The world has been devastated by nuclear disasters and lies in ruins. People have migrated to other planets and are content with their lives there. On Earth, only mutated animals and humans remain, making it a dangerous and mysterious place. This situation has led to it being regarded as a tourist stop by the races of other planets. It is a historical heritage that is not highly regarded by humans.

Our story revolves around a Vegali (a race from the Vega planet) who wants to explore Earth and a team that takes care of him. The protagonist of the novel is Conrad Nomikos, the leader of this team and responsible for the historical sites on Earth. As it is understood at the beginning of the story, he is immortal, which naturally makes him an expert in his work. His immortality is a fact that is sensed by others but cannot be proven. He also hides it himself.

As the Vegali explores Earth, the team cannot avoid facing various challenges. They are all faced with death, especially Conrad. There are assassinations planned due to political issues, gladiator robots, mutated humans, giant creatures... These parts are read with great excitement and quickly lead to the end of the book, but...

This chaos bothered me as a reader. The book shows rapid changes in terms of the themes and language it uses. The lack of a main theme also prevents you from developing a reading style for the book.

It seems that the author wants to rush into using fantastic themes, but at the same time also wants to add a science fiction flavor. I'm not going to say "decide already" in a rough manner. If the author wanted to write like this, I can't judge, but this speed and variety reduce the memorability of the book.

For example, there is political unrest regarding the Vega government's purchase of many regions of the world and the relegation of humans to the status of refugees when they are accepted to Vega, and there is a secret organization arising from this unrest, but the story does not dwell much on this.

Conrad is immortal, but why and how? Let's say it's not necessary to explain this. Well, other than the function that emerges at the end of the book, what is the contribution of this immortality to the book?

The love Conrad feels for his wife is intense at the beginning of the book, but... All of a sudden, everything becomes clear. I should have understood from Conrad's Greek origin or his constant references to Greek myths.

This book is a weak repetition of the Odyssey or the hero who leaves his home and returns home after crossing a thousand obstacles. Well, how can we transfer a Greek myth to a science fiction book and bring back those mythical creatures? If the world turns into ruins after a nuclear disaster and chickens mutate and emerge like the Roc bird from the ashes, the requirements for this epic are ready. Of course, there is no Roc bird in the book, but there are mutated dogs, crocodiles, bats, and even ducks. There are also humans, vampires, and zombies.

Conrad is also a strong, powerful, and intelligent hero, with abilities that can overcome them all. The process is complete. Conrad, who talks about heroism dozens of times throughout the book, actually gives the formula openly:

"Okay, Hasan, you're a lucky bastard,' I said. 'You've just won a do-it-yourself Heroism Model, and the monster comes free. Good luck.'" p. 140

Even the characters in the novel who accompany the hero are constructed according to a formula. And this formula is explicitly stated by Moreby:

"Well, we also have the language of a poet, the blood of two heartless warriors, the brain of a very select scientist, the liver of a fiery politician, and the strange-colored meat of a Vegali -" p. 136

Although they are not given personalities, there are also women in this team: either they are dependent on men or they are sinners. Stereotype!

Actually, the author's insistence on putting this mythical cover in front of our eyes (even if I understood it late) adds a sense of humor to the book. Conrad is also a very funny and sarcastic character in the novel. Therefore, it is possible for the reader to have fun while getting out of this chaos.

There is still a lot to talk about, but I also got confused while explaining. Forgive me, I'm leaving you with mixed feelings about the book.

Translation and correction note:

The translation of the book is excellent. Let's not find fault with Unquenchable Trust's work. I only saw one obvious mistake like the translation of "radio" as "radyo" instead of "telsiz".

There were some translations that made me laugh:

"Trip and break your neck."

"I hope you break your neck." p. 138

"Therefore, we must plan an escape, else we will be served up on a chafing dish."

"Therefore, either we plan an escape, or we become minced meat for dinner." p. 138

Procrustes kicked him several times, and me once for good measure.
Procrustes kicked him several times, and me once for good luck. p. 153

Besides these beautiful translations, there was one translation that I didn't understand:

The character named Hasan in the novel has known Conrad (for a long time) and calls him Karacı instead of Conrad. I didn't understand this. I looked at the original text: Karagee

I didn't understand why it was translated as Karacı. When Hasan first met Conrad, Conrad's name was Karaghiosis. The translator may have Turkicized this name as Karagozis, which is a nice translation.

