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A review by jonathanpalfrey
Nine Princes in Amber by Roger Zelazny
3.0
This is a memorable book with some magical images and scenes, but for me the direction it takes is unsatisfactory, and the sequels get worse.
When I think of it, I think of Corwin's picturesque car journey with Random in Chapter 4, through a series of shadow worlds. Zelazny liked the idea of car journeys into strangeness; he used it again in a different way in [b:Roadmarks|939645|Roadmarks|Roger Zelazny|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1330347527l/939645._SY75_.jpg|924623].
The idea of the magical tarot cards is original and also appeals to me. But there are other things about the story that appeal to me less.
I like parallel-worlds stories in general, but this one is odd in that they're all presented as inferior shadows of Amber, and that's a concept I don't really like. We're told about the wonderfulness of Amber, but we're not shown what's so great about it.
Then there are the nine princes themselves (and their sisters). How is it that Amber the Wonderful has such a dysfunctional royal family? They've all lived and stayed young for centuries, but they behave like maladjusted teenagers—even Corwin, who's the most normal and most congenial of them from our point of view (rather like Sam in [b:Lord of Light|13821|Lord of Light|Roger Zelazny|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1330127327l/13821._SY75_.jpg|1011388]). There's something called maturity that comes with age and experience, but it doesn't come to them.
The princes pursue their adolescent quarrels by raising large armies of anonymous humanoids in the shadow worlds to do battle for them. This ugly and inelegant behaviour takes up chapters 6 to 8 rather drearily; it does nothing for the book, and Corwin is normal enough to be disturbed by it, although he participates in it.
Zelazny also did this tiresome raising-of-armies thing in [b:Lord of Light|13821|Lord of Light|Roger Zelazny|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1330127327l/13821._SY75_.jpg|1011388], but in other books I think he mostly depicted individuals acting for themselves, which is better.
This book is worth reading for its picturesque images, and I'd encourage people to read it, but be aware that it has flaws. As for the sequels, I've read some of them in the past but don't plan to reread or review them. I don't recommend them. Better to read Zelazny's other books.
The last time I read this book, I skipped chapters 6 to 8, because I remember roughly what happens in them, and I neither need nor want to read them again. I'm willing to reread chapters 1 to 5, and 9 to 10.
When I think of it, I think of Corwin's picturesque car journey with Random in Chapter 4, through a series of shadow worlds. Zelazny liked the idea of car journeys into strangeness; he used it again in a different way in [b:Roadmarks|939645|Roadmarks|Roger Zelazny|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1330347527l/939645._SY75_.jpg|924623].
The idea of the magical tarot cards is original and also appeals to me. But there are other things about the story that appeal to me less.
I like parallel-worlds stories in general, but this one is odd in that they're all presented as inferior shadows of Amber, and that's a concept I don't really like. We're told about the wonderfulness of Amber, but we're not shown what's so great about it.
Then there are the nine princes themselves (and their sisters). How is it that Amber the Wonderful has such a dysfunctional royal family? They've all lived and stayed young for centuries, but they behave like maladjusted teenagers—even Corwin, who's the most normal and most congenial of them from our point of view (rather like Sam in [b:Lord of Light|13821|Lord of Light|Roger Zelazny|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1330127327l/13821._SY75_.jpg|1011388]). There's something called maturity that comes with age and experience, but it doesn't come to them.
The princes pursue their adolescent quarrels by raising large armies of anonymous humanoids in the shadow worlds to do battle for them. This ugly and inelegant behaviour takes up chapters 6 to 8 rather drearily; it does nothing for the book, and Corwin is normal enough to be disturbed by it, although he participates in it.
Zelazny also did this tiresome raising-of-armies thing in [b:Lord of Light|13821|Lord of Light|Roger Zelazny|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1330127327l/13821._SY75_.jpg|1011388], but in other books I think he mostly depicted individuals acting for themselves, which is better.
This book is worth reading for its picturesque images, and I'd encourage people to read it, but be aware that it has flaws. As for the sequels, I've read some of them in the past but don't plan to reread or review them. I don't recommend them. Better to read Zelazny's other books.
The last time I read this book, I skipped chapters 6 to 8, because I remember roughly what happens in them, and I neither need nor want to read them again.