agh, ten books 1200 pages i am obsessive and can't quit reading a book i have started even when i know it will be pointless to finish and i have already read 500 pages!
i do not know what these other people are talking about! the first i would say three books were pretty good, then it kind of lost its train of thought, hmmm really wish i had never started this epic tale i wouldnt have wasted three weeks (i mean three weeks!!!!) of my life. i could have read like six to twelve other books in the same amount of time, i found i skimmed A LOT, and never really regretted it,... too much intrigue not enough guts

Ugh, these books, they're not really that good. Still, I kept reading and read them ALL and carried a giant tome of the combined volumes around with me a lot. That really sucked.

The good thing: the setting and world were amazing, a parallel universe-style idea, where the polar ends are Order and Chaos and there are infinite "shadow" worlds in between. One of those is "our" world and the characters spend some time there, so it's fun to have a fantasy novel with magic and swords but also 57 Chevys and computer programming. The other thing that kept me going was that the plot changed SO fast and was very unreliable in its turnings. There was always a new Very Critical thing going on. Add that to two unreliable narrators (one for the first 5 books, one for the 2nd five) and it was a gripping page turner.

But ugh. These books are hyper-masculine, and it was gross. Really gross. Really we just followed a lot of cocky assholes around for 10 books. Women do randomly appear but usually as brief lovers or plot devices. We do get two sorceresses as foils eventually but they are not very deep. And they are not lovers because they are mothers, so. There is also a scene where rape is trivialized which left a bad taste in my mouth for obvious reasons.

Don't read these books unless you are a hypermasculine asshole? I mean, I suppose I enjoyed them, but I'm embarrassed I spent half of Black History Month on this. I'm going to read Black authors through March and then some Indigenous authors in April maybe, to even this travesty out. Bleh.

Roger Zelazny's Amber books are some of the first true fantasy I can recall reading - I certainly couldn't have been more than about 14. And I'm still reading the genre 30 years later, so you can tell they made a bit of an impression; they were always some of my favorites. Must have read them a dozen times at least. So while it seemed like it was time to go back for a visit, I'm not exactly the most unbiased reader in the world. (I find going back to your old favorites a bit of a trepidacious experience though; what if it doesn't hold up? What if its not as good as I remember it?)

It is.

These books are great. Dated a bit in places - the first one is over 40 years old, so give em a break! - but not badly so. Great epic fantasy world, convoluted plot, swords, sorcery - great fun. This volume is really two completely different series, written a decade apart, with mostly different casts of characters, but set in the same universe.

The first series is the one my heart truly goes out to. About my only gripe there is I would have liked to hear more about Corwin's sisters; in a story largely about the succession to a throne, in a world where women seem to hold positions of respect and power, the women in the succession are rather blithely dismissed. Its not that they're _weak_ characters, per se, its that we never learn as much about them as the men. Its mentioned that they could be in consideration, but none of them are interested, and then it basically never comes up again. Not that big a deal, but I would have liked to know more about them.

The second series, about Corwin's son Merlin, is written in a completely different style, and because Merlin is more of a sorcerer than a swordsman like his dad, we learn about different aspects of the universe. I really enjoyed the first 3/5 of this series too, and I quite like the character of Merlin, but I do think the series runs off the rails a bit towards the end. The fourth "book", Knight of Shadows, particularly seems to wander off into metaphysical conjecture a bit, losing any real sense of plot. The final "book", Prince of Chaos, finds its feet again a bit, but fails really to wrap up a lot of the mysteries and tangled plotlines into anything I'd comfortably call a conclusion. It just ends, and we still don't know what happens to Ghost, or Corwin's pattern, or Corwin, or Merlin in his new job, or really even if the attempt to balance the warring forces of Chaos and Order even worked. So I love the details of these later books, and I think they're well worth reading, but the story arc as a whole leaves a bit to be desired. Call the second series 4 stars out of 5, but the whole thing still rates a 5 from me.

