Reviews

Sign of the Unicorn by Roger Zelazny

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manwithanagenda's review against another edition

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adventurous dark fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

capellan's review against another edition

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3.0

The third Amber novel is thoroughly readable, but perhaps even more than the second it feels like set-up for the remaining volumes rather than a book unto itself. There's various things going on, and a lot of exposition that fills in other character's versions of what has gone before, but it definitely doesn't have the kinetic energy of the first book.

jpv0's review

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4.0

In [b:Nine Princes in Amber|92121|Nine Princes in Amber (The Chronicles of Amber #1)|Roger Zelazny|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1416090973s/92121.jpg|1383240], Corwin went from having no memories to learning he was a Prince of Amber, to trying to wrest the throne from his brother Eric--only to be blinded and thrown into prison.

In [b:The Guns of Avalon|62012|The Guns of Avalon (The Chronicles of Amber #2)|Roger Zelazny|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1368213721s/62012.jpg|1105543], Corwin escapes off the Avalon in order to use jewelers' supplies to make guns to take back the throne from Eric--only to end up having to save Amber rather than attack it.

In [b:Sign of the Unicorn|239917|Sign of the Unicorn (The Chronicles of Amber #3)|Roger Zelazny|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1368213756s/239917.jpg|2425692], things really start getting weird...

On one hand, we end up getting a much stronger sense for exactly who in Amber's ruling family is working with whom and what all they've done thus far. It turns out that Corwin and his brothers and sisters really are a bunch of conniving bastards (in some cases literally). It's the first time we've really seen all (or at least most) of them all in one place at the same time, which leads to a much different sort of book. It's interesting.

On the other hand, not that much actually happens. We're learning a lot more about the world(s), but mostly only answering questions from the previous two books. I want to know more about what's going on with that Black Road. Perhaps in [b:The Hand of Oberon|116982|The Hand of Oberon (The Chronicles of Amber #4)|Roger Zelazny|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1417644788s/116982.jpg|1837346]?

Still worth finishing, but I'm starting to long for more.

Random aside, the book went rather amusingly meta at one point:

“Yes,” he said. “But I wonder . . . I’ve a peculiar feeling that I may never see you again. It is as if I were one of those minor characters in a melodrama who gets shuffled offstage without ever learning how things turn out.”

“I can appreciate the feeling,” I said. “My own role sometimes makes me want to strangle the author. But look at it this way: inside stories seldom live up to one’s expectations. Usually they are grubby little things, reducing down to the basest of motives when all is known. Conjectures and illusions are often the better possessions.”

okaynextcrisis's review against another edition

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adventurous funny medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Love my terrible Amber relations

sansserifsigma's review

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3.0

Sam Sykes, on his magnanimous twitter, introduced me to the idea of a 'treading water' book. An installment of a series where no actual new plot developments happen, but just continuation and fulfillment of old ones. He said that while he can appreciate it, more than one in a row can get a little boring.

That's my opinion on this book.