The five Amber novels comprise, in one sense, a single mystery story. The first book opens with Corwin awakening in a hospital on earth, unable to remember his past, and the initial action recounts his attempt to regain that past. Once his memory is restored, the novels are concerned with Corwin's attempt to solve a series of mysteries: who ordered his disappearance and the numerous attempts on his life; what caused the disappearance of Oberon; what threatens Amber; what is Amber's real place in the universe? Corwin is as much detective as he is quest hero.

Like a good detective Corwin listens to conflicting stories and tries to piece together a coherent, truthful version of events. And as critics have observed, the novels' emphasis is not on swashbuckling action but on the telling of tales. Nearly all of Corwin's relatives have a story to tell; each has a...