Roger Joseph Zelazny (1937 – 995) was an American poet and writer of fantasy and science fiction short stories and novels, best known for The Chronicles of Amber. 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 then the novel Lord of Light (1967).
In his stories, Roger Zelazny frequently portrayed characters from myth, depicted in the modern or a future world. Zelazny included many anachronisms, such as cigarette-smoking and references to modern drama, in his work. His crisp, minimalistic dialogue also seems to be somewhat influenced by the style of wisecracking hardboiled crime authors, such as Raymond Chandler or Dashiell Hammett. The tension between the ancient and the modern, surreal and familiar was what drove most of his work.
Roger Zelazny’s stories inspired other authors in his generation including Samuel R. Delany, whose novel Nova and many of his short stories were written “partly in response to Zelazny’s eruption into the field.” In 1967 Algis Budrys listed Zelazny, Delany, J. G. Ballard, and Brian W. Aldiss as “an earthshaking new kind of” writers, and leaders of the New Wave. Neil Gaiman said Zelazny was the author who influenced him the most, with this influence particularly seen in Gaiman’s literary style and the topics he writes about. Andrzej Sapkowski considered Zelazny his spiritual teacher, whose work inspired him to write his first novel.
Roger Zelazny – First Edition Identification Guide
Note: This list only includes works published prior to 1977.
| Year | Title | Publisher | First edition/printing identification points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1976 | BRIDGE OF ASHES | [New York]: New American Library, [1976] | Wrappers. First Signet Printing, July, 1976/1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 on copyright page. Signet Y7080 ($1.25). |
| 1969 | CREATURES OF LIGHT AND DARKNESS | Garden City: Doubleday & Company, Inc., 1969 | First edition so stated on copyright page. |
| 1969 | DAMNATION ALLEY | New York: G. P. Putnam's Sons, [1969] | Boards. No statement of printing on copyright page. |
| 1976 | DEUS IRAE | Garden City: Doubleday & Company, Inc., 1976 | Boards. First edition so stated on copyright page. With PHILIP K. DICK. |
| 1971 | THE DOORS OF HIS FACE, THE LAMPS OF HIS MOUTH | Garden City: Doubleday & Company, Inc., 1971 | First edition so stated on copyright page. |
| 1976 | DOORWAYS IN THE SAND | New York Hagerstown San Francisco London: Harper & Row, Publishers, [1976] | Boards with cloth shelf back. First edition so stated on copyright page. |
| 1966 | THE DREAM MASTER | New York: Ace Books, Inc:, [1966] | Wrappers. No statement of printing on copyright page. Ace Book F-403 (40¢). ALSO: London: Rupert Hart-Davis, 1968. Boards. First published in Great Britain 1968 on copyright page. First hardcover edition. |
| 1967 | FOUR FOR TOMORROW | New York: Ace Books, Inc., [1967] | Wrappers. No statement of printing on copyright page. Ace Book M-155 (45¢). Issued later in Great Britain as A ROSE FOR ECCLESIASTES. ALSO: [New York & London: Garland Publishing, Inc., 1975.] First U.S. hardcover edition. Notes: (1) Photo-offset from 1973 Ace Books second printing. (2) Not issued in dust jacket. |
| 1972 | THE GUNS OF AVALON | Garden City: Doubleday & Company, Inc., 1972 | First edition so stated on copyright page. |
| 1976 | THEHAND OF OBERON | Garden City: Doubleday & Company, Inc., 1976 | Boards. First edition so stated on copyright page. |
| 1969 | ISLE OF THE DEAD | New York: Ace Books, Inc., [1969] | Wrappers. No statement of printing on copyright page. An Ace Science Fiction Special 37465 (60¢). ALSO: [London]: A Rapp and Whiting Book, Andre Deutsch, [1970]. Boards. First published 1970 on copyright page. First hardcover edition. |
| 1971 | JACK OF SHADOWS | New York: Walker and Company, [1971] | Boards. First published in the United States of America in 1971 on copyright page. |
| 1967 | LORD OF LIGHT | Garden City: Doubleday & Company, Inc., 1967 | First edition so stated on copyright page. |
| 1976 | MY NAME IS LEGION | New York: Ballantine Books, [1976] | Wrappers. First edition: April, 1976 on copyright page. Ballantine Books SF 24867 ($1.50). |
| 1970 | NINE PRINCES IN AMBER | Garden City: Doubleday & Company, Inc., 1970 | First edition so stated on copyright page. |
| 1969 | A ROSEFOR ECCLESIASTES | London: Rupert Hart-Davis, 1969 | Boards. First published in Great Britain 1969 on copyright page. Issued earlier in the U.S. as FOUR FOR TOMORROW. |
| 1975 | SIGN OF THE UNICORN | Garden City: Doubleday & Company, Inc., 1975 | Boards. First edition so stated on copyright page. |
| 1966 | THIS IMMORTAL | New York: Ace Books, Inc., [1966] | Wrappers. No statement of printing on copyright page. Ace Book F-393 (40¢). ALSO: London: Rupert Hart-Davis, 1967. Boards. First published in Great Britain 1967 on copyright page. First hardcover edition. |
| 1973 | TO DIE IN ITALBAR | Garden City: Doubleday & Company, Inc., 1973 | First edition so stated on copyright page. |
| 1973 | TODAY WE CHOOSE FACES | [New York]: New American Library, [1973] | Wrappers. First printing, April, 1973 on copyright page. Below the statement/All rights reserved appears First Printing [through] Tenth Printing set on ten lines. Signet 451-Q5435 (95¢). ALSO: [London]: Millington, [1974]. Boards. First published 1974 ... on copyright page. First hardcover edition. |
Roger Zelazny – First Printing Dust Jacket Identification Points
Gallery of First state Dust Jackets of Zelazny’s works. Only includes the first appearance in book form. Either the UK or US edition and does not include later printings.
Reference:
- Wikipedia
- L. W. Currey, Science Fiction and Fantasy Authors: A Bibliography of First Printings of Their Fiction and Selected Nonfiction.
