What do you think?
Rate this book
The Chronicles of Amber #8
袟薪邪泻 啸邪芯褋褍
校 胁芯褋褜屑褨泄 泻薪懈卸褑褨 褑懈泻谢褍 褉芯屑邪薪褨胁 芦啸褉芯薪褨泻懈 袗屑斜械褉邪禄 袦械褉谢褨薪邪, 谐芯谢芯胁薪芯谐芯 谐械褉芯褟 写褉褍谐芯谐芯 锌鈥櫻徰傂感盒叫感缎堆�, 锌械褉械褋谢褨写褍褞褌褜 薪械胁褨写芯屑褨 胁芯褉芯谐懈. 笑械 胁芯薪懈 蟹邪屑邪薪褞褞褌褜 袦械褉谢褨薪邪 褍 褋胁褨褌 谐邪谢褞褑懈薪邪褑褨泄 泄芯谐芯 锌褉懈褟褌械谢褟 袥褞泻邪, 写械 胁褨薪 蟹褍褋褌褉褨褔邪褦褌褜褋褟 蟹 谐械褉芯褟屑懈 袟邪写蟹械褉泻邪谢谢褟, 褋褏芯写懈褌褜褋褟 褍 写胁芯斜芯褩 蟹 袙芯谐薪褟薪懈屑 携薪谐芯谢芯屑, 褑械 胁芯薪懈 褋褌芯褟褌褜 蟹邪 泄芯谐芯 斜褉邪褌芯屑 挟褉褌芯屑 褍 卸芯褉褋褌芯泻褨泄 褋褍褌懈褔褑褨 褍 袙械卸褨 效芯褌懈褉褜芯褏 小胁褨褌褨胁.
袉, 薪邪胁褨褌褜 褉芯蟹写懈胁懈胁褕懈褋褜 薪邪褉械褕褌褨 锌褨写 小懈薪褜芯褞 袦邪褋泻芯褞 芯斜谢懈褔褔褟, 褟泻械 胁褨薪 薪邪泄屑械薪褕械 褋锌芯写褨胁邪胁褋褟 锌芯斜邪褔懈褌懈, 袦械褉谢褨薪 褍褋械 褖械 写褍卸械 写邪谢械泻懈泄 胁褨写 褌芯谐芯, 邪斜懈 蟹褉芯蟹褍屑褨褌懈 锌械褉褕芯锌褉懈褔懈薪懈 胁褋褜芯谐芯, 褖芯 胁褨写斜褍胁邪褦褌褜褋褟...
袉, 薪邪胁褨褌褜 褉芯蟹写懈胁懈胁褕懈褋褜 薪邪褉械褕褌褨 锌褨写 小懈薪褜芯褞 袦邪褋泻芯褞 芯斜谢懈褔褔褟, 褟泻械 胁褨薪 薪邪泄屑械薪褕械 褋锌芯写褨胁邪胁褋褟 锌芯斜邪褔懈褌懈, 袦械褉谢褨薪 褍褋械 褖械 写褍卸械 写邪谢械泻懈泄 胁褨写 褌芯谐芯, 邪斜懈 蟹褉芯蟹褍屑褨褌懈 锌械褉褕芯锌褉懈褔懈薪懈 胁褋褜芯谐芯, 褖芯 胁褨写斜褍胁邪褦褌褜褋褟...
264 pages, Hardcover
First published October 1, 1987
81 people are currently reading
2992 people want to read
About the author
Roger Zelazny
728听books3,801听followersRoger Joseph Zelazny was an American fantasy and science fiction writer known for his short stories and novels, best known for The Chronicles of Amber. He won the Nebula Award three times (out of 14 nominations) and the Hugo Award six times (also out of 14 nominations), including two Hugos for novels: the serialized novel ...And Call Me Conrad (1965), subsequently published under the title This Immortal (1966), and the novel Lord of Light (1967).
