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45th out of 255 books
—
183 voters
The Courts of Chaos (The Chronicles of Amber #5)
The Courts of Chaos is the fifth book of The Chronicles of Amber; an epic fantasy series written by six-time Hugo Award winning and three-time Nebula Award winning author, Roger Zelazny.
The ten books that make up the series are told in two story arcs: The Corwin Cycle and the Merlin Cycle.
In book five, 2012 Audie Award nominee Alessandro Juliani completes his reading of th...more
The ten books that make up the series are told in two story arcs: The Corwin Cycle and the Merlin Cycle.
In book five, 2012 Audie Award nominee Alessandro Juliani completes his reading of th...more
Paperback, 189 pages
Published
September 1979
by Avon
(first published 1978)
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"...the Courts of Chaos, a grossly non-Euclidean realm..."
A satisfying and touching finish, despite its uneven start. This last chapter was the best, being a final adventure filled with wonderfully surreal encounters and phenomena.
Some details were probably inspired or borrowed from better-known predecessors. But like King did with The Dark Tower, they are woven together to create a new entity, unique in its own right. And Zelazny's epic must have provided things that became the basis for many o...more
A satisfying and touching finish, despite its uneven start. This last chapter was the best, being a final adventure filled with wonderfully surreal encounters and phenomena.
Some details were probably inspired or borrowed from better-known predecessors. But like King did with The Dark Tower, they are woven together to create a new entity, unique in its own right. And Zelazny's epic must have provided things that became the basis for many o...more
"Sad. It would have been nice to go out with opera - in a big Wagnerian finale beneath strange skies, against worthy opponents - not scrabbling about in a foggy wasteland."
That quote, an excerpt from Chapter 7 in this novel, sums up my thoughts on the final novel in the "Corwin-cycle" of the Chronicles of Amber. Zelazny ventures into a philosphical self-analysis of Corwin's character and motivations as he travels to the Courts of Chaos, but it seems a bit long-winded at times. The transitions th...more
That quote, an excerpt from Chapter 7 in this novel, sums up my thoughts on the final novel in the "Corwin-cycle" of the Chronicles of Amber. Zelazny ventures into a philosphical self-analysis of Corwin's character and motivations as he travels to the Courts of Chaos, but it seems a bit long-winded at times. The transitions th...more
Here is where I'll put my opinion on the first five books. As a series, the worldbuilding is amazing, the characters intriguing, and the format is fast-paced. It's interesting to see a book where there are few characters that can claim clean hands, and it makes for a complex storyline.
That said, I sometimes feel like there's a bit too much explaining going on (though the first book does a good job of making the explaining organic). I can't remember how many times the reader hears about the polit...more
That said, I sometimes feel like there's a bit too much explaining going on (though the first book does a good job of making the explaining organic). I can't remember how many times the reader hears about the polit...more
It's hard to really sum up a book you're not entirely sure as to its position within a mythos. Did the author intend this as a final book and later returned to his world, or was this just a brief stop over along the way?
Courts of Chaos is unique, an interesting book full of rarely repeated plot ideas and a loose narrative that goes at a pace entirely up to its own devices. As a book intended to be a 'final chapter' it's an absolute failure, with the climax bizarre, the main antagonist a confusin...more
Courts of Chaos is unique, an interesting book full of rarely repeated plot ideas and a loose narrative that goes at a pace entirely up to its own devices. As a book intended to be a 'final chapter' it's an absolute failure, with the climax bizarre, the main antagonist a confusin...more
The First Chronicles of Amber, includes books 1 - 5
An interesting and compelling concept for a fantasy book and a very different kind of fantasy. Some elements of the story take place in modern times and some elements take place in medieval times. I found the writing to be imaginative and quite deep.
Amber is the only real place upon the real Earth. It is the substance from which all other realities are but a shadow, including the world that we now live in and there are unlimited numbers of shado...more
An interesting and compelling concept for a fantasy book and a very different kind of fantasy. Some elements of the story take place in modern times and some elements take place in medieval times. I found the writing to be imaginative and quite deep.
Amber is the only real place upon the real Earth. It is the substance from which all other realities are but a shadow, including the world that we now live in and there are unlimited numbers of shado...more
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Not as good as book 4, but better than the first book in the series. Corwin and his family are faced with the end of the world, and the only way to stop it is to fix the Pattern.
Not as much intrigue or fighting as previous books. More of a long horse ride with a few interactions with random folks. An adequate ending to the Corwin cycle.
I'll probably comment on this again at the end of the Merlin cycle (in 5 more books), but as of right now I probably won't recommend this series to anyone. There...more
Not as much intrigue or fighting as previous books. More of a long horse ride with a few interactions with random folks. An adequate ending to the Corwin cycle.
