Encounters with Roger

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I met Roger Zelazny when I read my first Zelazny book, "Jack of shadows". Then I read "Creatures of Light and Darkness", "Nine Princes in Amber" and "The Guns of Avalon". I live in Russia and it is diificult for me to find many Zelazny books in St.Petersburg, but, of course, I want to find more his books.

Denis Hanson

I like your site a lot and I think it serves to bring the genius of Zelazny to as many people as possible. It's unbelievable how unhyped his life and works have been. Thinking of all those 'celebrity writers' with lots of publicity surrounding them and having read some of their books makes me wonder what is a true measure of a great author. Alright, those 'blockbuster writers' come up with some interesting ideas and scenarios here and there but nothing touched me as much as the Amber series. So much depth there,  its depiction of human nature and desires is so spot on.  I struggle to put it into words because it's something bigger than words it's like a set of unwritten rules or truths or feelings... I'll stop there before I get carried away.

Dennis McCormick-Kovacich

I met Roger Zelazny at a book signing in Berkeley, CA, where he signed my paperback copy of "Knight of Shadows." I don't recall when it was, but the copyright date says "Copyright ã 1989 by the Amber Corporation" and "First Avon Books Printing September 1990" so it must have been some time in late 1990.

GCCDeVoss

Hi!!! I started reading Rogers books back in 1973 or 1974 . I started reading the Amber books then I foud Jack of Shadows . I wish Jack Of Shadows was still in print !!!  I realy like the story line of Jack Of Shadows !!

Harald

I was seventeen when I first found a book by R. Zelazny. It was the Signof the Unicorn. I'm quite fond of unicorns, so I bought the book. It wasan old book, in a second-hand bookstore on a marketplace in Provence(that's in France, in case you do not know :)). Do you see, those peoplewho come on the market places with two or three big boxes filled withsecond-hand books ? That person sells those books and buys them, too. Ialways go to see her when I have time to. <P>There I saw this title. And I can tell you thet beginning the Amberseries with the third book can be very very awful. I suffered, because Idid not understand anything. Trumps ? Pattern ? Shadows ? Uh-oh... Iwaited several months, wondering if I bought or not NPiA. I bought it. Iread it, end during ten days I bought and read one Amber book per day.Since then, I have read them more than ten times each. And I have RPed alot, too :)

James McCaffrey

I met Roger Zelazny in Los Angeles in early 1975.<P>Harlan Ellison was teaching a course on science fiction through UCLA extension called "Ten Tuesdays down a Rabbit Hole." It met every Tuesday evening and it usually had one or more guest sf authors. Roger was featured one of these evenings.<P>I remember Roger speaking or being interviewed by Harlan, then a break, written questions from the audience, and then Roger reading a passage from the not-yet-published manuscript of The Hand of Oberon. The scene that he read was from Chapter Six where Corwin comes close to the Courts of Chaos and unknowingly meets Merlin.<P>I had the chance to ask Roger a number of questions during the break. Subject to fallibility of human memory after 27 years, I remember that he told me:<P>1) Nine Princes in Amber was written in approximately 3 weeks. He said at the time it was popular to write a novel quickly. He may have mentioned Chip Delaney as another example of writing quickly at that time. However, when he finished Nine Princes he put it aside for over a year.<P>2) He originally planned to write 9 novels, each from the viewpoint of a different prince. I believe he mentioned some other story or set of novels (non-sf I believe) that had been written this way.<P>3) I asked him about the Tarot images in the novels (the Hanging Man, of course). He acknowledged that there were some in the novels (at this point only the 1st three novels had been published) but they weren't really intentional.<P>4) I asked him about the name Corwin since I had come across a book of names that said Corwin meant "the chosen one" which would have certainly been appropriate. Roger wasn't aware of any meaning to the name Corwin.<P>5) I think I asked him about the conclusion of the series. He had finished the 4th book and he wanted to take his time with the 5th and concluding book.<P>6) Roger mentioned that he had written a pornographic scene in Guns of Avalon but later took it out. I think this was on his own initiative. I asked him if it would ever be published and he said it might be published in a men's magazine sometime.<P>I don't remember if he mentioned anything more about the scene. I've always thought it would have been between Corwin and Lorraine but that is probably just my speculation.<P>7) We also chatted briefly about fencing because I had been impressed by the fencing scenes (I was taking fencing classes at the time) in Guns of Avalon and Nine Princes. He mentioned he had fenced in college.<P>Roger was very gracious in answering my questions and autographing my hardcover copies of his books. I wish I could remember more of this meeting.

