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Saturday, April 20, 2013

R is for Random

"So cocky little Random was in trouble! I had a feeling it shouldn't have bothered me especially. But now, he was one of the keys to my past, and quite possibly my future also... he was resourceful, shrewd, strangely sentimental over the damnedest things; and on the other hand, his word wasn't worth the spit behind it, and he'd probably sell my corpse to the medical school of his choice if he could get much for it."

From that snippet you might be wondering why Random is one of my favourite characters from Zelazny's The Nine Princes of Amber, and rightly so. He's a selfish brat who only helps out Corwin for his own gain at the beginning, but he is one of the most interesting characters in the series.

He is a sneaky gambler, the youngest of the nine princes with the ability to travel through Tarot cards who are fighting each other for the throne. His journey with Corwin and his decision to support his brother changes him, and that's what makes him fascinating. But I won't tell you more. Go read about him yourself.

Shout out to blogger buddy R: To Rachel Morgan, that lovely author of fairy stories!
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8 comments:

  1. UnknownApril 20, 2013 at 7:22 AM

    Sometimes it's the characters we're supposed to hate that become the ones we love - I get that a lot in dark fantasy novels.

    Jamie @ Mithril Wisdom

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  2. Alex J. CavanaughApril 20, 2013 at 7:29 AM

    I haven't read that book. Sounds like he needed changing.

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  3. David T ListApril 20, 2013 at 10:59 AM

    I may literally have to read the entire series over again. It's such a rare occurrence to find someone else who's read them. I actually bought "The Visual Guide to Castle Amber" after I read the series. It's awesome. If you've ever wondered about the plans of the castle, I strongly recommend it!
    Zelazny is amongst my favorite authors and I was stoked to find out he's one of R.A. Salvatore's favorite authors as well.

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  4. Mark MeansApril 21, 2013 at 11:17 AM

    The Amber series is one I've always been meaning to read. A friend introduced me to the RPG a while ago and it sounded like a interesting backstory.

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  5. Loralie HallApril 21, 2013 at 11:41 AM

    A character like that screams for redemption, and I think sometimes it's just as satisfying when they stay true to their nature and refuse to be redeemed. Then it doesn't seem like an easy out.
    ____
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    Twitter: @AllysonLindt

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  6. S. L. HennessyApril 21, 2013 at 3:20 PM

    I really like the name Random. That's so awesome and, well, random.

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  7. Sarah McCabeApril 21, 2013 at 11:48 PM

    Wow! Someone else who's read and loved Amber! Random is a great character, I agree.

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  8. Crystal CollierApril 22, 2013 at 7:43 PM

    But Random is my son's name. Yup. And it fits him. You should hear the things that come out of that kid's mouth.

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