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Zelazny, Roger (1937–1995)
Roger Zelazny enjoyed an enviable reputation as a
writer of both science fiction and fantasy, and the
latter is dominated by the AMBER SERIES, two sets of
five novels each involving the struggle among fam-
ily members who rule an alternate reality known as
Amber. The series began with Nine Princes in Amber
(1969) and concluded with Prince of Chaos(1991),
although it has been extended recently by John
Gregory Betancourt. The popularity of the Amber
novels has somewhat overshadowed Zelazny’s other
fantasy, some of which is equally well done.
Jack of Shadows(1971) was clearly inspired in
part by the Dying Earth stories of Jack VANCE.In
the very distant future the Earth has stopped rotat-
ing and is divided into two very different cultures,
one ruled by magic and one by technology. Jack is
a professional thief, a charmer, and a man with his
own code of honor who is equally at ease on both
sides of the demarcation line. Amber novels domi-
nated the balance of the 1970s, but Zelazny ven-
tured into new territory with Changeling(1980),
which borrowed some of the plot elements from
the first Amber novel and its sequel, Madwand
(1981). A prince exiled to our world from another
returns to reclaim his heritage despite the opposi-
tion of several wizards. Zelazny had also been writ-
ing a series of related short fantasies that were
collected as Dilvish the Damned(1982). He proved
that even the most familiar plot devices could be
given a fresh look in The Changing Land(1981), in
which a warrior who escaped from hell is caught
between battling wizards in the land of the living.

During the latter half of the 1980s, Zelazny

began writing the second series of Amber novels,

and his other fantasies were relatively minor and

mostly collaborations. A Dark Traveling(1987) is

for young adults and features a pair of siblings, one

a werewolf, the other a witch. The Black Throne

(1990), written with Fred SABERHAGEN, uses Edgar

Allan POE as its protagonist. The Mask of Loki

(1990), with Thomas T. Thomas, draws on Norse

mythology. Three titles written with Robert Sheck-

ley are humorous: Bring Me the Head of Prince

Charming(1991), If at Faust You Don’t Succeed

(1993), and A Farce to Be Reckoned With(1995), of

which the first is the best. Lord Demon(1999),

with Jane LINDSKOLD, is the story of a relatively be-

nign demon living hidden within human society.

Zelazny’s last solo fantasy novel was A Night at

the Lonesome October(1993), a charming story of a

Victorian-era tavern that is the gathering site for

various magical characters. The plot is rather thin,

but the varied characters interact cleverly and

amusingly. “The Last Defender of Camelot” (1979)

is his best single short fantasy. The posthumous

collection Manna from Heaven (2003) contains

several short fantasies, including some Amber ma-

terial not included in the novels. “The Unicorn

Variations” (1981) won a Nebula Award. Zelazny

was one of the leading writers associated with the

New Wave movement in science fiction during the

1960s and became one of the most popular new

fantasy writers during the 1970s. The Amber nov-

els in particular set a standard by which similar

fantasy adventures are still measured.