Jared Ober

While I can't actually say that I met Roger, he was kind enough to send me a number of items which I think were incredible gifts. <P>I got hooked on Zelazny when I was in college and soon I collected as many of his books as I could. A good friend of mine was close friends with a well known Sci-Fi writer (don't remember who, maybe Ben Bova as he lives a few towns away) and was able to acquire Roger's address for me. My friend also suggested sending a picture along of all the RZ books I had collected over the years. I did and I guess it made an impression with him as he wrote back. Every year, I also received a Christmas card from the Zelaznys. While it always seemed to take a while for him to respond (I don't blame him), he knew I collected his books and that I was having a tought time finding the Illustrated Roger Zelazny. He autographed a copy and sent it to me. The next year, he sent me a copy of a printed bibliography of his. His generosity was and is unparalled.

Jenefer Thorne

I first discovered R.Z. when I was 18, way back in 1971, sitting in a little public library on the outskirts of Leicester (mid-England). We had just moved there, uprooted and with most of our belongings in storage somewhere, whilst we lived in a bedsit. (Me, my brother and my mum.) I couldn't join the library as we didn't have a permanent address then, so I read The Dream Master bit by bit, every day, sitting in the library. I can remember it now. It smelt of polish and leather seats and spices from the streets outside. Just last year, I saw the first 5 volumes of Amber in one book in the SF Masterworks series, and bought it. I took it every where - on buses, shopping, th doctor's waiting room, to work (tho' no spare time to read it there - I' m a teacher!), on holiday...  I was inhabiting the stories! I tracked down the book containing all 10 volumes (after being told by several bookshops it was not in print) through Amazon.Many thanks and best wishes,

Jerry Schrier

Short and sweet. I was working in a Farrells Ice Cream Parlor in LA,1971, senior year high school. I was big into science Fiction, as wasone of the waitresses. She asked if I'd ever heard of Roger. "Nope". Shewrote his name on napkin, along with "Lord of Light". "You might likethis one", she said. Yup.

Jim

Hi, I first met Roger in the either the late 70s or early 80s.  As akid/teenager I was reading his Amber series, various short stories, DamnationAlley (one of my fav reads in 1978).  A friend suggested we go to Louisville,KY for a science fiction convention, something I'd never heard of before.  Roger Zelazny was the guest of honor.  Before his GOH speech, the fantasy/SFwriter Andrew Offut gave an introduction that practically deified the man.  Iwas quite in agreement.  At that convention, I got 'Changling' autographed,my first autographed by the author book!!!!!!  I still have that hardback,but bought an extra copy just as a reading copy.  I met Roger a few moretimes at various conventions in KY, IN and Ohio.  Always a pleasant man whotook the time to exchange a few words with me, even if I came across as arather star-struck fan, asking how I was or if there was a good restaurant inthe area that he should check out.

Andrew Marshall

a friend of mine intoduced me to the books of Amber and I've loved themever since. I even read the intro he did for The Books of Magic.

John Hurst

When I was very young, still a teenager, I read A Rose For Ecclesiastes, when it was published in one of the old Pulp mags, and he has been one of my favourites ever since. Never run across a story by him I didn't like, and I deeply regret that there will be no more new Zelazny stories to find and cherish.

John Hurt

Hello, I met rodger some 15 years ago. I was looking for something good to read an BANG i found Jack of Shadows........Now i am looking for internet pictures related to this or the Amber seris if you know of any please reply.

Jon Lea

I met Roger Zelazny at a Sci-Fi conference in Leeds, UK, in (I think) the summer of 1993. I had already discovered the Amber role-playing game and was just working my way through the first five books. Roger gave a short talk on A Night In the Lonesome October, which he was either just about to publish or had recently published. I couldn't find a copy of this for him to sign, so asked him to sign the the Guns of Avalon, the Sign of the Unicorn and the Hand of Oberon. I didn't actually get to read A Night inthe Lonesome October till at least a year later - one of my friends lent me a copy that Roger had signed ...

