Knight of Shadows (Amber Ser. 9)

Product Description A fantasy adventure relates the tale of a sometimes murderous family of wizards and the alternate worlds they inhabit From Publishers Weekly Depending on how you count, this is either the ninth book of Zelazny's Amber series, or the fourth book in the new Amber "trilogy." Fans of the soap opera that Amber has become will welcome this new title. Readers who enjoyed the poetic writing, skilled plotting and crafted characterizations of the original Amber books will be disappointed again. Merlin, son of Corwin, who was the hero of the original series, narrates this sequence, and here continued to bumble through encounters with new powers that are completely incompatible with the original mythos. The good guys won't talk to each other, the bad guys somehow know everything, plot elements are left hanging and characters lack depth and motivation. Most of the important action happens offstage, and promised explanations never materialize. Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc. From Library Journal Lured by his own good intentions into a soundless netherworld which diminishes his innate magic, Merlin confronts his dual heritage as a pawn in the rivalry between the Courts of Amber and Chaos in the ninth volume of the author's popular Amber series. Combining political intrigue, swashbuckling adventure, magical duels, and modern technology, Zelazny's latest novel, though dependent on its predecessors, will appeal to series fans. Recommended. Previewed in Prepub Alert, LJ 6/15/89.Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc. From AudioFile This is the ninth book in the popular Amber series; there are ten books and five short stories altogether. Amber is another plane of existence, an alternate universe, first among many, with magic, ghosts, strange creatures, and magical patterns. Zelazny reads in a deep voice so laid-back that he sounds on the verge of sleep. However, it's oddly effective. D.W. (c) AudioFile, Portland, Maine About the Author Roger Zelazny burst onto the SF scene in the early 1960s with a series of dazzling and groundbreaking short stories. He won his first of six Hugo Awards for Lord of Light, and soon after produced the first book of his enormously popular Amber series, Nine Princes in Amber. In addition to his Hugos, he went on to win three Nebula Awards over the course of a long and distinguished career. He died on June 14, 1995.