12. The Sign of the Unicorn

by Roger Zelazny (192 pgs)

Rating: 4

Corwin, having succeeded in deposing Eric in the last novel, is now in the position of Amber's protector. As such he has much to be concerned about: the black road, a missing brother, and not least of all his own foggy recent history that he only knows pieces of. Many revelations and yet another cliff hanger.

Closer to the caliber of the first book, The Sign of the Unicorn is a much more introspective piece than either of the preceding novels. While not lacking in action, Zelazny almost seems to pause to tie together unresolved aspects of the first two novels and indulge in some necessary exposition about the setting/background. This is all skillfully done, however, and does not slow down the read much. In fact, it would almost be possible to read this book first and enjoy it alone.

I rather generally recommend this book even if the second left one a little cold.