Just wondering

Sly Duck · Post by **Sly Duck** » Thu Aug 15, 2002 12:53 am

Is Wednesday's comic a reference to the Amber Chronicles? One of my personal favorites and I'm even named after Corwin.

Glych · Post by **Glych** » Thu Aug 15, 2002 11:20 am

you mean the hall of mirrors?

Actually, the plot device of the hall of mirrors was derived from Catwoman #15 when DC Comics decided to their "Zero hour" storyline...but come to think of it, Zelazney's version is a bit more introspective than what I was going for originally...hhmmm...

I forget which topic but somewhere else we discuss the Amber Chronicals. What is your opinion of the rise of Oberon book ustrleased by another author?

-glych

Sly Duck · Post by **Sly Duck** » Fri Aug 16, 2002 1:01 am

I'm sad to say that I'm unfamilar with that title. I'll have to get it over the weekend. Was that the book responsible for Zelazny making the short stories?
As far as my opinion goes, if the book tried to explain the ending a bit, I don't blame whomever wrote it since Zelazny sorta ended Prince of Chaos with a few loose ends. However, from the title, I'd assume it describes Oberon's original acession to the throng, and even then I wouldn't have anything against the author. The world created by the Amber Chronicles is certainly a rich one, and to have other people dable in it doesn't seem very wrong to me. Although, it is comparable to a painter adding on to the Mona Lisa. All in all, if I were Zelazny, I'd take it as a compliment.

P.S. Thanks for responding to my question, and great comic.

Glych · Post by **Glych** » Fri Aug 16, 2002 8:15 pm

EEP! Sorry, that was a typo, it was supposed to read "just released" not "ustleased" or whatever I typed...

Well, the "controversy" over the newst books is that Roger specifically wrote in his will (both living and dead, just in case)that no other author was alloud to write within the Amber universe without the story being finished, and unfortunately, he died before finishing. Prince of Chaos, though an alright book, obviously leads into something else. Acoording to rumors on the 'net (not that I pay any attention to these things, mind you) is that what he was planning was having Merlin getting a little bit to high on himself and Random sending Corwin in to talk to his son. The spikard continued it's evil whisperings and pits son against father leaving the man who became king of chaos and the man who could have been king of amber in a heated battle leaving both kingdoms open for dara's attacks.

Now, this "rumor" sounds to me like it's just the next book and not the end of the series, but the Zelazney estate did send out a press release sometime last year saying something akin to the next book being over half written and enough notes to determine the ending of it, but the family continues to stand by roger's wishes and not have a "ghost writer" finish this "lost book" for him.

I mean, I don't know about you, but I could spot Zelazney's voice in Psycho Shop over Bester, and also whomever the bastard is in The Salmon of Doubt (supposedly by Douglas Adams)...

So, I can see what they mean...

What are you talking about? I talk to everybody!

^_^

-glych

Sly Duck · Post by **Sly Duck** » Sat Aug 17, 2002 12:45 am

I don't know what I was talking about. I seem to ramble. But anyway, that sounds like it be a fun book. Of course, if the man specifically said that no other authors would be allowed to write in the Amber universe, I think this new book would be in clear violation of the will. I just don't know.

Glych · Post by **Glych** » Sat Aug 17, 2002 9:11 am

it <i>is</i> in Violation...it goes against Zelazney's original contract...

stupid riverdale punks... *shakes fist*

-glych

Tangent · Post by **Tangent** » Sat Aug 17, 2002 10:43 am

There are some series that shouldn't be continued past the death of the author. The Lord of the Rings for one. The Amber series. Those Terry Goodkind novels. Oh wait, he's not dead, I just wish he wouldn't write another book. ^.^

Why can't these hacks write something original - ie, their own world? Yes, that coming from a person who hooked his comic onto Maritza's CRFH. But I stand by what I said. My best writing is of stuff that's completely original. You don't *need* to leech off of someone else. All he's really doing is trying to get Zelansky fans to buy his books.

Siece · Post by **Siece** » Sat Aug 17, 2002 11:33 am

glych wrote: I mean, I don't know about you, but I could spot Zelazney's voice in Psycho Shop over Bester, and also whomever the bastard is in The Salmon of Doubt (supposedly by Douglas Adams)...

I almost bought Salmon of Doubt one day...I take it from your comment that it's a good thing I got a new Terry Pratchett instead?

Re: Psycho Shop, it's not so much Zelazney's voice I minded, since one author always comes out stronger in any collaberation. My problem was there were so many things that just didn't fit...for example, two of the lead character's in Psycho Shop have the same names/physical descriptions as two lead characters from Bester's earlier novel, The Deceivers. For the first chapter or two, where it's all Bester, it is even reasonable to assume that they hold the same relationship to one another. Therefore, IMO, Bester intended Psycho Shop to continue the story began in The Deceivers, and (hopefully) to resolve the plot threads left hanging therein.

At the point where Zelazney takes over, however, things start moving rapidly into left field. When Zelazney decided to make use of some of Bester's other unfinished material for mere plot devices, it just became a mess.

This is also a lot of the reason why I don't like the stuff built off of Asimov's work, or the post-Rodenberry Star Treks. Just comtemplating what some people have done to late authors' creations is enough to make me shudder. Just you read the quote in my .sig, and think a bit on that one.

...

On a completely unrelated side note...You! Yes you! The one who puts a quote in your .sig, but makes it an image instead of text. Do you know how difficult that makes it to <strike>steal</strike> borrow quotes for my quote file? If I had to manually type in every quote in the file, I'd end up with COBOL fingers! Have a little consideration for your fellow posters, and put your text in a format we can use! Geez! [1]

[1]

--

Glych · Post by **Glych** » Sun Aug 18, 2002 8:33 pm

true true about the Psycho Shop. it was a good book, but nort up to par with either authors better works...

as for "buy my book 'cause it's like theirs" that's bullshit!

It doesn't bug me if someone continues to write in ST or SW or anything else WITH PERMISSION it's when they write WITHOUT PERMISSION that bugs me...

bastards...

-glych