Roger Zelazny's To Rule In Amber

In the third installment of the series, Betancourt reveals the depths of the treachery in the Courts of Chaos and their lasting effects on the hero of the series, Oberon and the very universe. The book begins where Chaos an Amber left off just following the creation of the new Pattern. The results of Oberon and his father Dworkin's actions and their part in a much larger plot that threatens to see a new ruler in Chaos and to destroy the very fabric of the universe are revealed. As the plot unfolds the reader is treated to a front row seat for the creation of the what is to become their new family home, Amber itself, and for the development of Oberon into its eventual King. Betancourt seems much more comfortable with both Zelazney's amazing universe, and with his own characters in this installment. Many things that seemed unclear or unlikely in the first two books are explained by the plot as it takes shape before our eyes. Betancourt's characters really come into their own in this book and are certainly reminiscent of Zelazney's own inspirations. The book is a wonderful read, a definite page turner, and I would highly recommend it to fans of Zelazney's novels and the Amber universe.

In the third installment of the series, Betancourt reveals the depths of the treachery in the Courts of Chaos and their lasting effects on the hero of the series, Oberon and the very universe. The book begins where Chaos an Amber left off just following the creation of the new Pattern. The results of Oberon and his father Dworkin's actions and their part in a much larger plot that threatens to see a new ruler in Chaos and to destroy the very fabric of the universe are revealed. As the plot unfolds the reader is treated to a front row seat for the creation of the what is to become their new family home, Amber itself, and for the development of Oberon into its eventual King. Betancourt seems much more comfortable with both Zelazney's amazing universe, and with his own characters in this installment. Many things that seemed unclear or unlikely in the first two books are explained by the plot as it takes shape before our eyes. Betancourt's characters really come into their own in this book and are certainly reminiscent of Zelazney's own inspirations. The book is a wonderful read, a definite page turner, and I would highly recommend it to fans of Zelazney's novels and the Amber universe.

When the first book of the prequel came out, some of the reviewers said that they wished Betancourt would write more like Zelazny had. Well, now he seems to have taken all this to heart: this book was very much in the Zelazny style. Action, characterization, wild fantastic worlds, and ... ... and a plot with a big bunch of loose ends! We're all waiting for the next book!

Dworkin has created a new pattern--one that sends shock-waves and chaos storms throughout the old world of Chaos, but now he and his family have been denounced as traitors. Oberon, Dworkin's son, does his best to gather up the remnants of the family. The lords of Chaos will not sit still for the creation of a new power--one that might even be more potent than the ancient Logrus which forms the basis for the entire realm of Chaos. Fiercely manipulating the new shadow worlds cast by the pattern, Oberon begins construction of an entire new world--the one true world of Amber. The pattern allows possibilities and alliances that were impossible in Chaos--but the ancient rules of betrayal and military might still apply. Oberon has many enemies, but only some of them are in the party of Chaos's king. Even within Chaos, a power struggle threatens to upset the king's rule--but whether this will benefit Oberon's family or destroy it remains to be seen. Author John Gregory Bethancourt continues building the stories of early Amber. Bethancourt writes of the generation before Roger Zelazny's wonderful 'nine princes,' a generation where Chaos and Amber mingle more closely and where Amber is not yet the center of the universe. A respectful co-creator, Bethancourt is careful to set the stage for Zelazny's even more powerful stories. TO RULE IN AMBER shares the strengths of the earlier novels in this series. Fans of Amber will definitely want to read what may be the strongest of Bethancourt's series, so far. I thought Bethancourt left a few story-lines dangling (wasn't Oberon going to come back to the head in the tree), and the eventual climactic battle was a bit of an anticlimax. Still, that didn't keep RULE from being an entertaining re-examination of the Amber creation story.

Excellent! Betancourt has caught the spirit of the series and I have no doubt that Zelazny would be proud of him. The interplay between charachters and the struggles with the family continue on in pure Zelazny style. All in all a wonderful book. Keep 'em comin' John!!!