Lord of Light (1967) is an epic
science fiction/
fantasy novel by
Roger Zelazny. It was awarded the 1968
Hugo Award for
Best Novel, and nominated for a
Nebula Award in the
same category. Two chapters from
the novel were published as novelettes in the
Magazine of Fantasy and
Science Fiction in 1967.
The context of the novel – modern western characters in a
Hindu-Buddhist myth-infused world – is reflected in the book's
opening lines:
Structure
The novel is structured as a series of long semi-independent
chapters; each a distinct story within a long campaign by the
protagonist Sam – a classic
trickster
character – against the established gods of the world. The stories
are not presented chronologically. The first story relates Sam's
return from
Nirvana to continue the struggle
after decades of exile. The next stories are presented as
flashbacks as Sam remembers the beginning of his campaign, and the
tactics he employed, leading up to the titanic battle of Keenset.
In the final chapter the newly returned Sam completes his campaign
against the gods, with bittersweet results.
The story of Sam is based partly on the myths that surround the
Buddha, the future buddha
Maitreya, and
Kalki, the
coming tenth
avatar of
Vishnu. Each chapter begins with an extract from a
legendary version of the story, and extensive quotes, in English,
from Indian literature such as the
Sanskrit
Vedas and the Buddhist text, the
Pali Canon. Several events in the plot
are accompanied by dialogue from the
Upanishads.
In an intentional match with
Hindu and
Buddhist mythology and teachings, the first
six chapters of the book describe actions which occur in the 'Great
Wheel of Life'. These are repetitive actions, and thus the end of
chapter six feeds directly into the beginning of chapter one. If
read in this way, of course, the book will never end, in exactly
the same way as an unenlightened life will never escape the cycle
of desire, and be continually reborn. Eventually, an enlightened
soul can achieve
Nirvana, and release
themselves from the action of the Great Wheel.
Where his previous works such as
...And Call Me Conrad and
The Dream Master cast
science fiction themes into a mythic mold, Lord of Light is the
first in Zelazny's style of
"anachronistic myth", one in
which a mythical or legendary story has science-fiction
underpinnings and features occurrences of 20th century American
vernacular and habits, e.g. smoking cigarettes with Hindu gods,
utterances such as
"It's a Long Way to
Tipperary", and
"You fertility deities are worse than
Marxists!", or the contest between two characters called
"Irish Stand-down" where they take turns punching each
other until one collapses.
Plot summary
Lord of Light is set on a planet colonized by the remnants
of a destroyed "Urath", Earth. The crew and colonists from the
Star of India found themselves on a strange planet
surrounded by hostile indigenous races and had to carve a place for
themselves or perish. To increase their chances of survival the
crew used chemical treatments,
biofeedback and electronics to manipulate their
minds to manifest superhuman powers. The available technologies
also allowed near-immortality through
reincarnation using the growth of new bodies
and electronic
mind transfer.
Over time, the crew gain great powers and manage to subjugate or
destroy the native non-human races (which they characterize as
"demons") while setting themselves up as "gods" in the eyes of the
many generations of colonist progeny. Taking on the powers and
names of
Hindu deities these "gods"
maintain respect and control of the masses by maintaining a
stranglehold on the access to reincarnation and by suppressing any
technological advancements beyond a medieval level. The "gods" fear
that any enlightenment or advancement might lead to a technological
renaissance that would eventually weaken their power.
The protagonist, Sam, who has the ability to manipulate
electromagnetic forces, is a renegade crewman who has turned down
god-hood, believes that technology should be encouraged for the
masses, and the right of reincarnation should be available to all.
Sam introduces
Buddhism as a
culture jamming tool and strives to cripple
the power of the "gods" with this new religion, as well as murder
and outright rebellion.
In many ways, the story of
Lord of Light mirrors that of
the novel
Siddhartha by
Hermann Hesse.
The stories
(for characters, see descriptions below)
- In a monastery the deathgod Yama—assisted by Tak the ape
(formerly Tak the Archivist for the gods) and Ratri, Goddess of
Night—assembles a clandestine radio transceiver to extract Sam's
atman, or soul, from the Nirvana of the Bridge of the
Gods, a ring of ions around the planet, and restore it to a
body. Sam's bodiless essence has been in this Nirvana since his
capture after the battle of Keenset, because the last time the gods
killed his body he returned and stole a new body from one of the
lesser gods. When he awakes, he is horrified to be back in the
flesh, having been aware of his ethereal condition the whole time.
