Trumps of Doom Contents Plot summary Cultural allusions References External links Navigation menu11621840"1986 Award Winners & Nominees"Trumps of Doomee
Nine Princes in AmberThe Guns of AvalonSign of the UnicornThe Hand of OberonThe Courts of ChaosDworkin BarimenCorwinMerlinThe SilmarillionJ. R. R. TolkienHarpist in the WindPatricia A. McKillipLord Valentine's CastleRobert SilverbergThe Claw of the ConciliatorGene WolfeThe Sword of the LictorGene WolfeThe Mists of AvalonMarion Zimmer BradleyJob: A Comedy of JusticeRobert A. HeinleinTrumps of DoomRoger ZelaznySoldier of the MistGene WolfeSeventh SonOrson Scott CardRed ProphetOrson Scott CardPrentice AlvinOrson Scott CardA Storm of SwordsGeorge R. R. MartinAmerican GodsNeil GaimanThe ScarChina MiévillePaladin of SoulsLois McMaster BujoldIron CouncilChina MiévilleAnansi BoysNeil GaimanThe Privilege of the SwordEllen KushnerMaking MoneyTerry PratchettLaviniaUrsula K. Le GuinThe City & the CityChina Miéville
1985 novelsThe Chronicles of Amber books1985 fantasy novelsArbor House booksLocus Award-winning works
fantasyRoger ZelaznyChronicles of AmberCorwinMerlinEarthcomputer sciencepatternsentientJames JoyceEverett-Wheelerhis namesakeArthurian legend
 Dust-jacket illustration from the first edition | |
| Author | Roger Zelazny |
|---|---|
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Series | The Chronicles of Amber |
| Genre | Fantasy |
| Publisher | Arbor House |
Publication date | May 1985 |
| Media type | Print (Hardcover) |
| Pages | 183 |
| Award | Locus Award for Best Fantasy Novel (1986) |
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| OCLC | 11621840 |
Dewey Decimal | 813/.54 19 |
| LC Class | PS3576.E43 T7 1985 |
| Preceded by | The Courts of Chaos |
| Followed by | Blood of Amber |
Trumps of Doom is a fantasy novel by American writer Roger Zelazny, the first book in the second Chronicles of Amber series and the sixth book in the Amber series. Whereas the first series was narrated by Corwin, this series is narrated by his son, Merlin. Trumps of Doom won the Locus Award for Best Fantasy Novel in 1986.[1]
Contents
1 Plot summary
2 Cultural allusions
3 References
4 External links
Plot summary
Merlin has spent the last several years on Earth learning computer science while building Ghostwheel, a trump- and pattern-based computer, elsewhere in Shadow. Having completed his project, he wishes to know who has been trying to kill him every April 30, and why some of the better attempts failed, before he leaves. He meets with his friend Lucas Reynard (Luke), a salesman, who tries to convince him to stay, and who tells him that Julia Barnes, Merlin's ex-girlfriend, may be in trouble. Merlin investigates and finds Julia slain by creatures from another shadow.
Merlin investigates through shadow, and is given orders by king Random to shut down Ghostwheel. However, Ghostwheel has become sentient and capable of defending itself. Eventually, Luke - who, it turns out, is Brand's son - imprisons Merlin in a blue crystal cave so he can attempt to take control of Ghostwheel for himself.
Cultural allusions
Merlin's landlord "Mr. Mulligan" is an allusion to Buck Mulligan from James Joyce's Ulysses.
Merlin tells Luke that Ghostwheel's operations involve "a lot of theoretical crap involving space and time and some notions of some guys named Everett and Wheeler." The Everett-Wheeler theory of quantum mechanics proposes a "many worlds" interpretation in which the universe instantly fragments into a bundle of alternate histories each time the quantum state of any particle in the universe changes via interaction.
At the conclusion of this volume, Merlin is imprisoned in a crystal cave, just like his namesake from Arthurian legend.
References
^ "1986 Award Winners & Nominees". Worlds Without End. Retrieved 2009-09-27.
External links
Trumps of Doom at Worlds Without End
1985 fantasy novels, 1985 novels, Arbor House books, Locus Award-winning works, The Chronicles of Amber booksUncategorized
