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The Chronicles of Amber #3
Sign of the Unicorn
Vintage paperback
Paperback
First published January 1, 1975
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About the author
Roger Zelazny
745 books3,884 followersRoger Joseph Zelazny was an American fantasy and science fiction writer known for his short stories and novels, best known for The Chronicles of Amber. He won the Nebula Award three times (out of 14 nominations) and the Hugo Award six times (also out of 14 nominations), including two Hugos for novels: the serialized novel ...And Call Me Conrad (1965), subsequently published under the title This Immortal (1966), and the novel Lord of Light (1967).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 603 reviews
September 14, 2024
Well, here’s the good and the bad.
The good is that either the writing improved a bit and Zelazny decided to actually engage in better worldbuilding and a bit of characterization or I got used to it enough to start experiencing book Stockholm syndrome. In any case, it was somewhat better than the first two books in the Amber series.
The bad is that I still really don’t care about it at all. Neither the characters nor the plot spark any interest at all, and I have no regrets about abandoning it here, with not the slightest care about Amber, or who sits on that throne, or our insufferable protagonist Corwin, or any of his extended awful family.
Despite the endless dialogue and less frantic action I see little substance here, and actually not that much of a plot (other than filling in the gaps in the plot books 1 and 2 - too little too late), and my main emotion is boredom. I suspect a week from now I’ll have zero recollection of anything in this series, even after three books. And not caring about the book is a waste of time, so I’m out.
Also, could any editor have made Zelazny take out 50 billion ellipses out of the dreamworld chapter? My eye is starting to twitch every time I see any more of those infernal triple dots.
It’s time to revisit those Zelazny books I love. Bring on Snuff and Jack in Lonesome October, and perhaps a short story collection as a throwback to childhood when those stories were among those that got me hooked on science fiction when I was a kid.
2 stars.
——————
Also posted on my blog.
The good is that either the writing improved a bit and Zelazny decided to actually engage in better worldbuilding and a bit of characterization or I got used to it enough to start experiencing book Stockholm syndrome. In any case, it was somewhat better than the first two books in the Amber series.
The bad is that I still really don’t care about it at all. Neither the characters nor the plot spark any interest at all, and I have no regrets about abandoning it here, with not the slightest care about Amber, or who sits on that throne, or our insufferable protagonist Corwin, or any of his extended awful family.
“We spend so much time lying to one another that I decided it would be amusing to say what I really felt. Just to see whether anyone noticed.”
Despite the endless dialogue and less frantic action I see little substance here, and actually not that much of a plot (other than filling in the gaps in the plot books 1 and 2 - too little too late), and my main emotion is boredom. I suspect a week from now I’ll have zero recollection of anything in this series, even after three books. And not caring about the book is a waste of time, so I’m out.
Also, could any editor have made Zelazny take out 50 billion ellipses out of the dreamworld chapter? My eye is starting to twitch every time I see any more of those infernal triple dots.
It’s time to revisit those Zelazny books I love. Bring on Snuff and Jack in Lonesome October, and perhaps a short story collection as a throwback to childhood when those stories were among those that got me hooked on science fiction when I was a kid.
2 stars.
——————
Also posted on my blog.
September 17, 2025
My rating 4.5
The Sign of the Unicorn (The Chronicles of Amber # 3) is solid but is slightly slower than the previous two books in the series. But this is a great book where the stories about Amber's Princes are increasingly complicated.
Corwin sits on the throne, but things are even a little bit more complicated; deception and intrigue continue. Corwin is very well aware that he can not trust almost any of his brothers and sisters. But the murder of his brother Cain is even more complicated. Corwin, someone tried to accommodate this murder, but although he killed the murderer of his brother, he knew they would blame him for the murder because he did not agree with Cain. The murderer is not usually being because he already fought with his kind, and what is worse of all, they know how to move through the shadows. Web of lies soon begins to unravel, but the more Corwin knows, the more it all becomes. The dark side is obviously in conjunction with some of his brothers and sisters. He must at all costs find out who is behind the conspiracy because the real world of Amber is in danger. But finding the traitor will not be easy.
The Sign of the Unicorn (The Chronicles of Amber # 3) is solid but is slightly slower than the previous two books in the series. But this is a great book where the stories about Amber's Princes are increasingly complicated.
Corwin sits on the throne, but things are even a little bit more complicated; deception and intrigue continue. Corwin is very well aware that he can not trust almost any of his brothers and sisters. But the murder of his brother Cain is even more complicated. Corwin, someone tried to accommodate this murder, but although he killed the murderer of his brother, he knew they would blame him for the murder because he did not agree with Cain. The murderer is not usually being because he already fought with his kind, and what is worse of all, they know how to move through the shadows. Web of lies soon begins to unravel, but the more Corwin knows, the more it all becomes. The dark side is obviously in conjunction with some of his brothers and sisters. He must at all costs find out who is behind the conspiracy because the real world of Amber is in danger. But finding the traitor will not be easy.
May 28, 2019
Read this over the last handful of nights, not the last handful of months... life and other interventions, etc, etc....
Zelazny wrote ... 80% of this story in conversations between the characters. Past deeds of daring were related, punctured with a real life rescue followed immediately by a pair of assassination attempts ... than more conversations, some filled with half-lies, mixed with half-truths. Followed by a journey to a tenuous land of moonlit dreams, the recovery of a magical artifact that echoes the hand of the Norse god Tyr, and the final discovery of the true and broken heart of Amber. And about all, a shimmering, emerald eyed unicorn with golden hooves, and whorled horn, guiding its champions to their quest.
A beautiful, intense, intriguing, and above all, seamlessly constructed work of an imagination at the upper end of story-telling mastery.
