Customer Reviews (6)

swords
Awesome condition. Better than advertised. Haven't had a chance to read this version in this printing for 20 years.

FROM BACK COVER
THE DARK THINGS COME

The gods themselves feel fear.It is the conjunction of the Million Spheres, and all things are possible.Beneath the bloody banners of the Dog and the Bear, the cruel Mabden are sweeping the Earth.The mystic Vadhagh are wiped out - all but one.Armed with the Hand of Kwll and his own thirsty sword, Prince Corum Jhaelen pursues his fate and his vengeance through all the fifteen planes of Earth, even to the very center of Time - the still, blue city of Tanelorn

Contains all Three Books:

The King of the Swords
The Queen of the Swords
The Knight of the Swords

Not Elric, but still pretty darn good.
Michael Moorcock, The Swords Trilogy (Berkley, 1971)

Michael Moorcock here introduces us to another aspect of the Eternal Champion, Corum of the Scarlet Robe. Corum fits the Eternal Champion mold well in the first three books of this six-book series-he's a chap who's rather like the rest of his race, normal from that perspective, but whose race is somewhat divorced from (older than, as are Elric's race) the humans who share a planet with them. While devoid of supernatural powers himself, he gains them in the pursuance of a quest. Also like Elric, Corum's destiny, in the first books, is shaped by the Dukes of Hell-Arioch, Xiombarg, and Mabelrode. He also has a trusty sidekick (in this case, Jhary-a-Conel, who does make a brief appearance with Corum at the very end of The Vanishing Tower in the Elric series). In other words, you've got an inkling of what's going on here simply because this is an Eternal Champion series and you've already read the Elric books. (You have, haven't you? If not, go do so.)

Moorcock does throw in a few elements to keep you guessing. Corum serves Law, rather than Chaos (as Elric does), and doesn't have any of the fatal weaknesses at the beginning of the book that other manifestations of the Champion do. The variations lead to great musing from the reader over the true nature of the Eternal Champion and why it's so changeable. While this is an excellent thing, and raises the stakes for the whole extended family of books, these three tales themselves (available separately as The Knight of the Swords, The Queen of the Swords, and the King of the Swords) often follow the same formulae as the Elric novels, and thus become predictable. That doesn't make them any less fun. But one wonders whether there could have been something more to them, that ineffable something that sent the Elric novels to heights unmatched in fantasy since J. R. R. Tolkein. Whatever it is, there's far less of it here. *** ½

5 stars only because thats the max, would give 100
1 action based adventure in a universe of law vs chaos
2 rational arguements with demons
3 character an incarnation of the champion eternal, many incarnations who serve the "cosmic balance"
4 one incarnation might meet an alternate incarnation from a paralell universe
5 high adventure involing visciou swordfights and magic
6 elegant descriptions that are concise
7 great read
8 can reread again and again

Corum learns a lesson
These 3 books show the harsh reality of a changing world. Moorcock deftly blends in storylines from several of his other
series and still manages to give a few new wrinkles. As Corums'
life is destroyed he manages to keep his resolve to right the
injustice being imposed. Toss in a multi-talented,multi-dimensional, sidekick and you've got plenty of Moorcock chaos.
Love the ending, stupid mortals... ... Read more

Product Description
Acclaimed science-fiction/fantasy icon Michael Moorcock teams with comics legend Walter Simonson to present a stunning graphic novel that reveals an untold chapter from the novels starring the classic sword and sorcery character Elric.
Young Elric must first learn to protect his beloved homeland from raiders.Then, he must learn the perils of making pacts with the magical world in return for protection and power in order to become a prince and ascend to the throne of Melnibone.He'll have to learn to temper his youthful enthusiasm with wisdom if he is going to rule the Bright Empire. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

"I cannot work out the logic behind these plots"
I first read Michael Moorcock's Elric saga many years ago when it consisted of only six books.I absolutely loved it and have reread the original saga regularly.Since that initial exposure, Moorcock has revisited Elric numerous times, to the point that the number of new books has caught up with the originals.I've found these additions to be increasingly unnecessary and tedious, but for some reason, I purchased the trade paperback ELRIC: THE MAKING OF A SORCERER, perhaps due to the fact that Walt Simonson handles the art.This book collects the 4-issue limited series and claims to reveal "an untold chapter in the life of the classic sword-and-sorcery character Elric - witness the ascension of Elric to the throne of Melniboné!"It sounded to me like this would provide some interesting history on the characters, places, and events immediately prior to the first novel, ELRIC OF MELNIBONE.Well, not quite... as strange as it sounds, this prequel is really nothing more than a boring retread (pretread?) of events from the original saga.

