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

Rating:
Summary: IT DOES NOT GET MUCH BETTER THAN THIS
Review: To start with, I must admit to being a very big Zelazny fan. I like SiFi and it's related genre. i.e. fantasy, S&S, etc. I really feel that this work, as a whole (all ten books) is some of the best out there. Zelazny's droll humor shows through on evey page. His story twists and turns in the most odd places, keeping you just a bit off center and turning the pages. The author parades character after character before the reader, each unique, each offering so much to the story. This is imagination at it's best. This was one series I was sorry to see end. Even the audio tape version, read by the author, is excellent and great to listen to while driving. I cannot recommend this work highly enough.

Rating:
Summary: Walk in Amber!
Review: This long work of fantasy is addictive, like some sort of soap opera. But for those of us discouraged by reality, a good work of fantasy is a welcome break. I found it very enjoyable, and just like many other readers, I truly wanted to walk in Amber.

Still, there are way too many loose ends in the story. Oberon is a major character, but we never find out much about him. In Book Five, we're all expecting him to tell us what he has been up to, but he doesn't do that. We expect to find out more about what Corwin has been doing in the second half of the book, but we don't get that either. And I certainly expected Dworkin to tell us more about the history of his family.

Well, what does one do if one runs out of pages without the story having finished? I guess one idea is to go to the internet and read the next part, a set of five short stories by Zelazny (The Salesman's Tale; The Shroudling and the Guisel; Coming to a Cord; Blue Horse, Dancing Mountains; and Hall of Mirrors). And after that, there's the prequel from Oberon's point of view, written by John Betancourt (The Dawn of Amber, Chaos and Amber, and To Rule in Amber). There's never going to be an end to these stories, and we're all hopelessly hooked on them, so just keep those books coming!

Rating:
Summary: Only buy it if you have lots of free time!
Review: I bought this book several years ago, and as soon as I started it, I couldn't put it down! At over 1200 pages, this isn't a book you can read in an evening. I know that when I wasn't reading it, it was all I could think about! Hands down, this is my favorite book of all time. As a fan of science fiction and fantasy, I thought I'd seem pretty much every basic plot that existed. This one, however, was fresh and new. Even after 1200 pages, the storyline doesn't get tired. It leaves you wishing that there was more!

Rating:
Summary: THIS BOOK IS A MUST!!!
Review: This book is a true classic, I have read the first chronicles several times, in fact I had to purchase this in order to replace my worn out copy. I have lent it to friends and family, they all love the book. Zelazny is in my opinion one of the greatest authors of our time; his stories draw you in and keep you interested. His characters have a life of their own, you feel you know them once you have finished the book. This book is great for anyone. A must for any collector or lover of a good story!!

Rating:
Summary: the most dysfunctional family in fantasy
Review: I started Nine Princes in Amber on the advice of some friends, and found it a delightful romp through a complex and humorous world. Finding my library lacking in the rest of them I bought this omnibus version-- which, and this has nothing to do with Zelazny himself, has some extremely awful editing and proofreading. Annoying typos are altogether too common, and while it is a paperback and this makes it cheaper, it is entirely too large to comfortable lugging around for a little light reading.

Which is exactly what Zelazny's series is. Light reading. I really enjoyed this series, especially the first five or so. Corwin is an amusing, fairly sympathetic, reasonably compelling character and while his adventures are all too often straight-up old-school style fantasy, they're still quite entertaining. Dialogue is slightly juvenile but also fun... overall the whole story has a rather comic-booky feel, which Corwin seems to be able to pull off somewhat better than Merlin (his son, who continues the series). The writing style is not wildly original, and seems, again, rather classically adolescent.

Zelazny does make one huge stride in the realm of fantasy, however, by giving us the most completely dysfunctional family I've ever read in fiction. There is no open abuse, incest, etc., which in some ways makes their complete insanity even worse. Brothers and sisters, fathers and mothers, sons and daughters-- all of it is a huge power game to them, to be played within the confines of the Royal Family of Amber. Shifting alliances, murder-mystery moments, terrifically endearing and recklessly daredevil characters, out-and-out pitched battles and some extremely sardonic moments make this quite a fun romp, albeit rather drawn out. It's not a life changer, but it's a great summer read when you don't need something earth-shattering, just more fun than you can shake stick at.

The only really annoying thing about this series is it is almost totally unresolved. Unfortunately Zelazny passed away before he could finish this-- while he finished the second "part" of the series, ending with a lovely family reunion of sorts, that is really the only denounement that the series has, as he was planning to continue it. I would have loved to know how it *really* should have ended.

Rating:
Summary: My favorite series of all time
Review: I've read hundreds (if not thousands) of books in my life and this series is hands down my favorite (the first five more than the second five, but still all great books). One I recommend time and time again to friends. If you're looking for great characters, worlds like nothing you've read about before and an amazing storyline then pick this book up now.

Rating:
Summary: Hooked by page two while still in the book store.
Review: I just happened to see this on a bookstore shelf and was curious about the twelve-hundred-page behemoth (it is the Amber Chronicle compilation). After reading the back cover description I wasn't much interested, but I was bored so I started in on the first chapter. Wow, was I ever surprised. Zelazny hooked me with the first pages and I could not stop reading. I found myself wondering with just as much interest as the narrator who he was and why he was in a hospital with no memory. It may sound hackneyed but Zelazny makes it work just by sheer power of his writing.

I also wanted to figure out why the book was in the Sci-fi fantasy section of the store and why the story I was reading seemed to have nothing to do with the covers synopsis.

Needless to say I, and the narrator, did eventually figure it out. I finished the first story, out of ten, later that night and I have just started the second, "The Guns of Avalon". I'm happy to say that so far it is even better than the first and I can't wait to finish this review and get back to reading it.

I highly recommend this collection. If you do purchase the "Amber Chronicles" in the ten volumes set you may want to consider putting clear packaging tape along the spine as mine is showing signs of wear already and I'm afraid that such a thick book may rip at the binding. Happy reading!


Rating:
Summary: Long Hard Year
Review: I read almost anything, but this has got to be the worst. The writings were childish conversations with new characters appearing every few chapters. Most 10 year olds could make up better stuff and get the point across. I still don't understand the theme unless it was mindless wandering. A few of the individual books of the serial novel could pass for real writing and were interesting -- most of character dialog felt as if it was writing in a junior high cafeteria. Don't waste a moment on this book!