Zelazny wrote ... 80% of this story in conversations between the characters. Past deeds of daring were related, punctured with a real life rescue followed immediately by a pair of assassination attempts ... than more conversations, some filled with half-lies, mixed with half-truths. Followed by a journey to a tenuous land of moonlit dreams, the recovery of a magical artifact that echoes the hand of the Norse god Tyr, and the final discovery of the true and broken heart of Amber. And about all, a shimmering, emerald eyed unicorn with golden hooves, and whorled horn, guiding its champions to their quest.
A beautiful, intense, intriguing, and above all, seamlessly constructed work of an imagination at the upper end of story-telling mastery.
November 24, 2023
"The Sign of the Unicorn", Roger Zelazny's third book in his Amber series, may be the turning point for me. While I enjoyed it and found nothing overtly wrong with it, I began to have the sinking feeling that the rest of the series is going to be more of the same, which is what I was afraid of, as I am not normally a lover of this type of sword-and-sorcery fantasy.
It's the same reason I couldn't read past the second book in George R.R. Martin's Game of Thrones series: too many characters to keep track of, all of whom are bent on killing or overthrowing the other characters. There's lots of alliance-building, raising armies, magical conjurings, yadda yadda yadda, but to what end? Unfortunately, there is no end. It just keeps going.
The Amber series seems like it's more of the same. I'm beginning to worry, as it is a 10-book series (technically, two 5-book cycles), and rumor has it that Zelazny never actually finished the series.
I'll cross that bridge when I come to it. "The Sign of the Unicorn" was still entertaining. Corwin begins to piece together his past he can't remember due to amnesia, and he isn't sure who among his many siblings to trust. Some heavy life-(and world-) changing revelations are dropped.
On to the next book...
It's the same reason I couldn't read past the second book in George R.R. Martin's Game of Thrones series: too many characters to keep track of, all of whom are bent on killing or overthrowing the other characters. There's lots of alliance-building, raising armies, magical conjurings, yadda yadda yadda, but to what end? Unfortunately, there is no end. It just keeps going.
The Amber series seems like it's more of the same. I'm beginning to worry, as it is a 10-book series (technically, two 5-book cycles), and rumor has it that Zelazny never actually finished the series.
I'll cross that bridge when I come to it. "The Sign of the Unicorn" was still entertaining. Corwin begins to piece together his past he can't remember due to amnesia, and he isn't sure who among his many siblings to trust. Some heavy life-(and world-) changing revelations are dropped.
On to the next book...
October 27, 2023
When another Amber sibling is murdered, Corwin expects everyone. When the remaining siblings rescue Brand, only to have him knifed in the back, things start really going off the rails...
Ok, this is not my favorite Amber book but it has some great moments. Siblings being stabbed, Amber history revealed, and miscellaneous interesting things happen. On a side note, I forgot how much damn talking there is in some of these books. Old Roger still has me interested, though. I wonder if I can wolf down the two remaining books in three days?
Ok, this is not my favorite Amber book but it has some great moments. Siblings being stabbed, Amber history revealed, and miscellaneous interesting things happen. On a side note, I forgot how much damn talking there is in some of these books. Old Roger still has me interested, though. I wonder if I can wolf down the two remaining books in three days?
February 24, 2017
Let me start by saying that I enjoyed the first two novels of the Amber Chronicles. They were imaginatively written and entertaining. They had rich characters of noble birth if not entirely honorable dispositions. Perhaps best of all was the setting. Despite all that, I considered them to be 4 star novels.
As good as those novel were, Sign of the Unicorn was that much better. This is the novel were things get really good. This is the novel that hooked me in and didn't let go. This is the novel that made me understand why Amber is considered a classic series.
Going into the third novel, I thought I had a pretty good handle for what was going on, but, damn, was I wrong. In Sign of the Unicorn, Zelazy reveals what really happened in the first two books. You find out what all of Corwin's siblings were up to and it turns out that the story you thought you knew is actually way more complicated and interesting.
The members of Amber's ruling family are a scheming and conniving bunch and they were were not idle while Corwin had his adventures in the first two novels. Zelazny really flushes out the background and mythology of Amber and its noble family and it gives the story a lot more depth.
Highly recommended!
As good as those novel were, Sign of the Unicorn was that much better. This is the novel were things get really good. This is the novel that hooked me in and didn't let go. This is the novel that made me understand why Amber is considered a classic series.
Going into the third novel, I thought I had a pretty good handle for what was going on, but, damn, was I wrong. In Sign of the Unicorn, Zelazy reveals what really happened in the first two books. You find out what all of Corwin's siblings were up to and it turns out that the story you thought you knew is actually way more complicated and interesting.
The members of Amber's ruling family are a scheming and conniving bunch and they were were not idle while Corwin had his adventures in the first two novels. Zelazny really flushes out the background and mythology of Amber and its noble family and it gives the story a lot more depth.
Highly recommended!
May 20, 2017
"...inside stories seldom live up to one’s expectations. Usually they are grubby little things, reducing down to the basest of motives when all is known. Conjectures and illusions are often the better possessions.”
― Roger Zelazny, Sign of the Unicorn
Another solid Zalzny fanasy novel (they are practically novellas). It is 3/10 in the Chronicles of Amber decalog, or 3/5 in the Corwin pentalogy. The family drama of finding the King/Father and understanding the Pattern, the darkness that is invading Amber. A bulk of the novel centers on a family meeting (a meeting of siblings) in Amber. It allows for stories to get told, and more of the background of what is going on to gradually unfold.
Again, like the previous novel in the series, I'm still kinda luke warm towads it. It is good enough for a diversion, but I'm not seeing anything here that is either hyper-literary or revolutionary. It is B+ escapist fare (so far). Good enough that I have no issue coming back to it between other reads, but I'll have to decide if I want to just read the pentalogy or if I'll actually read the entire decalog. We will see.
