Doorways in the Sand in The Evolution of Science Fiction

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Doorways in the Sand

Roger Zelazny

Start date: June 1, 2017

Finish date: June 30, 2017

Discussion: Group Reads 2019

Why we're reading this: This was chosen by the group to read in June 2017.
[close] This was chosen by the group to read in June 2017.

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Group Reads 2019

* December 2019 Group Read 1/2 Alas, Babylon
By Cheryl · 47 posts · 28 views

last updated Dec 31, 2019 01:26PM

* December 2019 Group Read 2/2 1984
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last updated Dec 23, 2019 08:50AM

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What Members Thought

Dec 19, 2007 Jim rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: 1paper, 2fiction, action, scifi, favorites

Reread Apr2011: Still a good, fun read. I was sick & needed something upbeat & relaxing. Zelazny to the rescue again. I don't know how many times I've read this, but each time his poetic prose & wry sense of humor have made it a treat.

Dec2007: One of my favorite books by one of my favorite authors. It's an action packed mystery SF. Our hero, Fred, is as average as any Zelazny character - that is to say while he has no extraordinary powers, his sanity, habits & life philosophy aren't strictly nor ...more

25 likes · Like · see review

Nov 23, 2018 Peter Tillman rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, award-win-nom, not-for-me, stalled, friend-recos, did-not-finish, at-slo-paso-bg-pa, prob-won-t-read

I didn't get far with this one, as the (alleged) humor just wasn't working for me. Zelazny has always been a hit-or-miss author for me. This was a definite "miss." ...more

8 likes · Like · see review

Sep 14, 2021 Deb Omnivorous Reader rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2021-reading-challenge, classic-sci-fi

This was a great re-read. In fact, even though I know I have read it before I remembered very little of it so it was like reading it for the first time. It is very much a product of it's era 60s - 70s type culture and is pretty quirky although with all the things that make me love Zelazny's writing in general.

It is kind of a quirky, mystery detective story with an intergalactic culture thrown in as our leading man chases a alien crystal that was exchanged with earth as part of a good-will progra This was a great re-read. In fact, even though I know I have read it before I remembered very little of it so it was like reading it for the first time. It is very much a product of it's era 60s - 70s type culture and is pretty quirky although with all the things that make me love Zelazny's writing in general.

It is kind of a quirky, mystery detective story with an intergalactic culture thrown in as our leading man chases a alien crystal that was exchanged with earth as part of a good-will program. This crystal is apparently missing, everyone seems to think Fred knows where it is and many different interested parties have a tendency to kidnap and torture him for information.

One thing that I especially loved was our main character and his life situation. Fred Cassidy is an eternal student at a university having been a full-time undergraduate for thirteen years. (This man is my hero, incidentally). He switches majors as soon as a graduation threatens and has a good understanding of the different departments and any new courses that open up. The reason he does this is that under the provisions of his uncles will, a large fund was left to Fred giving him a very decent allowance as long as he is a student working full-time toward a degree but which terminates as soon as he graduates. So he makes sure to never graduate.

Now, the university is desperate to force him to graduate and that is SUCH a very antiquated notion. Can you imagine and university in Australia who would not love this guy? Full time fees upfront every time? They would probably add more courses to keep him and his money on board, rather than try and force him to graduate. But this uni wants to get rid of him.

And so begines a fun romp that has Fred running all over the globe, mildly pursuing the sun stone (or a convincing copy, if that would do) while too many different people seem to be pursuing Fred, for various unsavoury reasons.

So much fun! It is only slightly dated, people smoking everywhere is the most dating thing about it, the aliens and technology in general are written with such a light hand that they don't really date it much. ...more

6 likes · Like · see review

Jul 01, 2017 Phil J rated it really liked it

Shelves: pulp, novel-length-read-in-2017, fantasy-sci-fi

Zelazny in comedy mode! Unlike most tongue-in-cheek novels, this tale also delivers on cleverness. A series of mysteries and creative ideas interlock and eventually make sense in the end. There is suspense, and it is more of an adventure story than a comedy story, but only just. The typical Zelazny elements are here- clever allusions, laconic narration, and a lovable rogue protagonist. Each chapter begins by jumping forward into an exciting and confusing moment, then switching to flashback to ex ...more

3 likes · Like · see review

Jul 08, 2010 Richard Guion rated it it was amazing

One of my favorite books, I was able to get the Avon 1976 paperback edition in almost new condition. Reading this novel is like comfort food. What makes this so enjoyable is the combination of Zelazny's lyrical prose style with the plot of a 80s adventure comedy. I could easily see this novel as a movie directed by Robert Zemeckis. To explain the plot would be to spoil the fun, but I enjoyed the opening premise. Fred is the eternal student, still and undergraduate in his 30s, receiving money fro ...more

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Apr 18, 2021 Barb rated it liked it

This was ok. It seemed like a YA novel. I read the whole thing so there was enough of a story to keep my interest. I found that main character kind of annoying.

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