He wants to return, to "hear the song the stars sing, on the shores
of the great sea". Eventually, after meditation on and immersion in
earthly senses, he returns fully to the world. Shortly after, an
encounter with the god Mara, who had come to investigate the
disturbances caused by Yama's machinery, causes the conspirators to
flee. As they proceed, Sam muses on his past ....
- Prince Siddhartha, entering old age, comes down to the city of
Mahartha to obtain a new body. He finds that there have been
changes while he has lived on his estates. Before getting the body,
he must submit to a mind-probe, operated by the Masters of
Karma, which will be used to determine his fitness for
reincarnation. Those judged unfit are given diseased bodies or even
reincarnated as animals such as dogs. The dogs then act as spies
for the Masters. Siddhartha contacts Jan Olvegg, reveals himself as
Sam, and realizes from what he is told that he cannot remain
passive, and must proceed against the Gods. He raids the House of
Karma, steals bodies for himself, Olvegg and others, and causes the
former Chief Master of Karma to be reincarnated as a dog. He then
disappears, to execute the next stage of his plan.
- The Buddha appears, preaching a philosophy of non-violence that
undermines the doctrine of obedience to the gods and the struggle
for a better rebirth. Instead, he emphasizes the pursuit of Nirvana
and release from the illusion of the world. The goddess Kali,
realizing that this is Sam's work, sends her personal executioner,
Rild, to kill Sam, but Rild falls ill and is found and tended to by
the Buddhist acolytes, as well as by Sam himself. Recovering, Rild
cannot carry out his mission and instead becomes one of Sam's
pupils, eventually equalling his teacher's wisdom. He takes the
name Sugata, preaching in earnest what Sam had done only
calculatingly as a way to overthrow the gods. Yama descends to kill
Sam. Sugata/Rild faces Yama on a treetrunk bridge over a river,
knowing he cannot defeat the God of Death, but fighting him anyway.
Yama kills Rild and proceeds to find Sam. However, Sam tricks Yama
and escapes, promising to return with "new weapons".
- Sam enters Hellwell, a huge pit where he had bound the demons
centuries earlier. He negotiates with their leader, Taraka, for
allies in his struggle. He frees Taraka to see the world above, but
Taraka betrays him by taking possession of Sam's body, promising to
resume the bargain "later". While in control of Sam's body, Taraka
deposes a local maharajah and takes over his palace and harem. As
Sam recovers control of his body, he finds himself becoming more
like Taraka, enjoying the pleasures of the flesh. In turn Taraka
takes on some aspects of Sam, and ceases to revel in his life of
pleasure. Sam tells him he has suffered the Curse of the
Buddha, which is revealed to be a conscience and guilt. Soon
after, Agni, God of Fire, arrives to kill Sam, finding instead two
spirits in one body. Agni destroys the palace, while Sam/Taraka
flees to Hellwell. They decide to free as many demons as possible
before gods arrive. However, even the full might of all the demons
of Hellwell cannot stand against the gods. A mere four of the gods,
Yama, Kali, Shiva and Agni, are able to hold off the demons and
pursue Sam. Despite his own powers, Sam is captured and Taraka
leaves him. Sam is told that he is to be taken to Heaven and made
an example of, lest the other gods try to emulate his
rebellion.
- In the place called Heaven, Yama and Kali are to be married.
Tak of the Bright Spear is the Archivist of Heaven, but is suspect
because he was fathered in lifetimes past by Sam. However, Tak's
main concern is seducing comely demi-goddesses such as Maya, the
Mistress of Illusion. Sam is more or less free to wander Heaven,
even trysting with Kali who would like to have him back as her
lover. He preaches to any who will listen, and the gods allow this,
hoping to flush out sympathizers. However Sam knows of some of his
old gadgetry locked away in one of the museums in Heaven, and with
the help of Helba, the God of Thieves, he attempts an escape using
a belt that amplifies his powers. This fails, and Kali, disgusted
with herself and with him, persuades Brahma to order a human
sacrifice, namely Helba and Sam himself, to celebrate her wedding.
Sam is set free once more to flee for his life, hunted by the White
Tigers of Kaniburrha, some of whom may be reincarnated gods,
perhaps even Kali herself. Tak attempts to protect Sam by killing
the tigers, but is struck down by Ganesha. For this, Tak is sent
out of Heaven in the body of an ape. The wedding proceeds, with Sam
apparently dead.
