The plot of Lord of Light follows a pattern typical of Zelazny. The novel opens in the middle of its action, with a disoriented hero (Sam brought back from a kind of death) groping to find his way. As Sam prepares to renew his rebellion, he reviews the past that led him to this juncture. Thus the reader begins poised on the brink of some great action, is kept in suspense while the background is filled in, and finally experiences the climax. This proves a good method of grabbing the reader's attention, building the suspense, and gracefully handling the necessary exposition. It has already been suggested that Zelazny's adaptation of the Hindu pantheon for his fictional purposes is quite suitable for the novel's attack on static, lifeless societies. It should be noted, moreover, that Zelazny adapts the Hindu mythos very freely — changing characters and emphases to suit...