J. Michael Hileman

When I was in the military during desert storm, a friend of mine lent me the Amber Series. I spent every moment for 5 days riveted to each page. When I was done... it was my intention to read the first 5 books again... but my friend happily informed me that there were more amber books in his footlocker... low and behold... out came the books on Merlin, son of Corwin. Needless to say, I didn't get a lot done that week. : ) Roger has been an indescribable influence on my own writing, and I was grieved to hear of his passing. I suppose he has gone on to the primal pattern. He will be dearly missed.

Kevin

Now on to my first encounter with Roger. I was visiting my friends houseone day (High school, 93 or 94), he had the book for the Amber RPG sittingon his shelf that he had picked up from another friend. I flipped throughit and asked to borrow it. After reading more of the book, I was reallyinterested in the stories it was based on. The next day I went to a nearbyused bookstore and found serverl of the first 5 of the Amber series, alater trip yeilded the rest of the 5. Needless to say I was thrilled bythe stories and later went back all the Zelazny books I could find (The 2nd5, changling/madwand, the story with Poe, and unicorn variations)A couple years later, while walking through a retail bookstore,and comingto the Z section, I noticed Forever After which I immediatly snapped up,ran to the register with, and then went home to read.It is hard to convey the sense loss I felt when I came to last few pagesfrom David Drake, but it seems that many here felt it also, I had to readthem a few times to be sure I knew what they said, then I had really wishedI hadn't. I wanted to walk to a world where Roger still lived and wouldcontinue to write stories.

Leroy Trance

Figuratively: When I was nine we moved to a new town. I didn't know how to adjust. Instead of involving myself in school and concentrating on making new friends, I went to the library (which was across the street from my house) every day. I read everything, but I particularly loved science fiction. At the time I was reading L. Ron Hubbard, Andre Norton, Orson Scott Card, and Clifford D. Simak ... I would buy 'Asimov's' magazine in the local grocery store with my weekly allowance, and I saw an ad for the Science Fiction Book Club. I convinced my parents to let me join, and the first selection I made was The Chronicles of Amber, vol 1 and 2. I didn't know who Zelazny was, I just liked the cover art. Needless to say, I've been a Zelazny addict ever since. What a great writer! Literally: Zelazny, along with Robert Forward and Katherine Kurtz, was a Guest of Honor at a con called Life, The Universe and Everything in a nearby town. Of course I went. I think I was sixteen at the time. I had a couple of drooling-fan conversations with him; he signed one of my writing journals. He only made about half of his panels, and his voice was cracked and raspy. Every time he missed a panel, they told us, "Roger isn't feeling well, he's lying down for a little while." None of us guessed how ill he actually was, and he died about a year later. My friends and I were devestated -- he had been our favorite writer. We would often read his stories aloud to each other ... (Hey, it was a lot more entertaining than going to most movies) ... And when he died, we had a psuedo-religious ritual in his honor and built a small shrine, about the size of a birdhouse, which we left in a pavilion in a public park. We left matches with it, and it seemed that every time we went to visit, the candles were burning ... people were actually stopping to keep it lit! Probably they had no idea who Zelazny was, but it was pretty exciting anyway.

Lindsay Thompson

reading zelazny was truly the "great escape" for me a number of yearsago.it seemed that no one but me had ever heard of him . i still havevivid memories of amber that no force can remove. he is gone, but he hasleft a part of himself in all of us. corwin

L. Jagi Lamplighter

I met Roger Zelazny twice. The first time I was at a convention. I had himsign a library book, which I then returned to the library. I explained tothem why it was valuable, but I don't think they got it. I also spokebriefly to his wife, who did not seem very receptive.<p>The second time I met him stands out as one of the high moments of my life,not because of anything particular that he said or did, but because I was soafraid to approach him, but I found the courage to do it. I was at theawards for one of the early Writers of the Future contests, in the top ofthe World Trade Center in New York. There was an empty seat next to Mr.Zelazney, but I was terrified at the idea of walking up to the front row andtaking it. However, I overcame my fear and went and sat there. We talked abit and I have often regretted that I could not thing of much to say. But Iwas proud of myself for doing it. He seemed quiet and mild mannered and abit shy.<p>I am sorry that he passed on before I ever got to have a real conversationwith him.

