Review: Jack of Shadows
One of Zelazny's best
Jack of Shadows, Lord of Shadowguard! Shadowjack, the thief who walks in silence and shadow! Jack of Liars, breaker of the Compact! An immortal, elemental power from the shadowed side of the world, who draws his power where light meets darkness.
One of Roger Zelazny's greatest stories, with all the epicness of Amber and the magic and mythos of Lord of Light, in a fast-paced, adventure-filled short novel.
The Story
Shadowjack, the world's greatest thief, is engaged to steal the Hellflame. Betrayed, he is killed, and on his revival, imprisoned by his enemy.
Jack must escape, obtain power, and seek vengeance. But his vengeance has world-shaking consequences, and the entire Earth, magical and mundane, is re-made as a result.
The Characters
Jack of Shadows — Though a thief and a liar, he's a charming character easy to sympathize with. Vengeful, driven, and ultimately justified by the mistreatments visited upon him.
The Lord of Bats — Jack's greatest enemy. Stubborn, implacable, evil, and villainous. He has his reasons, though.
Evene — Jack's former betrothed. Beautiful, feminine, emotional, and a sympathetic character.
Rosalie — An old flame of Jack's, a human lightsider from the sunset zone who now works as a witch in the dark side. Being a lightsider, she is the most human of all those we meet on the darkside, acting with all the foibles and nobilities of the people you know around you. Jack's love and fondness for her is palpable.
The Colonel Who Never Died — Evene's father, and a power of the darkside.
Morningstar — His position fixed in the mountains overlooking the Everdawn, he is perhaps Jack's only true friend. Their relationship is poignant.
The World
Jack lives in a world of light and dark, on an Earth tidally locked to the sun. The world of day is a world of the mundane, dominated by a physics-based technological civilization like that of the late 20th century. The world of night is a world of magic, dominated by alternately cooperating and fighting elemental powers.
Politics
The politics of the story vaguely resemble those of Cold War era United States, with the dayside world representing the US. That being said, the only clear moral points made are that lacking a soul may result in terrible political policies, and that one should go outside and get some fresh air occasionally.
Content Warning
Jack of Shadows is a cad, and there's a fair bit of off-screen implied fornication, befitting his personality. The implication is strong that this is immoral behavior, but then, he's an anti-hero.
Who is it for?
This is a book for those who like a compelling hero and can cheer for the villain. This is a book for those who want to face impossible odds and come out on top. This is a book for those who like world-shaking mythos in the story behind their characters. And of course, this is a book for anyone who has enjoyed any of Zelazny's works, being one of the best of them.
Why buy it?
Jack of Shadows is one of the greatest anti-heroes in the history of science fiction. It's difficult not to sympathize with him in his struggles, and difficult not to cheer for him as he overcomes them. His relationships pull on the heart strings, and he is redeemed by the ending.