In the original text, Karagee is probably a shortened form of Karaghiosis. Therefore, instead of Karacı, which is also a meaningful translation in Turkish, Karagi could have been used.

Off, you might say "is this what you're getting hung up on?" and I'll reply "I don't have the energy."

The correction of the book was also very good. I think I only encountered three misspellings. Publishers these days should take examples from publishers like Metis. This book was published so neatly 17 years ago, but now many publishers that we call "big" (for example, İthaki) can publish some of their books without a final read.

Nationalist addition:

"Karagozis is the name of a character in the old Greek shadow play, like Punch in the Punch and Judy plays in Europe. He was the only one without a sword and a shield." p. 84

Oh, come on! You said it was for coffee and baklava, okay, but let's not let our beautiful shadow play be captured!

I truly wish that I could assign a higher rating to this book. I really do. However, as it stands, I believe that "It was OK" encapsulates my feelings towards it perfectly.

This was my very first encounter with Zelazny's work, and perhaps it wasn't the ideal one to commence with. But I have an intense love for post-apocalyptic books, and I had been eager to read this particular one ever since I learned that it fell into that genre. Nevertheless, I won't allow the fact that this didn't receive a higher rating to deter me from exploring more of Zelazny's works. :)

There were several aspects that prevented this book from being truly great for me.

Firstly, I had the impression (perhaps wrongly) that this would be a sort of "touring the desolate wasteland of the post-nuclear world with a member of the alien Overlord race, who may or may not be attempting to eradicate the survivors - and Conrad is the sole obstacle" kind of book. That's what I gleaned from the description on the back cover, at any rate:

With the Three Days of War and decades of Vegan occupation, Earth is in a rather sorry state these days. In fact, all that seems left for us is to sell off our heritage piece by piece to the blueskins. That's why Conrad Nomikos, Minister of Culture, Arts and Monuments, is chosen to play the role of native guide when one of these superior beings pays a visit to our backwater planet - and finds himself also acting as the haughty alien's bodyguard.

But should he? He claims that the purpose of his visit is to write a travelogue, but it's entirely possible that the real reason the Vegan is here is to write finis to the Human race.

So, I was rather surprised to discover that this aspect is very much in the background for the majority of the story. It appears that numerous other, scarcely related, themes take over the narrative.

This book is extremely rich in Greek symbolism and mythology (one of the themes that I feel dominated the story), and perhaps it's just me, but I didn't feel that it was very accessible to someone who isn't well-versed in Greek history and mythology. Granted, I'm aware that this is a shortcoming on my part, as I don't expect authors to simplify or dumb down their work to accommodate lazy individuals who refuse to learn. But I do possess a basic knowledge and understanding of Greek history, and I still failed to grasp a significant number of the references. *shrug*

It could still be entertaining to some, even without fully comprehending all the classical references, but likely not in the intended manner. And this was rather distracting for me. I felt as though I was reading a book with every other sentence written in invisible ink.

Even the dialogue gave me that impression. I have a passion for dialogue. It's excellent for advancing the story, clarifying the plot, and getting to know the characters... so much can be achieved with it if it's executed well. But I really struggled with the dialogue in this book.

I can usually follow dialogue quite easily, but here, the initial speaker would be named, and then everything that followed would be without a designated speaker. I often had to reread the dialogue two or three times because the same speaker would go twice consecutively, or the one whose turn it was wouldn't say anything, and the conversation wouldn't make sense as my internal score-keeper was thrown off.

But even aside from that confusion, a great deal of the conversation seemed to assume that the reader knew what the character knew. Terms were simply tossed out without any explanation. Cryptic sentence fragments would be met with even more cryptic monosyllabic responses. There was no background provided for many of the organizations or political bodies, yet the dialogue would proceed as if anyone listening had a comprehensive understanding of it.

