Customer Reviews

Prince of Chaos (Amber Novels)

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Most people who've read this book don't seem to realize that there was a reason why so many plot threads were either left unresolved, or introduced fresh. This was the case with Courts of Chaos as well (book 5 in the series): Amber won the war, albeit at a terrible price, but there were far too many unanswered questions.

The reason is that Zelazny was not intending this to be the end to the series, just to this chapter of the story. It is not a well-known fact, but Zelazny actually wrote five short stories that pick up after this book end (they were published in various magazines and, to my knowledge, have never been collected or even made easily available). Those five stories deal with what happened with Luke and the Pattern (#1), Merlin meeting Rhanda (#2), Frakir, after she got herself freed (#3), and Corwin making his way to Amber on a blue, shape-shifting horse from the Courts (#4 and 5).

In those stories, it is revealed that spikards are sentient, Grayswandir and Werewindle are not swords at all, but instead changed spikards, a new race of beings - the Shroudlings, who live in the world behind mirrors - is introduced, and Castle Amber is alive and taking part in things.

Zelazny was clearly bulding up to another series; unfortunatelly, he succumbed to cancer shortly thereafter.

With the exception of a few weak steps in Sign of Chaos, Zelazny's Amber series has proven to be one of the enduring monuments of fantasy writing in the 70's and 80's. They are the logical culmination of a focus on the concept of 'world builder' first investigated in Isle of the Dead. In that volume world building was a spiritual activity and here, in the twin five volume series about Corwin and his son Merlin is is the politics of those who can wander the dimensions and 'find' worlds of their own design that is important.

Prince of Chaos makes it clear that Order and Chaos are the great forces that drive events. And that it is the inhabitants, not the manifestations of the powers that must keep the balance. For all their instincts of preservation, the Serpent and the Unicorn would gladly have the universe destroyed if for one instant either side can rule unconstrained. Merlin, born and raised in the Courts of Chaos, but true son of Amber, finds himself maneuvered into the precarious position of potential heir to the dark throne. He despises the idea of wearing a crown, hates being manipulates, but his progress has been almost inevitable. He is a piece in a very large chess game.

Zelazny builds this volume as a puzzle with Corwin charged with finding all the pieces and fitting them together. He must find his father, determine who among his relatives can be trusted, and make more than a few decisions of the heart. He is a young man surrounded by players who have been in the game for hundred, if not thousands, of years. And each victory means new threats to defend himself against.

Zelazny manages to wrap up most of his loose ends while leaving considerable room for further amplification. There will never be another volume in this series, but the reader has so much material to work with that there are countless alternate new volumes resting in the heads of inspired readers, caught in the pattern of fascination that drives the plot. That these stories go on in our minds is the true charm of Zelazny's work. With today's focus on action rather than plot the art of the storyteller has almost disappeared from the genre.

This is the tenth and the last (official?) book of the Amber Chronicles (the first one is Nine Princes in Amber). Although not everything is explained (isn't it the same in life?), it's a wonderfull ending. I wish if Zelazny was still with us he wrote another five parts.

With Prince of Chaos Roger Zelazny brings his classic Amber saga to a close. The book is left slightly open ended as though he had conceived of additional novels, but died before they could be written.
This book brings some satisfaction in that most of the major plot points are tied up, but the conclusion feels abrupt and rather contrived. Additionally there are some glaring continuity issues with the earlier books that distract from the pleasure of the reading experience.
Although Merlin lacks Corwin's majesty and style, he has a more realistic feel to him. Corwin was always larger than life. Merlin is somewhat bumbling and obtuse which makes him easier to identify with as a realistic character.
While this is my least favorite book in the series I highly recommend this series of novels to any and every literature fan out there. Roger Zelazny is one of those few SFF authors who assure that genre's place among more recognized forms of literature.

Take my word for it and read these books. You won't regret it...

The final book in Zelazny's Chronicles of Amber is enjoyable, but alas, not among the best in the series. I found that the vivid, interesting characters, normally one of the author's strong suites, were overshadowed here by an overly elaborate plot. I understand why so much had to happen in this book: Zelazny was wrapping up this second part of the Amber series, taking care of all the loose ends built up around Merle in the previous few books. The author does a serviceable job in bringing the immediate situation to a satisfying conclusion, but I'd have preferred something -- dare I say it? -- darker at the end, less frenetic, and less determined to give us that satisfying ending.

This was Zelazny's last entry in The Chronicles of Amber before his untimely death, and I do not plan to read the more recent Amber books that were penned by John Gregory Betancourt, since they are poorly reviewed. As such, I feel like I should come to some kind of conclusion about the series. So I'll say this: despite what I felt was a rocky start and some unevenness along the way, I'd recommend the Chronicles of Amber to anyone who enjoys page-turners about (take your pick) heroes, kingdoms, trippy travel through alternate realities, and general intrigue. The series as a whole is a cut above many of the skin-deep adventures that are published and soon forgotten. You will be introduced to characters, and a world, that will keep you pleasant company for some time.

Instead of hunting down the individual books, if you don't mind lugging around something heavier, seek out The Great Book of Amber: The Complete Amber Chronicles, 1-10 (Chronicles of Amber). It brings everything together in one volume, and is more readily available.

I have had this tape on order for months, and I was quite excited when it arrived. That excitement dwindled when I poped in the tape and found that it was not Roger Zelazny who read this story, as the printed cover stated. The story is still good, but the 'flavor' that was built up by Roger's interpretations of his characters was spoiled for me.

Worth the listening, but not worth getting excited over.

Roger Zelazny's passing was a personal tragedy to everyone who loves good Fiction and Fantasy. Prince of Chaos is the end of the Merlin cycle of the Chronicles of Amber, but it was clearly not intended as an end to the series.

The book ties up a lot of lose ends, but leaves many questions about Amber, the Courts of Chaos and the royal families of both poles of existence.

I have reaad the books written by John B, set in Amber's history, and enjoyed them, but Zelazny created this cosmos for us, and was clearly its Master.

I would that I had discovered them while he was still with us, I would have certainly sought him out to thank him for letting us play in his worlds.

I love this series and was very saddened when Mr. Zelazny died before finishing it. The first series with Corwin as the central character was excellent, but I do prefer the latter half with his son Merlin. This book was good but it is a bit glum as a stand a lone book as it was intended to further the storyline for more to come. I started reading this series when I was 7 or 8, it is a great first sci-fi series for young readers and a still holds up when I reread them as an adult. Zelazny's world is well thought out and complete with no annoying continuity errors as is in many other series of this kind. It helps to keep you submerged in the magical world without having to worry about being distracted by errors and logistical problems. I definitely highly recommend this as a great, fun, series.

Well, this just wasn't much of a conclusion. There were so many things left unanswered and dangling. I mean, it was an exciting read, but the end was just too abrupt for me. I didn't love this one, and all in all, I liked the first half better (the Corwin books). But, the series overall was very unique and entertaining.

This book is subtle, sophisticated, and sleek. No one has ever written like Roger Zelazny and no one ever will. His work is satisfying as science fiction but also as a thought provoking and soul stirring work of art and literature. It is so filled with astonishing images that it has to called art. It is so lyrical that it also must be appreciated as literature. Perhaps it also like great music. A rich creation for all the senses.