The Great Book of Amber: The Complete Amber Chronicles, 1-10 (Chronicles of Amber) (Paperback)

~ (Author) "It was starting to end, after what seemed most of eternity to me..." (more)
Key Phrases: second veil, broken pattern, adjacent shadows, Courts of Chaos, Tir-na Nog'th, Sign of the Logrus (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Roger Zelazny's books have three things in common: a flawed hero who sometimes fails, endlessly surprising plot twists, and a blend of lyricism, literary allusions, and sly puns that makes the pages fly. The Great Book of Amber, collecting all 10 Amber novels, is vintage Zelazny. Despite some irritating typographical errors, it's invaluable for anyone who wants to read or reread the tales of Corwin and his son, Merlin.

Corwin is a prince of Amber, the "immortal city from which every other city has taken its shape." All other worlds, including Earth, are shadows of that reality. Corwin has spent centuries on Earth as an amnesiac. But when someone in the family tries to kill him there, Corwin begins a search for his past. He quickly learns that his family has some very unusual powers. They can travel between Amber, its shadows, and Chaos by manipulating reality; use magical playing cards to communicate and travel instantaneously; and are able to walk the Pattern that created Amber. Corwin regains his memory, solves the mystery of his father Oberon's disappearance, and fulfills his destiny--only to disappear into Chaos.

Merlin searches for Corwin and his destiny as a son of both Amber and the Courts of Chaos. His story parallels Corwin's, answering many questions about Amber, Chaos, and the next generation in the family.

Many readers have complained that the series goes on too long and the ending is disappointing. None, however, would deny that it's filled with fascinating ideas, complex characters, and action-adventure. Don't miss a chance to make up your own mind. --Nona Vero

From Library Journal

Speaking of bargains, this volume combines all ten installations in Zalazny's popular "Amber Chronicles" in one neatDand, even betterDcheap package.
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 1264 pages
• Publisher: Eos (December 8, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0380809060
• ISBN-13: 978-0380809066
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 2.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (222 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #17,602 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

165 of 170 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Greatest Series Ever Written--Yep, It's True!, June 8, 2000

By	David Montgomery "Book Critic" (davidjmontgomery.com) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Roger Zelazny wrote many popular and award-winning books during his long and distinguished writing career (e.g., "Lord of Light" and "Madwand.") Truth be told, though, I didn't care for most of them. They seem too esoteric and not particularly interesting to me. Ah, but then there's the Amber series. Now that's a different story!

If I told you that this is the best series of books that I've ever read (and I've read thousands of books), would you believe me? Probably not. But it's true. Zelazny captured lightning in a bottle when he wrote these 10 books--I only wish there were a hundred!

The 10 books of the Chronicles of Amber (collected here at last in a single volume!) are divided into two separate, interlocked series. The first tells the adventures of Corwin, Prince of Amber; the second, those of his son Merlin. If you twisted my arm, I'd say that the first series is better than the second. But read them yourself and you can decide.

Amber is one of the most intricate, original, and fascinating fantasy worlds you will ever find outside of Tolkien. It is a world of magic, science, illusions, and reality. The basic principle is that the universe consists of an infinite number of parallel worlds, all of which are echoes and reflections (called Shadows) of the one true city of Amber. The people, cultures, traditions, histories, even the physics of those Shadows exist in a multitude of varying degrees. Whatever kind of world or time or place you're looking for, it exists somewhere in Shadow. (Earth as we know it, for example, is merely one Shadow.)

The only people who can move freely throughout those Shadows are the Princes and Princesses of Amber, the Royal blood of the ruling family; a large collection of siblings of various ages and dispositions who find it very hard to get along. That is where the brilliance of the Amber series comes in: the endless struggles, alliances, betrayals, and machinations of this very driven and political family who all want to gain control of Amber. Clausewitz would be proud of the ruthless cunning displayed by this clan. Their battles and adventures make for incredible reading.

I'm not going to try to describe the plots of the books to you. Part of the joy of this series is the fascination of discovery. I return to these books every few years and read them again with joy and awe. I can think of no other group of books that I would recommend so highly to you. They are to be read and cherished, again and again. Buy a copy today!

120 of 124 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Mind-bogglingly imaginative fantasy, March 17, 2000

By	Michael Paulsen (Rancho Santa Margarita, CA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

These ten books compiled into one are simply some of the greatest, most imaginative, and mind-blowing fantasy ever written. (What was the late great Roger Zelazny smoking when he began this series back in 1970?) "Nine Princes in Amber" is the first in a series of ten books chronicling the ever-feuding bloodlines of the House of Amber -- the true kingdom of Order in the Universe -- and the struggle with its eternal nemesis: the Courts of Chaos. The protagonist of the first five books, Prince Corwin, is all at once fallible, noble & just and wise-cracking, street smart. His son, Merlin, continues the saga in the closing five. Zelazny has created a universe so original, and dozens of characters so rich that it truly boggles the mind. And instead of whisking us off to some remote fairyland, he combines modern day Earth (a mere shadow world) with his infinitely rich universe. For starters, where else are you going to find MIB's (Men in Black), a fast food chain called "Kentucky Fried Lizzard Partes", teleporting Tarot cards and swordfights all in the same book! I agree with many others that only Tolkien and perhaps Frank Herbert have managed to create such intricate, compelling worlds. Roger, we will sorely miss you.

82 of 84 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Finally, all of Amber in one volume!, October 3, 2000

By	"vintage_girl" (Cambridge, MA USA) - See all my reviews

I have loved Zelazny's Amber series for many years now, and recently tried to find all of the novels again, only to learn that many are out of print. But with the "Great Book of Amber" all of the Amber books are in one volume.

This volume includes the original Amber series, in which Prince Corwin is the central character relearning his place in the monarchy and dissecting the politics and palace intrigues. The royal family draws its power from the Pattern in Amber, Amber being the original world from which all other universes are mere shadows and combinations.

The second Amber series is included as well, in which Corwin's son is the central character. He is a prince of both Amber and Chaos, and is a master of both Amber's powers (the Pattern) and the magical/wizardly powers of Chaos.

I love the magic and the epic nature of the adventures, and each individual novel within the series is a wonderful read. The volume as a whole builds a world and a saga that will stick with you for ages after you've read it.

If you like Tolkien's Lord of the Rings, you'll probably enjoy this volume as well.