The Hand of Oberon, chapter 11

Spoiler alert: This post is part of an in-depth discussion of The Hand of Oberon by Roger Zelazny, which will inevitably reveal key plot points. If you don't want me ruining the experience for you, put this post down and go read The Hand of Oberon now. I promise I won't be offended.

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With his mad brother Brand trying to reach the Jewel of Judgment before him, Corwin hellrode to his house on Earth to retrieve it from the compost heap where he had hidden it for safekeeping. He discovered that the compost was gone, because his friend Bill (who was trying to sell the house for him) had hired Ed Wellan, a local contractor, to clean up the property. Fortunately, Bill told Corwin that Ed had kept the compost for himself and taken it to his own place.

Corwin meets Bill at Ed's property, but discovers that someone has already been digging through the compost. The Jewel isn't there. Then Gérard contacts him, to tell him that Brand had tried to access the Pattern, but was scared off by his standing guard. Immediately afterward, he is also contacted by Fiona to warn him Brand already has the Jewel. Corwin has the Patterns in Amber and Rebma under guard, but Brand is aiming for the primal Pattern.

Fiona trumps to Corwin (to Bill's amazement) and they depart together for primal Amber. En route, Fiona tells her side of the story. It was Brand who wanted to maintain the alliance with Chaos, and Fiona and Bleys who broke with them. Brand used Corwin's commitment in the asylum and his subsequent "accident" to keep his memories suppressed, rather than restore them, as he had earlier claimed; Fiona and Bleys were the ones trying to save him.

When they arrive at the primal Pattern, they find Wixer the griffin dead and Brand partway along the labyrinth. Corwin enters the Pattern, hoping to catch up with him. Brand has the Jewel of Judgment, but since Corwin is already attuned to it, he calls on it to create a whirlwind. As he draws alongside Brand, they swordfight. But Brand cannot counter Corwin's storm. He trumps out just before the whirlwind reaches him. Fortunately, though he still has the Jewel, he is not yet attuned to it. Corwin completes the Pattern himself.

Unlike many of the previous chapters, chapter 11 is short on exposition and long on action. The fight on the Pattern is particularly well written. The big revelation in this chapter is that Brand is the villain, rather than Bleys and Fiona. The latter admits to stabbing Brand—as the only alternative to allowing him to carry his plans out. (What Brand is up to is still a bit murky.)

Corwin has also made up with Gérard following their big fight in the last chapter. So it seems like, amongst his siblings, nearly all of Corwin's enemies are now friends, and his friends, enemies. As I said earlier, familial relationships amongst Amberites are in constant flux.

Poor Wixer!

I feel like there's still a big plot twist waiting in the wings, and there are only two chapters left in this volume. See you Sunday.