"It looks as if white flowers fall upon my shroud. Your hands are so pale."
"To leave the world in spring, with flower guards to honor: it must be peace."
The Context: Archie, the killer cyborg arrives to assassinate Red Dorakeen, only to find that that he has been preceded by Timyin Tin, another assassin. They have a mixed martial arts/koan contest/ haiku rap battle to decide how gets to kill him.
Archie chuckled.Timyin Tin pitches Archie off the roof (He survives in my head canon. I like to think Toba and Sundoc were waiting there to pick him up*) but spares Red because he could not answer Archie's final koan.
"It's silly to argue over who kills him."
"I am glad you think so. I will bid you good night, then, and be about the thing."
"That is not what I meant."
"What, then?"
"I have my orders. I have even been conditioned to hate the man. No, the job is mine. You go your way. It will be done."
"Alas I cannot. With me, it is a matter of honor."
"Do you think you are the only one who might feel that way?"
"Not any longer."
Why I like it: Because I love Roadmarks. It was my first Zelazny book, my first review here, and the haiku battle was the direct inspiration for Zelazny Haiku month. It's perfect for a movie adaptation; the book is less than 200 pages long, exactly the right length, and you could end the trailer with the Marquis de Sade on a T-Rex.
*Also part of my head canon, Red Dorakeen was named for Dora Keen, the traveler and philanthropist.
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