I do like Godson. Easily one of the top three Zelazny stories where Death is a character. Right up there with Creatures of Light and Darkness ("Death is a black horse shadow without a horse to cast it") and Donnerjack ("In Deep Fields he dwelled, though his presence extended beyond that place through Virtù. He was, in a highly specialized sense, the Lord of Everything, though others might lay claim to that title for different reasons. His claim was as valid as any, however, for his dominion was an undeniable fact of existence...He could assume any form, male or female, go where he would, but he always returned to his black-cloaked, hooded garb over an amazing slimness, flashes of white within the shadows he also wore...There was no other like him in all of creation. Known by thousands of names and euphemisms, his most common appellation was Death.")
There's a whimsey to it, especially if we're discussing the musical version. It's a breezy read. Conversational. I haven't looked at it in ages. Today was originally supposed to be Donnerjack, but I took a look at Godson just to reacquaint myself and I wound up reading the whole thing and going with it for today's story. (Doing so also reminded me of how much I enjoy the format of Collected Stories)
It's just a fun story. And because it's a musical (sometimes), I'll be going with Because I could not stop for Death by Emily Dickinson, because, as everyone knows, it can be sung to the tune of Gilligan's Island.
Because I could not stop for Death –
He kindly stopped for me –
The Carriage held but just Ourselves –
And Immortality.
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