Doorways in the Sand

by Roger Zelazny

Hardcover, 2020

Status

Available

Publication

Amber Ltd (2020), 196 pages

Description

The disappearance of a star-stone model, a reproduction of an alien artifact, leads to rivalry between interstellar communities.

Media reviews

The too-clever story shaping aside, there’s a lot here to like.

User reviews

LibraryThing member TCWriter
Doorways in the Sand serves as a fine showcase for Zelazny's considerable writing talent; each chapter begins with the hero in jeopardy, then loops back to explain how he got that way.

In a less-capable writer's hands such a device would feel gimmicky, but Zelazy handles it beautifully.

As a
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result, most of the people who read Doorways in the Sand find it be a hell of a lot of fun. I know I did.

This was the first Zelazny book I ever read, and what an introduction.

The characters are bizarre and wholly interesting, and the plot is suitably absurd (a frozen Uncle's estate is paying for Fred Cassiday's college education for as long as he doesn't graduate, so he makes a point of never graduating).

The overall effect is one of a smartass having a lot of fun, yet it's not so bizarre as to become cartoonish.

Even the aliens are interesting (and surprising), and while this doesn't qualify as a "deep think" novel which will alter your perception of reality, it is a great, fun read by one of the genre's better writers.
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LibraryThing member mikeneko
I've read most of Zelany's books, and this one's my favorite.

Every university has eternal students, for whom college is the final, ultimate destination in life. They hang about the peripheries for decades, working part-time, taking a few classes here and there. The protagonist of this book is one
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of those creatures; his uncle's will stipulated that his inheritance will cut off the moment he graduates, so he's determined that he never will.

Mix in basketweaving, a psychotically determined academic advisor, doodlehums, alien buddy cops, curious museum exhibitions, a "shadowy Travern-like author," Lewis Carroll, a cryogenically frozen uncle, and truly eccentric hobbies (acrophilia anyone?), and it becomes a melee that (somehow) manages to sort itself out in a very satisfactory way.

I love it muchly. If I could only keep one Zelazny book, this would be the keeper.
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LibraryThing member iftyzaidi
One of Zelazny's lesser works, though it still manages to charm in places. It was originally printed in serialized form, and seems somewhat disjointed. The characters are cardboard and difficult to differentiate from each other. The author's trademark humour though does shine through.
LibraryThing member tpi
A "long-term" student gets himself involved with a lost alien artefact, goons searching it, alien investigators masquaring as animals. A bit jumpy, ending a bit too swift.
LibraryThing member jimmaclachlan
One of my favorite books by one of my favorite authors. It's an action packed mystery SF. Our hero, Fred, is as average as any Zelazny character - that is to say while he has no extraordinary powers, his sanity, habits & life philosophy aren't strictly normal. He's tossed from his pedestrian
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existence into an extraordinary, multi-planet robbery & rides the situation into the sunset, kind of. The story itself is very interesting, but the style is wild. Almost every chapter (maybe all) start in the middle, look back to the beginning & then conclude on a cliff hanger. We then start the next chapter without the cliff hanger being resolved - it must be, but we don't know how. We get caught up in the new situation, only to be brought back to resolving the original situation & then work ourselves back into the next cliff hanger & start it all over again. It's very effective for keeping the suspense up & not as confusing as you might think to read. The story isn't that complex, so it is easily followed. It's just a really fun ride. Told in a standard fashion, the story would be above average, but not one of his better works. Told this way, it adds so much more character & dimension that it's a charm.
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LibraryThing member szarka
How can you not love a story about a perpetual student who gets kicked out and forced to save the world and stuff? Well, I can't not love it, anyway.
LibraryThing member TadAD
While it's a bit derivative of his own ideas from the Amber stories, it's still a fun and humorous story. The plot device of starting each event in the middle, retracing how the hero ended up there, and then resolving it, worked well.
LibraryThing member TheDivineOomba
I think this must be one of Zelazny's early books - it has his style and his great characterization, but the story needs some work. I felt that it was disjointed - too many random characters. All the pieces are there to make it a well written book, but its all mixed up.
LibraryThing member NogDog
One of my favorites by my favorite author, and another great recommendation for those who are tired of all scifi/fantasy books being parts of series.
LibraryThing member juniperSun
Good.
Noted during my 1980s attempt to read every book in my small town library.
LibraryThing member AmyMacEvilly
Eh. Disliked the ending. Read for my library's SF book club.

Awards

Hugo Award (Nominee — Novel — 1976)
Nebula Award (Nominee — Novel — 1975)
Best Fiction for Young Adults (Selection — 1976)

Language

Original language

English

Barcode

9191
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