I read this when I was about 15 and the main story stuck with me all these years: A Rose for Ecclesiastes.

It was truly a remarkable piece that had a profound impact on me.

Recently, I decided to read it again and was amazed to realize that it had, in a way, kept the door open for me to discover the Bible as a real and meaningful thing in my life.

I'm sure the author, Roger, wasn't planning such a thing, but that's the beauty of great literature.

The story itself is absolutely gorgeous, just like all of the works in that collection.

It weaves a tale that is both captivating and thought-provoking, drawing the reader in and making them reflect on the deeper meanings of life and faith.

Even after all these years, it still holds the same power and charm, and I'm grateful to have discovered it at such a young age.

It has truly been a guiding light in my spiritual journey.

This was a rather quick read that I managed to get through over the course of 4 days while camping.

It's interesting to note that some of the stories, considering their publication dates in the 1960s, have perhaps aged a little. However, a significant number of them still manage to hit the mark even after more than 50 years.

One rather prominent feature of almost all of the stories is that they have a white male as the lead character. Additionally, there is a curious preponderance of smoking that, somewhat surprisingly, still seems to be occurring in what is supposed to be the far future.

This aspect gives the stories a certain charm and a sense of a bygone era, while also making one wonder about the changing social attitudes and norms towards smoking over the years.

Overall, despite their age and some of the dated elements, these stories still have the power to engage and entertain readers.

What did Roger do to deserve treatment like this?

It's truly a mystery. Roger might have unknowingly made a mistake that led to such harsh treatment. Maybe he said something inappropriate without realizing the consequences. Or perhaps he failed to meet certain expectations in a project or task.

However, it's also possible that there was a misunderstanding or miscommunication. Maybe the person or group giving the treatment didn't have all the facts straight.

It's important to consider all the possible factors before passing judgment. We should try to understand Roger's perspective and the context in which this treatment occurred.

Only then can we truly determine if he deserved it or if there was more to the story.

Maybe with further investigation and communication, a more just and fair resolution can be reached.

I literally stumbled upon this book. It was a pleasant surprise when I found it in a neighborhood Little Free Library. And I'm truly glad that I did.

This collection of Zelazny short stories is quite remarkable. I believe all of them were written during the 1960s. As I read through them, they constantly reminded me of the J.G. Ballard-style science fiction. The stories are well-written and relatively short, which is a nice change of pace. What makes them even more interesting is that they provide more questions than answers. They require the reader to actively engage and fill in the blanks, using their imagination and critical thinking skills.

After reading this collection, I can definitely say that it has whetted my appetite for more of Zelazny's work. I'm eager to explore his other stories and see what other unique and thought-provoking ideas he has to offer. I'm looking forward to delving deeper into his fictional worlds and experiencing the magic of his writing once again.

This is one of the best collections I've read. The stories within it are consistently good to great. Each one offers a unique and captivating experience.

Corrida (6.5) presents a fascinating concept of bullfighting where you are the bull and Satan is the toreador. It's a thrilling and imaginative take on the traditional bullfight.

The Man Who Loved the Faioli (7.0) is a story that I don't fully understand, but it's just so damn cool. A robot graveyard keeper forms a relationship with a life-draining, angel/slut of death. The combination of these elements creates a strange and engaging narrative.

The Monster and the Maiden (7.0) is a short and funny story about sacrificing a dragon to a human. It's like a humorous joke that leaves you with a smile.

A Museum Piece (6.5) is short, silly, and sometimes witty. The idea that if you can't be an artist, then be art is an interesting one that adds a touch of lightheartedness to the collection.

Collector's Fever (6.0) is a short and quirky story that I guess can be considered a hard sci-fi joke. It has its own charm and uniqueness.

Devil Car (7.0) is a cool and fun story with a Mad Max-ish feel, but it's completely original. The action and adventure in this story make it a great read.

Divine Madness (6.0) tells the story of a man who loses his wife in a car accident and then experiences seizures where everything happens in reverse. It's a thought-provoking and emotional story.