- Brahma is dead. He has been murdered by person or gods unknown.
Vishnu, Shiva and Ganesha gather to quickly arrange a replacement.
They decide that the only viable candidate is Kali. However, for
her to be reincarnated as Brahma (a man), her short marriage to
Yama must end. Yama is appalled at how coldly she accepts this.
Next, Shiva is found murdered. Yama throws himself into
investigating the deaths. His friend Kubera approaches the demigod
Murugan and accuses him of the murders, finally addressing him as
Sam. It appears that Sam has become part-demon, and can survive
without a body. He displaced Murugan's spirit as Murugan was about
to occupy a new body for the wedding feast. Kubera uncovered the
deception by examining the brainwave records from the transfer.
Instead of turning Sam in, Kubera offers to help him escape. Sam
refuses, determined to kill as many gods as he can. Since Kubera's
friend Yama is the obvious next target, Kubera tricks Sam, who has
forgotten what a great warrior the fat old man was, and in a bout
of Irish Stand-Down (in which two men take turns hitting each other
until one cannot continue), knocks him out and prepares to flee on
the giant bird Garuda. They recruit Ratri to
stop Yama from interfering, and take her along. They flee to the
city of Keenset, which is undergoing a technological revival, and
is marked for destruction by the gods. Eventually, Yama, feeling
betrayed by Kali and the other gods, joins them. With Yama's
weaponry, and various allies, including the zombie army of Nirriti
the Black, they fight a titanic battle of gods, men and monsters,
killing thousands of men, demigods, and eventually some gods as
well. They go down in defeat, but not before dealing a crushing
blow to the hierarchy of heaven. Yama apparently commits suicide,
but some suspect that he has invented a remote reincarnation
device. Ratri is exiled from heaven and condemned to wander the
world in a series of homely bodies. Kubera had hidden himself in a
vault, held in suspended animation. Sam, having proved himself
unkillable, is instead projected into the ring of ions around the
planet, known as the Bridge of the Gods. However, heaven wins only
a pyrrhic victory. The most powerful
gods, such as Yama, Brahma, Shiva and Agni, are dead or enemies of
Heaven. Others have gone into exile rather than fight against Sam.
While Brahma/Kali is exultant, Ganesha realizes that their days are
numbered, and he must look out for himself.
- In the final story, Sam has been returned from Nirvana. Sam,
together with Yama, Ratri and Kubera, plan their next move in their
campaign against heaven. They are joined by the drunken god
Krishna, who is a great fighter when sober, and who has wandered
the world since he went into exile rather than fight at Keenset.
Meanwhile, Nirriti, a Christian and the former chaplain of the
original ship, has amassed great power in the southern continent.
He is laying waste to cities in his attempts to stamp out the Hindu
religion that he hates. He has acquired enough technology to
challenge anything the gods can muster, even if they resort to "the
tall man of smoke who wears a wide hat", apparently reference to a
nuclear device. He is also allied with the freed demons. At first
he seems to be a natural ally for Sam and Yama, but they entrust
the demon Taraka with conveying a message to him, and Taraka is
determined to fight Yama, to prove that Taraka is the mightiest
being on the planet. Thus Taraka falsely tells them that Nirriti
has refused, and instead they ally with Brahma to defeat Nirriti,
if Brahma will consent to their demands. This alliance defeats
Nirriti in a final battle, despite Ganesha's attempt at betrayal,
but at a huge cost. Brahma, fatally wounded, is conveyed from the
battlefield by Yama. Later Kubera finds Yama with his "daughter",
who he calls "Murga". She is retarded, and Yama admits that this
was due to a botched mind-transfer. Kubera, always ready to help
his friend, uses his powers to stimulate Murga's mind. Sam sees Tak
restored to a young body, as is Ratri. Sam then leaves, no one is
sure where to. Myths build up around his life and his
departure.
Characters
The novel has a range of major and minor characters, each with a
backstory which, in some cases, is deliberately vague with the
intent of intensifying a sense of mystery. While many of the
characters bear the names of Hindu gods, wear similar clothing, and
carry items that the gods are traditionally depicted with (such as
Kali's necklace of skulls), they are never intended to be
interpreted by the reader as Hindu gods; they are humans
masquerading as gods in order to secure power. To devout Hindus the
novel may appear to be blasphemous, but Zelazny was respectful of
Hinduism and had clearly read widely in the subject.
