The Hand of Oberon, chapter 2

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.

After a trip to the ghostly, floating city of Tir-na Nog'th, Corwin, with his brother Random and general Ganelon, were led by a unicorn to a place that appeared to be Mt. Kolvir, but with the top of the mountain and the palace missing, and only the Pattern remaining. They realized they were looking at the primal Amber and Pattern.

The Pattern was marred with black splotches, and at the center they found a dagger impaling a Trump of an unknown person. They figured out that the damage to the Pattern was caused by spilling blood of Amber. Random realized that the figure on the Trump was his missing son, Martin.

The first half of chapter 2 is a lengthy recap, which I won't repeat.

Corwin recognizes the art style of the Trump as Brand's. Since he still needs Brand for information, he conceals this fact from the infuriated Random, knowing he will want to avenge Martin. He also lies and says Dara had told him Martin had visited Benedict in Avalon; it was actually Brand who had been making inquiries about Martin.

They discover that the Trumps are cold again, and presumably functional. They connect with Benedict, who pulls them back to Amber. Benedict is curious where they had been, and Random wants to know what he knows about Martin. So Random tells Benedict about their adventure.

Little happens in this chapter. It's mainly exposition. The only major revelation is that Corwin believes Brand created the Martin Trump, which implicates him as Martin's presumed murderer—though, as Corwin says to reassure Random, there's no evidence yet that he's dead.

I had wondered how they were going to escape the primal Amber. Neither Corwin nor Random could manipulate Shadow; there was no Shadow to add or subtract from. The Pattern was damaged, and in any case, Ganelon and the horses wouldn't survive the attempt. In the end, they just call up Benedict and Trump over to him. Obvious, really.

This chapter was a bit disappointing, to be honest. Hopefully chapter 3 is better. We'll see next Thursday.