Continuing, another such take-over situation occurred in Greece, where a tribe essentially abducts the group and states, "Hey, we're going to eat you, but since we're reasonable scary cannibals, not only am I going to explain everything upfront like a bad James Bond villain, but I will then, to further my comparison to a bad James Bond villain, offer to let you earn your freedom by fighting our biggest, scariest cannibal dude." Huh? I don't understand. A lot of action takes place afterwards, and it was interesting, but I don't really see how it relates to the story. It was humorous, though.

Conrad, the main character, was too distant and mysterious for my liking. The only time he truly felt human was when he thought that his wife had been killed in an earthquake. I still don't know what his motivation is. It seems that he is attempting to preserve Earth by making it unappealing to the Vegans, but I'm not certain because he just seems to not care one way or the other. As the Vegan's tour guide/bodyguard, he was nobly striving to prevent any harm from befalling him - unless and until he could find sufficient incentive not to.

Anyway, it just seemed as if there were two or even three stories being told, and I simply missed the connection. Since the book seems to receive such positive reviews from so many people, I'm fully prepared to accept the fact that it's probably me who couldn't see the forest for the trees, so to speak. By all accounts, this book is better upon a second reading, so perhaps I'll give it another try after obtaining a degree in Greek History! ;)

Roger Zelazny was an outrageously brilliant and captivating genius. Even more than 25 years after his passing, he remains an unparalleled figure in the literary world. He was the only author capable of conceiving and successfully narrating a story as utterly insane as This Immortal. What's more, he did it with remarkable wit, humor, and verve. The story is filled with heart-stopping action, rich mythological allusions, and incredibly inventive and lofty science-fictional concepts. And to top it off, he managed to bring it all together in under two hundred pages! The man was truly a magician, a wizard of sorts.

This Immortal, if my information is accurate, shared the Hugo Award for Best Novel with Frank Herbert's record-breaking bestseller Dune. Many sci-fi fans might be skeptical and wonder, "what on earth is This Immortal?" For me, I can clearly see why the Hugos decided to recognize and honor This Immortal on par with Dune. Although they might not have known at the time that Dune would become a sci-fi classic in terms of sales. I firmly believe that Zelazny's This Immortal belongs in the same league as Dune or any of the other great sff novels that are constantly ranked highly on various lists.

If you're new to Zelazny, I highly recommend reading Lord of Light first. It's likely his strongest work, especially considering that This Immortal was his very first novel! Lord of Light has a different style and a more controlled narrative, characteristic of a more experienced writer. However, it shares with This Immortal the same love for ancient mythological references and themes. While Lord of Light delves into Hindu and Buddhist mythologies, This Immortal explores Greek myth, legend, and folklore. And Zelazny handles both with extraordinary skill and confidence.

I'll admit that I had some doubts after reading the first ten or twenty pages of this book. I was thinking, "what on earth is going on here?" But my doubts were quickly dispelled. I trusted Zelazny, and he delivered in a big way.

I give this book five out of five stars for once again blowing my mind.

This is an extremely enjoyable read and one of my all-time favorite books.

In a post-apocalyptic Earth, an alien is touring the planet. This alien's species played a crucial role in saving humanity after we nearly destroyed our home. The tour guide, Conrad, narrates the story from his point of view. Most of the trip is a surreal blend of science fiction and diverse mythology that has been brought to life by radiation.

On the surface, the book is short, quirky, and simple. However, there are offhand references, names, and partial quotes that turn this story into a bit of a treasure hunt. These elements not only enhance the meaning of many simple phrases but also often give it a poetic feel. It is best enjoyed by those who are well-read in the classics and mythology.

Having some knowledge of Zelazny doesn't hurt. If you've never read his work before, I wouldn't recommend starting with this one. Probably the Amber series, beginning with "Nine Princes in Amber", is the best place to start.

One of the best guides to this story can be found in NESFA's "Power & Light", the second volume of their "Complete Works of Roger Zelazny". In this collection, the editors have published the novel in its original two-part novella form. Besides some words from Zelazny himself, they have also included explanations at the end of each part that clarify many (if not most) of the references. They did a great job with this. When expanding this to a novel, Zelazny didn't really add all that much that matters significantly.

If anyone ever wants to do a group read of this book, please let me know. I would absolutely love to participate.

