The Amber Series by Roger Zelazny
The Amber Series is a ten-novel saga that explores a richly detailed fantasy universe where the realm of Amber is considered the true reality, while all other worlds, including contemporary Earth, are mere shadows of it. The narrative unfolds in two distinct cycles, featuring a complex web of royal intrigue among the ruling family of Amber, characterized by shifting alliances and betrayals. The first cycle, known as The Chronicles of Amber, centers around Corwin, a prince who awakens in a New York hospital with amnesia and gradually uncovers his royal heritage and the perilous dynamics within the Amber court. As he navigates this treacherous landscape, he learns about the enigmatic Pattern, a magical construct vital to royal family members.
The second cycle, starting with Trumps of Doom, follows Merlin, Corwin's son, as he juggles his life as a computer programmer in San Francisco and his royal obligations in Amber. Merlin's journey involves the mysterious Ghost Wheel, a computer of his own creation, which becomes central to the unfolding events. The series is marked by its exploration of magic, familial conflict, and the intertwining of various realities, leaving an open-ended conclusion that allows for continued adventures in this fantastical universe. The Amber Series is notable for its depth and intricacy, making it a significant work in the fantasy genre.
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The Amber Series
First published:The Chronicles of Amber (1979; two-volume set including Nine Princes in Amber, 1970; The Guns of Avalon, 1972; Sign of the Unicorn, 1975; The Hand of Oberon, 1976; and The Courts of Chaos, 1978), Trumps of Doom (1985), Blood of Amber (1986), Sign of Chaos (1987), Knight of Shadows (1989), and Prince of Chaos (1991)
Type of work: Novels
Type of plot: Fantasy—heroic fantasy
Time of work: Contemporary on Earth and undefined but resembling medieval Earth on a variety of alternate worlds
Locale: Earth, Amber, and the lands in between
The Plot
The story of Amber is told in two cycles, consisting of ten novels. The tale is extremely complex, written over a span of twenty years, and involves dozens of principal characters who are related in various ways. Amber is depicted as the “real world”; all other worlds, including contemporary Earth, are shadows cast by that reality. It is a world of magic and swordplay ruled by members of a bickering royal family who form temporary alliances and then regularly betray one another.
Outside Amber, the characters “travel through shadows” by creating differences in reality as they walk, ride horses, and occasionally even drive cars. Physical laws are different in the various worlds; a motor vehicle, for example, would be useless in Amber.
The first cycle, contained in The Chronicles of Amber, tells the story of Corwin, Prince of Amber. He is the son of King Oberon, who has disappeared. Corwin finds himself in a hospital in New York State, apparently injured in a car accident. He thinks of himself as Carl Corey and has little memory of his past. Gradually, he learns that there is more to his past than an ordinary earthly existence. His first clue is the discovery of a pack of tarot cards that includes trumps with the pictures of Corwin and his brothers and sisters. Eventually, he is contacted by his brother Random and brought back to Amber, where he learns about the Pattern.
The Pattern is a mazelike series of twisting trails that can be walked safely only by a member of the royal family. Corwin learns that he is in great danger. His brother Eric is trying to claim the throne of Amber and has placed Corwin on the Shadow Earth (contemporary Earth) to get him out of the way. Corwin therefore walks the pattern in Rebma, a mirror image of Amber under the sea, as a means of regaining his memory. He then faces Eric, who for a brief period has managed to seize the throne.
The rest of the first cycle is concerned mainly with various intrigues in the Court of Amber and the opposition of the Courts of Chaos, which stand at the opposite end of the shadows from Amber. Along the way, Corwin meets Dworkin, a mad but powerful wizard. It becomes apparent that Dworkin is the oldest member of the House of Amber and creator of the Pattern. The Pattern has been damaged, and Dworkin’s madness is a direct reflection of that damage.
The final showdown occurs at the Courts of Chaos, where Brand, the evil prince who has been responsible for much of the bloodshed within the royal family, is killed after wresting the Jewel of Judgment, a powerful charm that Dworkin used to create the original Pattern, from Corwin. Brand falls into a deep abyss still carrying the Jewel. The Unicorn, a mythical symbol of Amber, appears with the Jewel around his horn and presents it to Random, indicating that he, not Corwin, is to be King of Amber.
The second cycle, beginning with Trumps of Doom, follows the adventures of Merlin, the son of Corwin of Amber, and Dara, a princess of Chaos. He is one of few who have walked both the Pattern of Amber and the Logrus, its equivalent at the Courts of Chaos. He is a computer programmer in San Francisco on the Shadow Earth and has built a new computer, called the Ghost Wheel, that will not work. Merlin is content in contemporary Earth but is forced back to Amber when repeated attempts are made on his life.
The second series ends with another visit to the Courts of Chaos, which is seen from the inside. There, Merlin finds the answer to his many questions, and the Ghost Wheel finally is put into operation. The story is left open-ended. Because of the nature of the worlds involved and the differing time schemes in the various shadows, the series could continue indefinitely.