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 200 reviews
April 25, 2019
The Alice in Wonderland episode in itself is worth five stars. That has to be one of my favourite scenes, not just in this book series, but of all times. It's so brilliantly written. As typical of Zelazny, Blood of Amber ended practically mid sentence. Sign of Chaos takes up from where Blood of Amber ended beautifully. The previous sequel was quite eventful, and this one is no different. I like how things just keep on getting more complicated. In the Amber family things are never peaceful, and when you add the shadows and the Courts of Chaos to the mix, you can see why our protagonist has his work cut out for him. Magic can't help him much, he will need more than magical powers (and an awesome AI as a sidekick) to stay alive. Merlin also grows as a person in this one, I feel. He is starting to see how some of his earlier actions can have serious consequences.
The more I read into the sequels, the more I liked how different Merlin is from Corwin. Zelazny's writing is always poetic, but linguistically speaking Merlin hasn't got anything in common with Corwin. Merlin narrative voice is quite different and his approach to things as well. Corwin was an old soul (and quite literately so), whereas Merlin is distinctly a young person. Despite his magical powers, his double identity as a noble of both Amber and Chaos, and his shadow walking creation, Merlin is sometimes quite naive in a young person sort of way. However, it makes perfect sense. Merlin being more trusting and less prideful in general, he is willing to stand out for his friend Luke, despite the risks. At the same time, Merlin is certainly intelligent. He is able to see the bigger picture, although not all of it obviously- where would be the fun in that? All in all, this is a great novel. Zelanzny at his best. Enough said.
The more I read into the sequels, the more I liked how different Merlin is from Corwin. Zelazny's writing is always poetic, but linguistically speaking Merlin hasn't got anything in common with Corwin. Merlin narrative voice is quite different and his approach to things as well. Corwin was an old soul (and quite literately so), whereas Merlin is distinctly a young person. Despite his magical powers, his double identity as a noble of both Amber and Chaos, and his shadow walking creation, Merlin is sometimes quite naive in a young person sort of way. However, it makes perfect sense. Merlin being more trusting and less prideful in general, he is willing to stand out for his friend Luke, despite the risks. At the same time, Merlin is certainly intelligent. He is able to see the bigger picture, although not all of it obviously- where would be the fun in that? All in all, this is a great novel. Zelanzny at his best. Enough said.
December 18, 2022
Magical Mayhem! Wizard Posse Punches Arch-Villain's Trump Card! "Well, I'd just become a 'Living Trump,' able to transport myself anywhere throughout the multiverse at will. You'd think that'd make a difference. (Shakes head disconsolately), But No! Merlin still thwarted my Evil Plan!" - Jurt - The Vigilant Villain
'The whiffling, the wailing, and the burbling suddenly echoed down the shaft, along with hissing, scraping and occasional snarls. The two beasts came together and tore at each other, eyes like dying suns, claws like bayonets, forming a hellish mandala in the pale light which now reached them from below.' A fire angel and a Jabberwock in a boss fight...
With more intrigue than a bagful of hairless primates fighting over the last peanut, this volume kept me awake at night.
Recommended, 5 'Team Jabberwock,' stars.
'The whiffling, the wailing, and the burbling suddenly echoed down the shaft, along with hissing, scraping and occasional snarls. The two beasts came together and tore at each other, eyes like dying suns, claws like bayonets, forming a hellish mandala in the pale light which now reached them from below.' A fire angel and a Jabberwock in a boss fight...
With more intrigue than a bagful of hairless primates fighting over the last peanut, this volume kept me awake at night.
Recommended, 5 'Team Jabberwock,' stars.
February 16, 2011
Merlin continues on his quest to find out who has been trying to kill him for years and why. Along the way, we find out more of his backstory, in particular the bits involving his half brothers Jurt and Mandor. More illegitimate spawn of the Amber family pop up, as does Merlin's mysterious body-swapping aide. What do all of these things have to do with the Keep of Four Worlds?
I'm over halfway through the second Chronicle of Amber and I have to say I'm not as captivated by it as I was the first five books. While I find aspects of Merlin's mystery as interesting or more intersting than Corwin's, such as the Ghostwheel and the pattern Corwin created, I feel like the first five books are getting watered down. Too many people are walking the Pattern and too many are able to create trumps.
That's not to say Sign of Chaos is a bad book. It's full of the intrigue that makes the Amber books great. Merlin isn't a carbon copy of his father, which is refreshing. The Amberites are true to form in their double dealing. Despite some minor gripes, I'm ready to find out what happened to Corwin and what will happen to Merlin, Julian, Mandor, and the rest. On to book nine!
