A Night in the Lonesome October

Written by Roger Zelazny

Narrated by Matt Godfrey

Loyally accompanying a mysterious knife-wielding gentleman named Jack on his midnight rounds through the murky streets of London, good dog Snuff is busy helping his master collect the grisly ingredients needed for an unearthly rite that
will take place not long after the death of the moon. But Snuff and his master are not alone. All manner of participants, both human and not, are gathering with their ancient tools and their animal familiars in preparation for the dread night. It
is brave, devoted Snuff who must calculate the patterns of the Game and keep track of the Players—the witch, the mad monk, the vengeful vicar, the Count who sleeps by day, the Good Doctor and the hulking Experiment Man he fashioned
from human body parts, and a wild-card American named Larry Talbot—all the while keeping Things at bay and staying a leap ahead of the Great Detective, who knows quite a bit more than he lets on.

Boldly original and wildly entertaining, A Night in the Lonesome October is a darkly sparkling gem, an amalgam of horror, humor, mystery, and fantasy. First published in 1993, it was Zelazny’s last book prior to his untimely death. Many
consider it the best of the fantasy master’s novels. It has inspired many fans to read it every year in October, a chapter a day, and served as inspiration for Neil Gaiman’s brilliant story “Only the End of the World Again.”

• Language: English
• Publisher: Recorded Books, Inc.
• Release date: Aug 23, 2022
• ISBN: 9781705061329

Roger Zelazny

Roger Zelazny burst onto the SF scene in the early 1960s with a series of dazzling and groundbreaking short stories. He won his first of six Hugo Awards for Lord of Light, and soon after produced the first book of his enormously popular Amber series, Nine Princes in Amber. In addition to his Hugos, he went on to win three Nebula Awards over the course of a long and distinguished career. He died on June 14, 1995.

Reviews for A Night in the Lonesome October

[Jeffery Littleton · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A fun, compelling, and mysterious book. Amazing characters and mysterious rituals make this book hard to put down.

[John W Bjerk · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A weird by charming story about the animal families of various monsters and magicians gathering to perform or stop from performing a magical rite on Halloween

[karlstar_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A short, but very fun October-themed fantasy. Nothing really serious or deep, just a great, fun read.

[george_stokoe-600529 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

*REVIEW CONTAINS CHARACTER SPOILERS AND MINOR PLOT SPOILERS*Great read. The stars come right, or wrong, depending on your POV, and a sinister group of adversaries gather in the English countryside for what looks to be kind of weird combative ritual. Zelazny uses some historical figures (Jack the Ripper, Rasputin), some fictional characters (Count Dracula, the Wolfman, Sherlock Holmes), and some more minor figures either created for this book, or of whom I couldn't work out who they were (the witch, the vicar.) It's a book that shouldn't really work in theory. It's written from the POV of Jack the Ripper's dog. The dog has to work out where certain events are going to take place, through a kind of occult triangulation. There isn't really much description of the landscape, though, or London, either . It's much more stripped down than that. But it's a terrific read. Each chapter is short, only a few pages, and numbered for the days of October. Some fans of the book read a chapter a day during the month of October each year.

[et.carole · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Zelazny creates a full world and only lets you in on it piecemeal, which suited the voice he chose very well. He chose to speak through the original voice of a dog, Snuff, which prevents this story from falling victim to many player/game drama tropes. This narration disregards many conventional human activities, such as his master's conversations with fellow player Jill, what he was collecting and why, and the nature of his curse. It allows for full immersion in the sensations of a rather human and certainly humane dog, and though this reversal of priorities was slow to get into, it felt most natural once it started to work well. It cut out many unnecessary distractions, and allowed Zelazny to play only with the elements of the game, which he orchestrated well. The ending was sudden and direct, but because there were many smaller dramas created and resolved throughout the story, this did not feel like a cheat.
The illustrations by Gahan Wilson, while striking and original, did not fit with the narrative flavor of the book. Where the narrative called for horror, the illustrations returned surreal stick-like creatures which seemed two-dimensional; where it called for charicature, he pulled and squeezed in places uncomfortable rather than humorous or frightening, and his animals read like cartoons rather than the characters Zelazny created.

[kevn57-163679 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

What a great Halloween read with some of the greatest characters in literature. Aside from Amber this is the best thing I've read by Zelazny.

