Nine Princes in Amber

The Chronicles of Amber, Book 1

By: Roger Zelazny

Narrated by: Alessandro Juliani

Length: 5 hrs and 31 mins

Publisher's summary

Nine Princes in Amber is the first of the 10 books that are The Chronicles of Amber; an epic fantasy series written by six-time Hugo Award winning and three-time Nebula Award winning author, Roger Zelazny.

The ten books that make up the series are told in two story arcs: The Corwin Cycle and the Merlin Cycle.

The Audible audio rendition of this classic sci-fi/fantasy series is kicked off by 2012 Audie Award nominee, Alessandro Juliani, who reads the first five books that make up the Corwin Cycle and whose narration vividly brings the world of Amber to life.

Amber is the one real world, of which all others including our own Earth are but Shadows. Amber burns in Corwin's blood. Exiled on Shadow Earth for centuries, the prince is about to return to Amber to make a mad and desperate rush upon the throne.

From Arden to the Pattern deep in Castle Amber which defines the very structure of Reality, Corwin must contend with the powers of his eight immortal brothers, all Princes of Amber. His savage path is blocked and guarded by eerie structures beyond imagining impossible realities forged by demonic assassins and staggering Forces that challenge the might of Corwin's superhuman fury.

©1970 Roger Zelazny (P)2012 Audible, Inc.

Always a favorite!

The Chronicles of Amber is a great favorite of mine. Prince Corwin is dashing figure and Roger Zelazny has created a lovable rogue. Great narrator! Wonderful rendition!

A rationale for fantasy that actually makes sense

Warning: Elves and dwarves do not appear in this book (and series). That's one of the most refreshing things about the Amber novels. They completely avoid Tolkien cliches. (Why must nearly every modern fantasy novel depend on these tropes?)
The explanation for why fantasy works in this story is splendid and one of the best (most satisfying) found in fantasy stories.
The reader is excellent. The story is wild! The characters, both female and male (the royal family of Amber consists of a chaotic, suspicious, conniving and powerful group of sisters and brothers), are terrific. This is classic fantasy. Don't miss it.

Loved It

Great performance! I loved reading these books ages ago, it's with great pleasure to hear the tale.

Read this book as a child can't count my listening

Science fiction, but without aliens and spaceship. A down to Earth story of that royal family who could make their own universe, yet crave only on location "AMBER."

30+ years later it's still my favorite Amber story

What did you love best about Nine Princes in Amber?

Like most "first in a series" fantasy books I enjoyed entering a new world, meeting and getting to know new characters, and of course experiencing the story as it unfolds. And this has been a particular favorite since high school. Perhaps it's the way Nine Princes progresses. Corwin learns of his family situation at the same time that we do, a masterful job by Rodger Zelazny of putting the reader into the story. If you have never experienced the world of Amber give it a listen. The performance might not be the best, but the story is well worth the credit. But be warned, you might just get hooked on the whole series.

What about Alessandro Juliani’s performance did you like?

I am sorry to say it was the performance that hurt this book and the reason I will likely not purchase the rest of the first half of this series. There is just something about Alessandro Juliani's voice, pacing, and inflection that takes away from the story, at least for me. This is the first of Alessandro's books I have listened too and I didn't care for it. I have listened to samples of other performances and he seems to get better.

Great story, amazing narration.

I love these books by Roger Zelazny, and Alessandro Juliani's narration really brings the story alive. His audio is crisp and clear, and his voice acting helps you keep track of each character in moments of tense dialogue. Amazing performance.

Awesome with one slight downside

The reader was excellent except that his nonchalant attitude for the main character made me feel equally "meh" about the situations he was in

Zelazny classic brought to life.

A must-listen for fans of classic fantasy. With expressive narration of Zelazny's poetic language, this one truly immerses you with epic struggles in exotic locales.

Superb

Excellent performance of one of my favorite novels. Well worth multiple reads, to fully capture every nuance. And, great fun!

Mixed Feelings About Nine Princes! 😱

First-I start with a three stars and move from there.
This book never moved.
Complicated alternative universe with the hero moving thru the narrative cycle while suffering from amnesia. Forgettable book, too.
I won't be pursuing any further in the series and suggest that unless you are a huge fan of Zelazny you look for the better stories here on Audible. 😱