The Great Book of Amber: The Complete Amber Chronicles, 1-10 (Chronicles of Amber) Paperback – March 30, 2010

"The Great Book of Amber" combines all ten of Roger Zelazny's Princes of Amber novels into one volume, and I wish he were still alive to continue the series with number eleven. Parts of his Amber novels were serialized in the SF/Fantasy magazines of the 1970s, and it shows in his adventure-a-minute, cliff-hanging writing style. I also understand that DC Comics was going to do a series on Amber, and I think that would work, too, because Zelazny's writing is very visual, character-driven, and episodic in nature. He was one of the great fantasy writers of the last four decades, and he collected the hardware to prove it: six Hugos; two Locus Poll awards; three Nebulas; one Apollo; and two Balrog trophies. I originally read each of his Amber novels as they were published, and having all of the stories collected into one volume certainly makes it easier to keep track of the machinations and counter-plots and vendettas of Amber's homicidal First Family.The Amber novels start out as a chronicle of a royal family feud as narrated by Corwin, son of King Oberon and presumptive heir to the throne of Amber (if his immortal father should ever die). Corwin has spent the last three hundred years on Earth (which is a mere shadow of the one real world of Amber) in a state of amnesia, courtesy of one of his eight scheming siblings. He manages to survive the Great Plague of London, numerous wars, and an addiction to chain-smoking before his would-be murderer shifts through the shadows from Amber to Earth and tries to kill him again, this time via an automobile accident. Corwin survives the car crash and starts to regain his memory of who and what he is. His return to Amber and the search for his would-be assassin drives the plot from "Nine Princes in Amber" through "The Courts of Chaos". Then, after five books, Corwin's son Merlin takes over the narrative.Whereas Corwin was a hard-boiled, wise-cracking 40's kind of guy who was irresistible to women and possessed supernormal physical prowess, his son Merlin is a kinder, gentler 60's kind of guy who is irresistible to women and possesses supernormal physical prowess. He doesn't fight nearly as many duels or kill nearly as many folks as his father did. Zelazny's Royal Amberites are affable, interesting, and even noble at times. However, they are supermen so don't expect too much in the way of character development. The women are especially two-dimensional: beautiful and ineffectual, for the most part although they do evolve into something a bit more interesting as the series continues.The real reason to read "The Great Book of Amber" is the journey through the parallel worlds of Shadow. The notion of shifting to a slightly different reality as you walk or drive or ride is endlessly fascinating. Zelazny is at his most lyrical as the shadow of a tree turns from black to emerald or another sun appears in the sky. When travelling through Shadow with him, it is hard for me to remember whether I'm awake and reading, or asleep and dreaming of an effortless, exotic, changing reality.If Coleridge took opium to dream of Xanadu, what did Zelazny take to dream of Amber?You really ought to journey through Shadow with this fine author at least once in your life.

TL;DR:An underrated fantasy masterpiece with compelling storytelling, but the book arrived in poor physical condition.___________Review on Content:"The Great Book of Amber: The Complete Amber Chronicles, 1-10" is a stunning work of fantasy literature. The writing style is mesmerizing, immersing readers in a world filled with a rich spectrum of artistry. It skillfully weaves philosophy, idealism, suspenseful battles, clever plot developments, and elements of love and fantasy. This collection is truly an underrated gem that deserves more recognition.Review on Condition:However, the physical condition of the book upon arrival was a letdown. The copy I received was marred with wear and tear - bent pages and visible marks, detracting from the joy of owning and reading such a remarkable series.Despite the condition issue, the Chronicles of Amber is an exceptional read for fans of intricate and well-crafted fantasy worlds.

Great stories and all in one place.

book in fine shape and delivered on time

For some reason Zelazny has fallen out of the public eye. He was a prolific writer of a very peculiar brand of sci-fi and fantasy that pulled heavily from mythology, including the Hindu pantheon, the gods of ancient Egypt, Buddhism and the like. He also wrote complex family vendettas and alliances better than anyone. The Amber series - two series, really, of five books each - are the original "game of thrones." They are all gathered here in one huge volume, which is great because they should really be read as one long story. The only problem is that any paperback this size will be prone to spine separation, just because of its weight (I have the same problem with the single-volume edition of the Lord of the Rings trilogy). If you like Zelazny you should read these books, as the Amber chronicles are the centerpiece of his work. Also highly recommended: Doorways in the Sand, Lord of Light, and Jack of Shadows, among others.