And yes, at 1200-odd pages, its a bit of a tome. But its two completely different _series_ of books, each series clocking in at fewer pages than the last _volume_ of the Harry Potter books, or any of the Game of Thrones. Its tiny by the standards of modern fantasy (which admittedly desperately needs better editors.)

The entire Amber series, all two series and ten books of it. That's a lot of material to hold together as a coherent narrative, something only a master could have accomplished.

The first series builds on earlier swords-and-sorcery works and turns them on their head, as something happening contemporaneously with the modern world but in "shadows" being cast from Amber and Chaos, two poles of existence. The struggle between these two primal forces combines both the archetypal and the familial, with some siblings battling for the throne while others seek power by undermining the fabric of existence as embodied in the Pattern, that gives control over Shadow. The two struggles coalesce, with the Pattern being damaged and allowing Chaos to gain strength, and event that's reflected on all Shadows. It all comes down to a struggle to re-inscribe the Pattern and re-establish the balance.

All this (five book's worth) is recounted by the protagonist, Corwin, to his son Merlin, sitting on a rock before the Courts of Chaos at the end of the Patternfall Wall. The second series covers Merlin's adventures as similar forces rear-up and try to disrupt existence. The second series (another five books' worth) is nowhere near as polished as the first: there are a lot of loose ends and material that's never really explored, and the final ending feels quite weak, as though the strands didn't quite pull together as tightly as Zelazny wanted. It's a small failing, and the stories can be enjoyed for their pace and style without necessarily needing to be resolved.

I really like the way the book starts out but it began to lose me pretty early on. There are a lot of typos in the edition I have which is somewhat distracting. I also thought the dialogue was a little off. It went from modern sounding to "thee" and "thou," sometimes in the same paragraph. I did read to the end of Book 1 but I'm not sure I'll ever finish this. I'll have to keep looking for my perfect fantasy books.

One of my absolute favourite series as a child, when I had two random novels from the series. I later picked up two more and finally the complete works. There are a couple of duds but overall it's great stuff - the Corwin cycle more than the Merlin, to be fair.

There's a lot of threads left dangling so a massive shame that Zelazny didn't live to write more novels.

I read the first 5 of these (quite short) books when I was a teenager back in the late 70s early 80s and always intended to read them again, as I'd forgotten most of the story, but they were (along with Moorcock and Tolkien) my introduction to fantasy. When I saw all 10 had been collected into one (albeit weighty) tome, I had to have it.

The first five have been just as entertaining and clever this time around, up until the climax of book five which I still find a bit of a let down. The second five (told from a different perspective.... the son of the protagonist of the first 5 books) I found to be not as good. It was almost as if Zelazny wanted to press a reset button and just rehash the story again using different names (and a lot more characters). While I found the resolution quite satisfying I feel some editing was needed. Maybe it's because they don't have the nostalgic element?

I'm not sure how younger readers will like this, so hesitate to recommend it to anyone, to be honest. I would say if you've read and enjoyed Michael Moorcock's stuff (which is also quite of it's time), then you'll like this.

Finished first of ten volumes in this brick book.

An amazing book. Or should I say books. This collection was originally published as ten volumes but really is two separate stories--the story of Corwin, prince of Amber and his son Merlin, half-breed prince of Chaos. The world created by Roger Zelazny is one of he most original, intriguing and fantastic visions of the universe that I have ever experienced. In his creation, the universe has parallel worlds called Shadows, which includes our Earth, and these exist in different dimensions of time and space. All of these worlds are echoes and reflections of the one true world of Amber. Only the Royal of Amber can move freely between these worlds via Trumps, a system of playing cards with their pictures depicted on them. Corwin and his feuding siblings teleport into the shadow worlds while hindering and escaping one another's plots for ultimate supremacy.

