1985 science fiction novella by
Roger Zelazny. First appearance in the 1989 short story compilation
Frost & Fire, also featured in
Cthulhu 2000. The title is drawn from an actual book of woodcut reproductions.
The Cthulhu mythos link is weak - the narrator makes passing mention of the sunken city of R'lyeh. No mind-blasting encounters with tentacled alien gods here. Rather, the narrator makes a pilgrimage to Mt. Fuji to confront a former lover turned cybernetic megalomaniac ala Lawnmower Man. Each View is a station in her pilgrimage. En route she practices a bit of non-lethal tantric vampirism, a dry and mechanical wink to the adult audience. Zelazny's primary strength is in characterization and dialogue, and here he succeeds only marginally; secondarily, he's good with imagery and suspense, and 24 Views is more of a success in this respect. Mostly, the story seems like an exercise in free association: Zelazny rambles about Rilke, Chaucer, and Japanese mythology. Zelaznophiles will note cyberpunk resonances between 24 Views, Mask of Loki, and Donnerjack.