Love is an Imaginary Number (6.5) is not a bad story. It makes you wonder if the protagonist is the devil, Prometheus, or just an ordinary man.

Lucifer (7.0) is a story that I'm not sure why it's called "Lucifer," but it's damn poignant. It explores deep themes and emotions.

The Great Slow Kings (9.0) is an excellent story. They are like ents, only even slower. The world-building and character development in this story are top-notch.

The Keys to December (7.0) is a story that I forgot to add notes about, but I remember liking it. It must have left a positive impression on me.

The Mortal Mountain (6.0) is an original story about a team climbing the highest mountain ever and being haunted by computers trying to protect a dying woman. The ending was a bit confusing for me, but overall, it was an interesting read.

This Moment of the Storm (7.0) is a good story that's not super creative, but it's poignant and interesting. It has a certain charm that keeps you engaged.

A Rose for Ecclesiastes (7.5) is a story where anyone else would have stopped with the basic plot, but the author gave it so much more. It's a complex and thought-provoking tale.

The Doors of His Face, The Lamps of His Mouth (9.0) is Zelazny at the top of his game. The writing is amazing, and the plot is super witty, cool, and original. It's a standout story in the collection.

Fisher, climber, cowboy romanticism, terraforming, a proto-amber and other stories.

My favourite story was "A Rose for Ecclesiastes". It delved into the fatalisms of the Old Marsians, presenting a captivating and thought-provoking narrative.

However, not all stories were to my liking. "The Great Slow Kings" and "Corrida" received only a few stars from me.

The collection had a diverse range of stories. "The Doors of His Face, the Lamps of His Mouth" was a fisher story on Old Venus. "The Keys to December" explored terraforming for Cold Cats. "Devil Car" combined Wild West romanticism with A.I. cars. "Collector's Fever" was a funny and bizarre SF about collecting an intelligent stone. "This Mortal Mountain" dealt with mysticistic climbing turning real. "This Moment of the Storm" followed a storm watcher leading a city through the perils of a storm. "A Museum Piece" was a satirical and witty story about an artist fleeing the world and exhibiting himself as a statue. "Divine Madness" was a reverse time love story. "Love is an Imaginary Number" was a proto-Amber story. And many more, each with its own unique charm and characteristics.

Overall, this collection offered a rich tapestry of science fiction and fantasy, with stories that ranged from the profound to the absurd, and everything in between.

Paraku polnud just mu lemmik-Zelazny.

However, in different fields, there was something interesting and surprising.

Zelazny was truly my favorite, but as it turned out, in various aspects, there were certain elements that caught my attention.

Maybe it was the unique way he approached a particular subject, or perhaps it was the unexpected twists and turns in his works.

Whatever it was, it made me realize that even my favorite had more to offer than I initially thought.

This discovery added a new layer of depth and excitement to my appreciation of Zelazny's contributions.

It showed that there is always more to explore and discover, even within the things we hold dear.

So, I continue to be intrigued and inspired by Zelazny, eager to see what other surprises he has in store for me.

Loved this book for a long time. You might, too

I have been a passionate admirer of this book for an extended period. It's truly a remarkable piece of work that I believe you might also come to cherish. I possess multiple physical copies of "Doors." While it may have a few inconsistencies, even Zelazny's sub-par efforts are superior to the best works of most other writers.

The book kicks off with some of its strongest stories. Three out of the first four are simply exquisite, with the astonishing "A Rose for Ecclesiastes" being a standout. After that initial burst of brilliance, the tone becomes slightly less poetic, yet Zelazny's imagination remains both multilayered and extraordinary. He has crafted one of the two funniest sci-fi stories I have ever had the pleasure of reading, and two of the top three. (Come on, iBooks. Publish "A Night in the Lonesome October" as quickly as possible.)