― Roger Zelazny, Sign of the Unicorn
Another solid Zalzny fanasy novel (they are practically novellas). It is 3/10 in the Chronicles of Amber decalog, or 3/5 in the Corwin pentalogy. The family drama of finding the King/Father and understanding the Pattern, the darkness that is invading Amber. A bulk of the novel centers on a family meeting (a meeting of siblings) in Amber. It allows for stories to get told, and more of the background of what is going on to gradually unfold.
Again, like the previous novel in the series, I'm still kinda luke warm towads it. It is good enough for a diversion, but I'm not seeing anything here that is either hyper-literary or revolutionary. It is B+ escapist fare (so far). Good enough that I have no issue coming back to it between other reads, but I'll have to decide if I want to just read the pentalogy or if I'll actually read the entire decalog. We will see.
June 17, 2024
Best Amber novel so far. It starts weak and I was afraid there would again be pages upon pages of boring description of travels through Shadow. With exception of chapter 2 there are almost none. Instead the plot shifts into whodunit narrative and the already complex relationship between the princes and princesses of Amber gets even more complex. It's far from ASOIAF's level of politicking but it was refreshing.
It almost felt like a bottle episode of a TV show. Middle part of the book occupied by this mystery was the most enjoyable. Last two chapters were a bit of a let down though I have no doubt stuff seen in (to avoid spoilers) "sky castle" will become important eventually.
It almost felt like a bottle episode of a TV show. Middle part of the book occupied by this mystery was the most enjoyable. Last two chapters were a bit of a let down though I have no doubt stuff seen in (to avoid spoilers) "sky castle" will become important eventually.
November 27, 2010
3.5 stars. Good, solid installment to the excellent Amber series by Zelazny. I didn't like this one quite as much as the first two installments mainly because, until the very end, nothing really new happened that added significantly to the storyline begun in the first two. Still, a fun and fast read with Zelazny's typical elegant prose.
July 1, 2020
*****3.5*****
This edition of the book doesn't indicate at all that it's part of a series. Even the title on Goodreads doesn't mention a series number, so I thought it was a stand alone book set in the "world of Amber." I started reading it and found it confusing because past events are referred to as if the reader should know about them, though Zelazny does do a great job of exposition and explication. Still, I felt too thrown into this world. Then, I did more digging and realized that this is, in fact, in a series. Book Three, to be exact. That made much more sense. I had a dilemma--keep reading this book and go from there or stop and begin with Book One. I chose to keep reading since I was already at least halfway through. I'm glad I did, and now I'd like to go back to the beginning of the series.
Even being thrown in, I'm fascinated by this world that Zelazny created. I can see why the Amber books are his most popular. The world is complex, and I love the concepts he uses like the Trumps, the Pattern, and Shadow. I also really like the characters and their tangled connections. The story is interesting although there is a lot of explication. I wonder if Zelazny knew he'd write so many Amber books or if he planned to stop shortly after this third one, which does end on a cliffhanger, so it was clearly meant to be followed by at least one book. Still, it provides a lot of answers to questions I'm presuming build up from Books One and Two. The way I see it is that this book answers past questions and now begins the actual plot that Zelazny needed to build up to. Of course, I could be wrong not having read the first two books, but not much actually happens in this one until the end, which is very packed with action and conflict.
I will definitely be reading the first two books in the series and Book Four. I don't know if I'll read more after that, but I liked this one enough to want to know more before and after. I recommend the series to sci-fi/fantasy lovers only. It's a very genre'd book, so if you're not already a fan of this genre, you won't be able to get into it. Also, as a side note, I haven't read much sci-fi, and it took me time to get adjusted to the style, but I really enjoyed Zelazny's take on the genre, and I like the blend of genres in that there are clear fantasy tropes (see title), but the modern references to things like cars and other contemporary (at the time of publication) elements place it outside of fantasy as well. Overall, I like the book and can't wait to write a more well-informed review of Books One, Two, and Four, at least!
******************************************************************************
Okay, I don't know why I gave this book 3.5 stars originally yet shelved it as a favorite, but whatever. I can't explain the processes of 2019-Jenny's mind. Creepily, I read this book from the 16th to the 26th last year and from the 21st to the 1st this year. Different months but oddly similar time frames. Anyway, I upped the rating because, as much as I liked this book the first time, it obviously makes so much more sense in context.
What I noticed this time is that, while "stuff" happens in this book, for the most part, it's a medium through which Zelazny can elaborate on what I assume is the central plot. So, books one and two really set up some concerns (Corwin's accident, the succession, where is Dad?, there are weird things afoot with this black road, Dworkin, etc.), but book 3 shows very clearly that these issues are just the surface of the real problems that Amber faces. Clearly, it's not just about Corwin and the succession--there are riddles upon riddles here. The ending of book 3 (and the fact that there are seven more books) proves that the main issues have really just begun.
I'm happy that, in this book, we get answers to some of the lesser concerns of books 1 and 2. We know who was really behind Corwin's accident, we find out what happened to Brand, we learn more about the black road and the creatures that travel it, and we have more layers added onto the whole Dworkin/Trumps/Pattern/Amber/Shadows thing, which is where the real story is as far as I can tell. We kind of find out more about Dad, at least why he left, which is satisfying, and we realize that things that seemed important in the first two books are really just secondary to the bigger picture, which I appreciate.
So, now, I've read the two books that precede the one I happened to read first. Although I didn't know everything that happened in the first two, knowing what happened in the third just made me go "Ohhhh" more than anything else. Now, rereading book three in context, so much more made sense, from the characters' reactions to the actual story. Things that seemed more important I realized were less so in context and vice versa. It's strange to think that, now, I'll be reading book 4, and since it's after the one I read first, it's completely new territory, not just back story on something I've already read or rehashing of the story I've already read. I'm excited to see where the story goes from here because that ending is so interesting and really makes me wonder. Oh, the unicorn of the title is very curious as well. That was definitely not something that came up in books 1-2, and I know it will have an impact going forward because of what the unicorn does in the end.
