Ahira's Hangar

I was inspired by Prince of Amber (who would have guessed!?) to start a Roger Zelazny forum, so I hope he will help me/us in filling in any gaps about the Amber series. Technically it's called The Chronicles of Amber and it's main character, but not always, is a Prince named Corwin. I met Roger Zelazny (shortly before he died) in '92 when I was canvassing for the environment. When he found out I had made 3 attempts to reach him that day he "blessed me with the will of Corwin". His house is on a very hilly section of Santa Fe NM and I think I hiked about 6 miles to get there, continue on to other houses to get contributions, finish my loop and go back there again and again. That's what Corwin is like: very obstinant, very sarcastic and doesn't take no guff from no one. Like Ursula K. LeGuinn, and others, it is very hard to classify whether Zelazny is a Fantasy of Sci-Fi writer. The answer would probably be both. He is usually found in the Sci-Fi category, his best books in that genre are, imo, Lord of Light and The Lamps of His Eyes, The Doors of His Mouth. He is a very prolific writer and has won a number of Hugo and Nebula awards. Amber would definitely be classified as Fantasy. I haven't read Trumps of Doom, Blood of Amber or (and as most of my Amber reading friends tell me "missing THE best book!") Sign of Chaos. Here is a list of all the Amber books:
The First Chronicles:
Nine Princes in Amber
Guns of Avalon
Sign of the Unicorn
Hand of Oberon
The Courts of Chaos
The Second Chronicles:
Trumps of Doom
Blood of Amber
Sign of Chaos
Knight of Shadows
Prince of Chaos
My two favs are Hand of Oberon & Prince of Chaos and, sadly--and I'm probably not being fair, my least is Jack of Shadows.
Covenant fans will like the fact that, like The Worm Ouroborus and John Carter on Mars, the characters kinda come and go from earth to Amber and other dimensions. All sorts of stuff happens in the Amber series, The Princes work to anilleate each other, they communicate through tarot cards, jump through drawings, summon up armies from other worlds, walk a "pentangle" called "The Pattern" and fight on battlefields that seem to, and may, entirely dissolve around them. It's wild stuff--maybe not as "heady" as Donaldson, McCaffrey or Tolkien but wildly entertaining--never a dull moment! Fall Far and Well Pilots!<i>Edited by: danlo60 at: 1/14/06 11:26 pm
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The Amber Chronicles are neatly summed up by Danlo. For me the secret is in the fantastic and varied characters and creatures Zelazny has created. Picture a Universe where our world is one of many 'shadows' cast from the Real worlds of Amber at one end and Chaos at the other. Those from a particular bloodline are able to walk through shadow, the mechanisms are complex and I don't want to spoil the plots for those who haven't read the books. The story starts with a struggle for the crown of Amber, for various political reasons the successor to King Oberon, who had been missing for many years, is not clear. Corwin, one of the Princes of Amber, is the narrator of the first 5 books, at the start he has no memory of Amber and has just been in a Car accident in our world (and starts to get his memory back) it turns out he has been living in our world since the time of the bubonic plague and the Great fire of London, and so the wonderful story starts.
I love all of these books, Zelazny wrote them with such style and wit, and the story runs along at a real good clip, you are never bored, confused and mystified yes, but never bored. For me the 2nd set of books are not as good as the first, but it would have been difficult to match the brilliance of Corwins story. If you haven't read them I hope you find the time and I hope you like them. If and when you have then please let us know your thoughts. <i></i>

I have read the first five books. Great stuff! My favorite is the first book, Nine Princes in Amber. It is wonderfully original, witty, and unpredictable. I consider it among the best books ever written, almost as good as Lord of Light. <i></i>

I'm rereading Sign of the Unicorn right now, so will be able 2 jump in2 the discussion more often! How do y'all like the new look? I love the background but you would like the topic page text changed from the blue, or this message board color changed--please let me kno, and please suggest colors! Thanks! I've emailed the Prince, so he should pop back in here soon! The true human being is the meaning of the universe. He is a dancing star. He is the exploding singularity with infinite possibilities. <i></i>

Finished Nine Princes in Amber, it was great! I also started Guns of Avalon, so far equally good! The dead pay the debts of the living. <i></i>

Hey, Danlo, my favorite Amber Chronicle was Hand of Oberon, too! Further up, and further in!<i></i>

I don't think I could pick a favorite Amber book, all of them are so awesome. And I too believe they are among the best books ever written. The only thing that puts amber second it the Belgariad by David Eddings to me... and amber is awful close behind.

I must say again... god it is so great to actually see people who read... people with character... and intelligence... you are all wonderful...

(okay maybe someone slipped something into my coffee hehehe) <i></i>

What's the name of the book that Philip K. Dick and Roger Zelazny wrote together? I saw it quickly at a bookstore in NY, so I know I'm not imagining things...I must read it!

That would be it for the series, other than a few short stories that can be found on the internet.

You can find the actual novels in one huge paperback omnibus called The Great Book of Amber.

And od not forget some of Zelanzy's wonderful science fiction like Lord of Light and Creatures of Light and Darkness and Jack of Shadows as well.

Thanks Duchess.