When [a:Roger Zelazny|3619|Roger Zelazny|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1207671346p2/3619.jpg] died in 1995, it was a shock to the world, including many of his friends. He was a healthy, active man & never complained about the cancer that ate him up so quickly. Over the years it's become apparent that he touched a lot of authors' lives & this book is a tribute to him. Each author has a short afterword about how Zelazny touched their lives. If you're a fan of any of these authors &/or Zelazny, this is worth reading. If you've never heard of any of them, this is a great introduction to some of the very best.

Unfortunately, the stories I liked the least were early in the book, but they generally got better as they went along.

[a:Fred Saberhagen|10082|Fred Saberhagen|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1207594469p2/10082.jpg]'s introduction was interesting. As a friend & co-writer, he knew Zelazny well. I don't think I learned anything new, but it was fun & interesting.

LETHE by [a:Walter Jon Williams|48960|Walter Jon Williams|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1275489992p2/48960.jpg] was too long, but had an interesting point to it, especially in light of recent discoveries about memory. The March 2012 issue of Wired Magazine had an article called The Forgetting Pill Erases Painful Memories Forever. I think Williams could & should have made his point more succinctly, but it was worth reading even if it does take up too much of the book. Several other authors could have had story instead. Not an auspicious beginning. 3 stars.

THE STORY ROGER NEVER TOLD by [a:Jack Williamson|7610|Jack Williamson|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1219592167p2/7610.jpg] was a far better tribute to Zelazny. It was short, quirky, stars Zelazny, & might explain why he wrote the way he did. 5 stars.

THE SOMEHOW NOT YET DEAD by [a:Nina Kiriki Hoffman|12991|Nina Kiriki Hoffman|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1278864412p2/12991.jpg] is a wonderful SF horror story. Like any good horror or Zelazny story, it haunts me, leaves me wondering & thinking about it. This is just a slice of what else is there. 5 stars.

CALLING PITTSBURGH by [a:Steven Brust|27704|Steven Brust|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1198549712p2/27704.jpg] isn't my favorite but it wasn't bad. It just smacks a bit too much of 'Cowboy Feng's'. 3 stars

IF I TAKE THE WINGS OF MORNING by [a:Katharine Eliska Kimbriel|259969|Katharine Eliska Kimbriel|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1213216900p2/259969.jpg] has a quote that I had to add to GR:When will we learn we are Human first, and that all other names are merely changes of clothing? Marvelous! As for the story itself, it was pretty good. 4 stars.

KI’RIN AND THE BLUE AND WHITE TIGER by [a:Jane M. Lindskold|5357030|Jane M. Lindskold|http://www.goodreads.com/assets/nophoto/nophoto-U-50x66.jpg] An interesting love story well told. 4 stars.

THE ERYX by [a:Robert Sheckley|8489|Robert Sheckley|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1223868627p2/8489.jpg] was creepy, but thankfully I liked it better than Sheckley & Zelazny's collaborations. 4 stars.

SOUTHERN DISCOMFORT by [a:Jack C. Haldeman II|364167|Jack C. Haldeman II|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1313128149p2/364167.jpg] was a fun idea with a fairy in it. 4 stars.

SUICIDE KINGS by [a:John J. Miller|4659295|John J. Miller|http://www.goodreads.com/assets/nophoto/nophoto-U-50x66.jpg] was touching & well done on several levels. 4 stars.

CHANGING OF THE GUARD by [a:Robert Wayne McCoy|2318552|Robert Wayne McCoy|http://www.goodreads.com/assets/nophoto/nophoto-U-50x66.jpg] &[a:Thomas F. Monteleone|207766|Thomas F. Monteleone|http://www.goodreads.com/assets/nophoto/nophoto-M-50x66.jpg] was a very good story, but the afterwords were even better. Both share some good stuff about Zelazny, but Monteleone really shows us the human side. 5 stars.

