SOJALS rating:

Awful (1/5)

I first read this in September 2000 and most recently in June 2001

Demons and gods exist, but normally on different planes of reality adjacent to our own. For five thousand years, demons have walked in China, adapting its conventions and perhaps influencing its beliefs.

Kai Wren, demon lord and creator of worlds, was once a warrior but now leads a more contemplative life, making beautiful and magical bottles. He leads a solitary life, except for a one his human assistant and friend, Oliver O'Keefe.

But one night Oliver is tortured and killed, and Kai Wren determines to find out why and to revenge his loss. His rather haphazard investigations, and more importantly the friends he acquires, lead him to confrontations with the most powerful demons and with the gods themselves, Along the way he gains, perhaps, a little humanity

Zelazny sadly died in 1995 and this is his final book, completed by Jane Lindskold. The magical and mundane are mixed in his normal charming style, the dialogue is often entertaining and the oriental influences are an interesting introduction, However, the novel is just another light read of slightly less power than the Amber series (and you know how I feel about them).

This book would have benefited from some serious editing - specifically the excision of all references to Fluffinella and the ludicrous Hangar and Sock Planes. What on earth was this ridiculous and embarrassing rubbish doing here? Could Zelazny really have written this and could he have intended that this be included? I can intelligently suspend disbelief but I can't believe in intelligent suspenders.

Still however lightweight Zelazny's later work became, I'll continue to treasure his early books, especially the superb "Lord Of Light".

What's it got? Magic, Chinese dragons and animate Fu dogs, Pekinese, multiple universes, demons, gods and socks.