Altogether, I'm very happy I read books 1 and 2 and reread book 3, and I will most certainly be starting book 4. I can't say I'll finish the series, but since books 1-3 are on my "favorites" shelf, I think it's safe to say I'll be completing the entire Great Book of Amber...
This edition of the book doesn't indicate at all that it's part of a series. Even the title on Goodreads doesn't mention a series number, so I thought it was a stand alone book set in the "world of Amber." I started reading it and found it confusing because past events are referred to as if the reader should know about them, though Zelazny does do a great job of exposition and explication. Still, I felt too thrown into this world. Then, I did more digging and realized that this is, in fact, in a series. Book Three, to be exact. That made much more sense. I had a dilemma--keep reading this book and go from there or stop and begin with Book One. I chose to keep reading since I was already at least halfway through. I'm glad I did, and now I'd like to go back to the beginning of the series.
Even being thrown in, I'm fascinated by this world that Zelazny created. I can see why the Amber books are his most popular. The world is complex, and I love the concepts he uses like the Trumps, the Pattern, and Shadow. I also really like the characters and their tangled connections. The story is interesting although there is a lot of explication. I wonder if Zelazny knew he'd write so many Amber books or if he planned to stop shortly after this third one, which does end on a cliffhanger, so it was clearly meant to be followed by at least one book. Still, it provides a lot of answers to questions I'm presuming build up from Books One and Two. The way I see it is that this book answers past questions and now begins the actual plot that Zelazny needed to build up to. Of course, I could be wrong not having read the first two books, but not much actually happens in this one until the end, which is very packed with action and conflict.
I will definitely be reading the first two books in the series and Book Four. I don't know if I'll read more after that, but I liked this one enough to want to know more before and after. I recommend the series to sci-fi/fantasy lovers only. It's a very genre'd book, so if you're not already a fan of this genre, you won't be able to get into it. Also, as a side note, I haven't read much sci-fi, and it took me time to get adjusted to the style, but I really enjoyed Zelazny's take on the genre, and I like the blend of genres in that there are clear fantasy tropes (see title), but the modern references to things like cars and other contemporary (at the time of publication) elements place it outside of fantasy as well. Overall, I like the book and can't wait to write a more well-informed review of Books One, Two, and Four, at least!
******************************************************************************
Okay, I don't know why I gave this book 3.5 stars originally yet shelved it as a favorite, but whatever. I can't explain the processes of 2019-Jenny's mind. Creepily, I read this book from the 16th to the 26th last year and from the 21st to the 1st this year. Different months but oddly similar time frames. Anyway, I upped the rating because, as much as I liked this book the first time, it obviously makes so much more sense in context.
What I noticed this time is that, while "stuff" happens in this book, for the most part, it's a medium through which Zelazny can elaborate on what I assume is the central plot. So, books one and two really set up some concerns (Corwin's accident, the succession, where is Dad?, there are weird things afoot with this black road, Dworkin, etc.), but book 3 shows very clearly that these issues are just the surface of the real problems that Amber faces. Clearly, it's not just about Corwin and the succession--there are riddles upon riddles here. The ending of book 3 (and the fact that there are seven more books) proves that the main issues have really just begun.
I'm happy that, in this book, we get answers to some of the lesser concerns of books 1 and 2. We know who was really behind Corwin's accident, we find out what happened to Brand, we learn more about the black road and the creatures that travel it, and we have more layers added onto the whole Dworkin/Trumps/Pattern/Amber/Shadows thing, which is where the real story is as far as I can tell. We kind of find out more about Dad, at least why he left, which is satisfying, and we realize that things that seemed important in the first two books are really just secondary to the bigger picture, which I appreciate.
So, now, I've read the two books that precede the one I happened to read first. Although I didn't know everything that happened in the first two, knowing what happened in the third just made me go "Ohhhh" more than anything else. Now, rereading book three in context, so much more made sense, from the characters' reactions to the actual story. Things that seemed more important I realized were less so in context and vice versa. It's strange to think that, now, I'll be reading book 4, and since it's after the one I read first, it's completely new territory, not just back story on something I've already read or rehashing of the story I've already read. I'm excited to see where the story goes from here because that ending is so interesting and really makes me wonder. Oh, the unicorn of the title is very curious as well. That was definitely not something that came up in books 1-2, and I know it will have an impact going forward because of what the unicorn does in the end.
Altogether, I'm very happy I read books 1 and 2 and reread book 3, and I will most certainly be starting book 4. I can't say I'll finish the series, but since books 1-3 are on my "favorites" shelf, I think it's safe to say I'll be completing the entire Great Book of Amber...
December 7, 2015
This first hardcover edition is signed by Roger Zelazny.
April 23, 2019
Corwin, be careful what you wish for. Just when it seems Corwin might get what he wished for, things become endlessly complicated for him. As usual his relatives are up to no good despite the fact that the threat to Amber (and all of them) is not going anywhere. Corwin's troubles seems never ending, but at least Corwin isn't prone to passivity so that usually means plenty of action. Besides, as much as I love Corwin, the guy had some things coming. The Guns of Avalon awoke Corwin's conscience just in time to have him torn over choices he has to make. What is a story without a good moral dilemma, right?
The book opens up with a murder mystery. At the very start, we also learn a bit more about Random. In order to help Corwin get out of accusation for killing his brother, Random has to elaborate on a past adventure of his and this gives us an opportunity to listen to Random and get to know Random better. His role in the big scheme of things might not be as random as his name implies. I quite enjoyed his episode. As in other books, we learn more about the characters as the story progresses. In addition, there are some new characters introduced. There is even an episode where Corwin returns to Earth that I quite enjoyed.
