I looked at the stuff the guy's done. He writes Star Trek books. And has a series of Hercules books which, essentially, attempt to add new episodes into ancient myths.
The guy's not even creative enough to make someone much like Hercules into a similar setting, so while it would still seem unoriginal, at least it wouldn't make me wince.
And now he's written an Amber "prequel". God help us all.
Hmmm, let's see. Other works. A colour-by-numbers fantasy book set in a TSR world. Joy. A Superman book. A couple of pirate books, and a couple of sequels to other people's work.
His last original novel was written in 1995. And he had a co-writer. The last thing he did anything original on his own was in 1990, and was apparently about "feline thieves."
He also wrote one of those "Choose Your Own Adventure" books.
This really doesn't look promising. Sci Fi/Fantasy generally depends on the strength of the ideas and concepts, rather than the writing, to get through to the reader. This guy doesn't have an original bone in his body.
And here I was, thinking Amber couldn't get any worse after the Merlin series ...
The only thing that makes me slightly hopeful for the books is JGB's having posted on alt.books.roger-zelazny. He expressed enthusiastic love for Amber. I have my fingers firmly crossed, but I know I'll buy the books. I'm a completist. I have all the short stories, I have the Visual Guide, I have the Amber Sourcebook, and I even have the CYOA books.
This illustrates the entire problem. I'm sure he has great love for Amber. And for Star Trek and Hercules, for that matter. That doesn't mean he can make something a worthwhile read.
The only reason why it's going to be at all successful, however, is because ZELAZNY wrote so well, that there's a whole flock of people who'll buy anything that says "Amber" on it.
So the book will be a "success" regardless of its quality, the publishers will give him a pat on the back, and a sizeable cheque, and he'll roam bookstores until he finds another book he can piggyback on.
I find the fact that he's involved on a Zelazny newsgroup disheartening, actually. It means rather than bringing in a unique viewpoint and insight, he's far more likely to base the story on the opinions of the fans that he's writing to. It would be far more interesting if he deviated substantially from what was mentioned in Zelazny's work (not too difficult, as it was written first person, and the opinions expressed were those of the characters, not the author), creating his own universe based loosely on Zelazny's concepts, while leaving off at the end of the "prequel" in a position for Zelazny's books to follow logically.
Quite frankly, I don't want to read what will likely be the equivalent to somebody's well chronicled Amber role playing game.
Which is a shame, because I too will read the book. I'll probably actually use a library, though, instead of aiding what appears to be a simple rip-off of a dead man's intellectual property.
Zelazny's heirs are hurting for money, and don't seem to care about atristic integrity or anything like that. Roger expressly stated that he never wanted anyone else to write in Amber, but didn't put it into his will.
I'll probably buy the book anyway. I've even read all the short stories and such. I'm just trying to keep my expectations very low on this one...
Between this and the upcoming sci-fi channel mini-series, i wouldn't be shocked to see a poorly done cartoon of amber, with associated toys.
You may not want to, but I will. And curgoth will. And corwin77.
And we'll talk about it, and you won't quite follow it. This will annoy you more than a Syd Barrett CD that keeps skipping in the middle of Gigolo Aunt.
Then, finally, you'll cave in and read it.
From that point forward, you'll probably wish you never had ...
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I looked at the stuff the guy's done. He writes Star Trek books. And has a series of Hercules books which, essentially, attempt to add new episodes into ancient myths.
The guy's not even creative enough to make someone much like Hercules into a similar setting, so while it would still seem unoriginal, at least it wouldn't make me wince.
And now he's written an Amber "prequel". God help us all.
Hmmm, let's see. Other works. A colour-by-numbers fantasy book set in a TSR world. Joy. A Superman book. A couple of pirate books, and a couple of sequels to other people's work.
His last original novel was written in 1995. And he had a co-writer. The last thing he did anything original on his own was in 1990, and was apparently about "feline thieves."
He also wrote one of those "Choose Your Own Adventure" books.
This really doesn't look promising. Sci Fi/Fantasy generally depends on the strength of the ideas and concepts, rather than the writing, to get through to the reader. This guy doesn't have an original bone in his body.
And here I was, thinking Amber couldn't get any worse after the Merlin series ...
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The only reason why it's going to be at all successful, however, is because ZELAZNY wrote so well, that there's a whole flock of people who'll buy anything that says "Amber" on it.
So the book will be a "success" regardless of its quality, the publishers will give him a pat on the back, and a sizeable cheque, and he'll roam bookstores until he finds another book he can piggyback on.
I find the fact that he's involved on a Zelazny newsgroup disheartening, actually. It means rather than bringing in a unique viewpoint and insight, he's far more likely to base the story on the opinions of the fans that he's writing to. It would be far more interesting if he deviated substantially from what was mentioned in Zelazny's work (not too difficult, as it was written first person, and the opinions expressed were those of the characters, not the author), creating his own universe based loosely on Zelazny's concepts, while leaving off at the end of the "prequel" in a position for Zelazny's books to follow logically.
Quite frankly, I don't want to read what will likely be the equivalent to somebody's well chronicled Amber role playing game.
Which is a shame, because I too will read the book. I'll probably actually use a library, though, instead of aiding what appears to be a simple rip-off of a dead man's intellectual property.
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I'll probably buy the book anyway. I've even read all the short stories and such. I'm just trying to keep my expectations very low on this one...
Between this and the upcoming sci-fi channel mini-series, i wouldn't be shocked to see a poorly done cartoon of amber, with associated toys.
"Brand, now with Martin-stabbing action!"
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The Chaosian action figures would be very Transformer-like, I would think.
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We all know I am going to buy them... if Brand's name is mentioned, I have to have it...
Such a sad day...
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You will never see events from the Merlin series entire into my games.
Hell, my current game IS a prequel!
So, no, I won't buy it, and I'll only read it if some one a) lends it me with b) a hearty recommendation.
Life's too short to spoil a good fantasy, I say.
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You may not want to, but I will. And curgoth will. And corwin77.
And we'll talk about it, and you won't quite follow it. This will annoy you more than a Syd Barrett CD that keeps skipping in the middle of Gigolo Aunt.
Then, finally, you'll cave in and read it.
From that point forward, you'll probably wish you never had ...
Syd!