[mrslee_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I enjoyed this little homage to horror writers. It is a cute story and fun to pick out the references to various writers and films. I'm sure I missed many, as I do not as a rule read much horror. I should say the horror stories and films referred to were probably all written before 1950. Don't hold me to that, I'm just saying they are the more traditional Gothic stories.The tale is told by a dog named Snuff, and the main characters are other animal familiars of the players in the game. Special nod is given to The Great Detective throughout, and we all know who that is. It is written so that each chapter covers a day in October, a sort of anti-advent, if you will. Fun stuff.

[andy_dimartino · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Not sure why they called this his greatest

[eldang-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A fun read, especially when actually following the chapter guideline of one per day through the month of October, with the story getting darker and weirder as the days get shorter.

[thedivineoomba · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is a deja vu book for me- everything felt familiar, but I could not tell you anything about this book. I suspect I read a long time ago, back when I read a book or two a day. Regardless, I'm glad I read it - It was mentioned in a book forum I follow, and I was intrigued, so when I ran across it in the discard book sale at the library, I had to have it.It looks like an easy read - its short, has illustrations, and fairly simple chapters. But - its not. If you aren't paying attention, you will miss some vital bit of information and miss a vital plot point. Where the story shines is the characters. It has a Victorian sensibility about it, so questions aren't asked, but insinuated, add in that the main characters are animals, companions to the humans participating in the ritual. There is a lot of back and forth, hints and favors, tit for tat, etc. A reader does not really know what is going on, except people are gathering for a ritual, either to close a gate, or open a gate. Add to the story typical monster stereotypes and other literary characters, such as a Sherlock Holmes type character, as well as a vampire, Frankenstein (and his monster), Its a really good story.

[quondame · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I am so not the audience for this book. I don't find monsters fun for their own sake and it would have taken amazing characters and wizard pacing to have overcome my complete boredom with the we will all contest on the night of the full moon to determine if the elder gods will return plot, and 31 daily updates from a pooch made it a tedious drag. Zelazny wrote many books I love, but not this one.

[lauriebrown54 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Roger Zelazny- a favorite author of mine for his ‘Amber’ series and ‘Lord of Light’- has written a marvelous romp of a horror story. The large cast of characters includes figures from horror stories, Victorian mysteries, and vintage monster movies. You figure out who these folks are as you go along; a couple I never figured out. Apparently there is a large site on the web where people have discussed all this!Written from the POV of Snuff the dog, who is really the familiar of Jack; the tale has 31 chapters, one for each day of October. The characters have a countdown; on the 31 is a full moon, and a great magical working will take place. Some characters are Openers, who seek to open a portal for the Elder Gods to enter the world. Some, like Jack, are Closers, who seek to keep them out. Each has an animal familiar- Graymalk the cat, Bubo the rat, and so on. Snuff is not just a guard dog; he’s a worker of magical mathematics. He seeks to find out where exactly the battle must take place; to figure it, he must know how many individuals will be there and whether they are Openers or Closers. He talks with the other familiars to see what they have seen and heard. And he tries to figure out who is murdering some of the contenders… killings that have not taken place before on any of the previous events. Until the very end, the story takes its time, then it happens in a rush. In the beginning, there was a point where I was thinking “Where is this all going?!?” and then it started to make sense. It’s witty along with creepy and I really enjoyed it. The illustrations by Gahan Wilson (a rather morbid cartoonist) are nice, and I really love the cover illustration (not by Wilson) that shows most of the main characters. I heartily recommend this for reading in October to get in the Halloween mood!

[al9g · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I've got to give this one five stars!! It is so good - I love Zelazny's writing anyway but he spins such a wonderful fall yarn around Halloween - it is a delightful read! Zelazny creates a story that pulls in all the usual suspects of horrordom: Jack (presumably the Ripper), Frankenstein and his monster, the Count (Dracula?), Rastov, Jill the witch and all their familiars playing a 'game' that could change the world. But along with them there is the Great Detective and a werewolf and a vicar who isn't what he appears to be. Add some gypsys and a few red herrings for good measure. The animal familiars of each of the players talks and has a part in the great game and the entire story is told by Scruff, Jack's dog. The story is twisted, mysterious, and he puts just enough plot twists and tension to keep the pages turning, all written in typical Roger Zelazny style. BTW: the chapters are broken into the days of the month and the whole story culminates of a full moon Halloween. If you liked the Amber novels, Zelazny, or if you are a fan of Halloween you will love this book.

