Nine Princes In Amber: Book One

In the 70s, this was considered the freshest kind of fantasy, and today's writers often point to it as one of their inspirations.Why it made the listThe world-building concept in The Chronicles of Amber is intriguing: There are multiple worlds, but each one is just a copy of one main world. The magic system, where characters with magic can influence the copied worlds is equally fascinating. That it's easy to understand these ideas is a testament to Zelazny's writing ability. In the hands of a lesser writer, these could be difficult to grasp.There's some great dialogue in this series – witty quips and retorts illustrate the conflict between the characters without detracting from the plot. There isn't an over abundance of wittiness either, which is a good thing considering how irritating snarky characters can be if they don't show some seriousness. (David Eddings, this means you.)If you're looking for good female characters, you'll need to manage your expectations a bit: Like many books written in the 70s, the need to create well-rounded women didn't exist the way it does today. You'd think this would detract from the readability of the series, but it doesn't. This is mostly because the plot moves along at a good pace – with a number of surprising twists that will keep you entertained.

Books in Chronicles Of Amber Series (13)

Booklists having this book

Best Fantasy Books of the 70's

The 70's saw us Afro hairstyle, the Me generation, the continuation of the Cold War, the end of the Vietnam war, and death of the hippy trail.  It was also... Read more

Other books by Zelazny, Roger

Chronicles Of Amber

The Amber Chronicles is a complex blend of genres and plot. It starts like a murder mystery, drawing the reader in, then it moves on to a mixture of sci-fi... Read more

The Guns Of Avalon

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Sign Of The Unicorn

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The Hand Of Oberon

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The Courts Of Chaos

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Trumps Of Doom

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Blood Of Amber

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Sign Of Chaos

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Knight Of Shadows

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Prince Of Chaos

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Sign Of The Unicorn

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The Courts Of Chaos

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Manna From Heaven

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Roger Zelazny's The Dawn Of Amber

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Roger Zelazny's To Rule In Amber

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Roger Zelazny's Shadows Of Amber

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The Chronicles Of Amber

Not strictly unknown, yet still ignored by the average fantasy reader. The world of Amber is one of the most original and most interesting fantasy worlds out there – something... Read more

The Courts Of Chaos

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Knight Of Shadows

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Lord Of Light

Zelazny may be famous in the fantasy world for his Amber series, but his best work may just be his stand alone novel, Lord of Light. It's a work that's... Read more

Nine Princes In Amber: Book One

In the 70s, this was considered the freshest kind of fantasy, and today's writers often point to it as one of their inspirations.Why it made the listThe world-building concept in... Read more

Sign Of The Unicorn

 Read more

The Hand Of Oberon

 Read more

The Courts Of Chaos

 Read more

Blood Of Amber

 Read more

Sign Of Chaos

 Read more

Knight Of Shadows

 Read more

Prince Of Chaos

 Read more

Prince Of Chaos

 Read more

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