[Mithfânion]

Are there any other book set in and around Amber except for the first ten books?I heard talk of some short stories.

I'm currently reading the second chronicles, picked them up again after I got bogged down about a year ago when I read them just after Corwin's first five. I'm enjoying them much more now.

Secondly, are any of Zelazny's other books similar to the Amber books, with similarly impressive characters? I'd be very interested in that.

Thirdly, have other authors written Amber stories?

Fourthly, are the books that he didn't finish himself, the ones his female co-author (whose names eludes me right now) any good? I think "donnerjack" is one of them.

[SusF]

I have Zelazny's short story collectons Unicorn Variations and Last Defender at Camelot. I've also read Damnation Alley(distopia novel) and another short story collection who's name I don't remember.

They are not like the Amber works. However, I really think they are better. I always found that the Amber novels was the worst stuff he'd written. However, his worst is still pretty damned good. I don't mean that Amber is bad, but that the other stuff is better.

Most of the short stories are science fiction rather than fantasy.

Susan

[Mithfânion]

That's unfortunate. I don't really care for SF, give or take an exceptional exception http://www.sffworld.com/ubb/smile.gif

the three you mentioned above sound Fantasylike though. Are they?

[Lani]

He wrote additional five stories about Amber:

The Salesman's Tale
The Shroudling and the Guisel
Coming to a Cord
Blue Horse, Dancing Mountains
Hall of Mirrors

I believe that is all he wrote about Amber. You also might try finding the stories online - I think they might be somewhere.

Most of other Zelazny books (at least the ones I've read) don't resemble Amber too much, yet, they are highly creative and definitely worthy of attention. I liked 'The Nights in the Lonesome October' alot.

I don't believe there are other authors writing in the world of Amber. There might be some works, but none of them were officially published. I believe you can also find some Amber parodies online.

He was also writing books with other authors. The author I guess you mean is Jane Lindskold. I read another book by them (not Donnerjack) and it was average, IMO. However, I read "Psychoshop" by Alfred Bester and Roger Zelazny and it was pretty good.
I hope this helped.

[SusF]

They are short story collections, so there's a mixture. Damnation Alley is definitely science fiction.

Zelazny's other writings are different in the way Kurt Vonnegut's writings are different. You couldn't say "this is fantasy, this is science fiction" to many of them. Give him a try.

Susan

[estranghero]

Ummm, I haven't read Zelazny's books on Amber (no complete copies around here) but I have ONLY read two of his books which have made me think he is a good writer regardless of what he's written (stupid, I know http://www.sffworld.com/ubb/wink.gif).

The first one is 'A Night in Lonesome October' which is a fantasy in that it's a play on all the motifs of classic horror tales. Very funny, very very good. http://www.sffworld.com/ubb/smile.gif

The second one which I can't get enough is 'Lord of Light' --such that after reading a loaned copy of the book, I went out to buy a copy of my own. This one is a science-fiction retelling of the Hindu religion but it's so good that you can see the overlay of fantasy themes throughout the story.

Impressive stuff, indeed. Now if I can only find the Amber series and a copy of 'Jack of Shadows'...

[Mithfânion]

Lord of Light is a book that I've heard recommended in every single Amber thread on whatever board. It must be quite superb.

Jack of Shadows seems interesting as well.

I did some checking and there are five Amber short stories, as Lani posted already. There are summaries to be found on the Net, and highly illegally, complete texts as well.

[Corwwyn]

Contra to SusF, I think the Amber stories are the best Zelazny stuff, and quite superb. I actually didn't like a lot of Zelazny's other stuff...though many people do.

Jack of Shadows was written before Amber, and if you read the Amber series first, upon reading Jack of Shadows you can see the germ of Amber forming.

Similar to the way The Door through Space by Marion Zimmer Bradley shows signs of the-Darkover-to-come without being Darkover.

Mith, I guess you could say that Jack of Shadows is the closest non-Amber book to Ambe r that Zelazny wrote.

[Mithfânion]

Good, let's put that on the pile as well then http://www.sffworld.com/ubb/wink.gif

[Lani]

Some of you might want to check out stuff on this website:
http://www.lib.ru/ZELQZNY/SalesmanTale.txt

I bear no responsibility for whatever the people on the website are doing, ok?