Doorways in the Sand

The novel is unusual in that each chapter ends with a cliffhanger, while the next chapter starts in the middle of the action preceding the previous ending, then moves back to resolve the cliffhanger and continues forward. This style of storytelling sets this work apart from many science fiction novels. An example is at the end of Chapter Six. In the last few sentences, Fred Cassidy is talking to an alien telepath disguised as a donkey. The chapter ends when he leaves the donkey alien. In Chapter Seven, it does not start with him leaving the alien. Instead, it begins with Fred back at the college receiving an unwanted graduation form from his latest advisor Dennis Wexworth. After he leaves Dennis’s office, the writer switches back to his departure from the alien’s stakeout, and leads up to his meeting with the advisor. Zelazny experimented with different styles in his various novels and stories, the effects being generally well-received.