Prince of Chaos [Large Print] [Hardcover]

Roger Zelazny (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 2001

Treacheries, trickeries, assassination attempts and bloody family intrigues have finally maneuvered Merlin, aka Merle Corey, into the Courts of Chaos - where he is third in line to occupy the throne, thanks to a series of conventionally fatal "accidents" engineered by his mother Dara and uncle Mandor. But Merlin's journey to the ultimate rule will not be easy. For dark enchantments still await him. There is murderous discord between Amber and Chaos to be silenced. And a captive royal father, long believed dead, must first be freed from a villain's magic before a beleaguered Prince can deem his triumph complete.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Merlin, whose blood unites the royal houses of the true world of Amber and the Courts of Chaos, becomes drawn deeper into the complex plots and counterplots of both worlds as forces conspire to place him on Chaos's throne--despite his own intentions. Zelazny's celebrated "Amber" chronicles (begun in 1970), of which this novel is the tenth, portrays the ultimate in virtual realities. With this volume, the author finds new grounds to explore and shows no sign of winding down to a conclusion. Filled with Zelazny's characteristically snappy prose, this title is recommended where the series has a following.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Kirkus Reviews

Tenth book of the series that commenced in 1970 with Nine Princes in Amber and proceeded to Knight of Shadows (1989), wherein wizard Merle Corey remains central to the power struggle between the two opposing, sentient poles of magic, Amber's Pattern and the Courts of Chaos's Logrus. As the King of Chaos, Swayvill, finally dies, Merle is third in succession to the throne. By then the two who precede Merle die in mysterious circumstances, and it emerges that Merle's mother Dara and brother Mander are conspiring to ensorcell Merle and place him on the throne of Chaos as their puppet. Usefully, Merle makes friends with a number of former foes, then discovers that his long-lost father Corwin is still alive, as Dara's prisoner. Meanwhile, since the Pattern is slightly stronger than the Logrus, the Logrus kidnaps and conceals Coral, keeper of the powerful Jewel of Judgment. Glum, talky, and threadbare. Even more depressing, Zelanzy seems to be clearing the way for yet more additions to this already absurdly and pointlessly overextended series. -- Copyright ©1991, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 301 pages
• Publisher: Thorndike Press (August 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0783892926
• ISBN-13: 978-0783892924
• Product Dimensions: 9.6 x 6.6 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,622,535 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Not intended to be the end, October 21, 2005

By 

E. Kasumov "zorkus" (Newton, MA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Prince of Chaos (Chronicles of Amber) (Paperback)

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.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Burning Your End At Both Candles, June 6, 2005

By 

Marc Ruby™ "The Noh Hare™" (Warren, MI USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Prince of Chaos (Chronicles of Amber) (Paperback)

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.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Last of the Amber Chronicles, October 28, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Prince of Chaos (Chronicles of Amber) (Paperback)

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.