I'm over halfway through the second Chronicle of Amber and I have to say I'm not as captivated by it as I was the first five books. While I find aspects of Merlin's mystery as interesting or more intersting than Corwin's, such as the Ghostwheel and the pattern Corwin created, I feel like the first five books are getting watered down. Too many people are walking the Pattern and too many are able to create trumps.
That's not to say Sign of Chaos is a bad book. It's full of the intrigue that makes the Amber books great. Merlin isn't a carbon copy of his father, which is refreshing. The Amberites are true to form in their double dealing. Despite some minor gripes, I'm ready to find out what happened to Corwin and what will happen to Merlin, Julian, Mandor, and the rest. On to book nine!
August 7, 2019
The review will wait a bit because for lack of time I will have to prolong it for later.
April 1, 2017
Some very surprising developments at the end of this volume, I'm hurrying on to the next book in the series. If you are a fantasy fan and haven't read this series you really should give it a try.
May 3, 2024
This is the third book in Zelazny's second Amber series and picks up immediately where Blood of Amber ended. It stops with little resolution to the overall arc. It's made quite obvious that Merlin isn't much like his father, Corwin, but he seems just a bit too gullible. (Maybe more than just a bit... If the reader can immediately see what's wrong with the characters Merlin deals with, he should have a clue too, right?) I believe that it's possible to enjoy the first series on their own, but this one is more of a single long story that must be read in sequence. It is a very well-crafted book, with many nicely written scenes and sequences... perhaps if I'd read Merlin's story first, I'd appreciate it more.
March 15, 2021
This middle book in the 5-part Second Chronicles of Amber drags a little with Middle Book Syndrome: no real resolutions, just plot complications, a few new characters and some unexpected reversals of fortune. Fans might neglect the Second Chronicles for not being quite as fresh as the First, and perhaps rightfully so, but there's still a lot of fun here for fantasy fans as Zelazny continues to flesh out and expand his Amberverse.
January 11, 2024
Nastavak koji je o啪iveo nadu da 膰u kompletirati serijal, ujedno me podse膰aju膰i da to ipak ne膰e biti bez muke i napora. Po膷etnim poglavljima skidam kapu, me膽u najboljima su u serijalu, jer maksimalno koriste najma拧tovitije, najlu膽e scenarije koji se mogu desiti putnicima kroz svetove. Vatreni an膽eo je 馃敟 馃敟 馃敟 koncept za bi膰e haosa. Merlin 膷ak priznaje da je "kriti膷nost i sumnju ostavio predugo da spavaju" i iskreno poku拧ava da se uklopi u psiholo拧ku topografiju familije. Za mene, to su sve pobede.
Sredina knjige nam dodatno pribli啪ava konkretan 啪ivot i diplomatiju Ambara (aleluja), ali kraj na啪alost ponovo razo膷arava sa dosadnim akcionim sekvencama i previ拧e tajnovitih situacija. Sve ponovo kre膰e da se zamr拧ava, a mene - boli glava.
Balans originalnosti i glavobolje - moj kona膷an verdikt za ovaj naslov. 膶itam dalje jedino zbog Luka, sporednog lika koji me je polako osvajao od pro拧le knjige. I, ako smo iskreni, 啪elje da se ne poklekne pred kraj...
Sredina knjige nam dodatno pribli啪ava konkretan 啪ivot i diplomatiju Ambara (aleluja), ali kraj na啪alost ponovo razo膷arava sa dosadnim akcionim sekvencama i previ拧e tajnovitih situacija. Sve ponovo kre膰e da se zamr拧ava, a mene - boli glava.
Balans originalnosti i glavobolje - moj kona膷an verdikt za ovaj naslov. 膶itam dalje jedino zbog Luka, sporednog lika koji me je polako osvajao od pro拧le knjige. I, ako smo iskreni, 啪elje da se ne poklekne pred kraj...
July 20, 2015
These are getting a tad homogeneous at this point, but still extremely enjoyable. I'm a bit irked by the fact that anytime someone asks how something happens, they get a detailed, exact and completely true response, but it's minor details. I am excited to get closer to the end of the series, and see how it's going to end. Still nowhere near as awesome as the Corwin cycle, but good.
December 14, 2020
Fast and fun.
