Nine Princes in Amber (1970), book 1 of the series
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Author | Roger Zelazny |
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Country | United States |
Language | English |
Genre | fantasy |
Publisher | Doubleday |
Published | 1970–1991 |
Media type | Print (hardcover and paperback), audiobook, e-book |
The Chronicles of Amber is a series of fantasy novels written by American writer Roger Zelazny. The main series consists of two story arcs, each five novels in length. Additionally, there are a number of Amber short stories and other works.
The Amber stories take place in two "true" worlds: Amber, and the Courts of Chaos, as well as the shadows that lie between them. These shadows, including our Earth, are parallel worlds that exist in the tension between the two true worlds of Amber and the Courts. The Courts of Chaos are situated at the very edge of Abyss itself. Royals of Amber who have negotiated the Pattern can travel freely through the shadows. By shifting between shadows, one can alter or create a new reality by choosing which elements of which shadows to keep, and which to subtract. Members of the Courts of Chaos who have traversed the Logrus are also able to travel through shadow.
Ten Amber novels were written by Zelazny and released individually between 1970 and 1991. The first novel, Nine Princes in Amber, originally appeared in excerpts in Kallikanzaros No. 1, June 1967 and Kallikanzaros No. 3, December 1967. Sign of the Unicorn, The Hand of Oberon, and The Courts of Chaos first appeared in abridged, serialized versions in Galaxy Science Fiction. The Guns of Avalon, and the five 'Merlin Cycle' Amber novels were not serialized or excerpted.
Several "Chronicles of Amber" omnibus anthologies have also been published collecting the 5 novels from the original 'Corwin cycle' or all 5 novels of the 'Merlin cycle' or (as in The Great Book of Amber) all 10 novels.