Marilyn Poppe

I met Roger at CopperCon in Scottsdale, AZ the September before he died. He was the author GoH. I was lucky enough to visit with him briefly in the hallway while he was signing books, but my main memory of him will always be his discussion session. The first thing he did was take his shoes off. Then he jumped up on a table and with nonstop movement (sitting, standing, pacing from end to end of the table) he proceeded to discourse on necrophilia. He was fascinated by the subject and had, apparently, visited tombs & catacombs around the globe and studied extensively various burial and funeral rituals.

Mark Simon

It seems like a long time ago, and yet it seems like just yesterday. I was attending a science-fiction convention in Ohio in the late 80's or early 90's. I believe it was MarCon and there were several authors of the Wild Cards series as Guests of Honor. I remember several people were wearing "Hello, my name is Croyd Crenson" badges, which led to a rumor that the Sleeper was generating multiple personalities due to a new power. <p>I was there specifically for the chance to meet Roger. I walked up to him after he had helped with a panel and asked him why so many of his characters were immortal (or effectively immortal anyway). He paused, got a thoughtful look on his face, and after a good minute or so answered, "I suppose it's because I want them to have a range of experience beyond what could be achieved in a single lifetime." I thanked him for the answer and walked away. I never saw him again. <p>Roger's characters were like that. They always seemed to have a vast wealth of experience to draw upon. More importantly, I believe Roger was like that. The question I asked seemed to genuinely puzzle him and he gave me the courtesy of seriously thinking about my question before he gave me the answer. It was as if he had never realized this fact before and had to put his own wealth of experience into providing me with an answer that would not only satisfy me, but would satisfy him as well. <p>The experience left a deep impression upon me. For starters, this was a famous author (one of the best ever) taking a shy and introverted kid seriously. Secondly, his response made me realize that we all have only one lifetime to experience everything we can.  That allowed me to come out of the shell I had built for myself.  I only met him once, but it led to a lifetime of change. Roger, if you can hear me, I thank you.

Bill Jones

Through his books and stories.<br>Lord of Light is my favorite.<br>The "Amber" series is also my favorite.<br>(Both statements are true.)<br>I probably have owned and read most of his work, but maybe not. I'll have to check against a bibliography somewhere.<br>I lost count of how many times I have bought Lord of Light, read it, given it to a friend ( I never loan or borrow books), and had to replace it. It is the most ingenoius book ever.<br>My favorite Zelazny line is:<br> "Dawn broke as pink as the fresh bitten thigh of a maiden."<br>Magnificent.<br>Sorry, I don't remember which book that came from.

Max Behara

I've read precisely 3 of Zelazny's works. Two of his Nebulawinners in 1965 in a collection I have were first. Then many years laterhis co-novel "Bring me the Head of Prince Charming" in '92. I haven't readthe books he's famous for (Amber?) so perhaps that's why I never gothooked on him. But I recently re-read the '65 nebula winners and just nowI've re-read Prince Charming. I was delighted to discover that in PrinceCharming he actually had written a book about The Millennium! I wasdelighted because he had actually gotten the year right (1000 as the lastyear). A shame that he did not live to see 2001.

michael

I first came to Roger about twenty years ago now, and from the start I was ensorcelled by the man's ability as a wordsmith. Elegant, sparse, stylish, and above all, damn fine storyteller. In a genre that invariably consists of the same tired old format, brave young adventures off on quests, magic swords, evil sorcerers etc etc. Zelazny had the rarest ability of all...his stories were fresh, fascinating and original. <P>And he got to the point. To me, his tales, whether they be his short stories or his novels had one characteristic (but not only one) that always stood out. He set his works against the bare bones of a background. Never told more than he needed to, never used ten words when one would suffice...and yet by the end it all came together. Somehow...when he was, he'd told me much more of a story that I'd realised while I was reading it...and he'd done it in 200 pages . That's a talent I'd like to see the overrated Robert Jordan and all the other much hyped authors of the 1500 page, endless series books develope. <P>His death was a tragic loss. There will never be another to fill his shoes.