As far as the Amber Universe goes, there are many things going on. The plot keeps it interesting on its own, but that is not all. The reader finds out new information that makes him realize how much he didn't know. There are some definite surprises in this one, both for readers and Corwin. He starts off as a bit bigger than life, but Corwin in Sign of the Unicorn is about to learn some humility. It makes him more reliable and interesting, I'd say. What is more, Corwin makes startling discoveries about the nature of the universe. It seems not all is know about the world that casts of shadows. However, with every new answer, there are more answers coming up. On overall, I's say this novel shows a more vulnerable side to Corwin. For the first time, you see Corwin realizing that the crown might not be such a grand thing.
...“I can appreciate the feeling,” I said. “My own role sometimes makes me want to strangle the author. But look at it this way: inside stories seldom live up to one’s expectations. Usually they are grubby little things, reducing down to the basest of motives when all is known. Conjectures and illusions are often the better possessions.”
The book opens up with a murder mystery. At the very start, we also learn a bit more about Random. In order to help Corwin get out of accusation for killing his brother, Random has to elaborate on a past adventure of his and this gives us an opportunity to listen to Random and get to know Random better. His role in the big scheme of things might not be as random as his name implies. I quite enjoyed his episode. As in other books, we learn more about the characters as the story progresses. In addition, there are some new characters introduced. There is even an episode where Corwin returns to Earth that I quite enjoyed.
As far as the Amber Universe goes, there are many things going on. The plot keeps it interesting on its own, but that is not all. The reader finds out new information that makes him realize how much he didn't know. There are some definite surprises in this one, both for readers and Corwin. He starts off as a bit bigger than life, but Corwin in Sign of the Unicorn is about to learn some humility. It makes him more reliable and interesting, I'd say. What is more, Corwin makes startling discoveries about the nature of the universe. It seems not all is know about the world that casts of shadows. However, with every new answer, there are more answers coming up. On overall, I's say this novel shows a more vulnerable side to Corwin. For the first time, you see Corwin realizing that the crown might not be such a grand thing.
...“I can appreciate the feeling,” I said. “My own role sometimes makes me want to strangle the author. But look at it this way: inside stories seldom live up to one’s expectations. Usually they are grubby little things, reducing down to the basest of motives when all is known. Conjectures and illusions are often the better possessions.”
November 29, 2007
With Sign of the Unicorn, the third entry in the Amber series, Zelazny's creation truly begins to get off the ground. I thought that the first book was mediocre, and the second held more promise but still wasn't compelling. Finally, here, Zelazny writes with authority and a sense of clarity about the characters he portrays. We have a lot of people to keep track of, with Corwin and his brothers and sisters involved in an intricate series of shifting alliances, schemes, and deceptions. We must rely on Corwin, our protagonist, to filter what is happening into something that makes sense. And, with patience, this does happen.
I'm very bad at reading stories with a large number of characters who come and go. I tend to forget what I've read about someone by the time they reappear later on. Somewhere along the line as I read this book, I lost track of exactly who was allied with whom, and when I reached the end of the book I had only a vague notion of what was going on. I considered giving up on the series, but I'd honestly begun to enjoy Zelazny's writing -- so instead, I went back and reread a couple of key chapters, forcing myself to pay closer attention to the various motivations, suspicious and confessions of the characters. And this time, I finished the book looking forward to the next one, wanting to know what will happen next.
I'm very bad at reading stories with a large number of characters who come and go. I tend to forget what I've read about someone by the time they reappear later on. Somewhere along the line as I read this book, I lost track of exactly who was allied with whom, and when I reached the end of the book I had only a vague notion of what was going on. I considered giving up on the series, but I'd honestly begun to enjoy Zelazny's writing -- so instead, I went back and reread a couple of key chapters, forcing myself to pay closer attention to the various motivations, suspicious and confessions of the characters. And this time, I finished the book looking forward to the next one, wanting to know what will happen next.
April 3, 2019
"Of troubles I considered myself amply possessed. But those who have do seem to get. Some spiritual form of compound interest, I suppose. "
One of my favourite quotes, right there on the first page! And it very well summarizes the entire story.
Talking about quotable quotes, I loved the entire conversation between Corwin and Random in the first chapter, I just had to refrain from adding it here due to spoilers and lack of space. I have to confess I grew very fond of Random by the end of the book.
Some pieces of the puzzle have started falling into place. The world and characters continue to evolve – or rather the reader’s understanding of them. I loved the twists, humour, turns of phrase and overall subtlety of the writing. It’s a short novel, but one you need to take your time with as every word counts. “They don’t write them like that anymore” would be a good way to put it. A pity…
On a related topic, I was searching the Internet for Corwin and Random and stumbled upon a birth announcement for a Random Corwin. Cool name!
One of my favourite quotes, right there on the first page! And it very well summarizes the entire story.
Talking about quotable quotes, I loved the entire conversation between Corwin and Random in the first chapter, I just had to refrain from adding it here due to spoilers and lack of space. I have to confess I grew very fond of Random by the end of the book.
Some pieces of the puzzle have started falling into place. The world and characters continue to evolve – or rather the reader’s understanding of them. I loved the twists, humour, turns of phrase and overall subtlety of the writing. It’s a short novel, but one you need to take your time with as every word counts. “They don’t write them like that anymore” would be a good way to put it. A pity…
On a related topic, I was searching the Internet for Corwin and Random and stumbled upon a birth announcement for a Random Corwin. Cool name!
October 18, 2013
-La familia que conspira unida, permanece unida.-
Género. Narrativa Fantástica.
Lo que nos cuenta. Ha pasado menos de una semana en el trono y Corwin ya ha tenido que enterrar a un nuevo hermano, asesinado en una trampa que le implica también a él. Hablando con su hermano Random del asunto, el primero de ellos al que le cuenta lo sucedido, este recuerda cuando Brand contactó con él para pedirle ayuda para liberarse de un lugar no identificado, cómo fracasó y cómo acabó hablando por teléfono con Corwin tras el accidente de tráfico que le llevó a casa de Flora. Tras varias reuniones familiares de distinta naturaleza y del avistamiento del legendario unicornio de Ámbar, los hermanos deciden tratar de localizar a Brand combinando sus Triunfos, con lo que se produce una situación totalmente inesperada que traerá más sospechas a la familia. Tercer libro de la serie Ámbar.
