I truly regret not listening to Edwin or delving deeper into the study of religion. This particular book had the potential to be a great one. However, the excessive amount of dialog and my limited knowledge about the gods Zelazny was referring to, such as Brahmin, Shiva, and Yama, made it a less than satisfactory read for me. It's a pity that both of these factors came into play and caused this book to be a complete miss. I now realize that if I had been more informed about these religious aspects, I might have been able to appreciate the story and its characters more fully. Maybe in the future, I will take the time to educate myself better and give this book another chance.

This is only the second Zelazny work that I have read. After falling deeply in love with Creatures Of Light And Darkness, I approached this one with extremely high hopes.

However, what a crushing disappointment it turned out to be. There is a confusing horde of characters that I simply couldn't convince myself to care about. They engage in endless and boring battles, described in a cod-epic prose that fails to capture my interest. It's a strange combination of swords 'n' sorcery with the addition of ray-guns.

Evidently, a significant number of people love this book. But for me, it just didn't click. I found myself struggling to get through it, constantly waiting for something to happen that would make me invested in the story or the characters. Sadly, that moment never came, and I was left with a feeling of dissatisfaction and regret for having wasted my time on a book that didn't live up to my expectations.

The review to read here (or anywhere) is LM Bujold's. It's truly wonderful.

Despite my more mature reservations, I discovered that numerous bits, scenes, characters, and dialogues from Lord of Light have remained vividly in my memory for decades. This book is highly recommended not only as a significant piece of SF history but also as an enjoyable read.

It has been added to my reread sometime list. I have no idea when I last read it. I'm left wondering if I still possess a copy.

This review by LM Bujold gives us a great insight into the lasting impact of Lord of Light. The fact that certain elements have stayed with her for so long speaks volumes about the book's quality. Whether you're a die-hard SF fan or just looking for an engaging story, Lord of Light seems like a must-read.

As for me, I'm now curious to see if I can locate my copy and experience the magic of this book all over again.

The reason I started reading "The God of Light" was that it was the last book among those that the KIRKİKİ (Science Fiction Classics Reading Group) read together each month (now the title has been taken by "The Exiled Planet" that I'm currently reading). Although I couldn't keep up with the group's pace, I'm grateful to them for enabling me to pick up and read this book. Of course, they have no idea about my efforts, but I will take certain steps in the future! And with the hope that the beloved "The God of Light" will shine on my words, I start sharing my thoughts on the book.

When I started this book and reached approximately the 20th - 25th page, I entered the "again, it hit me from an unknown place" mode and began reading. If I had my old researcher spirit, I would have stopped the book on the 25th page, obtained all the information about Hinduism and Buddhist mythology from libraries, Google, and discussions related to this mythology, and then continued reading the book. I had a similar problem in "Faust" and the pain is still fresh, so I hesitated a lot about whether to continue reading "The God of Light". However, like Sam in "The Lord of the Rings", I managed to cross the line I drew for myself and started reading Sam's story in "The God of Light".

After crossing this line, generally what happened to me was as follows: In every part of the book except the last two parts, when I started reading that part, time slowed down so much that my reading speed of the book was equivalent to the movement in the heavy gravity in the movies. It was so heavy that I advanced slowly. I struggled a lot, I endured a lot, and with each turn of the page, the universe of that part gradually enveloped me. And in the moment I felt within that universe, it was as if I broke free from my chains and started sprinting. Except for these last two parts, the same thing happened to me in every part and the process of reading the book, which was actually very interesting, was the same. It probably took me 2 weeks to read the first 220 pages, while the last 120 pages were finished in 3 days. That is, this book really asks something from you and if you fulfill its requests, it also offers its reward to you!

