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The Courts of Chaos (The Chronicles of Amber Series, Book 5)

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Author: Roger Zelazny
Publisher: Avon
Category: Book

List Price: ~~$4.99~~
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Avg. Customer Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

10 reviews
Sales Rank: 505672

Media: Mass Market Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 142
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 6.8 x 4.2 x 0.5

ISBN: 0380471752
Dewey Decimal Number: 813.54
EAN: 9780380471751
ASIN: 0380471752

Publication Date: September 1, 1979
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Condition: Help save a tree. Buy all your used books from Green Earth Books. Read -> Recycle -> Reuse!

Also Available In:

•	Paperback - The Courts of Chaos
•	Audio Cassette - The Courts of Chaos (Amber Series, 5)
•	Hardcover - The Courts of Chaos (Doubleday Science Fiction)
•	Audio CD - The Courts of Chaos (Amber Series)
•	Audio Cassette - Courts of Chaos (Doubleday Science Fiction)
•	Audio Cassette - Courts of Chaos (Amber, 5)
•	Hardcover - The Courts of Chaos

Similar Items:

•	The Hand of Oberon (The Chronicles of Amber, Book 4)
•	Sign of the Unicorn (Amber Novels)
•	Nine Princes In Amber
•	Knight of Shadows (Amber Series # 9 )
•	Trumps of Doom

Editorial Reviews:

Product Description
Corwin finds his world dissolving around him when his father Oberon, disguised as Corwin's friend, steals the Jewel of Judgment so that he may defeat the evil Brand, in a conclusion to the first Amber series. Reissue.

Customer Reviews: Read 5 more reviews...

4 out of 5 stars

Satisfying end to the first Amber series. December 20, 2007
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 early on and are, well, a trip!

Satisfying. I'm so glad I stayed with Amber despite not liking the first book. I'm looking forward to finding out where Zelazny takes things in the second series. I'm already awaiting my copy of Trumps of Doom (Chronicles of Amber)!

(Incidentally, the Amber novels are now in print only as a single large anthology: The Great Book of Amber: The Complete Amber Chronicles, 1-10 (Chronicles of Amber). Since I don't want to lug that around, I'm reading old copies of the paperbacks instead.)

4 out of 5 stars

Not Free SF Reader September 3, 2007
With Oberon back, war with Chaos appears inevitable, something which does not thrill Corwin. Oberon therefore dispatches him on a mission through Shadow.

More subterfuge is discovered, and in the end, the unicorn with the Jewel of Judgement appears.

2 out of 5 stars

Great premise, terrible rambling style February 24, 2006
2 out of 7 found this review helpful

I am very disappointed in this author, though I continue to read the series. I find myself skimming. I don't have the patience to put up with his nonsense, but I do want to know how the story develops.

He makes us wait and wade through garbage before he continues telling us the story. He sends us through unreal and just plain stupid scenes, describing them in detail as if they are real and significant, when in fact they are just vague meanderings of the mind of an author who has gone way off the track.

We never know how a friend or enemy will turn out. Maybe an apparent friend will attack Corwin suddenly. Maybe an apparent lover and soul mate will simply get stubborn and ditch Corwin. Maybe an enemy will suddenly be just peachy keen. It all depends on what side of the bed Roger has woken up on. There is no consistency, only the whim of the writer.

There are no rules to his universe. The only rule is that he will do what he damn pleases at any moment, and will bore and frustrate the hell out of his readers whenever he likes. He will go on and on about some stupid philosophy, and then will make fun of it.

It is a frustrating experience to read this series because the writing is often terrible, but the basic premise of the story is excellent and makes me want to keep skimming, if not actually reading, this garbage.

I wish someone taught the author how to tell a story directly. He needed an editor who would take this epic ten story fantasy and cut it down to a fraction of its size, leaving out all the bull.

At one point he decides to give us a bar full of leprechauns. For God's sake. At one point he decides to give us a friendly jackal who suddenly turns to attack. Oh leave me alone, you frustrating excuse for a writer. You have made your point. You will pull anything you like out of your tush and call it a story. What a waste of a sensational premise. I just wish that a good author wrote this series.

Does anyone really read every word as you describe one more boring unreal scene after another, oh there are flowers falling, oh the sky is zebra colored, oh there is no sense of gravity here, oh there is a stranger standing there staring, oh there is a woman hanged, oh the leaves rustle, blah blah blah. Put your head on straight, stop screwing around, and just tell us a story.

5 out of 5 stars

Follow the Solid Black Road April 21, 2005
6 out of 7 found this review helpful

Finally, the end is in sight. With the fifth volume in the Amber series Zelazny brings the first cycle to a close. Oberon has returned to the throne, Brand has been revealed as the real traitor, and the Courts of Chaos await the final battle for Amber's existence. Corwin finds his sudden relegation to second fiddle irksome, especially since Oberon's offhand manner hasn't changed in the least, but he knows his duty and the family pulls together for the final struggle.

The key order of business is to repair the damage to the pattern and close down the threat of the black road. Oberon's final decision, to remake the pattern is one that will likely kill him, whether he succeeds or fails, and Corwin suddenly discovers that his irritation with his father is only skin deep. It is with a heavy heart that Corwin follows his father's command and starts his hell ride for the courts.

And runs straight into Brand, who has no intention of allowing Corwin and Oberon to undo his plotting and return things to normal. Corwin is delayed by one conflict after another. Not only is the final outcome in doubt, but the reader must cope with the possibility of two endings at once.

It was no mean feat in the 1970's to turn out a five volume series that could keep reader interest at a high level. As the volumes progress, the writing develops, and it is interesting to compare this book, which consists of one long and detailed hell ride to other efforts in the series to capture traveling through the shadows. The Courts of Chaos find Zelazny a much stronger writer than he was when the series started out. He not only sets a compelling pace, but Corwin's character blooms as a several thousand year old man suddenly matures before out eyes.

The Courts of Chaos is really the best of the series that had a great start and then wobbled a bit in the middle. It guaranteed that Amber would have a place in the hearts of fantasy lovers for some time to come, and set the scene for the next five Amber volumes. While these aren't my favorite Zelazny works, they are still outstanding writing.

4 out of 5 stars

A new pattern? February 2, 2002
2 out of 4 found this review helpful

The battle of Brand and Corwin reaches its climax as everyone tries to create a new pattern in the battle with Chaos itself.

Courts of Chaos has all the usual twists and turns of an Amber novel. It is an absolutely wonderful series and it probably goes without saying that you should begin at the beginning, and not here.

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