Lord of Light is an epic novel that blends elements of fantasy and science fiction into a sprawling narrative of deities, wars, and religion. Set on a faraway planet after the destruction of Earth, Lord of Light follows the rebellion of the Buddha, Sam, against the gods. In this book, the gods are merely the first colonists on that planet. In order to subdue the native inhabitants of that world (called "demons" in the book), the humans gave themselves vast powers through genetic engineering and technological means. Those first colonists then used those powers, along with "reincarnation machines," to rule over the human inhabitants of the planet. Hinduism is used as both religion and a government, but the main character, Sam, tries to overthrow that system with a new religion -- Buddhism.Like Roger Zelazny's Amber series, Lord of Light is mostly fantasy with some technological undercurrents. But Lord of Light remains a singular work for how it weaves magic with science and religion with politics. This is one of Zelazny's best-known novels, and while I enjoy reading his Amber series more, I have to admit that Lord of Light is his best work overall.
1 comment:
I like the original Amber series quite a lot, but Lord of Light is my favorite Zelazny book. Reading your review makes me want to re-read (for the fourth or fifth time), but I think I loaned my copy to someone and never got it back. Grrr. Now I'll have to buy another...
Post a Comment