This novel tied with Frank Herbert's Dune for the 1966 Hugo Award.

Although it's no Dune (an unfair comparison for almost any work), it holds up remarkably well. Every time I read Roger Zelazny, I remind myself that I should seek out more of his work.

This Immortal is set on a post-apocalyptic earth. Here, "hot spots" are the lasting gift of a nuclear war, and mutant humans who resemble creatures out of myth are reclaiming the land. The main character, Conrad Nomikos, seems to be immortal and may even be an ancient god.

It is his task to escort an influential extraterrestrial on a sightseeing trip around the ruins of the planet. With politics and economics, assassins and terrorists added in, the conflict over the sad, radioactive scraps of the earth becomes quite interesting.

Zelazny's fascination and deft touch with world mythology shine brightly in this novel, as does his gift for characterization amidst action. Irony and pathos are in plenty. For example, when the touring party encounters paid actors in costume being filmed dismantling the Pyramid of Cheops.

This is an exercise in recycling as building materials are needed elsewhere by the impoverished local population. But it's also an odd form of tribute. Ultimately, the film will be reversed to depict the building of the pyramid, reminding viewers of the past glory of human civilization.

For those who appreciate vintage science fiction, especially post-apocalyptic SF, or works that handle classical mythology in innovative ways, this short novel is well worth reading.

This story is about an abandoned Earth after an ecological catastrophe caused by humans, where the creatures of Greek myths are revived.

It is a story stretched to the point where the threads of a weak thesis on a long-lived human almost break, without even hinting at whether it is Prometheus, or a Minor God, or I just didn't understand.

The idea of an Earth left in ruins due to human actions is an interesting one, but the connection to the revival of Greek mythological creatures seems a bit tenuous.

Perhaps more could have been done to develop the relationship between the ecological disaster and the return of these mythical beings.

As it stands, the story feels a bit disjointed and the central thesis not fully explored.

However, there is still potential here to create a more engaging and thought-provoking narrative if the author were to expand on these ideas and clarify the connections between them.

Overall, it is a story with an interesting premise that just needs a bit more work to reach its full potential.

Frankly speaking, I cannot tell a lie. I really do not see how Zelazny's novel can compete.

I am not denying that it has some merit. But seriously, even if you have an aversion to Dune, how can This Immortal be on par with it?

The novel is constantly filled with allusions, hints, name-dropping, and metaphors that showcase Zelazny's interest and knowledge of ancient Greek (and other) mythologies. However, instead of adding these elements sparingly and allowing them to simmer, he just dumps the entire spicy bottle into the stew. As a result, we end up with heavy-handed writing that lacks a coherent plot and has stupid characters. For instance, Cassandra - believe it or not - makes an appearance here. But why? I truly have no idea.

This theme of a mobile social gala persists throughout the entire book, even in the most pulpy and action-packed segments. The story gives the impression of those British novels where the upper-middle class packs their bags and their Baedekers and travels to Florence, Athens, and the "coast."

Overall, the novel seems to want you to like it, and as a reader, I really wanted to as well. It starts off engaging and breezy, but ultimately it is ridiculous and stupid. It's really quite like taking the well-worn concept of "humans do not treat their planet well" and then transforming it into some Edwardian/ancient Greek farce. What exactly did Zelazny aim to achieve with this? I don't think he knew either. It has a mid-1960s sentiment with some leftover 1940s pulp. Good luck to the readers.

This was a good book and I really enjoyed it.

However, Zelazny has written numerous excellent books and Frank Herbert has also written a remarkable one.

In 1966, "The Immortal" shared the Hugo with Frank Herbert's "Dune".

I have the feeling that Herbert was somehow shortchanged.

It seems a bit unfair that his outstanding work had to split the award.

Perhaps "Dune" was so unique and ground-breaking that it deserved to win the Hugo on its own.

Nevertheless, Zelazny's "The Immortal" is also a great piece of literature.

But in my opinion, Herbert's contribution to the science fiction genre with "Dune" was truly significant and maybe he should have received more recognition.

Overall, both books are值得一读 (worth reading) and have their own merits.

It's just that the way the Hugo was awarded in 1966 left me with a sense of dissatisfaction for Herbert.

Another book of mine by this author, and again it's about the post-apocalypse.

We, humans, are afraid of ourselves because we know that what we like most is to destroy rather than build. And isn't it amazing that aliens can see in us a grain of constructiveness, honesty, dedication, and dignity. But for this, humans need to become a little immortal - to get tired of the endless flow of time.