¿Quiere saber más de este libro, sin spoilers? Visite:
http://librosdeolethros.blogspot.com/...
Género. Narrativa Fantástica.
Lo que nos cuenta. Ha pasado menos de una semana en el trono y Corwin ya ha tenido que enterrar a un nuevo hermano, asesinado en una trampa que le implica también a él. Hablando con su hermano Random del asunto, el primero de ellos al que le cuenta lo sucedido, este recuerda cuando Brand contactó con él para pedirle ayuda para liberarse de un lugar no identificado, cómo fracasó y cómo acabó hablando por teléfono con Corwin tras el accidente de tráfico que le llevó a casa de Flora. Tras varias reuniones familiares de distinta naturaleza y del avistamiento del legendario unicornio de Ámbar, los hermanos deciden tratar de localizar a Brand combinando sus Triunfos, con lo que se produce una situación totalmente inesperada que traerá más sospechas a la familia. Tercer libro de la serie Ámbar.
¿Quiere saber más de este libro, sin spoilers? Visite:
http://librosdeolethros.blogspot.com/...
November 22, 2020
Seven Princes in Amber?.. A tad too slow and info-dumpey for my liking. :/
July 18, 2017
3 stars. I enjoyed this one a little more than the previous two because we got to see all of the siblings together, which made for a "Clue" board game who-done-it feeling.
July 19, 2016
This third book in The Chronicles of Amber is better than the first two were, but in my opinion that's not saying much. The book's narrative was greatly strengthened by the fact that there was much less action and less frantic motion in this novel than in its predecessors. It says volumes though when a book series is improved by adding a book in which almost nothing happens. Instead, the book was something of a murder mystery vibe which does a great job allowing the reader to catch up with the many unanswered questions from the previous two novels.
This review will strive to point out the best part of the book, the worst part, and 2 speculations as to Zelazny's writing style and intent in these works.
Let's start with the best part of the book. The second chapter in this book was the first, and so far in my experience only, chapter to be told from a different perspective than Corwin's. And I LOVED it, but again mainly because of how different it was from the previous style. Random's chapter wasn't pretentious like Corwin's narratives had been, but it was self-deprecating and funny while still relaying important plot information and building the universe of the novels. I recognize that Random's style could never have carried a 10 novel series, but it was a refreshing change of pace which gave me hope for the continued growth of this series.
Now for the worst. Towards the end of the novel, we as readers are suddenly in the ghost/moon city of Tir-na Nog'th, a place never before referenced in anyway. The sudden introduction of this location though doesn't bother me. The descriptions of it do. The following is the first paragraph of the chapter: "A raft of moonbeams . . . the ghostly torchlight, like fires in black-and-white films . . . stars . . . a few fine filaments of mist . . ." This oddly spaced ellipses heavy descriptive style continues for the whole chapter. I've seen may ways in which authors have created atmospheres of mystery, unease, and anticipation, but this was the first time I have seen anyone use the novel approach of simply not telling the reader what's happening.
I will just come out and say this, I don't trust Corwin. The prose implies that he is telling these events to us, the reader, years after they happened. In this recounting he makes himself a "tropey" and cliche Classical hero like an Odysseus. What worked well for Ancient Greece though does not work well in modern literature all the time. Corwin is intelligent, brave, cunning, an expert swordsmen and rifleman, and secretly heartbroken over every one of his past romantic interests. It's vomit inducing.
This book has made me question Roger Zelazny's writing abilities. It is very possible that he meant to create Corwin as an unreliable narrator and the major unanswered questions are there as Corwin is relaying this information to those who would already know the major parts of the story. There is some evidence to support this (Random's different narrative style) but I'm still uncertain as to whether that's what Zelazny was going for. At this time, it's equally probably to me that Zelazny was just aping classical mythology narrative styles and leaving major information gaps as ways to "hook" the reader. Bottom line though is that I can't tell either way after I've read 3 books and my first theory might just be me rationalizing a poorly written story
Conclusion: I liked the fact that Corwin wasn't running around like an infallible Classical Greek hero every second of the novel, the change of perspective that Random offered in chapter 2, and that Zelazny finally answered questions that have been left unanswered since the first page of book one. However, I still find Corwin to be an insufferable toss-pot of a character and the intentionally vague descriptive style that Zelazny occasionally employs takes a series that was already threatening to become insufferably pretentious and turns it into a tediously grandiloquent affair. These are the first works I have read by Zelazny and I know he is widely considered one of the greatest in the history of Sci-Fi/Fantasy novels, but I am thus far disappointed. Again, I will continue to read the series as many people have told me it's a classic series and that it gets better "around book 2 or 3." In the end though, I have given these books several passes and I'm not sure if they warrant it any more.
This review will strive to point out the best part of the book, the worst part, and 2 speculations as to Zelazny's writing style and intent in these works.
Let's start with the best part of the book. The second chapter in this book was the first, and so far in my experience only, chapter to be told from a different perspective than Corwin's. And I LOVED it, but again mainly because of how different it was from the previous style. Random's chapter wasn't pretentious like Corwin's narratives had been, but it was self-deprecating and funny while still relaying important plot information and building the universe of the novels. I recognize that Random's style could never have carried a 10 novel series, but it was a refreshing change of pace which gave me hope for the continued growth of this series.
