Lord of Light
core novel 1967 Lord of Light
Record
| First published | 1967 |
|---|---|
| Original language |  EN |
| Work type | novel |
| Canon status | core |
| Reader rating | 4.05 (36,268 ratings, collected 2026-08-15) |
| Page count | 296 |
| First-edition ISBN | 9780060567231 |
Synopsis
Lord of Light is a 1967 science fantasy novel by Roger Zelazny, set centuries after a colonizing starship brought human settlers to a distant planet. Using advanced technology, including mind transfer and genetic manipulation, the ship's original crew made themselves effectively immortal and assumed the identities of Hindu deities, ruling the planet's descendants as living gods while monopolizing the technology of reincarnation and suppressing further scientific progress to preserve their power. Sam, a former crew member who once ruled as the god Kalkin and used his command of electromagnetic energy to subdue the planet's native energy beings, has long since retired from active rule, living instead as a version of Prince Siddhartha.
Where it sits
- Universe: Lord of Light
- Series: Lord of Light core; position 1 of 1 in the series' recorded order
- Author: Roger Zelazny
Awards (verified)
- Hugo Award (Best Novel), 1968: won
Notes
- From the series record (Lord of Light): Single-novel registration, same category as The Once and Future King/Uprooted/Spinning Silver: one continuous standalone story with no sequel or shared continuity.
Sources
← Lord of Light dossier · All universes
Part of the Library. Fields without an identified source are omitted, never guessed.