In this story, an abundance of expository dialogue reveals that the Emperor Sadric requires his son, Prince Elric, to undergo four dream quests in order to prove his ability to rule their island nation.During these quests, I assume in which Elric inhabits the personae of past Melnibonéans, we learn of the formation of the Isle of Melniboné and the origin of its inhabitants' pacts with various gods.The whole dream quest idea seems fairly contrived, and it confuses me.Based on Moorcock's original saga, I'd always understood Elric to be frail, emotionally complex, and something of an oddity among his own kind, but THE MAKING OF A SORCERER depicts him as a heroic ideal... oh wait, it's a dream... oh wait, he's not even Elric in the dream... huh?!?!?Through his dreams, Elric wields the great runesword Stormbringer and deals with many gods and characters PRIOR to their appearances in the original saga, in effect diminishing the significance of the actual events to come.

In general, I love Simonson's art, but his style was ill-suited for this story.He didn't do a very thorough job of researching characters' appearances in the novels.His Melnibonéans appear as seemingly-normal, even brutish, humans; a squat, blocky Tanglebones and a bald, 'roid-raging Prince Yrkoon being the most noticeable examples.This story may have been "Elric" in name, but it sure didn't look like it.

On a final note, the title of my review is a line spoken by a character over halfway into the story.When I read it, I had a good laugh and could only bring myself to skim through the remainder of the book.I'd be more impressed if Moorcock would focus his energies on adapting his existing classic works to comics, rather than using them to tell new stories.There comes a point at which a writer should say "no more".

Very Good Graphic Prequel
Elric of Melniboné has slashed his way through a number of books and short stories since 1961.Even though Elric has had an interesting series of experiences, his history prior to the events in the novel "Elric of Melniboné" has yet to be the focus of a story.This graphic novel, which collects a four-issue release by DC comics, explains how Elric gained his powers.

At the beginning of this story, we see Sadric the Emperor concerned that his son is too weak to lead the empire.The dream couch tests will either kill Elric, or they will prove that he is capable of leadership.Sadric is not the only one who thinks Elric is too weak to lead.Elric's cousin Yyrkoon believes himself to have the ruthlessness it takes to lead the empire into the future, and he tries to influence events by following Elric on his dream quests.

Elric travels through space and time on four dream quests.The first quest helps explain how Melniboné came to be and how King Grome, the King of the Earth Elementals, came to be in Elric's debt.The second quest shows White Crow, the person Elric became on his second dream quest, inviting Arioch, a Lord of Chaos, into the world.The third dream explains how the Spirits of the Air came into Elric's debt.The final dream shows how Elric came to be chosen the King of Melniboné.

The Good:I enjoyed this story a lot.I enjoyed the story so much that I read it twice in a row.Though there is a lot of similarity between the dream quests, there are significant differences between the stories that provide explanations for Elric's abilities and behavior.I liked the artwork as well, though it did seem a bit too much like the style of DC Comic's artists rather than the kind of art that I think would match Elric's stories.

The Bad:I liked the art, but some details in the artwork seemed glossed over.How many teeth are solid bars of white?Other details that would have taken minimal time to include were also left out, enhancing the comic book appearance of the artwork.

I can recommend this book to fans of Elric.Though you do not need to have read any of Moorcock's books about Elric, it does help to understand what is going on if you have read several of the books.If you are a big fan of sword & sorcery you may also find this graphic novel to be interesting.I have read a number of Elric's stories and this book is a nice book to have and to read after having read the first books in the series.

Enjoy!

A Good Reminder
Even though the art in the comic may not please some of Elric's hardcore fans, the stories are classical early Moorcock, where action prevailed over quirkness or philosophical akwardness, the way a comic book sould be.

An essential buy for any true Melnibonean fan

Prequel to the saga
I am a fan of Michael Moorcock. Specifically his Elric of Melnibone series...
He is a fascinating character - tall, albino, and is one powerful man.
Moorcock's graphic novel shows Elric as he is being trained to become worthy of being the next king. He is given super sleeping draughts and he goes on dangerous journies - and each time he gains power and knowledge.
He finds a great broadsword, which will be his bane and power in later books. Stormbringer. A sword that kills, takes the victim's souls and gives the holder soul's energy too.
In this prequel - Elric is a nice person and has a love - These dreams through time and worlds help us give some insight to the Elric we find in the start of the true Elric series - and if you are a fan of fantasy, especially Elric, you will enjoy this one.