May 23, 2021
Book #8 of the Chronicles of Amber. This one was a bit of a mess, confusing characters and muddled storyline. The conclusion did not really resolve anything except that there will be a follow up.
I will finish up the series but don't have high hopes of a stunning conclusion.
I will finish up the series but don't have high hopes of a stunning conclusion.
February 19, 2008
Sign of Chaos marks return to form for Zelazny and his Chronicles of Amber. Anyone who has come this far in the series (this is the eighth book) hardly needs a glowing review to continue reading, but after the somewhat tedious book that preceded it, this one is a welcome improvement.
June 23, 2024
袩芯锌褉懈 褍胁械褋褜 屑褨泄 胁薪褍褌褉褨褕薪褨泄 褔懈褌邪褑褜泻懈泄 褋褍锌褉芯褌懈胁, 褉褨胁械薪褜 薪褍写薪芯褋褌褨 胁 褌褉械褌褨泄 泻薪懈蟹褨 袩'褟褌懈泻薪懈卸卸褟 袦械褉谢褨薪邪 写械褖芯 锌褨写胁懈褖懈胁褋褟, 邪 褕泻芯写邪..
袨褌卸械, 锌褉芯写芯胁卸械薪薪褟 胁械谢褜屑懈 蟹邪褏芯锌谢褞褞褔懈褏 褉芯蟹屑芯胁 胁 褋褌懈谢褨 "小泻邪卸懈 屑械薪褨 褑褞 褨薪褎芯褉屑邪褑褨褞. - 携-褌芯 褋泻邪卸褍, 邪 褌懈 屑械薪褨 褖芯? - 袗 褟 褌芯斜褨 褋泻邪卸褍 褖芯褋褜 胁邪卸谢懈胁械 写谢褟 褌械斜械", 邪斜芯 "孝芯 褏褌芯 蟹邪 褑懈屑 褋褌芯褩褌褜? - 袚邪写泻懈 薪械 屑邪褞", 邪斜芯 "袦芯卸械 褌芯斜褨 锌芯褌褉褨斜薪邪 屑芯褟 写芯锌芯屑芯谐邪? - 孝邪 薪褨, 写褟泻褍褞, 褋邪屑 胁锌芯褉邪褞褋褜" 褌褉褨褕械褔泻懈 斜褍谢芯 褉芯蟹斜邪胁谢械薪芯 写胁芯屑邪 胁邪卸谢懈胁懈屑懈 胁褨写泻褉懈褌褌褟屑懈 (斜芯 斜械蟹 褑褜芯谐芯 胁褋械 斜褍谢芯 斜懈 褌邪泻 褋邪屑芯 薪械胁懈蟹薪邪褔械薪芯, 褟泻 胁 锌芯锌械褉械写薪褨褏 褔邪褋褌懈薪邪褏 褨 褌褉械斜邪 斜褍谢芯 褌邪泻懈 褖芯褋褜 褨蟹 褑懈屑 褉芯斜懈褌懈, 斜芯 褋泻褨泻芯 卸 屑芯卸薪邪 褔懈褌邪褌褨胁 蟹邪 薪芯褋邪 胁芯写懈褌懈), 邪 褋邪屑械 - 蟹'褟褋褍胁邪谢懈, 褏褌芯 褋邪屑械 褌邪 褨褋褌芯褌邪, 褟泻邪 胁褋械谢褟褦褌褜褋褟 胁 褌褨谢邪 谢褞写械泄, 褖芯斜懈 写芯锌芯屑邪谐邪褌懈 袦械褉谢褨薪褍, 邪谢械 薪械 蟹'褟褋褍胁邪谢懈, 褔芯屑褍 (褨 薪邪 褌芯屑褍 褋锌邪褋懈斜褨!); 褌邪 褌邪泻懈 薪邪褉械褕褌褨 胁褨写泻褉懈谢芯褋褜, 褏褌芯 卸 褌芯泄 屑芯谐褍褌薪褨泄 褔邪泻谢褍薪, 褖芯 褏芯胁邪褦褌褜褋褟 蟹邪 屑邪褋泻芯褞, 褨 锌芯褋褌褨泄薪芯 褏芯褔械 蟹薪懈褖懈褌懈 袦械褉谢褨薪邪 (斜褍谢芯 薪械芯褔褨泻褍胁邪薪芯, 褋锌褉邪胁写褨! 褨 蟹薪芯胁褍 卸 - 褨 薪邪 褌芯屑褍 褋锌邪褋懈斜褨!)
