Structure

Now that I've finished reading the final pages of "Lord of Light" I noticed that his ending is much like that of an essay. He has an intro, body, and a conclusion that repeats and adds "thought provoking material to leave the reader with". In the beginning of the novel he starts with this

"His followers called him Mahasamatman and said he was a god. He preferred to drop the Maha- and the- atman, however, and called himself Sam. He nevere claimed to be a god. But then, he never claimed not to be a god. Circumstances being what they were, neither admission could be of any benefit. Silence, though, could" (Zelazny 1)

Then in the final pages of the novel, Zelazny writes this

"He still preferred to drop the Maha- and the -atman, however, and continued to call himself Sam. He never claimed to be a god. But then, of course, he never claimed not to be a god. Circumstances being what they were, neither admission could be of any benefit. Also, he did not remain with his people for a sufficient period of time to warrant much theological by-play." (Zelazny 294).

He then sums everything up with some thought provoking things saying "this may have happened, or it may not have. It is only a story. But then again so is.... yada yada yada"

I thought Zelazny did a very good job of tying up all the loose ends and leaving the reader content. I usually am not very happy with endings, but this one was just perfect and I would not have it any other way. Zelazny truly is an artist.