A Night in the Lonesome October

"Reading is the nourishment that lets you do interesting work." - Jennifer Egan

Around the middle of October I learned about a book called A Night in the Lonesome October by Roger Zelazny with illustrations by Gahan Wilson. This is the last book that Mr. Zelazny wrote before he passed away in 1995 at the age of 58. I’ve read some of his short stories and I may have read Damnation Alley when I was in high school but I don’t remember for sure. I bought the first five books of the Chronicles of Amber quite a long time ago but still haven't read them. The bookstore where I bought them, like a lot of bookstores, no longer exists. 

After reading The October Country and The Halloween Tree by Ray Bradbury (both quite excellent) I was interested in reading something else that fit the season. When I discovered this book I figured that I’d give it a try. I’m very glad that I did. 

The story is narrated by Snuff the dog. Snuff is the companion to a knife wielding gentleman named Jack. Together they are players in "The Game." But they aren’t the only ones. There’s also the witch, the mad monk, the druid, the vicar, a couple of hermetic occultists, the doctor and his experiment man, the Count who sleeps by day, and a mysterious stranger named Larry Talbot. Most of these characters have animal companions as well. There’s also the Great Detective, observing and investigating. 

Roger Zelazny dedicates this book to Mary Shelley, Edgar Allan Poe, Bram Stoker, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, H. P. Lovecraft, Ray Bradbury, Robert Bloch, Albert Payson Terhune (author and dog breeder), and the makers of a lot of old movies. This gives you an idea of what kind of story you’re in for. 

There is one chapter where I thought the description suddenly got a little too wordy. Snuff and Graymalk the cat find themselves on a  journey through a dreamlike world with a majestic city. As I was reading I thought about H. P. Lovecraft and realized what the author was doing. It worked. 

At the start of the book Snuff introduces himself and gives the reader some background information. After that the chapters are titled by date, beginning with October 1st and ending with October 31st. As the story progresses the reader discovers more about "The Game" leading up to the final confrontation on October 31st. 

There's mystery, adventure, horror, and humor. I loved the characters, the storytelling, and the illustrations. One of my favorite books of the year. I learned that it’s become tradition to read this book every October, one chapter a day. I plan on reading it again next year.