This Immortal: A Captivating Blend of New Wave SF and Greek Mythology

Roger Zelazny, a prominent figure in the 1960s New Wave, made his mark with short stories. However, his first novel, This Immortal, was a remarkable achievement. In 1966, it tied for the inaugural Nebula Award with Frank Herbert's Dune, a literary giant in the SF genre. The question then arises: how could this relatively short 174-page paperback compete with a behemoth like Dune?

The story follows Conrad Nomikos, responsible for maintaining the ancient ruins of classical human civilization on a post-holocaust Earth. Populated by humans, mutants, and fearsome mythical creatures, Earth serves as a tourist destination for the blue-skinned Vegans. Conrad reluctantly accepts an assignment to show the sights to a Vegan journalist, Cort Myshtigo, who is writing a book on human civilization.
From the outset, there are numerous suspicious elements. Several tour members have connections to a rebel human group, the Rad Pols, who aim to夺回 control of Earth from the Vegans. Additionally, the bodyguard, Hasan, is a well-known assassin hired to kill the Vegan for political reasons.
Conrad himself conceals a mysterious past. Some suspect him of being Karagiozis, a revolutionary Greek who fought against the Vegans as a terrorist. He possesses detailed knowledge of events hundreds of years in the past, as well as superhuman strength and fighting skills. Who is this enigmatic figure, and why is he acting as a tour guide to the Vegans? Is he opposed to the Vegans or not? What are their plans for Earth?
This Immortal bears a striking resemblance to Samuel R. Delany's 1967 Nebula winner, The Einstein Intersection. Both novels depict devastated far-future Earths inhabited by mutants and adventurers, with strong and overt references to Greek myths. The prose is playful, rich in bizarre imagery and literary allusions, and skips from scene to scene with abandon. Like Delany, Zelazny sought to infuse SF with literary allusions and allegory, reflecting the social upheavals of the 1960s.
Unlike The Einstein Intersection, however, This Immortal features a well-developed storyline and characters, especially the narrator Conrad. His complex relationship with Hasan the Assassin adds depth to the narrative. As they find themselves on opposite sides regarding the Vegan Myshtigo, their unshakable code of honor creates a captivating dynamic.
The novel also explores Conrad's conflicted thoughts about Earth's fate and his role in it. His pride and defiance are juxtaposed with moments of resignation and pessimism. For example, he states, "It is our country. The Goths, the Huns, the Volgars, the Serbs, the Francs, the Turks, the Vegans have never made it go away from us." Later, however, his resolve weakens as he contemplates the idea of letting the Vegans take over Earth.
Despite these moments of doubt, Conrad quickly regains his determination. He recalls his loss and his desire for revenge, stating, "I did not want to be at one with anything that had harmed that which was mine, by blood and by love."
This Immortal is a great novel, distinct from Dune yet equally deserving of recognition. The audiobook, narrated by Victor Bevine, brings Conrad's world-weary philosophical musings to life with his deep and rich voice. It is a must-read for fans of New Wave SF and Greek mythology.

Conrad, an immortal being (perhaps a demigod?), decides to take a vegan (the planet, not the dietary choice) on a guided tour of a post-apocalyptic earth.

The vegan's purpose remains mysterious, and some people worry that the vegans might want to buy earth, which still has several nice tourist attractions. Conrad has sworn to safeguard the alien from both friends and foes.

This book is a great read, filled with plenty of action involving monsters and mutants. It's a bit of a revival of the age of heroes. The world-building and character development are well done, considering it's a relatively short book. It seems deliberately ambiguous how long Conrad has been around. There are numerous references to Greek mythology that suggest he might have known the pantheon of Olympian gods.

If you're a fan of Greek myths, you'll definitely enjoy this book. I was glad that I had recently read "Mythos" by Stephen Fry because Zelazny doesn't hold your hand when it comes to his references.

I was aware that this was a Hugo winner, but when I learned that it tied with "Dune," I was a bit surprised, and it definitely influenced my expectations. However, there's no comparison between the two books. They are very different. While "Dune" has achieved dizzying heights of popularity in the general zeitgeist, "This Immortal" isn't well-known outside of science fiction readers.

Zelazny has an interesting style, often drawing from myth and religion. This is the fourth book I've read by him, and I haven't been disappointed yet.