The characters I met in this universe are very rich. In the book, we progress by listening to the story that Sam and all his names have experienced, and in each story, my connection to Sam was gradually increasing. Although I found Yama very cold at first, he suddenly turned into one of the deepest characters among the books I have read. When I defined Taraka as the leader of the demons and saw him as a bad person, I was worried about him getting hurt! While following Kali's motivation, I observed how naturally her female instincts progressed and how her passion for power enveloped her. Kubera's wisdom and cold-bloodedness amazed me, Ratri, as befitting the Goddess of Night, showed that she was a character with a very sincere nature as I understood her point of view as much as her creepy, cold appearance, Tak embodied his new body and proved that he was much better than he seemed with his own intelligence by using its advantages, Shiva's influence on this universe, Agni's sharp scariness, and various details about such characters are one of the most important advantages of this book.

From a science fiction perspective, I can say that the created universe is very creative and ideological. In fact, I should state that this book is registered as fantasy rather than science fiction. Some scenes were described so epically that I felt like I was watching an anime from time to time. Their clashes were so realistic that I read every word excitedly as if it was happening right in front of my eyes. When I combined and strengthened all of these, my anticipation for the end of the book had reached its peak and unfortunately, I have to say that I experienced a bit of disappointment at the end of the book.

In this created universe, we have no idea how the natives of the universe live. We cannot reach the details that will explain the Forms and Attributes of the gods in the universe. As the influence of Buddhism is gradually increasing, the analysis of the Trimurti consisting of Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva regarding why Hinduism is strong has not been conveyed sufficiently. Many questions such as how colonization was successful and how the power provided by the created machines had an impact on the natives remained unanswered for me.

In fact, I believe that this book must be read a second time because perhaps the answers to all the negative thoughts I mentioned were hidden in the truths hidden behind the book and I couldn't discover them. Maybe if I had been more familiar with Indian mythology, I could have understood more quickly how things were. Because of all these, although I can't consider it a masterpiece at the moment, I think this book is one of the most special novels I have read. Because if there is a handful of light within us, that light is worth sharing with everyone else who is in the dark.

There are several elements to this 1967 science-fiction novel.

One aspect is Buddhism and Hinduism. I know little about both, but I notice some influence. The chapter order, with the first chapter dealing with events that occur much later in the narrative than the following couple of chapters, gives the story a wheel-like structure. In the end is the beginning. There could be a cycle of death and rebirth, with individuals moving through lives and events repeating. However, we learn that the world Zelazny creates is a deception dominated by Mara, who is its literal creator. The character Sam is motivated by compassion for the suffering of at least the human inhabitants and teaches the possibility of escape from the cycle of rebirth.

However, his campaign culminates in uncompassionate battles, which I suppose deviates from a Buddhist parable. This undercuts the story's potential radicalism as it returns to a familiar storyline of a good hero overthrowing evil doers through violence, rather than a clever application of a new religious or philosophical idea causing the collapse of a repressive regime over generations.

Then there is the element of Robinson Crusoe. Given a blank canvas, what sort of society do you create? The world in this story has been settled by people from Earth. The Gods who rule are former officers of a spaceship and some of their descendants. The suffering population, excluded from the hedonistic divine realm and maintained in a primitive condition, are the descendants of the passengers. This social order is maintained through reincarnation to reward loyalty and obedience. Those who question or doubt this divine order don't get reincarnated. Mara's importance lies in his technical ability, as the tools he invents give the Gods their power. The deception is that the divine ideology is underpinned by human technology. The state of the mass of the population is the result of an elite policy of repression.

This book stands out because of its Indian setting in a sea of science-fiction and fantasy stories recycling Arthurian myths. However, it also conforms to a grand cold war narrative of people oppressed by false ideology. The internet has an apt phrase to describe this: the truth will set you free, but first it will make you miserable. Here, I feel the book veers away from being different and conforms to type. It's not a change in consciousness that leads to freedom but a heroic band slugging it out on the battlefield. The promise of a different kind of story suggested by the India of myth, legend, and philosophy in space turns out to be another of Mara's deceptions.

Still, it's a nice concept and well designed. It's perhaps a witty homage to Arthur C. Clarke's remark about the difficulty of distinguishing between magic and highly advanced technology.

I read a great deal of Zelazny's works during my teenage years. And now, after many years have passed, I have decided to revisit some of his books. Generally speaking, this is a rather risky decision, but so far, it has been going quite well.

