A Night in the Lonesome OctoberA Night in the Lonesome October
Score Modern
What it's about
In October 1887, in the London countryside, a group of strange figures are gathering for a ritual on Halloween night that may open the door to the Elder Gods, or keep it closed. The story is told by Snuff, a watchdog who serves a mysterious man named Jack. Day by day, Snuff tracks the other players and their animal companions, which include a witch's cat, a vampire's bat and a mad doctor's experiment.
Why it's worth reading
It was a Nebula finalist, and many readers reread it one chapter a day every October. It's playful, clever and full of famous characters in disguise.
You'll love it if you liked
Good to know
Half the fun is recognizing the characters, who are never named outright. It's short.
By the numbers
- Readers65 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics24 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller21 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #825 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #1535 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
More by Roger Zelazny
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Quick answers
Is A Night in the Lonesome October worth reading?
Yes. It was a Nebula finalist, and many readers reread it one chapter a day every October. It ranks #1,535 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 67.9 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is A Night in the Lonesome October about?
In October 1887, in the London countryside, a group of strange figures are gathering for a ritual on Halloween night that may open the door to the Elder Gods, or keep it closed. The story is told by Snuff, a watchdog who serves a mysterious man named Jack. Day by day, Snuff tracks the other players and their animal companions, which include a witch's cat, a vampire's bat and a mad doctor's experiment.
How long does it take to read A Night in the Lonesome October?
About 7 hours (280 pages), or about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after A Night in the Lonesome October?
If you liked it, try Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman or Tales of Edgar Allan Poe by Edgar Allan Poe.