Mike Hakulin

I first met Roger and his wife while they were both working as GS-12s at Social Security writing those pamphlets like "You and Your Social Security." I was the first President of the Baltimore SF Society and Jack Chalker and I ran the first Balticon.

Rebekah Dean

I never had the honor of meeting Roger Zelazny in person, but I literally grew up with the Amber novels. My parents were both huge sci fi/ fantasy fans back in their flower child days, and they discovered Roger's work early on. They always encouraged me to read whatever I could get my hands on, the result of that being I was staying up until 3 AM on a school night re - reading Nine Princes In Amber while other kids struggled with Judy Blume and the Babysitter Club books. I'd always hoped I'd find more Amber fans when I entered college, but alas... I'm forced to turn to the net to seek out others with similar literary obsessions.

Richard Watson

First encountered him in Madwand. Actualy am embarrased to not haveknown of his passing. Like an addled and wide eyed child, I patientlywaited for Corwin to walk his pattern, instead I just now find Roger haswalked his own.

Rob Simpson

Hi. I never met Roger in person, but he wrote me a nice letter once. Thestationery had cats on it. I will never forget him taking the time towrite me although sick with cancer. It was in late 1994 and he died in 95i think. I love the Amber books and many more....your website is veryhelpful and I like the layout of it....keep up the good work...thanks.

Robert Johnson

Hi, I am reading the series again after a few years, thoughunfortunately, I have not read every book available. I was introduced to the1st book by an old girlfriend back in '95 & as I read "9 Prince's" I wasdrawn into the series not so much by the story, but more by Mr. Z's vivid &poetic descriptions throughout the book. I just finished "9 Princes" again& was looking for the line that describes the weather condition & ends with"and a low rumble shakes lose the rain". I must have missed it ( I wasreading a bit fast) do you happen to know where that line is located?

Shawn

Back in 1978 I went with my Father to St. Paul. It was summer and he worked as a finishing carpenter. Many times I would go with to relieve the boredom of the rural area in which we lived. On one such trip I was wandering and I went into a used book store. At that age I probably read more biographies and military histories. I must have wandered into a section of speculative fiction and I picked up "Creatures of Light and Darkness". The first reading of that book remains etched in my mind. I immediately became a Roger Zelazny disciple and read everything I could lay my hands on. Jump forward 7 years to a scifi con in Dallas. I was the short, curly haired yankee clutching my newly purchased ninga throwing stars and a stack of 6 worn and well read paperbacks. I found where Roger was talking and afterwards asked him to sign my books. He graciously did so, happy, I think, to see me with so many. Maybe he has seen a lot of fans, with stacks of books to sign. I hope he has. I also hope he is enjoying his existence now as much as I enjoyed sharing his world.

Stacy Smith

Roger to me is the greatest sci-fi writer. His ability to combine poetry with literature is sort of dream like if that makes sense. Currently as I write this I am listening to the Guns of Avalon on tape. The unabridged version. Roger is a great story teller also. You can picture every thing he speaks. I currently have the sign of the unicorn on tape on order with amazon.com. and should receive it in a few days. Anyway I was first introduced to roger by listening to the dramatized abridged versions of the chronicles of amber. I have listened to them multiple times and still can not get enough. Corwin is my favorite character of course and I find myself wishing I could know him. That may sound strange but I guess that was roger's whole plan of getting the reader or listener enveloped into the story. I am looking forward to seeing the movie if it ever is released. I can't think of his name, but the actor that played the lead roll in The Last of the Mohicans would make an ideal corwin. What is his name and what do you think. Thanks and it has been a pleasure. P.S. What do you think of a computer game of the chronicles of Amber. They did it with The Wheel Of Time.

Steve Terrell

I first met Roger in Santa Fe in the late 70s when I worked at Stag Tobacconist in DeVargas Mall. Roger was just about the only customer who ever bough Erinmore Flake tins. He would buy several tins at a time. I'm a pipesmoker myself and once bought a tin to see what Roger saw in Erinmore. It was wretched and I knew then I was dealing with a twisted man. <P>A few years later I started working for the Santa Fe Reporter and got to interview Roger for a feature. I'd see him out and about - weird placss like mall book stores and pancake houses. I was working for this paper when our mutual friend George R.R. Martin called and told me Roger had died. I wrote a Page One obit for him. But it still doesn't seem real that he's gone.I sure do miss him. He always had encouraging words.