I'll probably comment on this again at the end of the Merlin cycle (in 5 more books), but as of right now I probably won't recommend this series to anyone. There...more
I'm lumping the first Amber cycle— "Nine Princes in Amber", "The Guns of Avalon", "The Sign of the Unicorn", "The Hand of Oberon", and "The Courts of Chaos"— into one review.
This is the second time I've read the first Amber cycle, and once again it has proven to be a hoot. The first time I read it was 20+ years ago, and I remembered very little about it. What a joy to re-discover this old friend. Roger Zelazny finished writing this cycle of books right at the end of my favorite period of science...more
This is the second time I've read the first Amber cycle, and once again it has proven to be a hoot. The first time I read it was 20+ years ago, and I remembered very little about it. What a joy to re-discover this old friend. Roger Zelazny finished writing this cycle of books right at the end of my favorite period of science...more
I read the Corwin cycle of the Amber Chronicles for the first time over the past weeks, and now that I am done with book 5, I think I'll do the same as some other reviewers and put down my feelings here for the first five books.
Sometimes the writing and the dialogue are a bit hackneyed, but that manages to never get in the way of a really grand and gorgeously realized multiverse, one that begs to be explored and more fully understood. And Zelazny does a good job of telling the entire series of...more
Sometimes the writing and the dialogue are a bit hackneyed, but that manages to never get in the way of a really grand and gorgeously realized multiverse, one that begs to be explored and more fully understood. And Zelazny does a good job of telling the entire series of...more
I libi di the Amber Series sono un po' come le ciligie: uno tira l'altro. Del resto ogni libro termina ex abrupto lasciandoti a domandare cosa diavolo possa essere successo dopo.
Solo in questo volume scopriamo che i primi cinque libri sono in effetti "il riassunto delle puntate precedenti ", ossia la storia che Corwin racconta al figlio Martin sul come e perché si sia arrivati a quel punto. Davvero un bell'espediente narrativo.
Tra di difetti più evidenti dell'autore, l'odiosa abitudine di usar...more
Solo in questo volume scopriamo che i primi cinque libri sono in effetti "il riassunto delle puntate precedenti ", ossia la storia che Corwin racconta al figlio Martin sul come e perché si sia arrivati a quel punto. Davvero un bell'espediente narrativo.
Tra di difetti più evidenti dell'autore, l'odiosa abitudine di usar...more
One of the later entries in the Amber series, and one of the better books in it. We're introduced to a new main character, who comes from a surprising quarter (I'm not sure Zelazny even thought of it himself original, but it's quite reasonable). For the first time, there's a crossover character who can stand both in the Kingdom of Amber and the Courts of Chaos, the two opposing forces on either side of the Chasm of Creation. It can be looked at in a number of ways, but to me, it's essentially or...more
Final de la saga de Ámbar, por lo menos en cuanto al personaje de Corwin, aunque el final de este último libro queda lo suficientemente abierto como para que sea posible volver a retomar los personajes mostrados. Quizás este hecho es lo que mas me ha defraudado de este último libro, hubiera preferido un final mas cerrado pero en cualquier caso creo que es una saga muy buena.
Me encanta la estructura de la historia y como nos va racionando la información , en cierto modo vamos descubriendo la hist...more
Me encanta la estructura de la historia y como nos va racionando la información , en cierto modo vamos descubriendo la hist...more
Book 5 of 10. I feel like I'm writing the same review for all the Amber books. This one's going to be the exception though. The book plateaued where the 4th in the series left off. It was still entertaining, but I think the previous was best of the five. 3.5 of 4 stars.
The Courts of Chaos wrapped up all the loose ends from the previous in the series which includes some interesting plot elements, but parts toward the end were WAY out there. That may sound like a bizarre description for a fantasy...more
The Courts of Chaos wrapped up all the loose ends from the previous in the series which includes some interesting plot elements, but parts toward the end were WAY out there. That may sound like a bizarre description for a fantasy...more
Хах, пич, сериозно?! "Хюги" Определено, ако не друго, е забавен. Е, и оригинален.. доста.
