A Night in the Lonesome October by Roger Zelazny. 280 p.Ah, October. Time to read one of my favorite books again. It's hard to explain why this book is so much fun; it's full of references to other stuff, and it has a great narrator, and sometimes Zelazny just has to play with the language because it's fun. Plus there are illustrations by Gahan Wilson. I always end up with a goofy smile on my face when I read this.
Snuff, our narrator, is a dog--now. ("I like being a watchdog better than what I was before he summoned me and gave me this job.") He lives in Soho with his master, Jack, who possesses--or is possessed by, possibly--a magical blade. Because the full moon will fall on October 31, they are involved in a Game with a group of strange folks. If the other side wins, the way will be opened for the Elder Gods to return to Earth. Snuff & Jack are on the side of the closers, who want to stop the opening. So yes, Jack the Ripper is one of the "good guys" here. Snuff mostly interacts with the familiars of the other players, although he interacts with Larry Talbot and the Great Detective (guess who that is). I love Snuff's narrative voice, and his unique combination of intelligence and canine instincts: "Jack told me I was an excellent watchdog. I was very proud."
My review from last year.
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