It’s truly embarrassing that this is my very first encounter with Zelazny’s work. For so long, I had envisioned his writings as being of the quirky fantasy genre, not something that would hold any appeal for my decades-long affinity towards hard sci-fi. However, as time has passed, I have become more open to the world of fantasy. Moreover, this particular piece is actually science fiction, and a delightfully engaging one at that.

The story is set in a post-nuclear apocalyptic Earth. Here, the remaining humans, numbering only a few million, are divided. Some live a utopian life under the support of an advanced alien race from Vega, while others inhabit the wastelands in primitive conditions. Our protagonist, Conrad, heads a government division dedicated to the preservation of human cultural sites and artefacts. This division is granted significant power due to the potential economic benefits from tourism. Conrad is tasked by his boss to organize an inspection of cultural resources and ecological status around the world for an important alien named Myshtigo, beginning with Egypt.

Conrad hopes to dissuade the Vegans from getting overly involved and interfering in the restoration and rehabilitation work of Earth. As he organizes the tour, he is deeply concerned about the potential for a diplomatic disaster and retributions if Myshtigo were to be injured or killed by dangerous mutant wildlife or remnants of the anti-Vegan revolt among the surviving “wild” human settlements. Conrad is surprised to find out how much he likes the Vegan. However, when he begins to suspect that members of his own security team may be part of a plot to kill Myshtigo, he is torn by conflicting motivations.

Slowly, it comes to light that Conrad has numerous secrets regarding his past. Thanks to genetic treatments, he enjoys the privilege of an indefinite long life and special physiological advantages that enhance his superior warrior capabilities. Over the course of hundreds of years of history, he has held important roles within the rebel movement under different identities. In essence, he approaches a demi-god status. At one point, when he learns that his home island, where he lives with his love Cassandra, has sunk like Atlantis due to an earthquake, his berserker rage is on par with that of the Roman gods. It takes most of his party to restrain him from destroying everyone in sight.

Conrad’s first-person account makes for a truly wonderful and enjoyable read. It is filled with philosophical and humorous interludes, paced perfectly by classic heroic action sequences. Supposedly, Zelazny intended there to be an ambiguity as to whether this is a “realistic” science fiction tale of post-apocalypse recovery or a fantasy of a superhero enacting mythic themes as the god Pan. Either way, for me, it was a well-written, engaging, and thoroughly satisfying tale. It has definitely made me eager to explore more of Zelazny’s works!

Roger Zelazny's debut novel is a captivating blend of Greek mythology and a future world.

Set long after a nuclear war on Earth, it presents a future that is not entirely post-apocalyptic, but rather leans towards the "Dying Earth" concept rather than the chaos of "Mad Max."

Here, many of the traits that would later define Zelazny's style are already evident. There is snappy dialogue that keeps the story moving at a brisk pace, a Byronic hero who adds an air of mystery and charm, plot twists that may or may not make immediate sense, and a healthy dose of ambiguity.

Most importantly, the book is simply a lot of fun to read. The Zelazny formula, which would become familiar in his later works, has a fresh and exciting feel in this first novel. It offers a unique and engaging reading experience that will appeal to fans of science fiction and mythology alike.

Overall, Zelazny's first novel is a promising start to what would become a remarkable career.

How much magic can a book written in 1966, in its 1999 edition, exert on a reader completely unfamiliar with science fiction?

Later answering: a lot of magic.

The book fell almost randomly into my hands.

I intended it as a gift but said I would take a look at it before giving it away.

What attracted my attention the most was its cover: a blurry familiar image.

I looked at the editions: Triton.

The title was dual: "This Immortal" or "... And Call Me Conrad" and had no relation to the Greek title. I didn't read the preface so as not to spoil the surprises. My curiosity had peaked.

The author's hero, Conrad, is a Greek who has traveled through time, remaining immortal. A warrior, intelligent, with a flawless memory, a champion of values, but also a common man, a loner, emotional, and ironic. He loves the ruins of a devastated Earth, refusing to come to terms with the present. The dominant beings are now the Vegans, evolved entities who live on their planet and have colonized neighboring planets. For them, Earth, with its enchanting history of ages, plays the role of a stage, in the parts that remain and have not suffered complete destruction from radiation.