Brennan Davis

I've been a Zelazny fan for years, ever since a friend loaned me"Nine Princes in Amber" to read. Since then I've read just about everythinghe's written. My wife also read the entire Amber series and loved it also.We've had a cat named Jasra in the past, who was infamous for biting people.She ran away when we got a new kitten, named ... Merlin. <br>

Sue Branch

I 'met' Roger Zelazny whilst browing through the books in a small local library in Newhaven, East sussex, England. I was attracted at first by the name Amber which had some fascination for me because as an 11 year old I had scoured the beaches of Norfolk for amber which lurks among the many orange pebbles. My lack of success had left a yearning for the prescious stone.One page into Nine Princes in Amber and I was hooked!His ability to draw you into the experience was phenomonal for instance the suffering of Corwin blinded and imprisoned is still vivid 25 years later.Walking the pattern is for me an illustration of how it feels to walk your life path, at difficult times the resistance of the pattern is palpable, then as the pressure ( a sensation of being squeezed) eases you can move forward with confidence know that events and opportunities will start to fall into place again.I like solving problems and cracking mysteries but sadly most fiction does not keep me geussing for long. Yet the plot complexity of the Amber series was very challenging.After that we read every Zelazny available and loved most of it.

Ted Krulik

I'm the author of Ungar's ROGER ZELAZNY and Avon's THE COMPLETE AMBER SOURCEBOOK. I first met Roger in November 1982 when I went to interview him in his home in Santa Fe for my first book. We became friends, and it was his enthusiasm that initiated my writing of the Amber Sourcebook. He had made the contact with his publisher, Avon Books, and through his efforts, the sourcebook was begun. Over the years, Roger read and made revisions of my manuscript. When I finished writing the book in 1994, Roger had seen and approved of the entire manuscript.

William Barbour

I first met Roger Zelazny on October 2 & 3, 1991 when he appeared at Salem, Virginia's Rovacon, thanks to the good deed of Dr. Jane Lindskold, aprofessor at Lynchburg College at the time. I was going to nearby RoanokeCollege, but had visited the Lynchburg campus and had nearly went there.I had just bought my ticket and started in the door, when a soft voice said"Excuse me." Needless to say, I recognized the man in the yellow shirt andjeans who passed me by and God help me I gasped loudly enough for him toturn around and smile at me! <P>I was too terrified to approach him that Friday evening. I feared imposingon him and watched him from a distance as he made his way looking throughthe vendors. At one point he picked up a hardback copy of Roadmarks andsaid something to the dealer about it. A few minutes later, I approachedthe dealer and bought that copy of Roadmarks (which I had needed anyway)!It turns out he had signed that copy years before and had told the vendorthat this was one copy he wouldn't have to sign! <P>Another vendor had his newly released book Prince of Chaos, which I quicklybought. Taking it home that night, I read it quickly and the next morningbrought it and a few other first editions with me for Roger's signingsession. At one o'clock, DC Comics editor Julius Schwartz was the speaker,followed by a reading from Prince of Chaos by Roger. He moved back andforth as he read, and at one point he even stood on a chair. I rememberthinking how nimble he was hopping up and down from that chair, as if heweighed almost nothing! <P>At 3:00 pm, he sat at a table and the line began. I handed him Frost andFire, Knight of Shadows, and Prince of Chaos. I told him he was my favoriteauthor and shook his hand. He smiled and relied "God man." I then told himthat I'd stayed up the night before to read Prince of Chaos."What did you think?" he asked. I replied that it wasn't quite what I'dexpected and that it had seemed a little rushed. Then my brain reconnectedwith my mouth and I started to think of a way to apologize. He laughed andsaid "There are some loose ends, but I wanted to do something different withthe main character." <P>It ended all too quickly. A few years later my son was born and I named himCorwin. Then, just a month before Corwin's second birthday, Roger died. Isent his family a picture of Corwin and my deepest condolences. His wifesent a wonderful note back to me. <P>Today I need five more books to complete my collection.And how sad, that there will be no more.How very sad for we merry band of readers that loved him!

