy.

I enjoyed the 30 days of mystery leading up to Halloween but I found the final chapter to be a real anticlimax. Anyone else?