A Night in the Lonesome October by Roger Zelazny (Rising's Rapid Reviews)

detail of the original cover by James Warhola

Beware!  If you read A Night in the Lonesome October once, you shall be forced to read it every October for the rest of your natural lives!  For whilst you read this dark tome, it also reads you!  Mwahahahahaha!  (cue thunder)

Ahem.  Sorry, not certain what got into me just then.  Actually, while it has it's serious moments, A Night in the Lonesome October is quite a lighthearted and optimistic read, especially for a Victorian Horror/Lovecraft Mythos mashup.  

Written by Roger Zelazny (his last novel) and illustrated by Gahan Wilson, A Night in the Lonesome October tells a delightful Halloween tale.  Whenever the full-moon falls on All Hallows Eve (such as in 2020...ooooooOOOOOOO...spooky), a gate can be opened to allow the Elder Gods (of Lovecraftian fame) back into our world to rule once more.  Certain individuals and their animal companions then gather to play 'The Game.”  They spend the month of October dwelling about the location of the portal, and collecting grisly ingredient to either stop the Elder Gods or welcome them.  Every year so far the “Closers”—those opposing the return of the Elder Gods—have won.  In the late 19th century, the portal is set to open somewhere in a sleepy suburb of London.  The area has become home of late to some strange characters, including an Eastern European nobleman only seen at night, a German doctor performing some rather unconventional anatomy experiments, and an American named Larry who is quite conscious of the phases of the moon. Pursuing them all is “The Great Detective” whose brilliant mind is determined to discover the truth.

“Okay” you say, “so it's a shared universe crossover.  What's the big deal?  I see that every day.” In order to properly explain the appeal of this novel, I need to spoil it's main conceit: the novel is told from the point of view of Jack the Ripper's dog.

by Gahan Wilson

This is the novel's greatest appeal.  Snuff—as a dog-is unfailingly decent, loyal, and hopeful.  Much like his master (never let it be said Jack the Ripper is not polished, whatever his flaws), he remains gentlemanly to friend and foe alike.  Most notably, he makes good friends with the cat Greymalk (despite her being both a Cat and an “Opener”) and much of the story revolves around their devotion to each other in spite of their competing interests.  

Snuff is unlike most of Zelazney's heroes in that, despite a long and violent life, he remains unjaded.  He believes it will come out alright in the end, and he is quite munificent to all the other animal companions (with one understandable exception).  He knows that the Openers are not universally malicious in their motivations, which the Closers are not always virtuous.  For instance, Greymalk wants to welcome the Elder Gods to prevent others living the life of a stray cat, while the Count—a Closer—just likes being at the top of the food chain.  The novel is ambiguous about whether Jack's killings are a necessary evil he willingly performs as part of the ritual, or if the crimes we blame on “Jack the Ripper” were actually committed by others and placed at Jack's feet by history.  Either way though, both Snuff and Jack know that bringing back the Elder Gods will not be an improvement for most.

The novel is a mishmash of different genres.  It is a penny dreadful in the parade of its rouges gallery.  It is a mystery in that no one knows who is committing all the murders).  It is a commentary on Lovecraft (especially one chapter involving a journey to the Dreamlands).  It is a court intrigue as loyalties shift between the animals and humans playing the game.  And, finally, it is a 280-page lead-up to a very funny (for some) punch line.  

The novel's chapters are titled by day (October 1st, October 2nd etc).  Read this once, and I guarantee you it will become a yearly tradition, preferably cuddled under a quilt on a chilly autumn evening when the moon is full.