Review: Nine Princes in Amber

I just finished rereading Nine Princes in Amber by Roger Zelazny. I’ve read the entire Chronicles of Amber before but recently was rereading it because it’s been a while. As the first in the series, Nine Princes sets off at a quick pace and never lets up. I absolutely adore the everyman tone that Corwin sets up right from the beginning, clever and witty but not merely an obnoxious “jokester” instead peppering the appropriate situations with that bit of needed humor. The start of the novel is one of my favorites of all time as well, Corwin waking in the hospital with a cast on his arm and no memory of who he is or how he got there. Not only does it set up an intriguing mystery right from the get-go, but Corwin’s snappy comebacks and ballsy handling of the hospital staff automatically set him up as likeable.

There are minor instances here and there of cursing and one brief mention of sex without any details but this book is surprisingly clean for a manly fantasy. And it does focus a lot on the man-centric storyline: Corwin is our hero, every attractive trope of the trickster rogue without any of the flaws; the first book revolves around battles and a war campaign; there is fighting between brothers for honor and birthright. Yet for all of that, as a woman, I found this appealing for its soft storytelling. There is a lot about Corwin that makes him robust and likeable for men but there’s empathy and morality as well that makes him attractive to women. That isn’t to say that he doesn’t have flaws, arrogance and rage being some of them, but they’re still appealing qualities; when Corwin gets the short end of the stick, we root for him to fight back, even though we know it’s rash and faulty to do so. We’re right there with him as he fights to grab the throne away from Eric, despite knowing that it’s more about pride than any worthiness to hold it.

I do remember several years ago, the listing of the brothers and sisters of the Amber royal family got a bit confusing but upon this, my 3^rd or 4^th reread, I know who they are as soon as they’re described. The Trump scene is the confusing part but once you meet these people, they have no problem defining themselves by their actions and standing out from one another. Nine Princes in Amber is a great book full of adventure and a constant stream of action and witty banter. Plus, the fantasy element is extremely compelling as you learn more about these mercurial siblings and their dimensional home, Amber.