Zelazny has a penchant for simply choosing a subject and constructing a science fiction or fantasy world around it. This time, the subject he has chosen is Hinduism. The world he has created is extremely detailed and vivid. Technically, it is a science fiction world, but in practice, it feels more like fantasy. Or rather, it is an exploration of how advanced technology can be utilized to create the magic that human beings have always longed for in their mythologies.

The science within the story itself is rather nonsensical and rarely holds up when examined realistically. However, there was never much of a focus on it to begin with. The science fiction setting is merely a means to explore a mythology that feels realistic. Since Zelazny never attempts to pass off his speculative science as real science, I don't believe there is any need to criticize it as such.

The plot itself is good, but when it comes to human emotion and psychology, it is rather shallow. This is, for me at least, the only thing that is truly lacking from the book.

First Zelazny book and I'm more than impressed.

The novel is heavily veiled in Hinduist and Buddhist metaphor, which for me was extremely interesting. However, I can't say that I understood everything in it. It will definitely benefit from future rereads, and the flawless writing style will surely assist with that.

The novel is really short but dense, and it packs a punch. I don't think it's a book that can be spoiled, but nevertheless, it's best to approach it completely blind.

Can't write a comprehensive review on this one without seeming like I have schizophrenia, so I'll just recommend it to any and all sci-fi fans out there.

This book offers a unique and captivating reading experience. The use of religious metaphors adds depth and complexity to the story, making it a thought-provoking read. Despite its short length, it manages to convey a lot of ideas and emotions. The writing is engaging and流畅, drawing the reader in from the very beginning.

If you're a fan of science fiction and enjoy exploring different themes and concepts, this book is definitely worth checking out. It may not be everyone's cup of tea, but for those who are willing to take the plunge, it has the potential to be a truly rewarding read.

The original article seems to be rather concise. Let's expand it.

We have a particular item or service that has received a rating of 3.5 stars.

This rating indicates that it has certain qualities and aspects that are both good and perhaps have a bit of room for improvement.

With a link provided at 3.5 stars, one can potentially explore more details about this item or service.

It could be a product that functions well but might have a few minor glitches, or a service that is generally satisfactory but could be enhanced in some areas.

The 3.5-star rating serves as a useful guide for others who are considering whether to engage with this particular offering.

It gives an idea of its overall performance and helps in making an informed decision.

In my first reading, I gave this book three stars. It is likely that in the next reading, it will receive four stars, and in the third reading, five stars, because it is not a book that can be understood with just one reading.

For those like me who are not well-versed in hint mythology and Buddhism, it is like a fish out of water. It is recommended that you read Siddharta first, which is correct, but even when I read it, I didn't quite understand it. Mastery of the subject matter is very important. After a certain point, you become indifferent to the reincarnations and time skips and start reading without understanding.

The science fiction aspect of the book is only this: people who come to a planet other than Earth apply certain pressures on the people of that planet by giving themselves godlike adornments and names with high technological levels. The book also gives us a lot of imagination. It is difficult to understand. Besides that, it is a book that is completely in the style of a mythological story, with elements of flying, escaping, dying, and being reborn, at least in my eyes for now.

As I said, it is a strange book that needs to be read more than once to be fully understood, and this is not enough. It requires mastery of the subject matter. Is it good? Probably very good. One feels that light while reading, but cannot grasp it.

The book already has a difficult narrative to understand, and the editing done after translation has not made things any easier. On the contrary, it has made it even more difficult. The time/space transitions are not clear at all. It almost seems that they will not even move on to a new paragraph. Leaving a line space should not be this difficult. In the end, there is no use in printing it like this. Maybe it is desired to remain faithful to the original, but if these reader-friendly decisions are not made and implemented during the editing process, then there is no need for the editing stage either, that is, just print it as it is after translation.

Although some writing mistakes caught my attention, they did not bother me too much. I think it is a book that can truly be considered a classic and fits well into the series. Even though the science fiction aspect is very weak, this work could not be subjected to another classification.