It seems that in the post-apocalyptic world, the true nature of humanity is revealed. We are faced with the choice between destruction and construction, between chaos and order. The fear within us often leads to actions that further damage the already fragile world. However, there are still those who hold onto the hope of building a better future, those who strive to show the aliens that humanity is not all bad. Maybe it is through this struggle that we can find a way to break free from the cycle of destruction and become the kind of beings that can be respected by others, both on Earth and beyond.

By page 60 of 170, it becomes blatantly clear that this story is going nowhere. The narrator seems to be simply rambling and meandering all over the place.

Oh, look, suddenly we're tearing down the pyramid of Giza and making a movie out of it. Seriously, who really cares either way?

And then, for hours on end, he boxes a robot until he manages to knock its head clean off. But wait, the robot just keeps on fighting. My eyes can't believe what they're seeing.

After that, he engages in yet another fight with another robot. Sigh.

Oh, look. Out of nowhere, someone has this unexplained and conveniently timed mutant power. How wow.

There's some mystery surrounding the narrator's past that the author keeps on pushing, but quite frankly, I couldn't care less about it. I couldn't care for anyone in the book, really. They were all either too loud or too quiet or too angry or too unreal. (I did like Hasan, though, lol.) The author writes as if there are things we should already know. Is this some sort of sequel and nobody told me? Oh, look, someone is trying to have our narrator killed. Yawn.

K!!!

Absolutely stunning!

Considering this novel was written in 1966, it still has an incredibly modern feeling narrative voice. It's truly remarkable. I really, really enjoyed the post-apocalyptic setting. Here, myths have come to life, the earth is in ruins, and the human population is fragmented. But it's not all doom and gloom. Zelazny manages the extremely hard task of imbuing his vision of a devastated earth with a beauty that is frankly quite breathtaking.

The characterization is brilliant. I really felt the alien-ness of Cort Mishtigo. The relationship between Conrad and Hassan was particularly enjoyable, with some amazing fight sequences between the two. Zelazny really has a knack for writing exciting action scenes. You can almost feel the bones crunching and the blood pouring as you read.

I listened to this as an audiobook narrated by the brilliant Victor Bevine. This man is a master of narration. I highly recommend looking out for his work on Audible. He made the characters really come to life with appropriate accents for each and really nailed the Vegan Mishtigo.

All in all, this was a fantastic journey through a bleak but beautiful earth that still holds hope for the return to its former glory. I cannot recommend this enough! It's a must-read (or listen) for any science fiction lover.

I was deeply wondering what exactly this book was all about.

Then I came across a review where someone had mentioned that Zelazny had a certain inclination towards old mythology, and this particular work was his attempt at reimagining the Herakles myth.

Unfortunately, it simply wasn't sufficient to craft a truly good book.

We follow the story of an immortal who serves as the bodyguard of an alien visitor. This alien has a desire to witness the remnants of a post-apocalyptic earth.

During this tour, the immortal engages in battles with giant snakes, giant albinos, giant boars, and an assassin who is hell-bent on killing the alien.

That's essentially all he does, really, just fight with these giant monsters, staying true to the Herakles archetype.

Oh, and did I mention that he's Greek?

Apart from the rather pointless plot, the writing itself is subpar. Zelazny drones on for pages and pages of dialog without ever once indicating who is speaking.

The entire book consists of only three chapters, and those breaks seem rather inadequately placed.

His descriptions of the settings are sometimes completely non-existent.

I often found myself struggling to picture the environment through which they were traveling.

The characters, too, were extremely shallow.

Finally, it must be noted that this is not a proper sci-fi novel. With immortals, satyrs, and these weird mutations that blend the features of different species, it just doesn't quite fit the bill.

Mutations don't miraculously result in a crocoduck; that's simply not how it works in the real world or in a believable fictional context.

This is my second Zelazny novel, and I'm beginning to think that I should explore more of his works.

Interestingly, this particular novel actually tied with Frank Herbert's Dune for the Hugo Award in 1966.

Certainly, this story is worthy of the Hugo, but in hindsight, I'm quite sure that those voters would have preferred to give a clean sweep to Dune.

Nonetheless, I was really fond of the demi-god like character Conrad, as he liked to be called.

The post-nuclear earth setting was very well developed, and the story was filled with great intrigue that had me constantly guessing until the very end.

Overall, it's a solid 4-star science fiction novel that I would highly recommend to any fans of the genre.