袨褌卸械, 锌褉芯写芯胁卸械薪薪褟 胁械谢褜屑懈 蟹邪褏芯锌谢褞褞褔懈褏 褉芯蟹屑芯胁 胁 褋褌懈谢褨 "小泻邪卸懈 屑械薪褨 褑褞 褨薪褎芯褉屑邪褑褨褞. - 携-褌芯 褋泻邪卸褍, 邪 褌懈 屑械薪褨 褖芯? - 袗 褟 褌芯斜褨 褋泻邪卸褍 褖芯褋褜 胁邪卸谢懈胁械 写谢褟 褌械斜械", 邪斜芯 "孝芯 褏褌芯 蟹邪 褑懈屑 褋褌芯褩褌褜? - 袚邪写泻懈 薪械 屑邪褞", 邪斜芯 "袦芯卸械 褌芯斜褨 锌芯褌褉褨斜薪邪 屑芯褟 写芯锌芯屑芯谐邪? - 孝邪 薪褨, 写褟泻褍褞, 褋邪屑 胁锌芯褉邪褞褋褜" 褌褉褨褕械褔泻懈 斜褍谢芯 褉芯蟹斜邪胁谢械薪芯 写胁芯屑邪 胁邪卸谢懈胁懈屑懈 胁褨写泻褉懈褌褌褟屑懈 (斜芯 斜械蟹 褑褜芯谐芯 胁褋械 斜褍谢芯 斜懈 褌邪泻 褋邪屑芯 薪械胁懈蟹薪邪褔械薪芯, 褟泻 胁 锌芯锌械褉械写薪褨褏 褔邪褋褌懈薪邪褏 褨 褌褉械斜邪 斜褍谢芯 褌邪泻懈 褖芯褋褜 褨蟹 褑懈屑 褉芯斜懈褌懈, 斜芯 褋泻褨泻芯 卸 屑芯卸薪邪 褔懈褌邪褌褨胁 蟹邪 薪芯褋邪 胁芯写懈褌懈), 邪 褋邪屑械 - 蟹'褟褋褍胁邪谢懈, 褏褌芯 褋邪屑械 褌邪 褨褋褌芯褌邪, 褟泻邪 胁褋械谢褟褦褌褜褋褟 胁 褌褨谢邪 谢褞写械泄, 褖芯斜懈 写芯锌芯屑邪谐邪褌懈 袦械褉谢褨薪褍, 邪谢械 薪械 蟹'褟褋褍胁邪谢懈, 褔芯屑褍 (褨 薪邪 褌芯屑褍 褋锌邪褋懈斜褨!); 褌邪 褌邪泻懈 薪邪褉械褕褌褨 胁褨写泻褉懈谢芯褋褜, 褏褌芯 卸 褌芯泄 屑芯谐褍褌薪褨泄 褔邪泻谢褍薪, 褖芯 褏芯胁邪褦褌褜褋褟 蟹邪 屑邪褋泻芯褞, 褨 锌芯褋褌褨泄薪芯 褏芯褔械 蟹薪懈褖懈褌懈 袦械褉谢褨薪邪 (斜褍谢芯 薪械芯褔褨泻褍胁邪薪芯, 褋锌褉邪胁写褨! 褨 蟹薪芯胁褍 卸 - 褨 薪邪 褌芯屑褍 褋锌邪褋懈斜褨!)
January 7, 2019
Gr膩mata 募oti laba, ta膷u nedaudz nepat墨k, ka 拧墨s gr膩matas par Merlinu ir saist墨tas gan ar iepriek拧膿j膩m, gan n膩kamaj膩m, ka 墨sti izraut no konteksta nevar膿tu, kas man s膿rij膩s nepat墨k. Uzskatu, ka gr膩matu s膿rij膩s vajadz膿tu b奴t t膩, ka, pat, ja lasa random sec墨b膩, tad j膿gu saprot vienalga.
Nu, bet k膩 seri膩ls, ir labs.
Nu, bet k膩 seri膩ls, ir labs.
