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

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

List Price: $22.95
Your Price: $16.07
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A superb example of the definition of classic.
Review: It may be a bit unwieldy for some readers, but the thousand-plus pages contained in this epic extend much farther than simple words; Zelazny paints an elaborate canvas with more imagery, plot twists, and sheer brilliance than one would think possible.
At the start of the saga we are introduced to Corwin, who has just awoken (sans memories) in a modern hospital. But this is not just an amnesia-driven mystery; within mere chapters a span of worlds as great as can be imagined--because, imagined, those worlds are REAL--is opened, as our protagonist learns that he is a native of the one true world, Amber, and every other world (including ours) is but a shadow.
That's not all. He soon discovers a kingdom to be had, but he's not the only one eligible. Nearly his whole family (and it's not a small one) also covets the throne, and would do anything--including rewriting the fabric of reality itself--to get it.
I'd love to describe more, but doing so would ruin a great number of surprises. Not fun--I've read the whole book several times with nary a whit of joy lost from knowing what happens--but the impact of the twists would be lessened.
Read this book. You won't be disappointed.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Long awaited compilation
Review: I have read the amber series on may occasions. It was the series that first got me started in sci-fi fantasy reading. The books take you into another world while still being part of our every day life. I had originally borrowed the series from a friend. I have been trying to get the full series every since. Still do not have it. The compilation brought me back again following in the path of Corwin andhis treacherous family.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: The Complete Amber Chronicles (at last!)
Review: If I found this book earlier, it would have saved me a lot of money.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: To the world of Amber
Review: Robert Zelazny's Amber Chronicles are rightly considered a classic series, with a cult following and a unique, quirky style that sets it apart from most SF/F stories. With two main protagonists and two interlocked storylines, set in a Machiavellian universe known as Amber, this is a complex, pulse-pounding adventure series.

The first five books tell the story of Corwin, who is first introduced to readers as an amnesiac who escapes a hospital (a crude but effective tactic of introducing readers to Amber, as Corwin is reintroduced to it). He soon becomes reenmeshed in a complex power struggle with his devious siblings, to determine who will rule Amber. The second five books focus on Corwin's son Merlin, who is nearly killed on the same day every year. He is subsequently sucked into the same power struggles as his father...

It's a credit to Zelazny's skill that he was able to produce such evocative images with such stark prose. With a few exceptions, such as the first transition into Amber, he usually kept his descriptions minimal, and after describing a given character, building, creature, or landmark he would not do so again. He showed a similar skill for his characterizations. Readers will like Corwin's snappy persona and Merlin's more thoughtful manner, as well as the multilayered, mysterious personalities of their friends, relatives and allies. And the concept of Amber itself is excellent: The one true world upon which all others are shadows, based upon the Pattern.

Zelazny's books are not flawless. Corwin and Merlin often seem to escape by the seat of their pants by improbable deus ex machinae, and some of the supporting characters are left rather underdeveloped. He also seemed slightly besotted by the tarot cards, and the transitions from one world to another, as these passages are repeated over and over. Teens will undoubtedly enjoy these books, given the spicy narrative and settings; but children should not read these books, due to some sexual content (not too graphic, but quite obvious) and some very alarming sibling relationships.

Unfortunately the ten-in-one edition is unsatisfactory in some ways. While it is admittedly hard to produce a 1200-page book without some flaws, this has too many to be excused. The paper quality is very cheap, as is the too-breakable binding. If you are the type to abuse or at least be casual with your books, you would do better to find the older, individual, out of print paperbacks.

"The Great Book of Amber" is a good read for readers who enjoy original, highly complex stories, full of delightfully fantastical worlds and anti-heroes. Highly recommended.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Not the best....but....well...ah just read below.
Review: Okay, here's the deal.
Never...and I mean NEVER, has a book been harder for me to put down at night and go to sleep. I have read almost 1000 books and I have been able to put them down whenever I please and hit the hay...not with these.
Although his characters are a little flat, and his plot full of holes, the STORY keeps you moving. The action never stops, ever. I tried to put the book down but kept reading until my eyes were scratching against my lids. The characters of Corwin and Merlin are decently drawn, but Zelazny always seems to drag them out of holes with some "new" magic or magical creature whom we have never met before. The neat thing is, finding out what he will do next, no matter how contrived. There are some typos and some other issues with this book, but it is a good story and you will like it.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Great...
Review: Creative, intelligent, entertaining. The books are not without flaw as some of the writing can be confusing and the occasional plot twist can seem to be too far of a stretch. I give these books a 4.5/5.0.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: My all time favorite author, and all time favorite series...
Review: The Amber books are some of the best fiction available, and to have all 10 novels in one volume is a steal for this price... if only this had been available as a hardcover. Many people have stated that the second 5 books in the series do not wrap things up, or answer all the questions, but true fans and Zelazny loyalists know that the series was not over. Here's the deal:

Roger had been writing the Amber series for years, and needed to step back from the series and try other things, completely understandable after 10 books. It was his intention to return to the series at a later point. Alas this did not happen.

Roger was terminally ill, and chose to keep it private. He knew he was not going to be able to finish things in time, so to help answer some questions, and to give us just a bit more Amber, he started writing short stories of Amber, and finished 3 or 4 before his death. These stories are a bit harder to find, but they are worth tracking down.

I had the honor of meeting Roger a year or so before his death, and he graciously signed ALL TEN books for me in the series.

Now, if only they would release a compilation of Amber, with all the short stories and prologues that only appeared in limited editions! make it hardcover, leather bound, and I will pay the money for it!

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: A Tough Call
Review: This is a tough book to review. It's a consolidation of the two separate Amber series (call them the Corwin series and the Merline series). As a consolidation, it's a wonderful thing to have. I much prefer having the one big book than having 10 different books that I have to keep in order. The tough part of this review is that I absolutely love the Corwin series. I first read it decades ago. Loved it then, and love it now. The problem is that the end is not satisfactory. When the Merlin series came out, I had hoped that it would fix that ending. To some small extent, it does. But mostly, it goes about it's own business. Plus, it doesn't even end it's own side nicely. I rate the Merlin series as only OK (say, three stars). Thus, my overall four star rating. The Corwin series is an absolute must read. A Classic. Even though the Merlin series is not as good, the overall compilation is something everyone should have.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Fantasy Fan
Review: This book entails the epic tail of the city of Amber, the highest point of reality. Including, deception, deciet, magic, fighting, and great character development, this book is a classic in the making. At first we follow the tale of Cowin, a prince of Amber. Later the perspective shifts to another character, Merlin. Zelazny spends a great deal of time on character devolpment, this produces a genuine feeling of familiarity with each character by the end of the book. I highly recomend this book to any fantasy lover, young or old.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: its not the complete amber
Review: ok, so you have four excellent books that start if off, one mediocre book (I think that Courts of Chaos could have been better), then five books that aren't as good as the originals, but still pretty damn good. Lord of Chaos was the place that Roger Zelazny left the series at while taking a break, but then he came back and wrote five excellent short stories (even though they would be considered a full book if they were published together) that lead up to what would ultimately be the conclusion. While they do have a cliffhanger ending, it is better than the ending to Lord of Chaos with the main conflict of the Merlin Chronicles unresolved. You can search for them on the internet (I've got them all on my computer, downloaded them off the Gnutella network). Here are the titles, in the order that they should be read in:

The Salesman's Tale
The Shroudling and the Guisel
Coming to a Cord
Blue Horse, Dancing Mountains
Hall of Mirrors


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