Hugo Award Best Novel Winner
Lord of Light
by Roger Zelazny
Summary
On a distant colony world, a group of humans use advanced technology to grant themselves the powers and identities of Hindu gods, ruling over the rest of the population as a divine pantheon. The protagonist, Sam, rebels against this order by reviving Buddhism as a tool of liberation, blending religion, mythology, and science fiction into a richly imagined struggle. Zelazny's ambitious fusion of Eastern spirituality and futuristic technology is widely regarded as his masterpiece.
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Historical Context & Significance
A planned film adaptation of Lord of Light in the late 1970s collapsed but its concept art was repurposed as cover for the CIA operation later dramatized in the movie Argo.