October 30, 2020
Reasonably good.
January 19, 2016
Reading this is kind of like listening to an 8-year-old who just watched Alice In Wonderland and Star Trek tell you a stream-of-consciousness story. Kind of entertaining, also kind of annoying. I really liked some books in this series, and I certainly don't pretend that the Chronicles of Amber were ever high literature. But in Sign of Chaos, the whole Zelazny-writes-the-first-weird-thing-that-pops-into-his-head formula is totally wrung out. I just barely care about Merlin and Luke/Rinaldo, the other characters are all non-entities and even the characters from the first five books, though they are nominally there, fail to make an impression. Far too much of it is devoted to boring over-choreographed fight scenes. And the whole Lewis Carroll thing that lasted the first two chapters, a.k.a. the most phoned-in "acid trip" ever, just made me roll my eyes. I kind of wish I'd stopped reading after the Corwin books.
July 4, 2009
This is where the Merlin stories start to fizzle out, unfortunately.
March 20, 2022
This book carries the story forward really well. There's a momentum to it that helps the pace and makes it a page-turner, especially at the end. I prefer Zelzany's dialogue to his narration for the most part, but there's some good action in this story and some nice descriptions. I'm glad we find out more about the shape-shifting entity, and we find who Mask is, and it's a good surprise, meaning that it's impactful enough and makes sense but isn't toooo obvious, depending on your perspective. I'm looking forward to finding out how this person became Mask and to seeing what happens next with Jasra, Jurt, Luke, Mandor, and everyone else. There are definitely still unanswered questions, especially with Jasra, Luke, and Dalt, and I still want a Corwin appearance. There's a moving scene where Merlin goes into his dad's former apartment to see his belongings and where he lived, stating that he always finds something unexpected that teaches him something more about who his dad was, and it's emotional for Merlin and for the reader because we know Corwin the way Merlin does--through his story of what happened between him and Brand. That's all Merlin knows about his own father, so I want him to get more time with Corwin, and I'd love to see Corwin make another appearance for myself. But I love Zelazny's style, as always. There's great humor, witty asides, entertaining action mixed with banter, and more magic. These books would make great movies.
July 2, 2021
What. Is. Even. Happening?
I would 100% put this down, but I was given a ten novels in one tome of The Chronicles of Amber, and due to my ridiculous brain, it would feel like I hadn鈥檛 finished the book, even though we鈥檙e at No. 8 of 10.
Only. Two. More. To. Go.
P.S. For some odd reason, this series suddenly became a sort of fan fiction of Alice鈥檚 Adventures in Wonderland, and it鈥檚 just terrible.
I would 100% put this down, but I was given a ten novels in one tome of The Chronicles of Amber, and due to my ridiculous brain, it would feel like I hadn鈥檛 finished the book, even though we鈥檙e at No. 8 of 10.
Only. Two. More. To. Go.
P.S. For some odd reason, this series suddenly became a sort of fan fiction of Alice鈥檚 Adventures in Wonderland, and it鈥檚 just terrible.
January 23, 2025
I loved the rise of political intrigue in the "Amber Universe" and the cliffhanger ending, but if one more plot point happens because Oberon fucked someone, I'm probably gonna scream.
May 16, 2013
Merlin is still a bit of a putz.
There were a number of times in this novel where I was thinking "No, you idiot, don't trust that person and tell them all your plans...oh, great, you already did it. And they took advantage of you. Way to go." But in a way, it's pretty cool that, despite the similarities due to the first-person narrative, Merlin is quite a different character than his father was/is(I'm convinced Corwin is still alive out there). He acts quite a bit differently, and reacts to things differently. Corwin was more of a badass conniving Amberite, whereas Merlin... is a bit of a hippie... magician/shapeshifter/Chaos Lord.
I also have to take a moment to praise Zelazny's action sequences. This man is a master of writing combat. As someone who has trained in several different martial arts and also with the sword, I can say definitively that this man knows what he's writing about when it comes to fighting. There is a school of thought that says that you shouldn't write combat in too much detail, that the detail obscures the flow of the scene. Bollocks. The only time I don't mind an author skimping on combat detail is when the POV character who is witnessing the battle knows nothing about combat. If the character is a fighter, however, then narrative of the fights need to contain the level of understanding of combat that a fighter would have. Zelazny, obviously well-versed in swordplay and unarmed combat himself, does this perfectly.
