Jack of Shadows (Zelazny, Roger)

Rating: 5
Year: 1971
Genre: Fantasy
Read Again? Yes

Jack the master thief is nabbed at the Hellgames: his presence alone (even as a bystander) is reason enough to suspect that he intends to steal the game trophy, the Hellflame.

He is executed. Because he's a Darksider, he has a number of lives, but dying is still no small thing.

He awakens several years hence in the Dung Pits of Glyve and sets out to gain revenge upon those who sent him there, most notably his worst enemy, the Lord of Bats.

As he walks from the Pits, he seeks to avoid capture--but the Bat Lord has been waiting: Jack is imprisoned and tormented in payback for stealing some magical manuscripts. Jack's execution was only the beginning.

Once he wins his freedom, Jack's revenge could bring the end of the world.


This is a quick, easy read, though Zelazny doesn't spend much time fleshing the characters out.