[williemeikle-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A wonderful book in every sense of the word, and perfect October reading. Jack the Ripper, the Wolfman, Sherlock Holmes, Dr Frankenstein ( and his monster), Dracula, a witch, a mad monk, an evil vicar and many more, all attempting to perform a ritual to either allow Lovecraftian old ones through to our plane, or prevent it from happening. And all ably narrated by Snuff, Jack's faithful, and possibly immortal, dog companion. Zelazny was on top form here, a towering talent, taken far too early.

It's gorgeously written, humorous, completely immersive and one of the greatest things since sliced bread. Do yourself a favor and get onto this straight away - you can thank me later.

And try to get the illustrated version - the b&W drawings accompanying the text complement it perfectly.

[randystafford · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Yes, we have a book nicely segmented into 31 chapters so you can read it, as so many people do, a chapter a day in October.Yes, it’s narrated by a dog. Not just any dog — Jack the Ripper’s dog.Yes, Frankenstein and his walking lab project and Dracula show up. Larry Talbot the Wolfman does too.There’s a witch, a Russian monk, a bit of Yog-Sothethery. You can throw in Gypsies, grave robbers, and a vicar too.Sherlock Holmes and Watson even show up though here only known as the Great Detective and his sidekick.Most of those characters, except Holmes and Watson, have animal familiars who often talk to each other — which I found the most amusing part of the book.And most of the characters are jostling for position (figuratively and literally) to make the best of the magical rite on October 31st — at least the Halloweens with a full moon. There are two camps — the openers and the closers. One camp wants to open a dimensional door so the Elder Gods can come through. The others want to keep it closed.The whole thing is referred to as the “Game” which put me in mind the Great Game, the covert conflict between the Russian and British Empires in the 19th century, and a spy novel in general. The characters mostly know who the other actors in the Game are. They spend a lot of time determining if their fellows are openers or closers, allies or enemies, possible allies or enemies. It’s like a spy story where characters urbanely try to discover identities and incite defections. And, like a spy story, things get violent on occasion.It’s a quick read with many Gahan Wilson illustrations, and I didn’t dislike it. I just didn’t get the enjoyment the book’s reputation led me to expect. A novel story told in a novel way but, ultimately, kind out of phase with my emotional wavelength.

[elenchus_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Came a piece of fiction to fit my reading mood, perfect pitch and sense of fun. Requested on impulse from library loan, perhaps the very day I first read of it, uncertain I would pick it up once it arrived, or if I did, that I'd pause from several books underway. Once begun, though, there was no going back. Zelazny's tale is at once a pastiche of Hallowe'en icons across a variety of traditions (cinema, horror fiction, supernatural folklore & myth) and a genre mashup of detective yarn / whodunnit / sword & sorcery quest. The prose is serious, the tone is arch, and Zelazny's very much taking the reader for a ride. Yet the result is anything but throwaway, more like the pleasure of a good pop lyric and how marvelously it does what you knew it would do all along.The story is best enjoyed as revealed on the page, I'll note no details here. I will state, however, that having turned the final page, I was motivated to research the hinted allusions and figure the rules. Though the tale is simple at heart, like an elegant game the premise affords a multitude of outcomes, and it's not clear how the pieces will fall nor who will triumph. Atop all this, it is a tale cleverly told, both in structure and in the elegance of individual lines, so there are layers to be enjoyed.//I picked up Zelazny's A Night In The Lonesome October at the same time as Bradbury's The Halloween Tree, almost wondering which of these two books would best fit my impulse for a Hallowe'en read. Intriguingly, I'd not heard of either title before they were mentioned, together, and though clearly different novels they were each warmly recommended in their own way. I was somewhat surprised that Zelazny's ended up impressing me more. For me, an oddly poignant reminder that a text will have its individual experience for every new reader, no matter how similar or sympathetic the interests or backgrounds those readers may share.

[g026r · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

That's a lot of work to go to just to set up that one pun.

[forevermasterless · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

It's October--the best month of the year. Halloween (the best holiday of the year) is just around the corner. The leaves are starting to fall, and the air has a pleasant bite to it. It's time to settle down with a slice of pumpkin pie, a mug of hot apple cider, and a good book. But what to read? Perhaps you're reaching for something from Bradbury's oeuvre? Maybe The Halloween Tree or Something Wicked This Way Comes? Save those for next year, and read this instead. This is the great Halloween book that nobody talks about in the same breath as Bradbury, but in reality should be mentioned first.