I think this is an excellent vision of the'motivation of great power and great responsibility'. Would the gods allow mortals to progress? What if that progress would compromise their superiority? How long can one play the role of a god until they believe their own lie?

Zelazny seems to have a penchant for the idea of human (or super-human) gods, and he executes it quite well.

(I didn't read the synopsis before commencing the book, so I was slow to realize that this is actually science fiction. But once I grasped that...)

One shortcoming is the format of the book - it can sometimes be extremely difficult to follow the storyline. There are no sections within the chapters, and no indications as to who is speaking.

The episode where the man collects excrement to flush it down the newly installed toilet a month in the future is a detail that made me laugh out loud.

Yama participates in situations and is discussed in such a manner that it is almost a cliché - if only you substitute 'Yama' with 'Death' (there is no problem that Yama cannot solve).

All the 'gods' are afflicted by their human vices.

Perhaps if I were to read this book again, I would attempt to uncover some reason as to why the Death (or the Engineer), the Builder, the Night, and the Drunk (and the wise Ape) are the ones that assist with Enlightenment.

I guess this could have been OK had the narrative been stronger.

Many other reviewers seem to go overboard in praising the prose. It was just okay, really. The idea of gods acting like idiots isn't exactly a completely original one.

I suspect that Jo Walton might have derived some inspiration from it for her The Just City.

There are indeed some interesting ideas presented here, along with many flights of fancy. However, I was born right at the very tail-end of the 60s, and my parents rejected the whole psychedelic, drug-infused, pantheistic atmosphere that is so prevalent in this book.

I mean, it's not that I don't like it. It's just that it doesn't really resonate with me, I guess. There's something Wagnerian about it that I just couldn't quite make a connection with.

Maybe if I had a different background or mindset, I might have appreciated it more. But as it stands, it just didn't quite do it for me.

“Lord of Light” was published in 1967 and achieved significant acclaim, winning the Hugo in 1968. It is widely regarded as a science fiction masterwork. More than once, it has been listed as a top ten all-time science fiction novel, and many people consider it their favorite. I believe it holds great importance as it has influenced renowned writers like George R. R. Martin and John C. Wright.

However, my personal experience with the book was not entirely positive. I found it difficult to follow, and the story failed to come alive in my mind. There is much to appreciate, and perhaps a second reading would yield more fruitful results. But truth be told, I never developed a genuine care for the characters, and I had to force myself to complete it.

Let's start with the positives. The book has an excellent premise. Humans have migrated to another world, and the original crew, or "Firsts," have not only discovered a technology enabling them to be immortal through reincarnation but have also become gods in a material sense. They developed near-magical abilities to fight off and eventually imprison the original inhabitants, beings of pure energy. Their descendants now live in a near-medieval society, worshiping the Firsts in the form of Hindu gods. The gods control the reincarnation process and force the population to undergo a mind scan at age 60 to determine their reincarnation result. Those deemed unworthy may return in diseased bodies or even as animals like primates or dogs. The plot follows the main character, Sam, who embraces Buddhism over Hinduism and aims to give the population the same technology the gods enjoy. The story is complex and nuanced, with well-written fight scenes.

Now, let's discuss what I disliked. Firstly, there is a significant amount of exposition and info dumps. I understand that this may be somewhat necessary given the scale of the story, both in terms of time and world-building. However, I couldn't progress through a chapter without constantly being reminded that this was a story. I rarely became fully immersed in the characters and the tale. The prose often seems intentionally obscure, and the characters have multiple names, which can be confusing. Additionally, many subtle references to Hindu and Buddhist culture may have been lost on me. The story begins with a thinly introduced flashback, meanders, and fails to build strong tension or reach a satisfying climax for me.

I must note that I read this book during the beginning of the Covid-19 Global Pandemic, a time when I was highly distracted and struggling to stay positive. This likely influenced my impressions of the work. As I mentioned earlier, a reread in the future may change my viewpoint. At this point in time, I'm giving it 3.5 stars, rounded up to 4 for its strong premise and the cultural influences it has created. It is imaginative and epic in scope, but also murky and too unfocused for my personal tastes.