Manna from Heaven, Zelazny. Yes. I don’t know how I missed this publication. I didn’t let Zelazny’s death prevent me from examining the appropriate section of the book store on every visit, but I nevertheless was unaware of this 2003 collection. Given the ongoing publication of The Collected Zelazny, it is of somewhat less interest, though the introduction (by Steven Brust) is unlikely to show up there, and it’s not clear whether the seldom-seen prologue to Trumps of Doom will, either.
The collection itself is not terrific, leading me to suspect that maybe everything Zelazny was willing to see republished was collected before his death. Still, it’s Zelazny (though the Amber short stories show some signs of less than full engagement), and even substandard Zelazny is worth reading, at least once.
ForcedPerspective
Forcing our perspectives since 2002
“Prolog to Trumps of Doom” (spelled the way Zelazny wanted it) appears in volume 5 of THE COLLECTED STORIES, due out before the end of the year. The other six Amber short stories (five of which appeared in MANNA FROM HEAVEN) appear in volume 6, also due out before year-end.
Steve Brust has a newly written introduction in volume 4 of THE COLLECTED STORIES and it was released the first week of June.
Among the uncollected items that will appear in volumes 5 and 6 are Zelazny’s four Croyd Crenson/WILD CARDS stories, as well as his terrific unpublished musical play (with lyrics written by him) entitled “Godson: A Play in Three Acts.”
Thanks very much for the additional information, Dr Kovacs. It is an honor and a delight to hear from one of the editors of The Collected Stories of Roger Zelazny, and I’m looking forward to the rest of the series (the Collective’s copies of Vols. 3 & 4 are are their way).