In Roger Zelazny's "Amber" universe, there is only one true world, of which all others are but Shadows. In the ten-book saga that he created, it is learned that "Amber" was not the first true world; rather, it was "The Courts of Chaos." The saga chronicled the adventures of the royal family of Amber, culminating with a worlds-shaking battle between champions from Amber and from Chaos. Zelazny did not have the chance to create the origin of Amber and its royal family, or reveal other key information that is only alluded to, before he died.

The Dawn of Amber trilogy expands the "Amber" universe and answers the important questions left open, including how Amber was created, by whom, and why. The events in the trilogy will precede those in the existing novels, but follow some of the same, immortal characters. Finally, fans of the series will discover why it was necessary to create Amber, how Chaos and Amber came to be at war, and the true nature of the universal, sentient forces that Amber and Chaos represent.