These are the first two novels in Roger Zelazny’s series, “The Chronicles of Amber.” In “Nine Princes in Amber,” the reader meets Corwin, one of the princes of Amber—the only true world, compared to which all others, including Earth, are merely Shadows. Corwin, suffering from memory loss, gradually remembers who he is and enters the struggle for the throne of Amber against his brothers. “The Guns of Avalon” continues Corwin’s story as he seeks a way to regain his rightful place in the kingdom and confront a threat hanging over Amber.