Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site genie.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxr!mhuxt!houxm!mtuxo!mtunh!mtung!mtunf!ariel!vax135!cornell!uw-beaver!tektronix!hplabs!pesnta!greipa!decwrl!decvax!ucbvax!ucsfcgl!genie!sonja From: sonja@genie.UUCP (Sonja Bock) Newsgroups: net.sf-lovers,net.books Subject: Trumps of Doom - Roger Zelazny - Latest in the Amber Series Message-ID: <378@genie.UUCP> Date: Sat, 6-Jul-85 22:56:48 EDT Article-I.D.: genie.378 Posted: Sat Jul 6 22:56:48 1985 Date-Received: Fri, 12-Jul-85 03:37:35 EDT Organization: Genentech, Inc., South San Francisco Lines: 49 Xref: watmath net.sf-lovers:8595 net.books:2023 Trumps of Doom Roger Zelazny Arbor House 1985 The Amber series, beginning with the prototype novel "Jack of Shadows" in 1971 and climaxing (in the good old sci-fi tradition followed by Franks Herbert & Sinatra, Asimov and Farmer) in 1978 with "Courts of Chaos" continues on in the newest release,"Trumps of Doom" (1985). Courts left us with Corwin the Mad Prince triumphant in saving Amber from disin- tegration, Oberon the King dead and the slightly Loki-like (but all-round Good Egg) Random on the throne of Amber, and Corwin himself, now the father of Merlin by Dara of Chaos, oiling off into Shadow for (we hope) a busman's holiday. Now, some eight years later (by Amber or Earth Shadow time, take your pick) we continue the Amber saga with Merle (a.k.a. Merlin) who has just completed a stint with a computer firm in San Francisco. As often happens in the Amber royal house, Merle's father is missing, he is lumping around in Shadow, and somebody unknown is trying unsuccessfully kill him. And again as usual, the clues lie in Amber. Just like a James Bond film, this new Amber offering contains the standard ac- coutrements found in all of the Amber series, deception, mystery, magic, intri- gue, and shifting sets and scenes beautifully described. The emergence of a HAL-like computer in Amber keeps the saga current. There is nothing radically different in "Trumps", but then again, does there need to be? A long awaited sequel sure to be appreciated by any confirmed Amber fan. For those readers who are not entirely familiar, or who have grown unfamiliar in the years between 71 and 85, here is the complete "Amber" selection in chrono- logical order: Nine Princes in Amber The Guns of Avalon The Sign of the Unicorn The Hand of Oberon The Courts of Chaos The Trumps of Doom The book "Jack of Shadows" deals with Shadow, but not necessarily with Amber, although the similarities between Jack and Corwin are too great to be ignored. Any and all are good exciting reads, and all are available in used bookstores everywhere, although if Asimov's and Herbert's and Farmer's most recent efforts are any precedent, someone is bound to reprint the entire series in the near fu- ture.