Nine Princes in Amber

All roads lead to Amber.

At least, that’s how it seems when you try to annotate the novel “Nine Princes of Amber” (and even more so the whole cycle “The Chronicles of Amber”). It’s like trying to describe Tolkien’s “The Lord of the Rings” in “a couple of lines,” or the same “A Game of Thrones” by J. Martin (who, by the way, calls Zelazny his “key source of inspiration,” and simply admires the “Chronicles”).

“The most famous fantasy series in the world! Massive print runs! Corwin, Prince of Amber, is the main contender for the royal crown in the true world— in the eternal city of Amber. His memory is lost, he’s stranded on one of the distant Shadows in the Ocean of Chaos. The locals call that Shadow ‘Earth’… And this is where Prince Corwin’s journey begins—through the center of the world, through the throne, through the Shadow Amber casts into Chaos…”

(Russo)

Some call “Nine Princes of Amber” a masterpiece; others wonder—“why?” One thing is certain: “The Chronicles of Amber” is the golden fund of science-fiction literature and an indispensable participant in any list of “the best.”

And remember the main thing: it’s only just beginning!

“Nine Princes…” is a book-dream: while reading it, you can literally feel how gray everyday life is swept away by magic and the sense of wonder.

When I decide to offer an uninitiated reader something to start exploring the genre, my choice always ends up with “Nine Princes of Amber,” because, in my—probably quite immodest—opinion, nothing better for this purpose exists.

(Uldemir)

“When this book was recommended to me, I met it with a fair amount of skepticism. After all, it’s more of a man’s book than a woman’s. A kingdom, a battle for power, some kind of incomprehensible Middle Ages—or something like that… What can I say—I fell in love with Amber itself and its heroes. Written… simply mind-blowingly. You can’t stop reading… The world is wonderfully vivid and diverse. Entering it is hard, but even harder is breaking free from its spell.”

(A reader)

“Here you can feel not only the influence of Greek philosophy—there is much for a careful and educated reader to discover: numerous allusions to the cycle about King Arthur and chivalric romances (even in names and titles we see identity or similarity—let’s at least remember Avalon), the influence of analytical and Jungian psychology, and even Nietzsche’s opposition of the Apollonian and Dionysian principles… Zelazny is undoubtedly a highly erudite and widely read author, and his love of mythology and philosophy, his knowledge of world literature and history, is reflected here one way or another.”

(Timofey Kuzmin)

P.S. For those who’ve made it to the end of this blurb—some reflections on the genre:

“With the liveliest interest, I read completely opposite reviews of the book. I’ll agree with all of them—and at the same time I won’t. Many judge this work from the point of view of the fantasy genre… That’s a big mistake… Zelazny wrote primarily science fiction. Yes, almost all of his works fall outside the canons of both science fiction, mysticism, and fantasy. His books are borderline…

Those who accuse Zelazny of schematic heroes and settings are absolutely right. It’s just that his books aren’t about that. In principle, for Zelazny heroes are only a means—strokes on a canvas. The main thing is the universe, the world described in the book. “The Chronicles of Amber” are a gateway into Zelazny’s world— the simplest and most adventure-like. Anyone who likes them will be shown a whole world. Anyone who doesn’t—no problem, it just isn’t that author’s. For me, “The Chronicles of Amber” is a labyrinth through which the author leads the reader. Not even leads—you fly through it, barely managing to notice the outlines of worlds, heroes, and turns passing by. Do surrounding landscapes or the character of the passengers riding in the same carriage matter on a roller coaster?”