As I progressed in reading, I turned to the cover more and more often, puzzling my mind as to what the image reminded me of. The riddle was solved relatively quickly: the building of the Parliament! And below in plain letters "Vegans go home". I did something like a laugh!

An American-born, with a Polish father and an Irish-American mother, writes in 1966 a book, with a Greek hero and many historical and mythological elements, without ever having set foot in Greece. He puts a map of the streets of Athens below and writes a scene in the city.

He has a rich imagination and poetic writing, emotional but often pessimistic and dark, sometimes again with humor and a practical disposition.

The book won the Nebula award that year. It marked the path of Zelazny who had already started in 1962 and continued tirelessly and creatively, even when he had cancer and was undergoing secret chemotherapy. He believed that one must live the moment and embrace life without unnecessary questions and concerns.

On page 117, through the mouth of his hero, Conrad or Constantine, he speaks of Greece.

"It is our homeland. The Goths, the Huns, the Bulgarians, the Serbs, the Franks, the Turks and finally the Vegans, could never take it from us. Athens and I have changed a bit, together. But the land of Greece is always the land of Greece and does not change. Try to change it, whoever you are, and my thieves will take the mountains and the hills, like the earthly avengers of ancient times. You will fade away, but the hills of Greece will remain, unchanged, with the smell of roasted lamb meat, with the wine and blood mixed, with a taste of sweet almonds, a cool air at night and blue skies as much as the eyes of the gods during the day. Touch it, if you dare."

6.0 stars.

I just re-read this classic by Roger Zelazny and I was truly and deeply impressed. It may not be quite on par with Lord of Light (after all, how many books can be?), but it is still an incredibly smart, well-written, and original science fiction story. It masterfully combines elements of post-apocalyptic science fiction, alien travelogue, and mythic fiction.

BRIEF PLOT SUMMARY:

Hundreds of years after a devastating nuclear war known as "The Three Days," the Earth's population has dwindled to only four million. The planet is now infested with a diverse range of mutated lifeforms, some of which bear a resemblance to mythological creatures and monsters. Humanity has joined the civilization of the Vegans, a race of blue-skinned aliens who now own much of Earth's real estate and have established "vacation resorts" to tour the ancient attractions of Earth.

The story is narrated by Conrad Nomikos (also known as Konstantin Kallikanzaros and many other names), a man of "indeterminate" age with a very colorful past that he prefers not to discuss. Conrad is tasked with giving a tour of the Earth ruins to a Vegan VIP who may have an ulterior motive for taking such a tour. The rest of the story is a superb ride that is quintessentially Zelazny.

Zelazny's imagination knows no bounds, his writing is of the highest caliber, and Conrad is a truly great character. In conclusion, this is a true classic, a great story that is not only intellectually stimulating but also a whole lot of fun.

Winner: Hugo Award for Best Science Fiction Award (tied with Dune)(1966)

The book in question shared the Hugo Award with Dune in the year it was released. It was indeed an entertaining read. I believe it was Zelazny's very first novel. However, in my opinion, it simply does not measure up to the greatness of Dune.

Don't get me wrong, it had its own charm and engaging elements. The story likely had some interesting twists and turns that kept the reader hooked. But when compared to Dune, which is a classic and a masterpiece in the science fiction genre, it falls short.

Dune has a depth and complexity that is truly remarkable. Its world-building, character development, and exploration of themes are second to none. The other book, while enjoyable, just didn't have that same level of impact and brilliance. So, I'm sorry to say that as much as I may have liked it on its own merits, it is not in the same league as Dune.

Although the plot initially seemed interesting and the average rating among my friends was 4.33 stars, I was never able to connect with Zelazny's narration at any point.

First of all, it mixes too many themes at once: nuclear conflict, tourist visits from blue aliens, a vampire, Egyptian and Greek myths, natural disasters... but all of it is described from the protagonist's point of view with a layer of indifference that prevented me from connecting. I don't doubt Zelazny's literary quality, but it's the typical "it's not you, it's me". Maybe at another time I would have liked it more. It gave me the feeling that this book hides a story with many layers that I just wasn't able to see.

This novel shared the 1966 Hugo Award with Dune, and while not taking away its literary merit, I think the latter has been more accessible to the general public and has been able to update itself over the years.