Amber: The Merlin Cycle Series by Roger Zelazny

Alternate cover for ISBN 0380896354 / 9780380896356Merle Corey is a brilliant young computer designer in San Francisco, but, he is also Merlin, son of Corwin, vanished prince of Amber, and heir to his father's wonderous powers. And, someone is determined to kill him. Now he will begin a desperate race through Shadow, not only to escape the mysterious force that threatens his life, but to protect the deadly secret that could destroy both his worlds.

Alternate cover for ISBN 0380896362 / 9780380896363Pursued by a fiendish enemy, Merle must battle through an intricate web of vengeance and murder that threatens more than the San Francisco Bay area. For Merle Corey of California is also Merlin, son of Corwin, vanished Prince of Amber; and the forces, seeking to destroy the royal house, have unleashed sorceries that can strike anywhere, especially at the very heart of Amber.

Merlin finds himself in a marvelous bar drinking with Luke, the Cheshire Cat, and the Mad Hatter. He can’t help but feel that perhaps this isn’t . . . Normal. When the Jabberwock appears Merlin’s head clears just enough to realize that he’s caught in Luke’s LSD-inspired hallucination. When a Fire Angel, one of the most powerful, magical killing beasts in existence, arrives to kill him he realizes that he has to do something quick or both he and Luke are finished... moreMerlin finds himself in a marvelous bar drinking with Luke, the Cheshire Cat, and the Mad Hatter. He can’t help but feel that perhaps this isn’t . . . Normal. When the Jabberwock appears Merlin’s head clears just enough to realize that he’s caught in Luke’s LSD-inspired hallucination. When a Fire Angel, one of the most powerful, magical killing beasts in existence, arrives to kill him he realizes that he has to do something quick or both he and Luke are finished. The Jabberwock becomes an unlikely ally in his battle with the Fire Angel. And this is only the beginning of Merlin’s magical adventures in Sign of Chaos. ****Following the cliffhanger ending of Blood of Amber, Merlin is stranded in surrealistic Alice in Wonderland-esque bar where the Mad Hatter serves cocktails. Managing to escape, Merlin meets new family members - one of whom is intent on killing him. As events escalates, Merlin finds himself surrounded by his worst enemies including his ex-girlfriend - back from the dead.****Method in their madness...Merle Corey, son of the great Prince Corwin of Amber, has been pursued through Shadow by unknown enemies and left trapped in an Alice in Wonderland world - a bar with the Mad Hatter serving and the Cheshire Cat grinning malevolently. In a dramatic escape from a monstrous Jabberwock, Merle embarks upon a fantastic adventure, leading him back to the court of Amber and finally to a confrontation at the Keep of Four Worlds. And here he learns the strange secrets of the Courts of Chaos and their role in his destiny...“A storyteller without peer. He created worlds as colorful and exotic and memorable as any our genre has ever seen.” —George R.R. Martin“. . . his performance was never anything other than dazzling.” —Robert Silverberg“Roger Zelazny’s work excited me. It was intoxicating and delightful and unique. And it was smart.” —Neil GaimanRoger Zelazny was a science fiction and fantasy writer, a six-time Hugo Award winner, and a three-time Nebula Award Winner. He published more than forty novels in his lifetime. His first novel This Immortal, serialized in The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction under the title ...And Call Me Conrad, won the Hugo Award for best novel. Lord of Light, his third novel, also won the Hugo award and was nominated for the Nebula award. He died at age 58 from colon cancer. Zelazny was posthumously inducted into the Science Fiction Hall of Fame in 2010. less

Alternate cover for ISBN 0380755017 / 9780380755011Melvin Corey must choose between an alliance with the Pattern of Amber or the Logrus of Chaos, in a tale of a sometimes murderous family of wizards and their alternate worlds.

Alternate cover for ISBN 0380755025 / 9780380755028Treacheries, trickeries, assassination attempts and bloody family intrigues have finally manoeuvred Merlin, aka Merle Corey, into the Courts of Chaos - where he is third in line to occupy the throne, thanks to a series of conventionally fatal "accidents" engineered by his mother Dara and uncle Mandor. But Merlin's journey to the ultimate rule will not be easy. For dark enchantments still await him... moreAlternate cover for ISBN 0380755025 / 9780380755028Treacheries, trickeries, assassination attempts and bloody family intrigues have finally manoeuvred Merlin, aka Merle Corey, into the Courts of Chaos - where he is third in line to occupy the throne, thanks to a series of conventionally fatal "accidents" engineered by his mother Dara and uncle Mandor. But Merlin's journey to the ultimate rule will not be easy. For dark enchantments still await him. There is murderous discord between Amber and Chaos to be silenced. And a captive royal father, long believed dead, must first be freed from a villain's magic before a beleaguered Prince can deem his triumph complete. less

In all the universe, Amber is the only true world. All others are Shadows, playthings for Amber's royal family -- sibling rivals who vault between worlds using tarot-like Trump cards and walk the labyrinthine Pattern, which confers the power to manipulate reality. Far removed from his native land, Merlin, son of Corwin of Amber and Dara of Chaos, has tried to build himself a normal Earthly life -- a life free of the cabals, vendettas and feuds that have torn his family apart... moreIn all the universe, Amber is the only true world. All others are Shadows, playthings for Amber's royal family -- sibling rivals who vault between worlds using tarot-like Trump cards and walk the labyrinthine Pattern, which confers the power to manipulate reality. Far removed from his native land, Merlin, son of Corwin of Amber and Dara of Chaos, has tried to build himself a normal Earthly life -- a life free of the cabals, vendettas and feuds that have torn his family apart. And he's done quite well for himself. . . except when it comes to April 30th. Because on that day, every year for the past eight years, someone -- or something -- has tried to kill him. Gunshots. Fires. Gas leaks. Car accidents. This year's attempt comes in the form of a huge, dog-like beast that tears his former girlfriend to bits -- and tries to do the same to him. Somebody must have it in for him, but who? less