>I think that it was in his Short Stories where Roger's best work can be >seen. I am inclined to agree. Of course, I'm a partisan of short stories. In general, I think that short stories work better than novels, if done properly. >At a lecture he gave at the library here years ago, he noted that he wrote >_Creaturs of Light and Darkness_ just for fun, never intending it to get >published. Then one of the editor friends saw it at his place, read it, and >asked to publish. This doesn't surprise me. It is clear that he was having a hell of a lot of fun writing it, and that he wasn't even attempting to give a nod towards mass appeal. A lot of people don't like it -- I suspect that's because it's so utterly different from what we're used to finding in a story. The only thing I can think of that is even remniscent of it is Silverberg's _Son of Man_. >Maybe because he did it for himself rather than for sale makes it all the >more fun, but I agree, Creatures is great. My favorite bit is the >non-denominational non-sectarian preacher. And his prayer is a hoot! It's worth repeating. It is "The Possibly Proper Death Litany" by Madrak the Agnostic Preacher (aka, The Agnostic's Prayer): "Insofar as I may be heard by anything, which may or may not care what I say, I ask, if it matters, that you be forgiven for anything you may have done or failed to do which requires forgiveness. Conversely, if not forgiveness but something else may be required to insure any possible benefit for which you may be eligible after the destruction of your body, I ask that this, whatever it may be, be granted or withheld, as the case may be, in such a manner as to insure your receiving said benefit. I ask this in my capacity as your elected intermediary between yourself and that which may not be yourself, but which may have an interest in the matter of your receiving as much as it is possible for you to receive of this thing, and which may in some way be influenced by this ceremony. Amen." [1] >Isle of the Dead, which was actually the first book of Roger's I ever read, >I thought was great, but I think it might not be the best introduction to >his works. My first intro to his novels was _To Die in Italbur_ which was a bit confusing, given that it was a sequal to IotD. I've recently re-read it, going "Oooooh!" a whole lot. >I've known some people to say it is a weaker work, (though I'd disagree). I think that his weakest work was in his collaborations: _Coils_, _Loki_, etc. -- Andrew Lias [1] Other prayers and invokations by Mandrak: "Then into the hands of Whatever May Be that is greater than life or death, I resign myself -- if this act will be of any assistance in preserving my life. If it will not, I do not. If my saying this thing at all be presumptuous, and therefore not well received by Whatever may or may not care to listen, then I withdraw the statement and ask forgiveness, if this thing be desired. If not, I do not. On the other hand ..." as well as the brief, but wonderful: "Hallowed be thy name, if a name thou hast and any desire to see it hallowed." _________________________________________________________________ Tired of spam? Get advanced junk mail protection with MSN 8. http://join.msn.com/?page=features/junkmail