The basic premise of the first five books is Corwin's battle with his conniving brothers and sisters who either desire, or have a favourite for the throne. The second five books follows his son Merlin whose mother is a sorceress and princess of the Courts of Chaos, the opposing faction. While Amber is represented by the Pattern, a construct invented to infuse power into those who walk it and to perpetuate order in the universe, the Courts of Chaos has its own sign, the Logrus, its exact opposite.

The story ultimately concerns choice. And the entire compilation taken together points to the choice between Order and Chaos, of which Merlin is forced to confront--when both signs become sentient. This book is read at two levels: for the intricate battle-for-power story, and for the mind-blowing, unique visions Zelazny manages to conjure in an almost Dali-esque way. It's not a book for everyone, but love it or hate it I think it's true that Zelazny has no peers. I love the works of Tolkien and he is nothing like Tolkien. His imagination is surreal and can't be matched. Be warned though, it is a very long book, and your arms will be aching by the time you've finished reading it.

It's a fantasy epic that I do believe is worth reading. The world-building alone is incredible! I love the concept of traveling between worlds, families that are Game of Thrones type treacherous, except they're meant to rule the universe, and the first POV character Corwin is an interesting character. It is also, sadly, a product of its time and WOW I would not want to be a woman in this tale. You're either an evil temptress, an evil sister, a sister who can't be slept with and is pined for by a brother, a tool to be used by greater powers and therefore have no agency, or -- that's it. I'm glad to have read this, but I don't know if I'd come back to this. Maybe in a couple decades

I updated this review as I completed each installment, placing my thoughts behind spoiler tags to help differentiate between the books and to conserve space. Actual spoilers were kept to a minimum, if not avoided altogether.

As for the series as a whole:

I see why most people enjoyed the Corwin cycle more than Merlyn's. The former had more mystery, intrigue, and a sense of adventure. The latter attempted to add those elements but felt like an extended trip down many rabbit holes, leaving the reader confused and off-kilter. Now that I am done, I have reevaluated some of my previous ratings. The overall rating for the series is 3.95

Corwin's tale (4.1 Stars):

Book #1 - Nine Princes in Amber - 5 Stars - Review:

It starts with a mystery — who, where, how? And we, the audience, learn alongside the protagonist, who is just as puzzled.

Zelazny has a magical way of both taking his time and moving the story along briskly. The writing is wonderfully precise.

It takes less time than expected for our main character to begin getting some answers. But long enough for readers to see/feel the progression. Still, we realize there is much more to him than meets even his eyes. However, once he and the story truly get started, there is no stopping.

I found it amusing that, no matter triumph or defeat (especially the latter), the tone remains the same; I think the lack of emphasis on expression speaks to our main character's calm, cool, and calculating nature.

That calculation, ambition, and ruthlessness are encouraged, fostered, and appreciated by what our MC calls his Machiavellian family. Those traits are also necessary for survival; if one lacks in those areas, they must align themselves with a sibling who possesses them or parish. Therefore, no one trusts anyone else, and many are lost. There are shifting alliances, uneasy friendships, and quick enemies.

I have not spent much time in the lands of the Song of Ice and Fire, but I would like to know if the children of Amber were an influence.

The ending of this installment was amusing and clever.

What will we experience next?

Book #2 - The Guns of Avalon - 3.5 Stars - Spoilerish Review:

It is hard to cheer for a sibling of Amber; Corwin is clever, cunning, charming, and even caring in his way, but he is not likable. None of them really are, except maybe Benedict. Maybe.

Once again, Zelazny uses the power of his pen to tell us so much in so few words. He paints with words.

The Prince finds himself among unforeseen horrors and a former friend, turned enemy, turned ally. He then finds one of his brothers - they fill each other in on things past and present. But Corwin has plans that lead him to really step his foot into it this time.

I said a decade ago, "..if there were a trick for which to fall or trap to trip, Corwin would do just that!" But I feel it is more than that. His past anger, present scheming, and misogynistic notions greatly danger Amber. And he is supposed to be the good guy (!?!)

What will he do now?

