Biography

Roger Zelazny

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Born in 1937, Roger Zelazny left his strongest mark in the Science Fiction Literature of the '60s and '70s. His first story was published in 1962, and he went on to publish more than 150 short stories and 50 books. His best works include novels "Lord of Light" (1967), "This Immortal" (1966), "Creatures of Light and Darkness" (1969), and the Amber series of novels, as well as many excellent short stories and collections. Zelazny was considered the leader of the Science Fiction's "New Wave" movement. Emphasising on the psychology of his characters, as well as on the elaborateness of ideas and literary settings, his writings won acclaim by both the literary critics and the readers. Zelazny's prose is often known to blur the distinction between Science Fiction and fantasy. Some of his best known novels were based on mythology of various cultures. His Lord of Light was based on the Hindu pantehon. Egyption gods and goddesses populated his Creatures of Light and Darkness, while his Eye of Cat featured elements of Navajo religion and folklore. He has won many awards for his work, including 6 Hugos, which are awarded by science fiction fans, and two Nebulas, awarded by Science Fiction Writers of America. Zelazny, who had cancer for several months, died Wednesday June 14th 1995 at St. Vincent Hospital of kidney failure associated with the cancer.
- IMDb mini biography by: Hrvoje Niksic <hniksic@srce.hr>

Received Hugo Awards for his novels "...And Call Me Conrad" and "Lord of Light", for his novellas "Home Is the Hangman" and "Twenty-four Views of Mount Fuji, by Hokusai" and for his novelettes "Unicorn Variation" and "Permafrost".
Science fiction/fantasy writer.
Won Nebula Awards for his novellas "He Who Shapes" and "Home is the Hangman" as well as for his novelette "The Doors of His Face, the Lamps of His Mouth".
Of Polish/Irish descent
Guest of honor at OctoCon IV science-fiction convention (Santa Rosa, CA, October 9-10, 1982).

Science Fiction writers treat with people, things and events in terms of possible consequences. In the Middle Ages we might have been theologians, and we probably would have been burned as heretics.
I see myself as a novelist, period. I mean, the material I work with is what is classified as science fiction and fantasy, and I really don't think about these things when I'm writing. I'm just thinking about telling a story and developing my characters.
I'm very taken by mythology. I read it at a very early age and kept on reading it. Before I discovered science fiction I was reading mythology. And from that I got interested in comparative religion and folklore and related subjects. And when I began writing, it was just a fertile area I could use in my stories.
How does a man come to climb mountains? Is he drawn by the heights because he is afraid of the level land? Is he such a misfit in the society of men that he must flee and try to place himself above it? The way up is long and difficult, but if he succeeds they must grant him a garland of sorts. And if he falls, this too is a kind of glory.
Nicotine is a very ersatz form of divinity.

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