The Books of Amber 6-10, care to share your opinion?

[Welverin]

I borrowed a book that has all ten books of Amber in from a friend, when he gave it to me he said the frist five were good but the second five weren't worth reading.

I feel the need to read them anyway, but don't want toe waste the time if they aren't any good (I have enough other stuff to read as it is), so I figured I'd ask for more opinions before I give the book back.

 

[Tyrrell]

Not as good as the first five by a long shot.

I enjoyed them a bit though.

 

[Ziggy]

Definitely not in the same league as the first books, but worth reading if you like the Amber-universe.

.Ziggy

 

[Welverin]

I suppose I'll read them then. My friend can be a little over critical at times, which is my main reason for asking.

 

[Piratecat]

I think they're dreadful. One gets the feeling that they were written due to contractual obligation, not out of love. Certainly the plotting is skewed, the logic is lousy, there are plot holes you could drive a truck through, and the hero seems to be both perfect at lots of things and a complete idiot at figuring out simple plot twists. It drives me nuts, especially considering how much I enjoyed the first series.

 

[Welverin]

Hmm, the pendulum swings the other way. Keep it up people! I have ten plus books to start/finish reading and more games than you can shake a peg leg at that need playing, so there’s no time to waste on the unworthy!

And that’s not to mention the sory hours I fell behind on during the semester.

 

[Piratecat]

I'd would have been okay with them if Merlin just hadn't been so darned stupid about things which should have *immediately* started ringing loud alarm bells. I mean sure, I've read lots of books where essential plot points are obvious to the reader but not the character, but this is stuff which in character he should never have missed. When it happened once I was irritated; when it happened multiple times, I was disappointed. Add improbable deux ex machinas, and the quality suffers.

On the other hand, if plot holes don't bug you, you may find them to be fun!

 

[Assenpfeffer]

The first series was the first fantasy series that I read and loved - even before LotR. It's one of the best works of fantasy IMO.

The second series is not so good. It's better than, say, the average D&D novel (which ain't saying much,) but it's nowhere near the first series.

 

[KnowTheToe]

I read them many years ago and would have to agree with PC. Most of the plot holes did not bother me because I thought they would be addressed, but when book 10 ended, the books left a foul taste in my mouth. Too much stuff in too small of a space left a cluttered story with lots of holes. IMO, they are still worth the read.

 

[Welverin]

looks like I have some thinking to do

While I'm quite capable of over looking problems in something if I like the rest of it, it's on a case by case basis.

Thanks for the comments.

Welverin

p.s. on a completely unrelated subject blue footbal fields are wrong.