A small village outside of London in the Victorian era finds itself infested by strange characters. Sherlock Holmes and Watson, Dracula, Jack the Ripper, Doctor Frankenstein, etc. None of them are explicitly labeled (Holmes is 'the great detective' and Frankenstein is 'the good doctor'). Much more obscure references exist alongside the obvious ones. They are all part of "The Game"--a mysterious task in which they are all involved, some on one side, some on the other. All the players have sentient animal familiars. Jack's familiar, a large watchdog named Snuff, is our viewpoint character for the entirety of the novel. He helps his master carry out his occult duties while also roaming the neighborhood and trading information and favors with the other animal familiars in the area to try and figure out who all the players are and what side they're on.

The best thing about this book is how it withholds information. All the characters know what's going on, and what 'the game' is, because most of them have done it before. They're not going to go over the particulars just for the sake of the reader. You have to be patient and wait for the answer, all the while forming your own theories with what little information you do have. It's a very rewarding experience, and one that could have simply been frustrating and boring if done poorly. Luckily the moment to moment action, the dialogue, the atmosphere, and the prose are all good enough to carry you through, even though you can't possibly know what's going on until maybe halfway through.

I can't recommend this enough. It's definitely a book I'll be reading every year for Halloween.

[teknognome · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

A fun, reasonably quick read. The artwork is a bit odd, but adds something to the story. Being told from the perspective of the dog worked for me, as did the slow reveal of what was going on. Not a deep or especially complex story, but definitely enjoyable.

[shelda17-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Love this book! So clever and witty, and Zelazny's reading is a delight. I try to listen to this every October.

[francinezane · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

My favorite book of all time. Picture your favorite monsters converging in one place for a special event. Now picture how that might appear through the eyes of their pets. Thought-provoking, amusing, humanizing.

[turtlesleap · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Not my favorite from Zelazny

[pussreboots · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A Night in the Lonesome October by Roger Zelazny is one of two books I alternate with for Halloween / October reading. The other is Ray Bradbury's The Halloween Tree.Zelazny's book, though short, can be read over the course of a month, as each chapter is a different date in the month. The narrator, a dog, outlines his duties in the game that comes on Halloween when conditions are correct. His master and the other players take sides as either openers or closers (those who want to open a portal of unthinkable evil, and those who want to make sure that doesn't happen).Part of his duty (and the duties of the other familiars) is to figure out who is in the game. It seems this year there is a new participant, as described by his familiar, a pack rat. But things aren't adding up and people are ending up dead (unusual, but not unheard of), and the things in the mirror are especially restless.To add to the charm of this book are the illustrations by Gahan Wilson. Though the book is from the mid 1990s, Wilson's line drawings remind me of the sorts of things included in the pulp science fiction of the 1970s. That's probably because he was illustrating them back then! Anyway, it's a newish (does 20 years old count as newish?) horror story with a deliciously retro feel to it.

[tapestry100 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Somehow over the years, Roger Zelazny has slipped by me. I've been aware of him as an author, I've just never found occasion to read any of his books. When I heard that A Night in the Lonesome October was being released, and knowing that a dear friend is a diehard Zelazny fan, I picked up a copy and suggested that she and I read the book, one chapter a night, through the month of October. Well, I'll tell you what, I had a lot of trouble sticking to my one chapter a night. I loved this book! Seriously, at the end of my nightly chapter, I wanted so desperately to keep reading, but I restrained myself. I found the whole idea, that numerous literary figures from across the horror spectrum have come together to play the Game, fantastic. Told from the point of view of Jack's familiar, a dog named Snuff, we are lead through the month of October as he tracks down clues as to which side of the Game each of the players are on. I loved this bit, as you try to figure out, along with Snuff, who is going to be pitted against who at the end of the Game. It was also fun seeing how so many literary (and in some cases, historical) characters were woven into this book. The entire story becomes a guessing game as you try to figure out who each of the characters are (some are obvious, some not quite so)and what role they'll play in the Game. I'm not saying what the Game is, as that's half the mystery as it is played out in the book.Some might consider the next bit a little spoilerish.If I had one quibble about the book, it's the abrupt end. There is so much build up to the finale of the story, that when it arrives, I was left a little shocked. It may just be that I wanted more of the story, but once the Game comes to an end, it is finished. No further explanation as to what happens to the characters, nothing. The story is just done. For me, it was just a little too unexpected, but I guess it works with the way the book is written, as we're only shown this one month of the character's lives.End of spoilerish bit.A Night in the Lonesome October is an immensely clever and entertaining book, a perfect addition to any reading that you may be doing leading up to Halloween. I'm fairly sure this will become a favorite of mine each October.