Disappointing
The art here is decent, but that's pretty much where it ends. The story is thin, formulaic, and redundant. I never read Moorcock's books, but I only hope that he delves more deeply into the nature of the characters and world than this adaptation does.Perhaps the target audience here is the pre-teen set, but this is definitely not for adults. ... Read more

Product Description
It is the color of a bleached skull, his flesh; and the long hair that flows below his shoulders is milk-white. From the tapering, beautiful head stare two slanting eyes, crimson and moody... He is Elric, Emperor of Melnibone, cursed with a keen and cynical intelligence, schooled in the art of sorcery and the hero of Michael Moorcock's remarkable epic of conflict and adventure at the dawn of human history.An 1 disc MP3-CD edition. Read by Jeff West. Included is a dramatic introduction, over 10 minutes in length, read by Michael Moorcock. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Got a blank CD
It never worked. No MP3 files, no wave data either. A totally blank disc. At least Amazon kept good on the refund after I returned it via mail.
If it wasn't for that, I love the work of Moorcock, specially in the Runestaff saga.

Amateur Audio at best
the novel was well spoken but poor production all around and it will not install on my mac

Might have loved it but they sent me a blank disc.
The book arrived in a relatively attractive case and a slickly printed CD but the CD was blank.Sorry, that's way too sloppy to reorder (with a 1-2 month estimated replacement date).I'd worry about buying any books from this company.

Product did not work
I bought this for myself for Christmas because I drive a lot for work. Imagine my disappointment when the cd didn't work. With a little investigation, it turns out the CD was never "closed" after it was burned. On a plus note, the folks at BuyCDnow were great about returning the product and refunding my money, even though I had opened the package.

Spellbinding! Quality Product
I was initially cautious about purchasing this item without benefit of peer review but I talked myself into it when the second volume came out. For the record, I purchased the MP3 version which is only 1 CD. I wonder if the 5 CD audiobook version has more in the way of liner notes because the MP3 version just has what's printed on the slip but I guess I won't know unless someone else writes a review of that format.

I've been an Elric fan since the early 80's and he remains my favorite fantasy character. Hearing Moorcock himself pronounce some of the more obscure names in the novel changed the way I remember my 13-year-old-self trying to decipher them but the haunting way in which the text is verbalized both by Moorcock and Jeff West only adds to the excitement of the story. There is background music but it is fitting, subtle, and adds to the overall presentation.

While I can guess the Moorcock read opening chapter may have been spliced together with several takes, the Jeff West tracks blend together with near perfection.When I stopped the audio after my 30-minute train ride into Chicago I had to check my player to see what chapter I made it to. I suppose that's another reason why I purchased the MP3 version, as I knew I'd only rip the audio CD into MP3 anyway.Plus who needs 5 CDs cluttering your home when you can have only 1. Oh ya, and the MP3 version is less expensive. Am I the only one wondering why you just can't download these from Amazon?

I recommend this item.Perhaps Amazon will post some sample length tracks which would have sealed the deal with me a lot sooner. ... Read more

Product Description
Michael Moorcock's Eternal Champion returns as Kane of Old Mars, a brilliant American physicist whose strange experiments in matter transmission catapult him across space and time to the Red Planet. Kane's is a Mars of the distant past - a place of romantic civilizations, fabulous many-spired cities and the gorgeous princess Shizala. To win her hand and bring peace to Mars, Kane must defeat the terrible Blue Giants of the Argzoon, whose ravaging hordes threaten the whole planet! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

Simple, short and fun
As the old saying goes, if you budget is $100m it's a homage, if its $50 it's a rip-off.City of the Beast is a homage to the old Sword and Planet tales of Burroughs and Kline, Brackett and C.L. Moore (and a host of others).Originally titled Warriors of Mars under the name "Edward P Bradbury" when published back in 1965, it probably looked more like rip-off than homage.45 years later, and with Michael Moorcock a well-known name in the business, it's a bit different.

There is not a lot of point talking about the plot, other than in the broadest terms - earthman is myteriously transported to Mars, fights monsters, meets a girl.The villian is an evil pirate queen who can mesmerise man and beast alike with the power of her mind - and whether this is extreme beauty, magic or some genetic mutation caused by radiation is never made clear.In fact, looking back on that last sentence I may have given the matter more thought than Moorcock did when writing the book.But you know what?That's OK.This is a book that was written to be read and enjoyed, not closely studied, interpreted, deconstructed, and analysed in depth.It's a simple, straightforward adventure story with a few fun flourishes.Its short, punchy and to the point: this is not a multi-volume fantasy epic to fear committing too, it's a one-night stand with a tongue in cheek romp through a fantastic world that never was.

