The Courts of Chaos, chapter 10

Spoiler alert: This post is part of an in-depth discussion of The Courts of Chaos by Roger Zelazny, which will inevitably reveal key plot points. You may well have a lot of reading ahead of you.

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Corwin hellrode most of the way from Amber to the Courts of Chaos, facing opposition from Brand and others all the way, only to find that he would not be able to complete the journey, as he could not outrun the oncoming storm of Shadow being undone by Oberon's failure to repair the Pattern in primal Amber. Instead, Corwin decided to create a new Pattern where he was to hold back the destruction. Where Oberon failed, he succeeded—but immediately he was attacked by Brand, who materialized, stole the Jewel of Judgment, and disappeared.

The Courts of Chaos, chapter 9

Spoiler alert: This post is part of an in-depth discussion of The Courts of Chaos by Roger Zelazny, which will inevitably reveal key plot points. You may well have a lot of reading ahead of you.

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While Oberon attempted to repair the primal Pattern, he tasked Corwin with riding from Amber to Chaos, delivering to him the Jewel of Judgment by messenger bird along the way. Corwin was hindered in that mission: by his brother Brand who attempted to steal the Jewel and shot his horse, by the seductive Lady, by murderous leprechauns, and by a ponderous crow, and last by a murderous jackal. Finally Corwin reached a vast plateau he could not hope to cross before the storm of Shadow undoing itself caught up with him. On the plateau he sees the black road, proving that Oberon had failed. He realized his only choice was to use the Jewel to create a pattern where he was.

He plants the staff he cut from the tree, Ygg, in the ground. Staring into the Jewel, which contains the template of the Pattern, Corwin begins to walk its shape on the ground. He meets no resistance as he goes, unlike walking an established Pattern like the one in Amber. The act brings up pleasant memories of his past life on Earth, especially of Paris in the early 20th century. However, around the periphery of the Pattern, images of faces mock him. The advancing storm finally catches up with and overtakes him, but it does not obliterate the ground where he is working.

The Courts of Chaos, chapter 8

Spoiler alert: This post is part of an in-depth discussion of The Courts of Chaos by Roger Zelazny, which will inevitably reveal key plot points. You may well have a lot of reading ahead of you.

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On his hellride to the Courts of Chaos, Corwin has been hindered multiple times: by Brand, who attempted to trap him in Shadow and shot his horse in an attempt to take the Jewel of Judgment; by Lady, a woman who tried to seduce him away from his mission; by a party of little people who stole his horse, tried to get him drunk and set upon him; by a giant trapped in a swamp who told him his quest was pointless; and, finally, by a phiosophical crow named Hugi who tried to convince him that it was just his ego striving against illusion and hindering his oneness with the Absolute. He finally stumped Hugi, and he flew away. As Corwin approached Chaos, the terrain became more difficult and misty. Out of the fog emerged the form of a large animal.

The Courts of Chaos, chapter 7

Spoiler alert: This post is part of an in-depth discussion of The Courts of Chaos by Roger Zelazny, which will inevitably reveal key plot points. You may well have a lot of reading ahead of you.

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As part of Oberon's plan to repair the primal Pattern in Amber, he tasked Corwin with riding as quickly as possible through Shadow from Amber to Chaos. As he did so, he was waylaid twice by Brand trying to persuade him to surrender the Jewel of Judgment. He then narrowly escaped a group of little people who tricked him into drinking with him in their underground hall, and then a third confrontation with Brand in which he tried to kill Corwin with a crossbow, but mortally wounded his horse, Star, instead. Corwin was then rescued by his bloodbird, who pecked out Brand's eye before they both disappeared.

Chapter 7 is heavy on dialogue and philosophical ruminations, so I'm going to approach it a bit differently, by interleaving my own commentary with the plot summary.

The Courts of Chaos, chapter 6

Spoiler alert: This post is part of an in-depth discussion of The Courts of Chaos by Roger Zelazny, which will inevitably reveal key plot points. You may well have a lot of reading ahead of you.

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Riding through Shadow from Amber to Chaos, Corwin was twice confronted by Brand, claiming that Oberon had failed in his attempt to repair the primal Pattern, and is now dead. Corwin did not believe Brand and escaped his traps. Spending the night in a cave, he met another man taking shelter from an approaching storm, who believed him to be the "Archangel Corwin" described in his holy scriptures. Corwin recognized the storm as Shadow undoing itself because of the change to the Pattern. He also discovered that his horse, Star, had been abducted and taken underground by a group of little people. He and Star barely escaped from them.

Corwin continues his hellride toward Chaos. As he does, the storm continues to bear down upon him, and Shadow appears to be coming apart around him, becoming more bizarre. He uses the Jewel of Judgment an area of stability.

