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makragic's review
3.0
The part of it was truly interesting, the part of it was there I guess to pave the way for the next book. I'll proceed with the series, I really like it thus far.
neglet's review
Rereading an old favorite for the first time in ten years. Has more actually happening than the first two books, as secret plots are revealed and Corwin tries to figure out who is attacking Amber. And I like twisty political plots, so I enjoyed this more than the first two.
compmanjx3's review
2.0
Better than book two, but with many of the same flaws and a strange cliffhanger ending that has nothing to do with the rest of this book.
hawkeyegough's review
adventurous
challenging
funny
mysterious
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
The Chronicles of Amber are my first exposure to Roger Zelazny, and he continues to impress me with what I imagine is a very difficult combination of concise, uncluttered dialogue paired with expansive and world-building concepts and plot twists.
Zelazny's precise and varied use of his comprehensive vocabulary had me looking up words more frequently than I usually do - which I enjoy! Good examples of this are words like "recrudescence" and "etiology," neither of which I think I have ever heard a human speak in a conversation but turned out to be perfectly suited to their context. This kind of baroque-sounding dialogue is actually perfect for the main characters of this book as they all seem to be like a royal court of related and competing influence peddlers.
The political/familial intrigue (they end up being pretty much interchangeable) continues to ramp up with a murder, a pair of stabbings, a trip into a cloud city that's much creepier than Bespin, and a literal phantom limb. The book ends on a cliffhanger that truly confused me, as I believe Zelazny intended.
The only reason I'm not proceeding directly to Chronicles of Amber #4 is that I'm reading these in a giant 10-book compendium and my wrists need a couple days off from holding it up. So far, that 10-book monster compilation is shaping up to be some of the best value for a book in recent memory. Here's hoping it continues.
Zelazny's precise and varied use of his comprehensive vocabulary had me looking up words more frequently than I usually do - which I enjoy! Good examples of this are words like "recrudescence" and "etiology," neither of which I think I have ever heard a human speak in a conversation but turned out to be perfectly suited to their context. This kind of baroque-sounding dialogue is actually perfect for the main characters of this book as they all seem to be like a royal court of related and competing influence peddlers.
The political/familial intrigue (they end up being pretty much interchangeable) continues to ramp up with a murder, a pair of stabbings, a trip into a cloud city that's much creepier than Bespin, and a literal phantom limb. The book ends
The only reason I'm not proceeding directly to Chronicles of Amber #4 is that I'm reading these in a giant 10-book compendium and my wrists need a couple days off from holding it up. So far, that 10-book monster compilation is shaping up to be some of the best value for a book in recent memory. Here's hoping it continues.
sjbanner's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
koshpeli's review
4.0
The plot thickens
This book does a nice job of balancing more world-building and driving the plot. But its main function is to explain the events of the first two books, which I really enjoyed. And just as you feel you know what’s going on, it ends on a very satisfying cliffhanger!
My favorite in the series so far, though you’ll want to read one and two before this one. So far none if the books really work on their own.
This book does a nice job of balancing more world-building and driving the plot. But its main function is to explain the events of the first two books, which I really enjoyed. And just as you feel you know what’s going on, it ends on a very satisfying cliffhanger!
My favorite in the series so far, though you’ll want to read one and two before this one. So far none if the books really work on their own.
shane's review
4.0
Another very good novel. I love the whole Amber setup with it's idea of changing the world around you and living in shadow worlds and so forth. All the talk of family politics and infighting over who is going to get the throne is all a little much for me. To be quite honest I'm one of those people who couldn't give a monkey's who attains the throne. I'm far more interested in shadow and chaos and so forth than pretty infighting amongst the family. I was also expecting a little more in the way of direct confrontation with the darker, more chaotic forces than I actually got though, so a little disappointed there.
Very good.
Very good.
haljonesy's review
4.0
Zelazny has a wonderful way of describing scenes. Rather than try and conjure up one or two sentences to depict something, he will use a handful of phrases or words that really capture what he's trying to show. I really like the way he uses imagery, and almost wish more authors would follow his style instead of trying to come up with a fabulous unique way of describing something.
olivera420's review
2.0
2.5 stars
I still love the world but this book was a complete 180 from the previous two books. Nine Princes in Amber and The Guns of Avalon set up an interesting looming threat of the black road as a result of Corwin's curse and the mysterious girl that says she's Benedict's granddaughter and then this book barely mentions either of those things and turns into a standard whodunit that I've seen a million times already. And that basic whodunit setup is just an excuse to have a 190 page long recounting of events the previous two books covered from the perspectives of Corwin's brothers. The ending was the only intriguing part where something new happens and was a major cliffhanger and the only reason I'm continuing the series at all.
I still love the world but this book was a complete 180 from the previous two books. Nine Princes in Amber and The Guns of Avalon set up an interesting looming threat of the black road as a result of Corwin's curse and the mysterious girl that says she's Benedict's granddaughter and then this book barely mentions either of those things and turns into a standard whodunit that I've seen a million times already. And that basic whodunit setup is just an excuse to have a 190 page long recounting of events the previous two books covered from the perspectives of Corwin's brothers. The ending was the only intriguing part where something new happens and was a major cliffhanger and the only reason I'm continuing the series at all.
planetarypan's review
4.0
Hard to follow all the politics in this family... especially when paragraphs are over a page at times. Still, the plot twists are interesting and unexpected. On to book four!