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A Night in the Lonesome October

A Night in the Lonesome October

FantasyHistorical Fiction
Pages
280
Published
1993
Language
English

Synopsis

All is not what it seems…

In the murky London gloom, a knife-wielding gentleman named Jack prowls the midnight streets with his faithful watchdog Snuff – gathering together the grisly ingredients they will need for an upcoming ancient and unearthly rite. For soon after the death of the moon, black magic will summon the Elder Gods back into the world. And all manner of Players, both human and undead, are preparing to participate.

Some have come to open the gates. Some have come to slam them shut.

And now the dread night approaches – so let the Game begin.

Prose complexity
7/10

Vibe

DarkMysteriousWhimsicalAtmospheric
Quest

Genres

Fantasy Historical Fiction Horror Mystery Paranormal Steampunk Urban Fantasy Vampire Folklore Literary Fiction Mythology Humor Science Fiction

About the author

R
Roger Zelazny

Roger Joseph Zelazny (May 13, 1937 – June 14, 1995) was an American fantasy and science fiction writer known for his short stories and novels, best known for The Chronicles of Amber series. He won the Nebula Award three times (out of 14 nominations) and the Hugo Award six times (also out of 14 nominations), including two Hugos for novels: the serialized novel ...And Call Me Conrad (1965), subsequently published under the title This Immortal (1966), and the novel Lord of Light (1967).

Characters

SnuffProtagonist
Sherlock HolmesSupporting
Count DraculaSupporting
Crazy JillSupporting
GreymalkSupporting
All characters in A Night in the Lonesome October

Frequently asked questions

  • Why do readers follow a specific reading schedule for this book?

    The novel is structured into 31 chapters plus an introduction, with each chapter corresponding to a single day in October. Many readers choose to read one chapter per day throughout the month to align their experience with the events as they unfold in real time, culminating on Halloween.

  • What is the significance of the illustrations in this book?

    The book features 33 full-page illustrations by Gahan Wilson, which were an integral part of the author's original vision for the project. The artist even included a hidden nod to the author and himself by portraying them as Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson on the back of the dust jacket.

  • How does this book relate to the author's other works?

    This was the final novel completed by the author during his lifetime and is considered by many to be a return to the experimental forms of his earlier career. It stands as a distinct, self-contained narrative that functions as a love letter to the classic horror and mystery literature that influenced his development as a writer.

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