“Fantasy is a comfort, an escape, a way to imagine other sorts of realities other than the one I’m in.” – Paul Weimer
It’s another Foundational Fantasy episode!Returning guest Paul Weimer joins me for a discussion of Roger Zelazny’s Nine Princes in Amber, the first book of the Chronicles of Amber.
And we chip away, incrementally, at my attempt to crowd-source “What is fantasy?”
Suggestions for further reading (or playing):
The Amber Diceless RPG
“The Tragical History of Eric, King of Amber,” one-act play by Genevieve Cogman
Chrysanthe, by Yves Meynard
The Well-Favored Man, by Elizabeth Willey
The Elric Series, by Michael Moorcock
Paul’s social media:
https://bsky.app/profile/princejvstin.com
https://wandering.shop/@Princejvstin
https://www.instagram.com/princejvstin
https://twitter.com/PrinceJvstin
https://www.patreon.com/princejvstin
https://www.twitch.tv/arvaneleron (Paul is streaming a D&D campaign here)
Nine Princes in Amber by Roger Zelazny was copyrighted and first published in 1970 by Doubleday. As a work published in the US before 1978, it is protected for 95 years from the date of publication, meaning it is scheduled to enter the public domain in 2065.
So… that’s over 55 years ago. So what?
But consider when I started reading fantasy/SF. 1960. Would I have been interested in a book published in 1905?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:1905_fantasy_novels
Ah, no.
Indeed, there are a few 1900s books that still have a profile of notice. Peter Pan, the Oz books, or even the Wind in the Willows.
Still, despite the gulf of time, I find MOST Zelazny reading to be classic stuff.
Paul’s recommendation of “Lonesome October” is a real treat.
Thank you for having me on