Roger Zelazny's Chronicles of Amber

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around Roger Zelazny's "Chronicles of Amber," exploring its themes, style, and personal reflections on the series. Participants share their experiences with the books, their favorite characters, and the narrative structure, while also touching on the emotional and thematic elements present in the story.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant describes the series as more sword & sorcery than high fantasy, highlighting its hard-boiled, detective fiction style.
  • Another participant expresses nostalgia for characters like Corwin, Merlin, and Benedict, inviting thoughts on the Pattern and Shadows.
  • Several participants note the unusual structure of the series, referring to it as an excellent trilogy condensed into ten books.
  • One participant mentions gifting the "Great Book of Amber" to their wife, suggesting it may be intimidating compared to other classic literature.
  • Another participant reflects on their wife's reading habits, contrasting the perceived difficulty of "The Amber Chronicles" with other literary works.
  • A participant shares their experience of reading the series as it was released, indicating a long-standing engagement with the material.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express a shared appreciation for the series, but there are differing views on its accessibility and thematic content, particularly regarding its portrayal of family dynamics and conflict.

Contextual Notes

Some participants reference personal reading experiences and preferences, which may influence their perceptions of the series' complexity and themes.

Who May Find This Useful

Fans of fantasy literature, particularly those interested in sword & sorcery genres, as well as readers who enjoy character-driven narratives with complex family dynamics.

Khatti
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All right Mr. Holland, two can play at this game! My favorite fantasy series is the Chronicles of Amber by Roger Zelazny. The series is more sword & sorcery than high fantasy, and it is written in a style that's reminiscent of hard-boiled, detective fiction. It deals with a family of...well...demigods who start out fighting over the throne 'cause Dad is gone, and end up fighting to keep their home kingdom intact. So does anyone other than me miss Corwin and Merlin and Benedict? Does anyone have any thoughts on facing the Pattern or just ambling through Shadows?
 
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"It was just one damned thing chasing another."
 
An excellent trilogy somehow crammed into only ten books.
 
Vanadium 50 said:
An excellent trilogy somehow crammed into only ten books.

Nine Princes in Amber, and The Guns of Avalon, I read about every eighteen months. I think the last time I read the first five books altogether was 2003. I haven't read the second set since the Eighties.
 
I bought the Great Book of Amber for my wife. I think it intimidates her.
 
Noisy Rhysling said:
I bought the Great Book of Amber for my wife. I think it intimidates her.

Did she get through War & Peace, and The Brothers Karamazov in College? This is a lot easier going. Perhaps it's the fact that I went through all ten book individually that makes it less intimidating for me. Also, The Amber Chronicles isn't what I would think of as chick-lit. It's about men behaving very badly. I don't know how you and your wife feel about kids & family--nor am I going to ask--but if your a woman who is looking forward to having both, a series of books where the siblings are trying to kill each other may be something of a downer.

"I trusted him like a brother--which is to say not at all."
 
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I read all of them as they came out as well. Robin is a constant reader, no lightweight in that department.