Lord of LightLord of Light
Score Classic
What it's about
On a distant planet settled long ago by the crew of a ship from Earth, a group of the original colonists have used their technology to make themselves immortal, with powers that let them rule as the gods of the Hindu pantheon. Only one of them, Sam, who was once called Siddhartha, has turned against them, and he's prepared to fight, even by bringing Buddhism to their world.
Why it's worth reading
It won the Hugo Award and is a cult classic. It's science fiction written like mythology, funny, poetic and strange.
You'll love it if you liked
Good to know
It opens in the middle of the story, then jumps back, which can be confusing. Some familiarity with Hindu mythology helps but isn't needed.
By the numbers
- Readers54 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics56 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller27 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
- #104 of the 313 science fiction books we rank
- #158 of the 459 fantasy books we rank
- #328 of the 762 classics we rank
- #1069 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Adventurous
More by Roger Zelazny
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Quick answers
Is Lord of Light worth reading?
Yes. It won the Hugo Award and is a cult classic. It ranks #1,069 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 72.2 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Lord of Light about?
On a distant planet settled long ago by the crew of a ship from Earth, a group of the original colonists have used their technology to make themselves immortal, with powers that let them rule as the gods of the Hindu pantheon. Only one of them, Sam, who was once called Siddhartha, has turned against them, and he's prepared to fight, even by bringing Buddhism to their world.
How long does it take to read Lord of Light?
About 8 hours (328 pages), or about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What awards has Lord of Light won?
Hugo Award winner (1968).
What should I read after Lord of Light?
If you liked it, try Dune by Frank Herbert or A Fire Upon the Deep by Vernor Vinge.