https://nwhyte.livejournal.com/3724115.html

The first of the prequels to the late great Roger Zelazny's Amber series, published in 2002 but I only got around to it as part of a Humble Bundle a few years back. I had been warned that the prequels were terrible; actually while the first book is not superb, it's not awful either. Our viewpoint character is Oberon, future father of the Nine Princes of Amber, who is pulled from a career as mercenary (his girlfriend killed off before we even meet her properly) by his mysterious father Dworkin, for magical dynastic plotting with his brothers and sisters. It's a bit flat, compared with the heights of the original, but I'll persevere with the series. ( )

It's in the Amber style, and the characters are done well, but if you really really loved Roger Zelzany's Amber series, it's just not the same without him. The characters of Oberon and Dworkin just don't feel the same. ( )

First off, I think that if you enjoy Betancourt's Amber novels then more power to you. We all like what we like and matters of taste are by definition subjective. So I perfectly respect your right to like these books and think nothing less of anyone for doing so, even though I may vehemently disagree. So please take no offense at what follows (unless you happen to be John Betancourt, in which case you can go right ahead).

Secondly, and in the interest of full disclosure, I generally find the practice of someone stepping in and writing another authors works after they have passed away to be despicable, money grubbing and dessicating. My view is also undoubtedly colored by the fact that I know that Zelazny had no desire to see anyone besides himself write Amber novels. He was quite adamant about it and under such circumstances I find the practice doubly disgusting.

Thirdly, Zelazny is one of my favorite authors of all time. There are perhaps a handful of authors whom I rank as highly as he so it is unlikely they could have gotten anybody to write these that I would have felt measured up (although apparently both Gaiman and Brust, both authors I like quite a bit, have said they would have been interested but wouldn't out of respect for Roger's wishes). So perhaps I am too biased to offer any valid critique.

With those things in mind, I did take a look at the first book in Betancourt's series, mainly out of morbid curiosity. I had read one of Betancourt's earlier novels and was thoroughly unimpressed so I wasn't expecting much. What I found, however, left me feeling that they could have probably gotten someone more qualified to pick up writing Zelazny's Amber Chronicles using nothing more than a phone book and a blindfold. I can only assume that Betancourt submitted the lowest bid. My problem isn't so much the ideas/themes he wanted to explore or even that he got it as "wrong" as many others seem to think he did. I do have problems with those issues but my main problem was simply that the guy doesn't appear to be able to write with any degree of artfulness. I think that Zelazny could probably sketch out a more interesting character on the back of a cocktail napkin than Betancourt could flesh out over the course of an entire series and his prose dances circles around this plodding utilitarian.

As to the ideas and themes, I will only say that I thought it was bad enough what Zelazny did to his own Amber universe in the Merlin Chronicles that no one needed to leave the door open for someone like Betancourt to come in and further desecrate the corpse. ( )

I've read that a lot of people don't like this addition to Zelazny's Amber series by Betancourt. I do. I've read just about all of Zelany's stuff & the Amber series a dozen times or more. I think he's done a great job of adding on & I hope he can get the 5th book published to complete the series - I read that the publisher went out of business after book 4, which really, really sucks. Oberon was left in a tight spot!This series is a prelude to the Amber series, about Oberon & the founding of Amber. I don't care for most books written by other people based on Zelazny's work, but find I like this. ( )

I've been a fan of Zelazny's work for many years, and although I didn't have high hopes for this book, it turned out better than I thought it would. It could have used some proofreading, though. A few glaringly bad errors in both spelling and editing would have bumped this book up a notch, but overall it wasn't a terrible read.

Like the title states, this book is about the dawn of Amber, and takes place before Amber was created. Oberon is rescued by his "uncle Dworkin" (who he later learns is his father) from an invading army, saving him from certain death. Dworkin takes him to a new shadow where the rest of his brothers and sisters have congregated to face the armies brought to bear against them. Oberon learns that something in him is not compatible with the Logrus of Chaos and that he will never be able to traverse it and live. But unlike his brothers and sisters, Oberon has a new pattern inside him, and together with Dworkin they begin to learn of its power and use it to rescue the family from certain death. Unfortunately there is a traitor in their midst, and we don't find out who it is yet in this book. ( )