Но за съжаление не мога да кажа, че сериозното ми ангажиране с тия книжки в последните два дни се дължи на нещо повече от феномена "хедонистична регулация" (Зиновиева, 2011)
Библиография:
Зиновиева, И. (2011) Личност и индивидуалност. София: Парадигма
п.с. Ама си и вярвам.. :| :д
Но за съжаление не мога да кажа, че сериозното ми ангажиране с тия книжки в последните два дни се дължи на нещо повече от феномена "хедонистична регулация" (Зиновиева, 2011)
Библиография:
Зиновиева, И. (2011) Личност и индивидуалност. София: Парадигма
п.с. Ама си и вярвам.. :| :д
A good conclusion to a decent series. As with much of this series, this book got a little muddled in the middle and seemed to lose direction at times but came back with a strong finish. Zelazny seems to get caught up in the trivial sometimes, as in 5 pages of landscape descriptions during a hellride, but his overall strong and original ideas eventually hold out. Not the amazingly groundbreaking and lifealtering series I hoped for but I see why it has held up over the decades. I would recommend t...more
Short conclusion to the first five Amber books which follow the adventures of Corwin. The book is similar to previous involving several multi-page ramblings as Corwin moves through shadow. The final confrontation is short and not very exciting. The final epic battle is in the background almost as an afterthought. The best part of the ending was the review of the changes in various characters and being able to finally put the amber books behind me. Someday I'll probably read the next five but not...more
Jul 15, 2012
sologdin
rated it
1 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
ruling-class-protagonist,
speculative
Interesting when suggestive of the antecedent inscription of reality (44-46), but otherwise a mess, both in this installment and as to the series.
Difficult to discern here what happened, or why things were happening, or the effects of the happenings. Numinous objects important to the series are unexplained; the central non-familial antagonists are unexplained; certain pseudo-mythic associations, such as the appearance of a talking Yggdrasil, are unexplained.
Overall, the first Amber sequence stri...more
Difficult to discern here what happened, or why things were happening, or the effects of the happenings. Numinous objects important to the series are unexplained; the central non-familial antagonists are unexplained; certain pseudo-mythic associations, such as the appearance of a talking Yggdrasil, are unexplained.
Overall, the first Amber sequence stri...more
The was probably the most poetic finale to a wonderful series I have ever had the great pleasure to have read. In the final three pages I was carried back in Zelazny's reminiscence of a series of work he obviously put so much effort in to and found myself grinning like an idiot.
I am very pleased and fulfilled with this final tale and I would recommend this series to anyone who loves crafty protagonists, daring exploits, and stories of adversities overcome with perseverance. What a treat the Chr...more
I am very pleased and fulfilled with this final tale and I would recommend this series to anyone who loves crafty protagonists, daring exploits, and stories of adversities overcome with perseverance. What a treat the Chr...more
The magical system and principles this world is based on are interesting and imaginative. The difficulty and exhaustion of our hero’s quest was well described, as was his discouragement. The ever-changing loyalties of the brothers and sisters solidified and clarified. The ending was satisfactory if a bit abrupt. The main character Corwin learned some things about himself and his family. I’m glad I read this series, because of the unique ideas presented. I just wish I would have felt more connect...more
Vote: 3,75
Class: L-A3 (FP)
(Last book of The Chronicles of Amber - the Corwin Cycle: the story end here)
Through four other books I've come to this last one, expecting confirmations before giving my final comments.
Well, the end wasn't as I was expecting and somewhat hoping: it's good and satisfactory though, even if not really an epic ending, but more of a psycological one at that.
- the world (4,00) (one real world, Amber, and many Shadow-World between Amber and the Courts of Chaos) is great: inte...more
Class: L-A3 (FP)
(Last book of The Chronicles of Amber - the Corwin Cycle: the story end here)
Through four other books I've come to this last one, expecting confirmations before giving my final comments.
Well, the end wasn't as I was expecting and somewhat hoping: it's good and satisfactory though, even if not really an epic ending, but more of a psycological one at that.
- the world (4,00) (one real world, Amber, and many Shadow-World between Amber and the Courts of Chaos) is great: inte...more
And so it comes, the end of the fabulous Amber series. On the merits of this final book alone, I'm tempted to rate it three stars; but I cannot avoid putting it in the context of the greater story coming to an end.
The Amber series has been an odd beast. It's simultaneously slow-paced and kind of rambling, but each entry in the series built up a really epic and engaging story.
The characters are all interesting, and the characterization shines—from Corwin himself, to Brand, Benedict, Oberon; they...more
The Amber series has been an odd beast. It's simultaneously slow-paced and kind of rambling, but each entry in the series built up a really epic and engaging story.