THE FLYING DUTCHMAN by [a:John Varley|27341|John Varley|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1346593830p2/27341.jpg] airplane travel can be hell & a horror. Wow. No afterword about Roger, though. 4 stars.

NINEKILLER AND THE NETERW by [a:William Sanders|142010|William Sanders|http://www.goodreads.com/assets/nophoto/nophoto-U-50x66.jpg] was great. Gods make great comedy & the afterword was excellent, especially for those of us who remember that bar in its heyday.

CALL ME TITAN by [a:Robert Silverberg|4338|Robert Silverberg|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1191184022p2/4338.jpg] was a perfect requiem for Zelazny & more fun with old gods. 5 stars

THE OUTLING by [a:Andre Norton|4766|Andre Norton|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1202314064p2/4766.jpg] was good, a typical Norton short, a morality story. Enjoyable. 4 stars.

ARROYO DE ORO by [a:Pati Nagle|2833308|Pati Nagle|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1267469039p2/2833308.jpg] is a murder mystery. It was well written, but nothing special. 3 stars.

BACK IN “THE REAL WORLD” by [a:Bradley H. Sinor|2282520|Bradley H. Sinor|http://www.goodreads.com/assets/nophoto/nophoto-U-50x66.jpg] an interesting Indian & Vietnam tale focusing on living with death. 4 stars.

MAD JACK by [a:Jennifer Roberson|8659|Jennifer Roberson|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1223871478p2/8659.jpg] was fun & sad & wonderful. I wish I could say more, but I can't without a spoiler. 5 stars.

MOVERS AND SHAKERS by [a:Paul Dellinger|421933|Paul Dellinger|http://www.goodreads.com/assets/nophoto/nophoto-U-50x66.jpg] is a neat story with a [b:A Night in the Lonesome October|62005|A Night in the Lonesome October|Roger Zelazny|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1274492048s/62005.jpg|890916] feel to it. The afterword is funny & well worth reading. 5 stars.

THE HALFWAY HOUSE AT THE HEART OF DARKNESS by [a:William Browning Spencer|307629|William Browning Spencer|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1342670781p2/307629.jpg] is a wonderful story about future addiction & commercialism. 5 stars.

ONLY THE END OF THE WORLD AGAIN by [a:Neil Gaiman|1221698|Neil Gaiman|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1234150163p2/1221698.jpg] is about Larry Talbot from Zelazny's 'Lonesome October' sort of. The afterword explains that & much more. Fantastic, 5 stars. The afterword deserves another 5 stars. Gaiman concludes with, "...There are many of us who would not have begun to write, if we had not read Roger’s stories: the bastard writer-children of Roger Zelazny are a huge and motley group, with little else in common. I’m proud to be one of them." Wow! What a testament to the man.

SLOW SYMPHONIES OF MASS AND TIME by [a:Gregory Benford|22645|Gregory Benford|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1224059011p2/22645.jpg] has this delightful quote in it, "Any technology distinguishable from magic is insufficiently advanced.” a fun turn of Clark's phrase. A pretty good story, although a bit long for what it contained, I thought. 4 stars.

ASGARD UNLIMITED by [a:Michael A. Stackpole|17739|Michael A. Stackpole|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1207602690p2/17739.jpg] started off pretty good, but nothing too special, then swapped ends & became great. 5 stars.

WHEREFORE THE REST IS SILENCE by [a:Gerald Hausman|25242|Gerald Hausman|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1309996586p2/25242.jpg] was excellent, especially if you've read [b:Wilderness|1838858|Wilderness|Gerald Hausman|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1311521609s/1838858.jpg|60239] which is the book referenced in this, a story about Zelazny where fact & fiction blend as easily & naturally as Zelazny blended SF & fantasy. Super! 5 stars

If you average up the stars, it's a 4 star book, but as a collection it is greater than the sum of its parts. As a testament to Zelazny, it deserves the highest rating possible. ( )