His followers called him Mahasamatman and said he was a god. He preferred to drop the Maha- and the -atman, however, and called himself Sam. He never claimed to be a god. But then, he never claimed not to be a god. Circumstances being what they were, neither admission could be of any benefit.

Lord Of Light, Roger Zelazny

Roger Zelazny's work is more recent than that of most of the authors I've been reviewing. Indeed, his inclusion represents a problem: Not only is he still alive, but he is still publishing (much more actively than, say, Hal Clement), so it might seem that I'm implying that his best work is behind him -- which would be tactless. Still, since most of the books I'll cover were written before many of the people reading this were born, since there's a good chance that many of said people missed those books, and since some of those books are exceptional, I'll proceed.

Roger Joseph Zelazny (May 13, 1937 - June 14, 1995) was a United States writer of fantasy and science fiction short stories and novels. He won the Nebula award three times and the Hugo award six times, including twice for novels: Lord of Light (1968) and ...And Call Me Conrad (1966) (which was later published as This Immortal).

Merlin, whose blood unites the royal houses of the true world of Amber and the Courts of Chaos, becomes drawn deeper into the complex plots and counterplots of both worlds as forces conspire to place him on Chaos's throne - despite his own intentions.

Lured by his own good intentions into a soundless netherworld which diminishes his innate magic, Merlin confronts his dual heritage as a pawn in the rivalry between the Courts of Amber and Chaos in the ninth volume of the author's popular Amber series.

The further adventures of the second generation of the Courts of Amber and Chaos continue as Merlin Corey, his brother Mandor, and his cousin and erstwhile rival Luke face down a mysterious sorcerer in the Keep of the Four Winds.

Some fans of Zelazny's dense, brilliant writings from the '60s have been dismayed at the time and effort he has invested in his Amber series during the past 16 years. If these fantasy adventures are simple and formulaic compared with his best work, they have earned him a whole new audience by virtue of their elegance, humor, literacy, vivid action and lightly applied but complex background of tarot, alternate worlds, Olympian gods, and a magic so neat and clear that computers can learn it.

Roger Zelazny is the best, not just in science fiction but possibly amongst the best in modern literature. The twists and turns of the story are incredible. In this book, and amazingly in each book to follow, just when reality seems to settle down, he flips it upside down and changes it again, tying it into the past with a whole new perspective.

In the fifth book of Roger Zelazny series, Amber reveals the mysteries of King Oberon's disappearance, the hellwitch's identity, and the magical pattern that holds the kingdom of Amber together, but his victory over the Dark Lands remains in doubt.

"The Hand of Oberon", the fourth book of the first Amber series, is perhaps the most pivotal. Within, many of the mysteries we've followed since "Nine Princes" are finally resolved, setting us up for the big climax in "Courts of Chaos".

The third installment of Zelazny's Amber series is by far his best - providing you prefer talk to action, that is.

Book two of Rodger Zelazny's first series of Amber novels follows Corwin, prince of Amber on his path to unseat his usurper brother Eric from the throne of Amber. After having his eyes burnt out with hot irons and five years of imprisonment, Corwin has grown new eyes and escaped.

Corwin is one of the titular nine princes who vie for the throne of Amber, the one true city, of which the Earth we know and countless other realities are mere reflections. He has been suffering amnesia on our world but recovers his memory and, in uneasy partnership with some of his siblings and outright conflict with others, attempts to wrest Amber from his brother Eric, who has assumed the throne.