Zelazny's A Rose for Ecclesiastes - The entire short story here (!), with commentary

[Giovanna Clairval]

I can't resist posting here the link to the full text of the short story, "A Rose for Ecclesiastes", 1963. One of his first works, and the one that was acclaimed as the revelation of a new, promising SF writer, Roger Zelazny.

It's the perfect occasion to read the story for those who don't know it, or for those who haven't read anything written by this brilliant, original, humorous and poetic author.

Zelazny, "A Rose for Ecclesiastes"

What do you think of it?

I'll post my own commentary shortly.

[j. d. worthington]

Aside from the Bok cover for F&SF on that one (which is very fitting in some ways, but a bit too humorous for some parts of the tale)... This has always been one of my favorite Zelazny tales, as it is both very simple and very complex... plotwise, and on the surface textually, quite simple; but emotively and in the subtexts (and possible multiple readings of the text), very complex. Slightly crude in spots, as befits a fairly young writer, yet immensely powerful and poignant overall, with a delayed punch in there that hit me hours later like a physical blow... definitely a wonderful and auspicious beginning to a most notable career....

[Giovanna Clairval]

All right, the first cover was frivolous. The first UK edition is much more serious. This one sells at £300...

[j. d. worthington]

Eh? I didn't mean it was frivolous as such (I happen to like Bok's work -- you should see the covers he did for Howard's Skull-Face and Others and Hodgson's The House on the Borderland, for instance):

Image:Skull face and others.jpg - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Image:House on the borderland.jpg - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I just noted that the art was a bit humorous for some aspects of the story (there were, on the other hand, what I take to be deliberately humorous or satirical aspects of the tale as well). I used to have that issue of F&SF, but it went away somewhere along the line...

At any rate... I look forward to hearing your thoughts on this piece. Frankly, I'd rate it up there with Keyes' "Flowers for Algernon" and Godwin's "The Cold Equations"....

[Ursa major]

Read Rose this morning (sounds almost poetic!). I enjoyed the mixed feelings (not in the usual sense) that it gave me. Hope and optimism were mixed with sadness and loss. A very satisfying experience.

I've not read anything else by Zelazny, but the note at the end suggested that he pared down his writing for later stories; I'm not sure I could read a novel in this style: I'd feel overloaded. For a short story, though, it felt just about right, with a well-drawn protagonist and just enough about the setting to make it all seem real. I was even able to suspend my disbelief at the climax of the story - it all seemed so natural as I read the tale.

[Majimaune]

I just scanned over that link and it all looks very interesting.

Don't think I can describe it in two words though.

[Giovanna Clairval]

Geoff, I was being JOCULAR!
You can use as many words you need.

[Majimaune]

I get you. I think I'll attempt that later though.

[Sephiroth]

Inventively evocative.

I loved it. I found the style very foreign at first. After the first few lines it sort of clicked , though, and I shook my head clear and started again. It's wonderfully flamboyant, and drips with knowing references. The story itself is beautiful; simple, clever and profound. He doesn't waste words, either.

It feels very much of its time, too, just before the Mariner 4 mission showed Mars to be apparently dead. The vision is very poignant (and rounded), and although Zelazny must never have seen the Martian surface in any detail, his descriptions of the planet still work perfectly.

Some of his use of language is delightfully expressive.

I'd be keen to read more of his work.

[Ursa major]

Me, too. What would be the best second step (Rose being the first, for me) into Zelazny's oeuvre?

[j. d. worthington]

Good question. Though a lot of people would probably go for the Amber books or Lord of Light, I think I'd go with his early story collection, The Doors of His Face, the Lamps of His Mouth next, then on to some of the novels....

[j. d. worthington]

Originally Posted by Sephiroth

Inventively evocative.

I loved it. I found the style very foreign at first. After the first few lines it sort of clicked , though, and I shook my head clear and started again. It's wonderfully flamboyant, and drips with knowing references. The story itself is beautiful; simple, clever and profound. He doesn't waste words, either.

It feels very much of its time, too, just before the Mariner 4 mission showed Mars to be apparently dead. The vision is very poignant (and rounded), and although Zelazny must never have seen the Martian surface in any detail, his descriptions of the planet still work perfectly.

Some of his use of language is delightfully expressive.

I'd be keen to read more of his work.

Should anyone be surprised that Zelazny was known to list, as some of the major influences on him, Dante's Commedia (especially certain passages in the Inferno) and Pablo Neruda....?

[Giovanna Clairval]

Originally Posted by j. d. worthington

Good question. Though a lot of people would probably go for the Amber books or Lord of Light, I think I'd go with his early story collection, The Doors of His Face, the Lamps of His Mouth next, then on to some of the novels....

Darped good advice, J.D.W., and one that will introduce the new reader to RZ beautifully.

[Sephiroth]

Yes, thanks, j.d.

The breadth and scope of the references show the man's learning.

Cripes, I have so much to read.......

[Giovanna Clairval]

Originally Posted by Ursa major

I'm not sure I could read a novel in this style: I'd feel overloaded.

"A Rose" is his début oeuvre. His poetic style is more controlled later on. There are traces of this flamboyancy and wealth of cultural references in "The Doors of His Mouth, the Lamps of his Face," another beautiful short story, but, as soon as RZ quits his day job, he has to pay his rent with his plume, and he learns to be more democratic and less pedantic (he is a little showing off, in "A Rose").

I'll post my commentary tomorrow, if the mason leaves me alone ("And how are we doing this? Where should I put that? Why do I have to put a primer before the paint?" GRRRR!).