Looking forward to the next one!
There were a number of times in this novel where I was thinking "No, you idiot, don't trust that person and tell them all your plans...oh, great, you already did it. And they took advantage of you. Way to go." But in a way, it's pretty cool that, despite the similarities due to the first-person narrative, Merlin is quite a different character than his father was/is(I'm convinced Corwin is still alive out there). He acts quite a bit differently, and reacts to things differently. Corwin was more of a badass conniving Amberite, whereas Merlin... is a bit of a hippie... magician/shapeshifter/Chaos Lord.
I also have to take a moment to praise Zelazny's action sequences. This man is a master of writing combat. As someone who has trained in several different martial arts and also with the sword, I can say definitively that this man knows what he's writing about when it comes to fighting. There is a school of thought that says that you shouldn't write combat in too much detail, that the detail obscures the flow of the scene. Bollocks. The only time I don't mind an author skimping on combat detail is when the POV character who is witnessing the battle knows nothing about combat. If the character is a fighter, however, then narrative of the fights need to contain the level of understanding of combat that a fighter would have. Zelazny, obviously well-versed in swordplay and unarmed combat himself, does this perfectly.
Looking forward to the next one!
February 20, 2015
another damm cliffhanger.
April 14, 2017
袟邪 褌褉械褌懈 锌芯褉械写械薪 锌褗褌 锌芯械屑邪屑械 泻褗屑 懈褋褌懈薪褋泻懈褟 褋胁褟褌 袗屑斜褗褉! 袨褔邪泻胁邪褌 薪懈 褌褉懈褌械 褎懈薪邪谢薪懈 褉芯屑邪薪邪 芯褌 械写薪芯 懈褋褌懈薪褋泻芯 褎械薪褌褗蟹懈 芯褌 屑邪泄褋褌芯褉邪 袪芯写卸褗褉 袟械谢邪蟹薪懈! 鈥炐椥叫靶貉娧� 薪邪 啸邪芯褋邪鈥�, 鈥炐犘秆喰把€ 薪邪 褋械薪泻懈褌械鈥� 懈 鈥炐熝€懈薪褑 薪邪 啸邪芯褋邪鈥�, 芯斜械写懈薪械薪懈 锌芯写 械写薪邪 泻芯褉懈褑邪 胁 褌芯屑 3 芯褌 鈥炐パ€芯薪懈泻懈褌械 薪邪 袗屑斜褗褉鈥�, 薪械屑懈薪褍械屑邪 褔邪褋褌 芯褌 泻芯谢械泻褑懈褟褌邪 鈥炐捫敌恍感盒� 屑邪泄褋褌芯褉懈 薪邪 褎械薪褌褗蟹懈 懈 褎邪薪褌邪褋褌懈泻邪鈥� 薪邪 懈蟹写邪褌械谢褋褌胁芯 鈥炐懶把€写鈥�. 袩褉芯褔械褌械褌械 褉械胁褞褌芯 薪邪 "袣薪懈卸薪懈 袣褉懈谢械":
December 15, 2023
Sad to say this was my least favorite of the series so far. I really love the beginning and the end but the middle is kind of a slog to get through. It kinda feels like a lot is being thrown in and there鈥檚 a bunch of different plot lines going on that are hard to keep track of and I鈥檓 kind of confused about what happened to Luke. I鈥檓 hoping the last two books tie things together in a way that makes sense.
June 6, 2022
Confess I read this book of the series without, ahem, having read its precursors. That said there's enough background shared & story to stand alone. Zelazny was a clever author. There is magic, there is humour, there is political intrigue, there is fascinating early, 1987, autonomous sentient computer...
Now it's time to dig up the precursor & subsequent books to find out what happens.
Now it's time to dig up the precursor & subsequent books to find out what happens.
August 16, 2022
I am enjoying these as much as or more than the Chronicles of Corwin (vols 1-5).
March 18, 2024
Amazing i loved but its the 8th book in a 10 book series (and i didnt know) so its confusing but its ok cus i bought the whole series ^-^
Displaying 1 - 30 of 200 reviews
Can't find what you're looking for?
Get help and learn more about the design.