book review: Nine Princes in Amber

by: Roger Zelazny

Another ancient bit of text from the recesses of my literary past.  I can’t even remember when I read these books, nor any plot specifics in the slightest – but I remembered that I liked them, and the general gist of Amber itself AND I was all out of new books to read.   SO.  There was that.

First off – the title is something of a red herring.  I mean, technically I guess we learn the names of all nine princes, but only 8 are featured – and one only for a brief, confusing interlude.  A more apt title may have been Seven and a Half Princes in Amber.  I point this out only because I was expecting a little more about the individual princes (there are also four or six princesses not mentioned in the title, but I guess in Amber only a male can rule.  Or something…).

Oh, and while we’re talking about things that are first (we weren’t, really, but now we are – sort of) – this book is written in first person!  First person which I usually can’t stand… thankfully it’s first person past (the tale is being told to an unknown audience, but you get the sense that if the series progresses enough you’ll find out who) and *not* first person present.  Ugh.  LOATHE.  I mean.  You know.  Impersonally.  Or something.

So yeah – it’s simple and direct and short and sweet and quick to the punch and doesn’t spend too much time on any one point – pretty much what you’d expect from 60-70s fantasy.  Where it differs from some (many?) others is that I found it entertaining and engaging.

THREE AND A HALF STARS

A classic fast moving fantasy.  Reminds me (and is contemporary to/with, I think) of Fred Saberhagen’s Empire of the East series.

[I know, I know, I use italics inconsistently.  Such is life!]