The Gods live in an artificial city in the polar regions, on an
artificial plateau, accessible only by aircraft. The entire plateau
is covered by a dome, and is known as Heaven or the Celestial City.
Major characters
- Sam is one of the original colonists of the planet. He thus
belongs to the group who are known as the First, a diminishing
number of people. As Sam himself says, "All the rest are dead, or
are gods". He himself had been a god, styling himself Kalkin. Thanks to his long life and many exploits, he
is known by many names, such as Maitreya, Lord of Light, Manjusri of the Sword, Binder of Demons and so
on. His major contribution to the ascendancy of the Gods was his
use of his power of electrodirection, or mental control of
electromagnetics, to conquer and destroy or bind the natives of the
planet, who were beings of pure energy known to men as demons.
Eventually disillusioned by the rise of the Gods, he retires to the
life of Prince Siddhartha, until he finally rebels. In doing so, he
creates more legends, and gains more names, including Buddha, The Enlightened One, Tathagatha, Mahasamatman or Great-Souled Sam
etc.
- Yama, the God of Death, is first Sam's
enemy, then his ally. He is a third generation colonist with an
unusual history. A juvenile scientific genius, he was mortally
injured in an explosion, so that he had to be quickly reincarnated
into the first available body, which happened to be middle-aged. He
was "old before he was young", and did not have the same outlook as
someone who has "known first love in the days of spring". As a
result he is the cold, calculating master of arms and sciences, who
has created most of the technology behind the power of the Gods. He
is also a master swordsman, and has the power of
death-gaze, which allows him to kill by looking his victim
in the eyes. Asked by Sam how he can bear to serve a "bunch of
drunken body changers" he puts forth a "higher cause" rationale.
However he also is emotionally involved and eventually turns as a
result of a betrayal.
- Kali, Goddess of Destruction, also known as
Durga, consort of Kalkin, and Candi the Fierce,
is another of the First. Over the centuries, she has been
Sam's lover, companion, wife, comrade-in-arms, and finally enemy.
She yearns for the days when the planet was still wild and
unconquered. As Sam warns Yama, who loves her, she loves only
"those who bring her gifts of chaos". Like Yama, she has the
death-gaze power, along with many others only hinted at. She also
carries a weapon, the skull-wheel, which is some kind of ultrasonic
emitter that causes confusion and oblivion, even to the
demons.
- Tak, of the Bright Spear, is a former demigod exiled to the
world as an ape, as punishment for trying to help Sam while he was
in captivity. He is also Sam's son, a fact of which Sam may or may
not be aware. Tak rationalizes this away, because when people have
many bodies, biological parenthood becomes meaningless. However, he
helps Sam mostly because of that connection between them.
- Kubera is Yama's friend and companion in
an order of the Gods called the Lokapalas. No matter how he is reincarnated,
his body always runs to fat. He is however, shrewdly intelligent
and a master technologist, surpassing Yama in some areas. He has
the unusual ability to invest inanimate objects with emotion, which
he uses to create the Pavilion of Silence at Worldsend, a
structure at the far end of the place known as Heaven in which
rooms are dedicated to emotions such as Despair, Heartbreak, and
Fear. This is a place of retreat for the Gods. After centuries of
idleness as a God he eventually breaks with the rest and helps
Sam.
- Ratri, Goddess of the Night is Kubera's
friend who is sucked into the conflict, not altogether unwillingly.
She too is disgusted by the treatment Sam received in Heaven, and
runs to Kubera after she witnesses Brahma's last twitches when he
is poisoned. Eventually she helps Kubera escape Heaven with Sam.
Her power is to cast Night across any area, which is used in the
Battle of Keenset. After that battle, because she is judged to have
been merely weak-willed in helping Sam, she is expelled from Heaven
to wander the world in bodies that can not express her powers, or
her beauty. In spite of this she can occasionally summon the
strength to become the Goddess whose "radiance drives out the
dark". In character terms she provides an emotional
counterweight to Yama's hatred and Sam's zeal.
Minor characters
- Jan Olvegg, also known as Olvagga, or
Janaveg, or Janagga, is another one of the
First. In fact, he was the Captain of the colonists' ship.
Sam encounters him in exile while still contemplating his own
rebellion. He identifies himself to Olvegg with "It's a long way to
Tipperary". Olvegg, who at first cannot recognize Sam because of
his changing of bodies, brings Sam up to date on the rise of the
Gods since Sam retired, and thus precipitates Sam's campaign. He is
later captured by, and forced to fight for, Nirriti the Black.
