The series is based on the concept of parallel worlds,
domination over them being fought between the kingdoms at the extreme
ends of Shadow—Amber, the one true world of Order, and the Courts of
Chaos. Amberites of royal blood—those descended from Oberon (and
ultimately his parents, Dworkin, formerly of the Courts of Chaos, and
the Unicorn of Order herself) —are able to "walk in Shadow", mentally
willing changes to occur around them. These changes...
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The series is based on the concept of parallel worlds,
domination over them being fought between the kingdoms at the extreme
ends of Shadow—Amber, the one true world of Order, and the Courts of
Chaos. Amberites of royal blood—those descended from Oberon (and
ultimately his parents, Dworkin, formerly of the Courts of Chaos, and
the Unicorn of Order herself) —are able to "walk in Shadow", mentally
willing changes to occur around them. These changes are, in effect,
representative of the Shadow-walker passing through different
realities. There are apparently infinite realities, either found by the
Shadow-walker locating such worlds or by creating them (we the readers
are never sure; neither are the characters).
Within this multiverse, Zelazny deals with some interesting
philosophical concepts about the nature of existence, compares and
contrasts the ideas of Order and Chaos, and plays with the laws of
physics—they can differ from Shadow to Shadow; for instance, gunpowder
does not ignite in Amber, which is why the characters all carry swords.
Other Shadows have green skies and blue suns, cities of glass and
Kentucki Fried Lizzard Partes, and worlds out of our own fiction can
come to life.
