Doorways in the Sand

Fred Cassidy leads an idyllic life. As long as he remains a full time college student without a degree he is provided a very generous stipend from his uncle's estate. But after thirteen years of happy undergrad existence everything is about to change. Cassidy's home is broken into and ransacked. When he enters he is assaulted by a former professor wanting to know where the alien artifact known as the star-stone is. Cassidy manages to escape only to discover that he is also being pursued by hired criminals, Anglophile zealots, government agents, and aliens. Cassidy has no idea where the star-stone is but he realizes that unless he finds it one of these factions will eventual catch up to him and most likely kill him. Doorways in the Sand is fast paced, humorous, and has the most lyrical prose of any of Zelazny's novels. It's simply a joy to read and was nominated for both a Hugo and Nebula Award for best novel.