As he rests, he is approached by a woman who calls herself simply "Lady." She has a picnic basket, and they share a meal. She also offers the hospitality of her pavilion to wait out their final hours; however, Corwin declines.

The Courts of Chaos, chapter 5

Spoiler alert: This post is part of an in-depth discussion of The Courts of Chaos by Roger Zelazny, which will inevitably reveal key plot points. You may well have a lot of reading ahead of you.

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To counter the threat of Brand and the Chaosians destroying Amber, Oberon attempted to repair the primal Pattern, marred by the spilled blood of Random's son Martin, giving the denizens of Chaos access to Amber via the black road running through all Shadow. Oberon's cryptic orders to Corwin were to ride through Shadow all the way from Amber to Chaos. While en route, Corwin received the Jewel of Judgment from a messenger bird, indicating that Oberon's work was finished, successfully or unsuccessfully. Then, he was met by Brand, who attempted to take the Jewel of Judgment from him: first by trying to trap him in a pocket of Shadow, then by claiming Oberon had failed and was now dead. Corwin did not give up the Jewel, fled from Brand, and took shelter in a cave.

He is awakened by another presence in the cave: a man who has come in to take shelter from a coming storm. They note that the storm is "no natural storm": notably, it advances slowly and in a straight line, distorting what lies in its path. Using the Jewel, Corwin orders the storm away. In the process, he notices that his horse, Star, is missing. Because of his control of the weather, the stranger seems to think he is the Archangel Corwin described in his "Holy Book."

James Earl Jones, 1931-2024

James Earl Jones, legendary actor of stage, film, and television, died today at the age of 93.

Jones, a native of Mississippi, began acting on stage in the 1950s, becoming one of the best-known Shakespearean actors of the time. He made his film debut as a bombardier in Stanley Kubrick's Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb. Notably, in 1977, he appeared in the blockbuster miniseries Roots as author Alex Haley, and in Star Wars as the voice of Darth Vader.

The Courts of Chaos, chapter 4

Spoiler alert: This post is part of an in-depth discussion of The Courts of Chaos by Roger Zelazny, which will inevitably reveal key plot points. You may well have a lot of reading ahead of you.

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While Oberon attempted to repair the primal Pattern using the Jewel of Judgment, he instructed Corwin to hellride from Amber to Chaos. Partway there, a red bird created from Corwin's blood gave the Jewel to Corwin. Successfully or unsuccessfully, Oberon's work on the Pattern was finished. Then, Corwin was confronted by Brand, who tried to trap him in a small Shadow, but Corwin escaped, with the help of the Jewel.

Brand again appears and faces Corwin. He says that he has the ability to see across Shadow, and has seen Oberon fail and die in his attempt to repair the Pattern. Shadow is now being destroyed as well. Brand wants Corwin's help to use the Jewel to create a new Pattern—and a new Amber, with him as ruler—where they are. A new, unmarred Pattern would destroy the black road, denying the Chaosians access to Amber.

The Courts of Chaos, chapter 3

Spoiler alert: This post is part of an in-depth discussion of The Courts of Chaos by Roger Zelazny, which will inevitably reveal key plot points. You may well have a lot of reading ahead of you.

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Oberon, the missing king of Amber, returned with a plan to repair the Pattern. However, Dara also returned to Amber, apparently allied with Oberon and issuing orders to the family in his name, but Corwin wasn't sure if she could be trusted. And it turns out he has also had a son by her, Merlin, whose loyalties, whether to Amber or Chaos, are unknown. With Chaos attempting to dominate Shadow and Brand wanting to destroy and remake Amber in his own image, Dara has chosen to restore a balance between the two realms.

Corwin went to the primal Amber to get Oberon to vouch for Dara, which he did. However, Corwin also discovered that Oberon's plan to restore the Pattern would likely cost him his own life as well. He grabs the Jewel of Judgment and attempts to carry the plan out himself, but is stopped.

The Courts of Chaos, chapter 2

Spoiler alert: This post is part of an in-depth discussion of The Courts of Chaos by Roger Zelazny, which will inevitably reveal key plot points. You may well have a lot of reading ahead of you.

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Oberon, the long-missing king of Amber, has returned, having been disguised as Corwin's friend Ganelon. He reclaimed the Jewel of Judgment, and began to formulate a secret plan to counter the plot against Amber by Brand and the Courts of Chaos.

In the Amber throne room, Corwin witnessed Dara and Benedict enacting their side of the vision he saw in Tir-na Nog'th, in which he and Benedict fought and Corwin stole Benedict's strange and elaborate mechanical arm. Martin looked on, and Corwin was angered to find out he brought Dara, a professed enemy of Amber, there. He also learned that he had a son by her, Merlin. But before he threw her into the dungeon, he agreed to meet with her privately and hear her side of things.