A Night in the Lonesome October

Categories: Rediscoveries , Staff Picks , Horror & Supernatural , Fiction

It’s the perfect time of year to read Roger Zelazny’s delightfully clever spoof of supernatural fantasy, A Night in the Lonesome October.   

A group of animal “familiars” led by our narrator, Snuff the Watchdog, are helping their masters (including a knife-wielding Jack, a Count, and the Good Doctor and his Experimental Man) prepare for a rare Victorian-era conjunction of Halloween and the full moon.

It seems that such conjunctions are the only times when a Gate can be opened for the return of the old gods, and magical combatants must gather to prevent its opening. 

Only this time an unnamed Great Detective is snooping around.  Will he spoil their plans?  Fortunately the faithful Snuff has a watchful eye on him.

This is a literary parody of the most gleefully rewarding sort, where genre fans can pounce on every sly allusion and even non-fans will get the jokes.

And as you may imagine, Gahan Wilson’s illustrations perfectly capture the book’s witty mix of whimsy and horror. 

Have a monstrously good time and pick this up!