Now for the worst. Towards the end of the novel, we as readers are suddenly in the ghost/moon city of Tir-na Nog'th, a place never before referenced in anyway. The sudden introduction of this location though doesn't bother me. The descriptions of it do. The following is the first paragraph of the chapter: "A raft of moonbeams . . . the ghostly torchlight, like fires in black-and-white films . . . stars . . . a few fine filaments of mist . . ." This oddly spaced ellipses heavy descriptive style continues for the whole chapter. I've seen may ways in which authors have created atmospheres of mystery, unease, and anticipation, but this was the first time I have seen anyone use the novel approach of simply not telling the reader what's happening.
I will just come out and say this, I don't trust Corwin. The prose implies that he is telling these events to us, the reader, years after they happened. In this recounting he makes himself a "tropey" and cliche Classical hero like an Odysseus. What worked well for Ancient Greece though does not work well in modern literature all the time. Corwin is intelligent, brave, cunning, an expert swordsmen and rifleman, and secretly heartbroken over every one of his past romantic interests. It's vomit inducing.
This book has made me question Roger Zelazny's writing abilities. It is very possible that he meant to create Corwin as an unreliable narrator and the major unanswered questions are there as Corwin is relaying this information to those who would already know the major parts of the story. There is some evidence to support this (Random's different narrative style) but I'm still uncertain as to whether that's what Zelazny was going for. At this time, it's equally probably to me that Zelazny was just aping classical mythology narrative styles and leaving major information gaps as ways to "hook" the reader. Bottom line though is that I can't tell either way after I've read 3 books and my first theory might just be me rationalizing a poorly written story
Conclusion: I liked the fact that Corwin wasn't running around like an infallible Classical Greek hero every second of the novel, the change of perspective that Random offered in chapter 2, and that Zelazny finally answered questions that have been left unanswered since the first page of book one. However, I still find Corwin to be an insufferable toss-pot of a character and the intentionally vague descriptive style that Zelazny occasionally employs takes a series that was already threatening to become insufferably pretentious and turns it into a tediously grandiloquent affair. These are the first works I have read by Zelazny and I know he is widely considered one of the greatest in the history of Sci-Fi/Fantasy novels, but I am thus far disappointed. Again, I will continue to read the series as many people have told me it's a classic series and that it gets better "around book 2 or 3." In the end though, I have given these books several passes and I'm not sure if they warrant it any more.
July 15, 2023
Jak to mówi Iga Świątek: Jazda!
October 12, 2012
3.5 re-read on audio
Originally posted at www.fantasyliterature.com
Sign of the Unicorn is the third novel in Roger Zelazny’s CHRONICLES OF AMBER. At the end of the previous novel, The Guns of Avalon, Corwin finally got what he wanted: Eric off the throne. Corwin is now the regent of Amber by legitimate claim and he holds the Jewel of Judgment which has powers over the weather and, as Corwin learns, other powers that may be dangerous to its owner.
You’d think that things might now be easy for Corwin, but not so. The forces of Chaos are crossing into Amber from the shadow worlds, and they must be stopped. But Corwin’s most immediate concern is treachery from his scheming siblings. One of them has just been murdered and someone is trying to frame Corwin. During the fallout, other murder attempts occur. It’s clear that Corwin is not safe as long as his siblings are alive, but he doesn’t know which of them he can trust. During his interactions with them he learns a lot of the history that he has been unaware of while spending centuries on Earth without his memory of Amber. These stories slow the action but serve to enlighten us further about Amber, the Shadow worlds, how the trumps and the pattern work, the alliances between the siblings, how Corwin lost his memories, and what may have happened to their father Oberon. Of course, Corwin knows that some of his siblings may not be telling him the truth… Looking for guidance, Corwin visits Tir-na Nog’th, the city of moonlight. Instead of the answers he wants, he receives ominous visions which suggest that the real truth is even more frightening than the petty sibling rivalries Corwin has been dealing with.
Sign of the Unicorn continues Corwin’s swiftly moving adventure. Things slow down a bit during this installment while the siblings tell their stories, but there are lots of revelations and plot twists to make up for that. One thing that’s lacking in these stories, so far, is a sense of what Amber is like beyond of the realm of the royal family. We see very few people who aren’t related to Corwin — not even household servants. The story is so focused on the family intrigue that we really don’t get to know Amber outside that context, which is somewhat disappointing.
Sign of the Unicorn definitely doesn’t stand alone — you need to read the previous books, Nine Princes in Amber and The Guns of Avalon, first — and after the final revelation in Sign of the Unicorn, you won’t be able to stop there either, so plan to have the fourth book, The Hand of Oberon, ready. In fact, go ahead and get the fifth book, The Courts of Chaos, because the end of The Hand of Oberon is a doozy, too.
I read the entire CHRONICLES OF AMBER twenty years ago and am re-reading them now that they’ve been produced by Audible Frontiers. Each installment is rather short (only 5 or 6 hours on audio) which was usual for fantasy novels published back in 1970. Some of them had been previously serialized before being released in book form. The AMBER CHRONICLES are short and entertaining, but the length of each volume is something I’d consider when deciding whether or not to spend an Audible credit on them, especially since there are 10 books in the series (divided into two ARC). They are relatively inexpensive, though, and they’re certain to show up in Audible’s frequent sales. Alessandro Juliani does a great job with the narration — I really like him.
Originally posted at www.fantasyliterature.com
Sign of the Unicorn is the third novel in Roger Zelazny’s CHRONICLES OF AMBER. At the end of the previous novel, The Guns of Avalon, Corwin finally got what he wanted: Eric off the throne. Corwin is now the regent of Amber by legitimate claim and he holds the Jewel of Judgment which has powers over the weather and, as Corwin learns, other powers that may be dangerous to its owner.
