The Hand of Oberon, chapter 12

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. I recommend you support your local bookseller or public library, and read the book first.

Late with this one. Sorry! Forgot to publish.

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Corwin travelled to New York in our Shadow Earth to retrieve the Jewel of Judgment, which he had hidden on his property there, only to find his brother Brand had beaten him to it. With the help of his sister Fiona, Brand's erstwhile ally, he travelled to the primal Amber, where he narrowly prevented him from attuning himself to the Jewel on the proto-Pattern. Brand completed the Pattern and escaped with the Jewel, however.

In this chapter, Corwin finally meets his nephew Martin, who has been brought to Amber by Random. Martin tells his own version of his story, which is consistent with the other Amberites' speculations about what happened to him. After walking the Pattern in Rebma, he used it to transport himself to Avalon, where Benedict taught him to use his new powers. He wandered in Shadow for years. Then, en route to visit his friends, the Tecys, he was contacted out of the blue by Brand, and stabbed. Before Brand could finish the job, Martin managed to break contact. After recovering somewhat at the Tecys', he again disappeared into Shadow, where he encountered the black road. He also met Dara, who pressed him for information about Amber, particularly about Benedict. Later, Random found him and brought him back to Amber.

With Brand's guilt confirmed, Corwin declares open season on him.

Corwin is contacted by Ganelon. With the primal Pattern and the copies in Amber and Rebma now under guard, Brand's only chance to attune himself to the Jewel is the Pattern in Tir-na Nog'th. They devise a strategy to stop him there: Corwin is to wait at the steps on Kolvir until the floating city appears. When it does, he will contact Benedict, who is waiting at the centre of the Amber Pattern, which can transport him to the middle of the Tir-na Nog'th Pattern faster than Brand can get there. Random and Martin return to Amber, while Corwin heads to the stone stairs.

When we last saw our not-so-humble narrator, he was standing at the centre of the Pattern after Brand escaped. With this chapter, scene abruptly changes to Corwin's mausoleum, where Corwin meets with Random and Martin. It isn't Zelazny's most artful transition between chapters.

Finally Zelazny gives us a clear picture of Brand's plan. He wants to use the Jewel of Judgment to destroy the Pattern, and hence the universe, and then remake it according to his own vision.

Meanwhile, according to Dara, the denizens of the Courts of Chaos are attacking Amber to correct an imbalance caused by Amber's arrogance. Brand is a kind of hero to the Chaosites (Chaosians?). I wonder if they are true allies or co-belligerents, or if one faction is using the other because their goals happen to be similar?

The Courts of Chaos is not a Shadow, but a second reality. I assume Shadows emanate in some way from both it and Amber.

This Thursday: the final chapter of The Hand of Oberon. Obviously, another showdown between Corwin and Brand in Tir-na Nog'th is inevitable. But will it be final? Will Corwin recover the Jewel? Stay tuned!