cgplumb's review against another edition
dark
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
saluki's review against another edition
5.0
The Game. In lonesome October.
Factual and fictional characters with their familiars assemble during October for a mysterious event due to unfold on Halloween night.
Jack (the ripper, good with a knife!) is a main character and the story is told from his familiar dog Snuff's point of view. In this game there are openers and closers. But openers and closers of what? Secret investigations, bartering and making deals for information is the name of the game and often carried out by the familiars. Unusual alliances, bizarre deaths, strange tools or artefacts to locate, and this horror-fantasy-mystery story slowly unfolds over the thirty-one days of October.
Well, it is fun to place these characters in literature and history even if their acts are surprising, yet the creepy tale is enhanced by the ingenius use of the familiars trying to solve the mysteries... these animal voices and personalities are superb. Zelazny is genius!
The perfect book to read on Halloween eve! Bloody brilliant!
ceridwenanne's review against another edition
dark
funny
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
4.25
Sweet and kinda goofy, with a dash of eldritch horror for color.
steph_mccomas's review against another edition
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
lindsayb09's review
adventurous
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
This was my first time reading this book, and I chose to do the nightly October readalong. What a fun adventure! At first the chapters were short and it introduced so many characters that I had a hard time keeping everyone straight. It also doesn't dump any info on you, you have to work out all the mechanisms and rules of The Game as you go along.
Snuff and Graymalk were my favorites, of course. I love an odd couple, and enjoyed how much they came to genuinely care for each other. I loved all of the animal familiars and how they had their own relationships that didn't necessarily reflect their masters' alliances.
It was also fun to work out who all the different characters are. The obvious ones are Jack the Ripper, Count Dracula, Dr Frankenstein, Sherlock Holmes, Rasputin (or at least a heavily Rasputin-inspired character). I'm still not sure if Larry, McCab, Morris, Owen, or Jill are supposed to be references to any specific literary or historical characters. Obviously Larry is a werewolf, Jill is a witch, and Owen was a mage or pagan priest of some kind, but I couldn't match them to any specific stories. I'm also not sure if McCab and Morris had any distinguishing features or special skills, they felt the most generic by far and we never seem to learn much about them or their familiar.
Plot wise there are long stretches in the beginning where not a whole lot happens, and it mostly just introduces you to the characters and concepts. It picks up a bit towards the middle and then hurtles a bit towards the end, which I guess is fitting, given the rules of The Game, and how things are revealed only after the halfway point. The climax was good, though the ending feels slightly abrupt. I would like to know what they all go on to do now that the game has been decided and there may be decades or centuries till the next. Snuff hints about he and Jack travelling together through many of these cycles, I like to think that they teamed up with Jill and Graymalk to await the next cycle (on the same side this time). I love a supernatural family of choice 🥰
I think it will be fun to come back and read it again knowing the rules in advance (though I'll probably forget all the characters and their relationships by next year 😅). I can see why this one is a beloved classic.
Snuff and Graymalk were my favorites, of course. I love an odd couple, and enjoyed how much they came to genuinely care for each other. I loved all of the animal familiars and how they had their own relationships that didn't necessarily reflect their masters' alliances.
It was also fun to work out who all the different characters are. The obvious ones are Jack the Ripper, Count Dracula, Dr Frankenstein, Sherlock Holmes, Rasputin (or at least a heavily Rasputin-inspired character). I'm still not sure if Larry, McCab, Morris, Owen, or Jill are supposed to be references to any specific literary or historical characters. Obviously Larry is a werewolf, Jill is a witch, and Owen was a mage or pagan priest of some kind, but I couldn't match them to any specific stories. I'm also not sure if McCab and Morris had any distinguishing features or special skills, they felt the most generic by far and we never seem to learn much about them or their familiar.
Plot wise there are long stretches in the beginning where not a whole lot happens, and it mostly just introduces you to the characters and concepts. It picks up a bit towards the middle and then hurtles a bit towards the end, which I guess is fitting, given the rules of The Game, and how things are revealed only after the halfway point. The climax was good, though the ending feels slightly abrupt. I would like to know what they all go on to do now that the game has been decided and there may be decades or centuries till the next. Snuff hints about he and Jack travelling together through many of these cycles, I like to think that they teamed up with Jill and Graymalk to await the next cycle (on the same side this time). I love a supernatural family of choice 🥰
I think it will be fun to come back and read it again knowing the rules in advance (though I'll probably forget all the characters and their relationships by next year 😅). I can see why this one is a beloved classic.
suejmorrison's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
danarossa's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Крона атмосферна. Атмосфера - це усе, що тут є.
Тут купа відсилок до легендарних творів і персонажів. Які треба здогадатися.
Я впізнала Франкенштейна і Шерлока голмса, ну і мабуть Джека потрошителя.
Також тут було дохуя відсилок до лавкрафта і творів едгара алана по.
Я її дуже довго мучала. Хоча можна було прочитати за 1 вечір.
Для мене дуже не вистачило описів. Текст дуже сухим був.
Я декілька разів посміялася.
Також тут багато героїв і я ніяк не розуміла хто є хто.
Але відсилки класні.
Жаль, що не дочитала 31 жовтня і не попала на обговорення. Але най буде .
Тут купа відсилок до легендарних творів і персонажів. Які треба здогадатися.
Я впізнала Франкенштейна і Шерлока голмса, ну і мабуть Джека потрошителя.
Також тут було дохуя відсилок до лавкрафта і творів едгара алана по.
Я її дуже довго мучала. Хоча можна було прочитати за 1 вечір.
Для мене дуже не вистачило описів. Текст дуже сухим був.
Я декілька разів посміялася.
Також тут багато героїв і я ніяк не розуміла хто є хто.
Але відсилки класні.
Жаль, що не дочитала 31 жовтня і не попала на обговорення. Але най буде .
yeti2read's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0