[scolgo · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A fun Halloween read. Nothing too heavy - just the end of humanity if the door holding back the elder gods is opened at the death of the moon on All Hallows Eve! The game is afoot and the fate of the world hangs in the balance! It's up to a dog named Snuff to help his master Jack, (who is good with knives), figure out not only the identities of all the other players, but also which side they are on and also the location of the afore-mentioned metaphysical door.Whew! That's a lot of stuff to figure out in only one short month! Luckily, Snuff has a talent for math and cartography. He is also good at creating temporary alliances with other familiars who might be able to help him get to the bottom of a myriad of mysteries. He'd better hurry though because The Great Detective and his sidekick are also on the case.This is another great first-person narrative from Zelazny. He was an absolute master of the form and here he doles out the pieces at a perfect pace via the diary entries of Snuff the dog. There is great dialogue, mysterious happenings, clever character allusions, and plenty of that wry Zelazny humor that is his hallmark. A very enjoyable October read.

[pghdragonman · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

It has been a long time since I’ve read any of Roger Zelazny’s works. He was always a masterful story teller, and this work is an excellent example of his ability to hook you into a story and even though the ending is a cheesy punchline to a literary joke, the journey was so enjoyable, you forgive all the subterfuge that went into it.Who else could successfully combine The Wolfman, Jack the Ripper, Sherlock Holmes and Jill, yes, that Jill, plus a host of otherworldly characters along with their familiars and sidekicks into a Cthulhu Mythos story? Not only that, but it all works well.This is not to say the story is perfect. At times, it is a little too hokey and hard to take. Think of it as high camp and you are OK with the idea again. Altogether, this makes for an enjoyable interlude between serious reads, sort of a mental intermezzo. A well-deserved three and a half stars for A Night in the Lonesome October.

[wjohnston_43 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is a Zelazny book I've owned forever but never picked up. Was finally inspired to read it this October, and it was not at all what I expected. (For some reason, I thought it was a series of stories.)Zelazny takes some disparate elements (Jack the Ripper, Sherlock Holmes, the 'classic' movie monsters, and Lovecraft's Elder Gods) and weaves them together into this, the final solo novel he published before his death. I don't know that it ranks up there with his best work, but it's fun, and I enjoyed trying to figure things out from the hints he drops along the way. I'm sorry it took me this long to get around to it, but I suspect I'll pick it up again next October.

[cissa_5 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I LOVE this book. I generally read it every October, as we count down to Halloween, and last year I read a chapter each day to my husband, who loved it too.Our journalist is a dog, first of all. He is very matter-of-fact about all kinds of weird stuff going on around him, and his job is to help Save The World with the help of his master, (probably) Jack the Ripper.Although, please note that names are not mentioned; one must deduce. There is the great detective, the mad scientist, the witch, the vampire, etc. Everyone has their own agendas as either Openers or Closers, and no one wants to display their cards to each other. Even the familiars have their own agendas.The matter-of-fact tone makes the whole thing rather noir in feel, although there are various laugh-out-loud funny bits. I won't describe them so as not to spoil them for you!I love Wilson's illustrations, too. He is in general brilliant at combining the horrific with the giggle-worthy, and they fit the style of the book perfectly.While there's nothing in it particularly unsuitable for kids, I'd recommend it to adults; without the cultural background and context, you'd miss a LOT.Mostly, I don't do much re-reading; there are too many new (and new-to-me) books to spend much time returning to those I've already read. This is an exception.And it's the perfect lead-up to Halloween!

[dk_atkinson · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I've lost my copy of this book, but I remember it fondly. Every October hubby and I would reread it. He for the horror movie references and I for the literature horror/gothic ones.

[mossjon · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

A fun quick read through a mish-mash of fictional Victorian horror and detective stories, told exclusively through the eyes of their familiars. Strange alliances and even stranger happenings throughout October culminate, obviously, during the full moon, at midnight, on All Hallow's Eve.