Comments | etrangere: How many miles to Avalon? None, I say, and all. The silver towers are fallen.

etrangere

How many miles to Avalon? None, I say, and all. The silver towers are fallen.

Nov 26, 2006 01:18

When I was 13 or 14, I picked up the Chronicles of Amber by Zelazny. It was recommendation from my dad. At that time I did not know much of fantasy. I had read LotR, of course, and stuff like Bradley's Avalon cycle, and several good SF classics out of father's library - Van Vogt, Asimov, Vance, Sturgeon.... - and quite a few Stephen Kings. But not ( Read more... )

series: amber, review: books, review, medium: books, a: zelazny

Comments 6

bramblyhedge November 26 2006, 01:09:45 UTC

Oooh! *adds to 'To Read' list*

It's nice to revisit things from years ago and find they still have the same "spark" as you remember. :)

etrangere November 26 2006, 21:00:22 UTC

yes it is ^^

bwinter November 26 2006, 07:14:33 UTC

I think the Gaiman resemblance is in the same way of twisting and mixing mythology into something very original (and making archetypes into flesh-and-bone people). Plus, master storytellers, both of them :)

Though I agree about the cover. The train of thought probably went "Look, unicorn! And one of the books is called Sign of the Unicorn. That fits." And no-one noticed the random flower fairies etc.

etrangere November 26 2006, 21:01:46 UTC

Yes, you're right. Twisting and mixing mythology is fun ^^

lol, at least it's not an ugly cover. None could be as pretty as the old French one anyway ^^

summerborn November 26 2006, 14:27:20 UTC

This is very interesting to me! I've only read one of the series, and it wasn't the first one, so I admit I probably didn't get a very good understanding of all that was going on. I do remember it really drawing me in - I finished it in a day or two - but there was something about the style (especially dialogue) that was a bit strange. I'd have to see it again to remember. :)

Zelazny is one of the rare fantasy writer who knows what he's talking of when he writes fencing and it shows

This is very interesting to me as well! Do you fence?

etrangere November 26 2006, 21:04:39 UTC

Strange? I love Zelazny's style but I admit it's a bit peculiar. I definitly rec trying to read it from the start, it's still an amazing and very original read.

I don't fence, no. But I meant he write his swordfight believably (which very few fantasy writers do) and I'm pretty sure Zelazny himself was a fencer... I have friends who do fence (modern and artistic both) and who worship Zelazny which seems to be a good rec too ^^