The characters are all interesting, and the characterization shines—from Corwin himself, to Brand, Benedict, Oberon; they...more
3.5 stars:
I was a little disappointed in the conclusion to this series. It was very short (140 pgs), and could have easily been tacked onto the end of Hand of Oberon. My main gripe was that, for the first time since Nine Princes in Amber, Zelazny used (or over-used) his brief snippets of world after world to give you the feeling that a lot of changes were going on as Corwin traveled between shadow versions of Amber. Seriously, I don't need 5+ pages straight of these snippets of landscape, rinse...more
I was a little disappointed in the conclusion to this series. It was very short (140 pgs), and could have easily been tacked onto the end of Hand of Oberon. My main gripe was that, for the first time since Nine Princes in Amber, Zelazny used (or over-used) his brief snippets of world after world to give you the feeling that a lot of changes were going on as Corwin traveled between shadow versions of Amber. Seriously, I don't need 5+ pages straight of these snippets of landscape, rinse...more
My understanding is I have read the portion of the Chronicles that are told from Corwin's point of view, and after about 600 pages of that I don't feel like I have any grip of the motivations of any character other than Corwin. It's tough to call them characters at all, as they are more like names that come and go from the narrative. The more time they spend around Corwin, the more development they get, but that's only a handful, like Random and Ganelon.
The sparse style that doesn't really expl...more
The sparse style that doesn't really expl...more
audio re-read Originally posted at FanLit. http://www.fantasyliterature.com/revi...
The Courts of Chaos is the very short last installment of the CORWIN CYCLE of THE CHRONICLES OF AMBER and the fifth volume of the entire series. If you haven’t read the previous books, you’ve got no business here — go away. I don’t want to ruin it for you. Go read the first book, Nine Princes in Amber, and continue on from there.
OK. So Oberon is back and we learn that he’s been manipulating events all along. Now h...more
The Courts of Chaos is the very short last installment of the CORWIN CYCLE of THE CHRONICLES OF AMBER and the fifth volume of the entire series. If you haven’t read the previous books, you’ve got no business here — go away. I don’t want to ruin it for you. Go read the first book, Nine Princes in Amber, and continue on from there.
OK. So Oberon is back and we learn that he’s been manipulating events all along. Now h...more
The fifth entry in the Amber Chronicles, this is the best so far. Zelazny wraps up loose ends and brings the first Amber series to a close. But unlike the final entries in some other series, this doesn't suffer from anticlimactic unraveling. Instead, the action reaches a climactic point -- no more of the overlong exposition here -- and we're truly in suspense awaiting the fate of Corwin, and Amber. Zelazny's psychedelic renderings as Corwin passes through alternate realities have improved since...more
The first cycle comes to a close with this fifth book and opens doors to the next cycle (which I may or may not read eventually). Corwin has notified his father of his true intentions (or lack thereof), the Pattern needs to be fixed and new beasts are introduced sort of frivolously - unless there is a grand master plan for the party of dwarves that Corwin discovers at one point, though I really would love to see how that comes back into play.
Again, not quite as interesting to me as Sign of the U...more
Again, not quite as interesting to me as Sign of the U...more
This book finishes the first half of the Chronicles of Amber. These read almost as one large novel in 5 parts (the books are VERY short). The idea behind the book was petty novel to me, and I was instantly a fan or Corwin, the main protagonist in the book. I didn't like the finish of this series as well as the prior 4 books, but on whole I'd recommend anyone reading these. Get all 5 before you start, however. Each book ends on a cliffhanger!
I've basically said all I've wanted to say about this series in my reviews of the earlier books. The fifth book and the final one in the first chronicle is actually probably the most enjoyable from the original sequence, but still fell some way short of my expectations. The potential always seemed to be there that Zelazny could develop a really compelling fantasy world, but he never quite managed to achieve it. Sadly you're left wondering what might have been.
A little more disappointed with this one. After five books, Corwin finally wins the throne of Amber, but it seems so anticlimatic. Almost bittersweet. The whole essense of Corwin's being - in claim the the throne that was rightfully his - so hard fought for, but no longer seems to desire.
Also, we see Merle, the son of Corwin in Chaos. Who will soon become the main character in the next series.
Also, we see Merle, the son of Corwin in Chaos. Who will soon become the main character in the next series.
While one might expect a huge heroic ending to Corwin's tale, that's not necessarily what we get here. This book is much more philosophical than the rest and large parts deal with ideas only suggested in previous books. Don't get me wrong, I loved the ending, but it's very different and much like some of Zelazny's other books which deal with gods and existence and their philosophies.
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Roger Zelazny made his name with a group of novellas which demonstrated just how intense an emotional charge could be generated by the stock imagery of sf; the most famous of these is 'A Rose for Ecclesiastes' in which a poet struggles to convince dying and sterile Martians that life is worth continuing. Zelazny continued to write excellent short stories throughout his career, which share the inve...more
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“Good-bye and hello, as always.”
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“I saw my earlier selves as different people, acquaintances I had outgrown. I wondered how I could ever have been some of them.”
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Jul 15, 2012 08:54pm