William Challman

I almost met Roger in Feb 1995. A friend of mine was organizing aconvention in SLC Utah and Roger was going to be his guest along withAnne McCaffrey. I would have had the opportunity to have dinner withRoger, who has been my favorite author since I first pick up TheChronicles of Amber back in 1980. Alas, I had family obligations andcouldn't travel from CA to Utah at the time. I regret not being able tomeet Roger, I understand that he was an genuinely nice person to know.

Caslan

Way. way back in the age of the dinosaurs when I was thirteen, I was playing hooky from school at the big library downtown, and I wandered into the Science Fiction Paperback section. As I recall, my only interest in life at that time was Cute Guys, and I was spying on an older man {at least 17!} through the stacks. A book on the bottom shelf caught my eye though because of the title. My best friend's name was Amber, so a book titled Nine Princes In Amber had real possibility even just for the naughty insinuations that at 13 were so important. <P> Frankly, I didn't really understand it very well. I had read fantasy before, but it was the unicorns-and-hobbits stuff, and the strange combination of  reality and fantasy was a little too advanced for me at the time. But the idea of being blinded and tossed into a dungeon gave me two nightmares I still remember, and the bit about regenerating tissue never left me. Strangely enough, the very last page left in my mind the most indelible visual image a book has ever given me, of Corwin standing in front of the lighthouse in the brilliant sunrise releasing the black bird. Several years later, long after I'd forgotten everything about the book but the name Amber, I came across it again and this time fell in love. <P> I've read better books. I've read more concisely plotted, more complex, and more entertaining stories written with far more attention to continuity, but the Amber series is the Prodigal. Every couple of years, such as tonight, it calls to me to reread. That's why I'm here, writing this; I got the call tonight and thought I'd get on line to see if there's anything more than the books before I delve into the books again. I'd read the series twice before it dawned on me that the description of Flora painted a nearly exact picture of my old friend Amber as an adult., and similar realizations come with every reading. And as soon as I'm done here, I'll be hell riding out of this meager Shadow toward the one true world. I have been away too long. <P> Thanks for letting me ramble late at night about something I have the strangest sentiments about. It's been fun. Caslan. PS; It might interest you to know that I was not the only one affected by the series. Amber liked it better than I did the first time through but it was a one time read for her. Oddly enough, though she hadn't read the book in over a decade and a half, she named her second son Random. He's three years younger than her oldest child, Eric.

Cédric Mannu

I first came on Nine prince of amber at local public library (in France) <P>then bought all the cycle <P>So sorry he's dead ! <P>Well, then i've got a disaster this year, flood ! <P>Lost all my Zelazny books, between others.

Cindy Neil

I "met" Roger probably 15 years ago, when I was in junior high. I wascompletely enthralled by his work, and found the computer game to berelatively true to Roger's writings, as these things go. I haven't readanything of his in years -- education and early adulthood have kept mevery busy -- but happened to be in Staples today and saw anothercomputer game using the name of Amber (minus the "Nine Princes in"part).

Darren Raleigh

I'll never forget how I met Roger...I was part of a presentation at a WesterCon, I forget which year, in which agroup called Star San Diego put together a group of the entire royal familyof Amber, plus a few extra. We were doing this because Roger was to be Guestof Honor at the Con. Now you know which one it was.We were "cast" according to our physical attributes, and accordinglycostumed. Interestingly, we seemed to take on certain personality traits ofthe characters, as well. More on that later.I played Random. When I was asked if I'd play, (by Deidre and Eric) Ihadn't read the books yet. My response to the question was, "What's in itfor me?" which of course nailed down the part.The day came and we did our first go-on. Very big and splashy. Quite ashow. After we paraded off stage, back in the waiting room, one of us(Moire, I believe) said, "Did you see Mr. Zelazny? He was CRYING!Everyone was silent. Finally, when the timing was right, I said, "Butthat's 'cause he LIKED it!" Perfectly in character, I believe.Anyway, soon he came back to see us, and he was a very kind gentleman.

David and Ruby Lawrence

I was lucky enough to meet Mr. Zelazny at Cybercon at Colorado StateUniversity. I heard him give a wonderful speech based on a fortunecookie. I was also lucky enough to have him sign my Nine Princes inAmber. I really feel blessed that I got to meet and shake his hand.