The late Roger Zelazny was inarguably one of science fiction and fantasy's luminaries. Perhaps best known to most fans for his 10-volume Amber series, he was also a master of short stories and novellas, one of the finest authors to put pen to paper in service to these forms. Zelazny managed, with an economy of words and pages, to paint entire fascinating worlds, develop intricate plots and deliver fully rounded characters. There are a handful of volumes which collect his stories, bringing them together for easy reading.

Four for Tomorrow is probably Zelazny's oldest collection. Published in 1967, the slim volume is home to four novellas dating between 1963 and 1965. The best-known of these are the last two in the book, the Nebula-winning "The Doors of His Face, the Lamps of His Mouth," and the bittersweet "A Rose for Ecclesiastes." "The Doors of His Face..." spins the yarn of a baitcatcher, Carl Davits, hired by his ex-wife to help her land the fabled Ikky, Venus' leviathan, leading to Davits' last chance to prove he's mightier than the fish. Far from being just a condensed version of Moby Dick, the novella explores issues of motivation, redemption and the complexities of human hearts and relationships. All in less than 50 pages, and with simply gorgeous use of language. "A Rose for Ecclesiastes" features Gallinger, a world-renowned poet, stationed on Mars to study the Martian languages and learn their history. He learns more than anyone imagined he could in such a short time, and through his translation of the Book of Ecclesiastes into High Martian, inadvertently becomes a saviour to the ancient race -- a victory, of sorts, though it costs Gallinger something very precious (beyond his belief). Again beautifully written, Gallinger's own love of language seems to mirror Zelazny's.

Chronologically, The Last Defender of Camelot follows, containing 16 stories, five of which were nominated for Hugo or Nebula awards. Though perhaps better known for its abysmal Jan Michael Vincent movie version, "Damnation Alley" is a fine novella later converted to novel length. It follows the action-packed, hell-on-wheels journey of Hell Tanner from Los Angeles to Boston as he runs the gauntlet of "Damnation Alley" across a post-apocalyptic United States in his quest to deliver an anti-plague serum. The next story in the collection is the lovely "For a Breath I Tarry." Its hero, the self-aware machine Frost, discovers the remains of Man in the Arctic Circle, and desires to know more of this extinct race. The story follows his research and experiments, as Frost attempts to recreate mankind, ultimately sacrificing his eternity of existence to see humans walk the earth again. "He Who Shapes" did win a Nebula, and was expanded into The Dream Master later. It delves into Zelazny's fascination with the mind's ability to shape the world around us. The collection's title story has Lancelot in modern-day London, enchanted to survive the millennia. The poor knight is finally granted release and peace (with a little help from Morgan Le Fay) through a final showdown against Merlin's champion.

One of the more recent collections is Frost and Fire, home to the exquisite "24 Views of Mt. Fuji by Hokusai." Zelazny's inspiration for each of the vignettes in the story was drawn from the famous set of prints by Hokusai. Preceding it is "Quest's End," a few scant pages in which a damsel-eating dragon finds peace through the love -- and sword -- of a hero. Earlier in the volume is "Bands of Titan," a short, very amusing ode to old technology on a very, very grand scale.

Most of the collections contain story introductions from Zelazny himself, a fascinating glimpse into the creative process and his opinions about the quality of his own work. Must reads, each and every story, for those who know Zelazny only for Amber.

[April Gutierrez]