Olvegg is a Christian, although far less fanatic than Nirriti in
spreading his faith.
- Rild, later called Sugata, is an assassin and master
swordsman, a holy disciple of Kali and thuggee. He is sent to kill Sam while Sam is
reviving Buddhism by playing the Buddha, but instead becomes a
convert and, eventually, as Sam puts it, the real Buddha since it
is he rather than Sam who attains enlightenment. This has some
similarities to the tale of Angulimala.
- Trimurti, composed of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva, rule in Heaven. However, Brahma is
weak-spirited, mostly concerned with "his" manliness, since "he" is
a reincarnated lesbian woman originally named Madeleine. Shiva is
an "old warhorse" whose main power is a trident made by Yama, which
can kill or disintegrate. Shiva also uses the "Thunder Chariot" a
nuclear powered aircraft. Vishnu, the Preserver, was the architect
of the place called Heaven, but is a passive god who goes along
with Brahma's machinations, which in turn seem to be driven by the
influence of Kali and Ganesha.
- Ganesha is a manipulator, an insider,
the self-styled power behind the throne. He pushes the other Gods
to consolidate their power, even to the extent of persuading them
to allow Sam to preach while held captive in Heaven, hoping to
tempt sympathizers into revealing themselves. As the power of the
Gods wanes, he tries to maintain his position by betraying them to
Nirriti. Asked if he trusts Ganesha, Nirriti replies "Yes, but I
would give him his silver afterward", a clear reference to Judas Iscariot, Nirriti being a
Christian.
- Agni, God of Fire, is at first a fearsome
being armed with a wand that emits the Universal Fire,
evidently thermonuclear in nature, which destroys anything it
touches. The wand itself can only be held by wearing a special
glove, presumably to protect the holder. He also has goggles that
enable him to see in infra-red and ultra-violet radiation, and for
immense distances. It is said he scored the faces of the moons with
his wand, while standing on the ground.
- Taraka, Lord of the Rakasha, is a demon,
an energy being. Like the rest of his kind he was bound by Sam in
the early days, but he is set free by Sam as part of a bargain to
marshal the demons to oppose the Gods.
- Nirriti the Black was originally
Renfrew, the chaplain of the colonists' ship. A staunch Christian,
he is disgusted by the ascendancy of Hinduism on the planet and
eventually sets himself up with an army of zombie soldiers to
conquer and convert the planet. (Nirriti portrays solo meglomania
when compared to the Gods.) This character is deeply ironic, a
Christian who comes to be known as "The Dark Lord", leader of an
army of "Soulless Ones" who have no will of their own but kneel to
accompany him in his prayers when so ordered. His final irony is to
die in the arms of the false Buddha, Sam.
- Mara, Lord of Illusion can project
illusions across great distances, a power that the Gods use both
for entertainment and in battle. He is the one God who can stand
against Sam and Yama at Keenset where both exert their full powers,
being able to misdirect their attacks. Likewise he frustrates Sam's
attempt to escape Heaven by confusing him as to the way out of the
dome. Despite this his character is not much in evidence in the
novel, only his actions. In the first story he appears in disguise
attempting to find out what Yama is doing, but when confronted,
apparently unable to use his powers of illusion effectively against
Yama within a limited space, the Death God breaks his neck, thus
killing him.
- Krishna is seen only briefly. He is
characterized as a lord of music and dance, and he wields a power
of divine drunkenness. He has enormous charisma. Krishna is mostly
an apolitical libertine, but was said to be a deadly wrestler who
"broke the black demon Bana" during the battles between the
colonists and the native inhabitants of the planet, which suggests
that he was one of the First. Eventually, disgusted by the abusive
practices of the Gods, he join's Sam's efforts to overthrow
them.
Film version
In 1979 it was announced that
Lord of Light would be made
into a 50 million dollar film.
It was planned that the sets for the movie
would be made permanent and become the core of a science fiction theme
park to be built in Aurora, Colorado
. Famed comic-book artist
Jack Kirby was even contracted to produce artwork
for set design. However, due to legal problems the project was
never completed.
Parts of
the unmade film project, the script and Kirby's set designs, were
subsequently acquired by the CIA as cover for an
exfiltration team posing as Hollywood location scouts in Tehran
in order to
rescue six US diplomatic staff who escaped the Iranian hostage crisis by virtue of
being outside the Embassy building at the time.
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