currently reading for the September 2009 read for the Zelazny group. Wow! It's still a fantastic read after all these years. That's amazing.I re-read this every 5 years or so. It's the start to one of the best series I've ever read. Zelazny is a super writer & this book started a series that has spawned a lot of other books. There are 4 other books that follow this one with Corwin as the hero, then Zelazny did another 5 about Corwin's son, Merlin. Gregory Betancourt is up to book 4 (let's hope the last, #5, gets published since the publisher folded) on Corwin's dad, Oberon. Some don't like Betancourt's books, but I think he's done a great job. A lot better than most of the novels others have finished for Zelazny. He's kept to the story line & a similar writing style. Zelazny & some others worked out the Visual Guide to Amber & Zelazny wrote 6 more short stories that fill in some of the holes between the series. I think all of them are in 'Manna from Heaven' ( )

Something strange happens when you read Zelazny. You enter this world of depth and history, with great characters and driving plot. You become absorbed in that wonderful imagination, and you feel at home there, like you have belonged there your whole life.

And then you look back on it, and it was only 175 pages.

I say it's strange because he seems able to weave masterfully more in 175 pages than most authors can in 500. And I certainly have nothing against long books. Heaven knows I like a thick Fantasy novel. But the reason I like them is because of their depth. If Zelazny can do the same thing in a short book, all the better!

I am anxious to continue on into further Amber books now. Much like the Earthsea books, I almost feel a pull with this book. Very well worth the time. ( )

A man wakes up alone in a hospital with no recollection of who he is or why he is there. He learns that he has survived a car crash and no one can explain why his terrible injuries are already healed. And things start getting weirder from there.

This is the first book in Zelazny's Chronicles of Amber. Each book is short, but bursting to the seams with character development, plot twists, and top of the line narration. Each book is totally absorbing and compelling, and you are never quite sure who you can trust today. This brings the fight for succession to the throne to an epic level, and the way Zelazny crafts magic in his universe is fascinating.

Remember - every city is a reflection of Amber. ( )

I picked this book up on a whim, not really anything about Roger Zelazny and not knowing what to expect. Since I knew this was a series I expected the first book to be something of a slow build up, however I was hugely mistaken. Right from the start of the book we're thrown into the action, as the main character Corwin wakes up in a hospital not knowing who he is or why he's there. What looks at first like a simple case of amnesia becomes more sinister as Corwin escapes from the hospital and goes to seek refuge with his sister.

The amount this book manages to cram into 200 pages is simply a phenomenal mix of action and politics. It starts off at a pace and doesn't slow down. From Corwin's escape from the hospital to his meeting of various siblings, to his eventual return to Amber, it's a fantastic read from start to finish and it leaves me thoroughly hungry to read 'Guns of Avalon'.

The only universe that comes close to the blend of fantasy and science fiction found in here for me would be Gene Wolfe's ' Book of the New Sun', though Amber has less psychology and more politics. A thoroughly recommended read. ( )

The first quintology in the Amber series forms a great story...original, well-written and exciting. The second quintology (see Trumps of Doom) is a huge disappointment. I would strongly recommend reading the first five and then stopping. You miss nothing...there's a clear ending in The Courts of Chaos. ( )