Book #3 - Sign of the Unicorn - 4 Stars - Review:

This is one seriously messed up family! A rescue turned assassination attempt, and everybody acts like it's just another sibling reunion while throwing suspicion off of themselves and onto each other.

There are two factions, those who believe Corwin and those who do not, but none truly trust each other (even when calling themselves allies).

Then, as his life is again endangered, Corwin learns a few truths and fills in a few gaps. Betrayers and conspirators (heh, well, they're all conspirators) come to light.

However, there is an even more significant truth revealed, and we are left to wonder about its meaning until Book #4.

Book #4 - The Hand of Oberon - 4.5 Stars - Review:

Well, of course, it was! Who else could it be? (The previous exclamations will make sense once the book has been read).
Things we thought we knew we did not actually know. And we should not be surprised by this revelation because when have the siblings ever been completely honest with anyone, including themselves?
This book is fascinating and a bit mind-boggling; there are so many threads to tug on and actions to track.

Book #5 - The Courts of Chaos - 3.5 Stars - Review:

Umm. Yeah. Not sure what to make of that. This installment ran hot and cold (chapter six left me dizzy with confusion - outside of the sibling warfare). I enjoyed the book's last 2 or 3 chapters, but I wonder - had cycle two already been in the works, or was Corwin's fate meant to be ambiguously brimming with potential?

On to Merlin's tale (3.8 Stars):

Book #6 - Trumps of Doom - 5 Stars - Review:

This has been my favorite installment to date!
Merlin is just like his father but nicer. Unfortunately, that means that, like Corwin, there is no trap into which he will not fall despite his best efforts.
The antagonist isn't evident at first but does cause increasing suspicion as the story progresses.
It will be interesting to see how things play out.

Book #7 - Blood of Amber - 3.5 Stars - Review:

I'm not sure what to make of this one. It was compelling but felt incomplete. The bits of humor were appreciated. The last chapter was confusing, though.

Book #8 - Sign of Chaos - 3 Stars - Review-ish:

I do not really have a review for this one. I spent part of the time confused, part of the time entertained, and part of the time no longer caring and wanting the story to end. The confusion was mostly in the being of the tale; the other two feelings jockeyed back and forth during the remainder of the story. This installment just wasn't for me. There was an interesting twist at the end, though.

Book #9 -Knights of Shadows - 4 Stars - Review:

It is an interesting installment; we get answers to more than a few questions. But in true Zelazny style, we go down another rabbit hole once we think we've got things figured out. The trial was compelling: dueling forces squabbling while attempting to use Merlin like a pawn on a chess board. The question is, how is this series going to end?

Book #10 -Prince of Chaos - 3.5 Stars - Review:

The end? It is an interesting and odd conclusion to the Merlyn cycle and almost an epilogue to the Corwin cycle. Yet, there's a feeling that that the story could continue if one chose to do so.

I adore this series. I have read and re-read this book since high school. What can I say? It captured my imagination and has kept ahold of it for years. This was the work that Zelazny worked on through his career. I think it is what he wrote for fun. It isn't complicated but it is epic.

Imagine that there is only one true world and it casts "shadows" that make up the rest of the worlds. All are variations of that true world, Amber. Or are they? Another order vs chaos though this story focuses more on relationships and war. Don't think this is a touchy-feely book. The writing style is very easy to read. I breeze through it every time I read it even though I am enjoying every bit.

The series has two five book sets. The first follows Corwin and the second... well, I'll let you read it. The first set is the most complete. It starts and finishes a story. Most if not all loose ends are tied up.

The second set isn't nearly as complete however, it has many more interesting elements. The problem is that Zelazny planned on having 3 sets to this story (or possibly a much longer 2nd set) but he died before he could even start it. The 2nd set feels rushed and the ending isn't right. You can find a few short stories that Zelazny wrote that were going to be part of the 3rd set but I found them more frustrating than fun. I want to know what happens in the 3rd set but I will never find out. It may be easier to just accept the 2nd set as flawed but final. ::pouts::

It sucks when authors die.