THE GUNS OF AVALON (The Chronicles of Amber #2) by Roger Zelazney ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

(Original review written November 29, 2018)

If the first book was a 5 star, then this one should be a 6. It completely ramps up the action, builds upon established pieces of the world, promises more excitement in future books, and has an ending to plunge you right into starting the next one. Knowing how long the series is (though the books are short) the quality of this entry really propels interest into what comes next.

On top of what was going on with the current plot, this was one of the first times I’ve actively thought about wanting another book about the journey of a secondhand character during events. I actually thought “wow, I’d like to know the story of Random and his wife”. There’s so many great areas to explore in this world and the way it works. Maybe we will flashback later and see some of the side stuff. Either way, I like where things are headed.

Side note: I was comparing this series with the Kingkiller one in my head, and it’s interesting how different they read but how similar the quality is. This one moves fast, but has so much world-building and creative ways to expand. I feel like it could go 1000 directions in an instant. Kingkiller really takes its time, but you don’t really notice or get bored. You’re just enjoying the ride and seeing this character grow with the world. It feels more like following one scenic path that pays off as it goes. I don’t know if I can say which I like better at this point. Kingkiller felt more personal after spending so much time on it; this one is a bit more fun.