Unfortunately, the use of first-person is a double-edged sword for Nine Princes of Amber. But as pieces of Corwin’s true personality return to him, the narrative style changes, adopting more formal language (befitting a prince). The book is told in first person, with Corwin being somewhat of an unreliable narrator, and starts with a modern, rugged man’s voice. One of the most interesting things about the book was how the narrative voice changed overall. Everyone knows they can’t trust anyone, and perhaps Corwin only comes to regret that feeling of isolation amongst so many he calls family. Zelazny’s characters interact with each other in an entertaining and underhanded way, always testing each other and fishing for information. Still, I did, and I enjoyed his exploits throughout the plot’s journey. Clever, quick-thinking, and willing to sacrifice others for his own ends, amnesiac Corwin is a classical anti-hero: a man who makes it hard to root for him. The novel begins with Prince Corwin waking in a private hospital in New York, with absolutely no memory of who he is or the world he came from, but a sense of urgency, and an understanding that someone wants him dead. The competition for the seat of power in the country that doubles as the magical crux of our reality is a bloody, ruthless venture which is often fronted as a game of wits between the siblings.

The story follows the narrative of Prince Corwin, one of nine brothers vying for the coveted throne of Amber after the disappearance of their father, King Oberon. It was written several decades ago, in 1970, and has aged fairly well. Nine Princes of Amber, a new wave fantasy written by Roger Zelazny, one of the fathers of modern science fiction and six-time Hugo Award winner, is the first of a ten-novel series known as The Great Book of Amber.

Nine princes