According to my taste - it's quite good science fiction with a little bit of fantasy elements - in the far, far future, an apocalypse has messed up the world, naturally caused by us, the foolish inhabitants of planet Earth. The remaining miserable residents have fled to nearby and distant planets, found a friendly extraterrestrial species, dressed in blue (a surprise for those seeking originality), for whom they work by cleaning their extraterrestrial versions of toilets and making the local type of café for breakfast - they have discovered a new America, only with more sympathetic local residents. On Earth, only the evolutionary transformation of patriotic attackers remains, as well as all kinds of mutants, the result of radiation and biological changes, usually serving as the returned swamps of monsters and demons, or at least their slightly modified analogues from all the world's legends and myths. Only Conan was left to appear from somewhere, but then again, he can be well replaced by new heroic mutants.

The center of the story revolves around a humanoid subject with a behavior style like James Bond, but without the gadgets, with an unspecified birth date, hiding in the distant times of gods and faith, who embarks on a journey through the remnants of our home planet, accompanied by a blue-skinned tourist on a slightly cultural safari among savages, beasts, and outcasts. And all of this is told with a light sense of humor and an active adventure atmosphere, which only Zelazny can achieve. Whether in the end this is a story about a forgotten god, left in the remnants of his domain by the feathered people, leaving the peeled shell of the mother ship, or just an interplanetary drama about species that don't understand each other with remnants and embryos of humanity and anti-alienism, probably depends on the point of view. Those accustomed to Zelazny's quality will not be disappointed.

This science fiction tale takes us on a thrilling adventure through a post-apocalyptic Earth and beyond. The unique combination of elements makes it an engaging read. The humanoid protagonist's journey is filled with excitement and mystery as he explores the strange new worlds and encounters various beings. The story's light humor adds a touch of levity to the otherwise serious themes, making it an enjoyable read for fans of the genre. Overall, it's a well-crafted piece of science fiction that offers a fresh perspective on the future of our world.

The author's vivid descriptions bring the settings and characters to life, allowing the reader to easily imagine the scenes. The use of fantasy elements, such as the blue-skinned extraterrestrial species, adds an element of wonder and magic to the story. The plot is engaging and full of twists and turns, keeping the reader on the edge of their seat until the very end. Whether you're a die-hard science fiction fan or just looking for an entertaining read, this article is sure to satisfy.

In conclusion, this science fiction story is a must-read for anyone who enjoys a good adventure. With its unique blend of science fiction and fantasy elements, engaging plot, and light humor, it's a refreshing take on the genre. So, sit back, relax, and let yourself be transported to a future world full of mystery and excitement.

**Original Article**: The importance of recycling cannot be overemphasized. It helps reduce waste, conserve natural resources, and protect the environment. By recycling, we can also save energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

**Expanded Article**:

The significance of recycling cannot be exaggerated.

Recycling plays a crucial role in minimizing waste. When we recycle, we prevent a large amount of waste from ending up in landfills or incinerators.

It also helps in conserving natural resources. For example, recycling paper reduces the need to cut down trees, which are essential for maintaining the ecological balance.

Protecting the environment is another major benefit of recycling. By reducing waste and conserving resources, we are able to minimize the negative impact on the environment.

Moreover, recycling can save energy. It usually requires less energy to produce new products from recycled materials compared to using virgin materials.

This, in turn, helps in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and combating climate change.

In conclusion, recycling is of utmost importance for a sustainable future. We should all make an effort to recycle as much as possible and encourage others to do the same.

This "Immortality" was one of the different books I read while reading science fiction books from the 1950s to 1960s. I found the main theme and general style to be very different.

After disasters, a world that has become uninhabitable and then somehow recovers itself after a while, and the world tour of our main character Conrad, who is an immortal man, with a tour guide, is being told. The story, which is themed around science fiction, also contains mythological elements and mystery elements.

I think it will be beneficial for science fiction lovers to see the connections between the science fiction books of the 1950s to 1960s that they are reading now and the books they are reading.

  Details at hundredbooksayear.com

This "Immortality" was truly an eye-opening read. It took me on a journey through a post-apocalyptic world that had managed to pick itself up again. The concept of an immortal man, Conrad, acting as a tour guide for an alien group with controlling motives added an extra layer of intrigue. The story was filled with not only scientific elements but also mythological and mysterious ones, which made it all the more captivating. I believe that for science fiction enthusiasts, reading books from the 1950s to 1960s can provide valuable insights into the evolution of the genre and how it has influenced the books we read today. It's like uncovering a hidden treasure trove of ideas and inspiration.

  Details at hundredbooksayear.com