So, the question remains: is this book worth your time? The answer is an resounding yes. You will have to overlook the Mars of "Ecclesiastes," a place that we now know couldn't exist, and the same goes for the Venus in the title story. However, the stories set within these impossibilities are so engaging and well-told that you probably won't mind at all.

Don't hesitate. Grab this title without delay.

This elegant tale, which won the Nebula for best Novelette in 1965, has, for some reason, not found its way into any of those "best of short stories" collections that are published year after year. These collections always seem to contain the same old classic titles, perhaps with one or two new mainstream authors included for a touch of freshness. This is a literary crime, as this story should rightfully be considered a literary classic, but unfortunately, it is not.

It is a fishing story, yet the setting makes it truly fascinating. Narrated by a black protagonist, with elements of the racial insensitivity of the 1960s and 70s, we witness a group of master fishermen and women coming together for the catch of the millennia - an incredibly massive fish, larger than any creature on Earth. Many have attempted to catch one, but all have failed, and some have even lost their lives in the process.
The narrator once came close to catching such a fish, and now he joins the crew of a superrich woman who can afford the exorbitant cost of an expedition. Will they be able to land the fish? Read the story to find out and embark on a fishing adventure with Zelazny on Venus.
The rest of the stories in the collection are also good, but the title story is the real gem.

It stands out for its unique setting, engaging narrative, and thought-provoking themes.

It is a story that will stay with you long after you have finished reading it.

It is a shame that it has not received the recognition it deserves as a literary classic.

Perhaps with time, more people will discover this wonderful story and it will finally take its rightful place among the great works of literature.

It is a very good collection of '60s SF stories. I had read the first few Amber novels and generally liked them. However, I was truly surprised to find that some of these stories are much stronger than the series for which he seems to be most remembered. The Amber series has its own charm with its twists and turns, but the writing style appears to be much lighter in tone. Maybe it was simplified for the masses or perhaps it was per a publisher's request.

The stories presented here vary from dark to humorous, yet Zelazny's intellect is clearly evident. Beyond the necessary far future imaginings typical of this era of SF, I was astonished by the numerous references to high literature and religion. I don't have the patience to write a story by story review. A few of the shortest stories didn't quite stick in my mind, but most of them are excellent. In particular, "A Rose for Ecclesiastes", "This Mortal Mountain", and "The Keys to December" stand out. Overall, this book holds its ground as one of the better SF collections that I have had the pleasure to read.

It took me a while to finish this book. The reason is that the copy I have is 40 something years old, and it seems that it didn't agree with my allergies. Every time I got near it, I would feel physically ill. However, my opinion of this book did not lessen in the slightest. In fact, it grew stronger. If it hadn't hooked me, I probably wouldn't have picked it up and would have put it in my occasional donate pile.

I knew nothing about the author's writing ability or the short stories collected in this book, except that the cover told me the leading story won the Nebula Award. By the end of this book, I was extremely happy to learn that I also had another of his books. I will always be grateful to my boyfriend for picking them up at a local library book sale.

As the stories unfolded around me, I was amazed at the intelligence and creativity behind each world-building and character. There was love and determination, monsters and death. Usually, I'm not a fan of love stories, but this one was beautifully written without excessive sugary descriptions. I could tell that each word was carefully chosen to achieve the overall goal of never letting you forget them.

This is a book composed of short stories, yet their quality is rather uneven.

Some of the outstanding ones include: "The Doors of his Face, The Lamps of His Mouth" (this particular story is extremely good and has won awards); "The Keys to December"; "A Rose for Ecclesiastes"; "This Mortal Mountain"; "The Great Slow Kings"; "A Museum Piece"; and "The Furies".

However, especially towards the conclusion, there are lengthy stories that mainly consist of inner monologues. These failed to capture my interest, and as a result, I simply skimmed through them. It's a pity that the latter part didn't live up to the standard set by the earlier excellent stories. Nevertheless, the book as a whole still has its merits, with those remarkable tales shining through and making it worth a read, despite the slight disappointment in the latter portion.