You’d think that things might now be easy for Corwin, but not so. The forces of Chaos are crossing into Amber from the shadow worlds, and they must be stopped. But Corwin’s most immediate concern is treachery from his scheming siblings. One of them has just been murdered and someone is trying to frame Corwin. During the fallout, other murder attempts occur. It’s clear that Corwin is not safe as long as his siblings are alive, but he doesn’t know which of them he can trust. During his interactions with them he learns a lot of the history that he has been unaware of while spending centuries on Earth without his memory of Amber. These stories slow the action but serve to enlighten us further about Amber, the Shadow worlds, how the trumps and the pattern work, the alliances between the siblings, how Corwin lost his memories, and what may have happened to their father Oberon. Of course, Corwin knows that some of his siblings may not be telling him the truth… Looking for guidance, Corwin visits Tir-na Nog’th, the city of moonlight. Instead of the answers he wants, he receives ominous visions which suggest that the real truth is even more frightening than the petty sibling rivalries Corwin has been dealing with.
Sign of the Unicorn continues Corwin’s swiftly moving adventure. Things slow down a bit during this installment while the siblings tell their stories, but there are lots of revelations and plot twists to make up for that. One thing that’s lacking in these stories, so far, is a sense of what Amber is like beyond of the realm of the royal family. We see very few people who aren’t related to Corwin — not even household servants. The story is so focused on the family intrigue that we really don’t get to know Amber outside that context, which is somewhat disappointing.
Sign of the Unicorn definitely doesn’t stand alone — you need to read the previous books, Nine Princes in Amber and The Guns of Avalon, first — and after the final revelation in Sign of the Unicorn, you won’t be able to stop there either, so plan to have the fourth book, The Hand of Oberon, ready. In fact, go ahead and get the fifth book, The Courts of Chaos, because the end of The Hand of Oberon is a doozy, too.
I read the entire CHRONICLES OF AMBER twenty years ago and am re-reading them now that they’ve been produced by Audible Frontiers. Each installment is rather short (only 5 or 6 hours on audio) which was usual for fantasy novels published back in 1970. Some of them had been previously serialized before being released in book form. The AMBER CHRONICLES are short and entertaining, but the length of each volume is something I’d consider when deciding whether or not to spend an Audible credit on them, especially since there are 10 books in the series (divided into two ARC). They are relatively inexpensive, though, and they’re certain to show up in Audible’s frequent sales. Alessandro Juliani does a great job with the narration — I really like him.
May 18, 2014
This book is a lot different to the previous 2 in the series. Sign of the Unicorn reads more as a mystery, 'whodunit' novel. The overall plot for the series builds very little until nearer to the end and so the book felt somewhat like a filler. I'm not quite sure that there was much point to a lot that happened.
Nevertheless, I had fun reading it simply because I enjoy the characters. We get to know a little more about Corwin's brothers and sisters, and there are a couple new appearances.
3.5 stars.
Nevertheless, I had fun reading it simply because I enjoy the characters. We get to know a little more about Corwin's brothers and sisters, and there are a couple new appearances.
3.5 stars.
November 30, 2019
2.5 stars
I still love the world but this book was a complete 180 from the previous two books. Nine Princes in Amber and The Guns of Avalon set up an interesting looming threat of the black road as a result of Corwin's curse and the mysterious girl that says she's Benedict's granddaughter and then this book barely mentions either of those things and turns into a standard whodunit that I've seen a million times already. And that basic whodunit setup is just an excuse to have a 190 page long recounting of events the previous two books covered from the perspectives of Corwin's brothers. The ending was the only intriguing part where something new happens and was a major cliffhanger and the only reason I'm continuing the series at all.
I still love the world but this book was a complete 180 from the previous two books. Nine Princes in Amber and The Guns of Avalon set up an interesting looming threat of the black road as a result of Corwin's curse and the mysterious girl that says she's Benedict's granddaughter and then this book barely mentions either of those things and turns into a standard whodunit that I've seen a million times already. And that basic whodunit setup is just an excuse to have a 190 page long recounting of events the previous two books covered from the perspectives of Corwin's brothers. The ending was the only intriguing part where something new happens and was a major cliffhanger and the only reason I'm continuing the series at all.
March 19, 2017
Посетете отново Амбър, загадъчна земя на приключения и романтика. Амбър, единственият истински свят. Всички останали светове, дори и Земята, са само негови Сенки - „Хрониките на Амбър – том 1” от Роджър Зелазни! Прочетете ревюто на "Книжни Криле":
https://knijnikrile.wordpress.com/201...
https://knijnikrile.wordpress.com/201...
November 28, 2020
Kind of disappointed with the one. The main problem, nothing much happened and the book ended without any significant conclusion. This obviously has to be read as part of the series rather than any kind of stand alone story so I will continue on with the next one.
March 21, 2013
I would rather have Sign of the Unicorn than all the boys in the Valleys.
-- Among Others
December 6, 2025
Rereading for nostalgia.
MY GRADE: B plus.
MY GRADE: B plus.
August 7, 2023
Knjiga koja je proširila scenu, okupila porodicu, pojačala psihodelične opise, ali ostala da stoji u mestu što se tiče dešavanja. 😕
Nije mi se dopala sva ona paranoja likova - mada da nije nje, serijal bi bio kraći; a i poenta je i pored akumulacije znanja i veština kod članova vladarske porodice, strah i želja za moći sličnih sebi je ono što deluje kao prirodna protivteža relativno lako ostvarljivim ciljevima. Samo bih volela da imamo nove, sveže perspektive koji bi sa strane rekli ovima koliko sami sebe potkopavaju. Da ih malo više zasluženo proziva 😋😋😋
Nije mi se dopala sva ona paranoja likova - mada da nije nje, serijal bi bio kraći; a i poenta je i pored akumulacije znanja i veština kod članova vladarske porodice, strah i želja za moći sličnih sebi je ono što deluje kao prirodna protivteža relativno lako ostvarljivim ciljevima. Samo bih volela da imamo nove, sveže perspektive koji bi sa strane rekli ovima koliko sami sebe potkopavaju. Da ih malo više zasluženo proziva 😋😋😋
June 16, 2022
What an ending!
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