Jhaeman's Reviews
On Grognardia, I've been reading a lot recently about Paizo's Planet Stories series, which is a line of classic fantasy and science-fiction novels (most from the 1950s to 1970s). The books come out bi-monthly and subscriptions are available, though so far I've just picked up several of the novels in used book stores.

The first one I read was Michael Moorcock's City of the Beast. Moorcock is a famous fantasy writer (especially with his Elric stories), but this is the first time I've ever actually read one of his books. City of the Beast (originally titled Warriors of Mars) has a refreshing simplicity to it, insofar as it is very much straight-up heroic adventure. Except for a framing sequence, it's told from the first-person point of view of a character named Michael Kane. A modern-day physicist (who just happens to be an expert swordsman and military tactician), Kane is transported by accident to the Mars of thousands of years ago--a world which is a lush, fantastic place full of strange creatures, civilizations, and quasi-scientific technology. Kane immediately falls in love with a native princess named Shizala and goes on an epic quest to rescue her when she's kidnapped by a race of blue-skinned giants named the Argzoon. In other words, this is the story of a guy fighting monsters to rescue a princess: it is Super Mario Bros: The Novel. I say that facetiously, as it's fun to read a fantasy novel that is straight-forward and fast-moving (it weighs in at just over 150 pages) and that doesn't carry with it dozens of subplots and hundreds of characters. As much as I like the layered myth-making and deep characterization in stories like The Wheel of Time, a book like City of the Beast offers a nice change of pace.

Good heroic fantasy
The argument is simple as is the writing, but it gives you a great time reading it. If yu like fantasy or adventure, this book, and the rest of the trilogy, is for you.

A fun read
City of the Beast was a light, over-the-top adventurous tale that held my interest, but ultimately could have been better.

***MINOR SPOILERS***

The Good
The action is non-stop, so there were really no parts of the book that dragged.Combat scenes are lively and the adventure itself was fun.The characters are believable enough (considering the premise), and convey their emotions well.It was easy to identify with the protagonist, and I enjoyed his triumphs and felt the losses when he did.

The Bad
There are hints of ancient wonderous technology and of long-forgotten "treasures" that mostly we never see.It would have been nice if the story had unveiled more than just the one or two things they do show us.The book is clearly set up for a sequel, but the book cover gives no indication that this was a series.(Even though later Planet Stories novels do indeed continue the series.)The chain of events is a little bit suspect.The heroes seem to have just the help they need at the most opportune of times.(The words "How Convenient..." came to mind quite a bit.)

The Judgement
All-in-all it was a good read, but nothing spectacular.Having read Moorcock's Elric series (which was excellent), I know the writing talent is eventually there, so hopefully the later Kane novels will be a bit better.

Homage to Burroughs succeeds
City of Beasts/Warriors of Mars succeeds, admirably, at being a homage to the works of Edgar Rice Burroughs. For anyone who is a fan of the genre of Planetary Romance, or who just enjoys well written action, this is a good book to read. Is it high literature? No. Does it make sense with what we know of science today? Not only no, but a resounding no! In the end will you understand the Human Condition better than before? Well, not really.

What it is, is a fairly simple straight forward story of adventure. In this book you will find all the derring do, vile villians and heroic... well, heroes that you would wish from a book of this type.

The writing in this novel only hints at the true depth of Michael Moorcock's gift for writing. Any fan of his who has read any of the later Eternal Champion series should see in this book the development of a truly gifted author. I am not sure when Michael Kane was added to the list of Eternal Champion's but so be it.

As a homage to the literary genre, though, it is a truly fun book. In the end, it is that word that makes me feel really happy about having taken the time to read a novel and why I am willing to give this one five stars (in spite of some minor flaws): That it is in the end a FUN read. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Super Reader
An Orion publication, subtitled Tales of the Eternal Champion Volume 5. It includes The Ice Schooner, The Black Corridor, The Distant Suns, and Flux. So, you get Arflane, Ryan, Jerry Cornelius and Von Bek version of the Eternal Champion in this one volume. This is a pretty eclectic bunch of heroes to throw together in one book.

Four Voyages
White Wolf Publishing did a superb job in collecting Michael Moorcock's fantasy work into these beautiful omnibus editions.This volume, eight in the series, contains three novels and one short story, none of which have any obvious connection to the "Eternal Champion" theme.The tales do have some common elements, however; all four pieces feature a group of travelers fleeing a crumbling or decaying society and looking for solutions elsewhere, or "elsewhen."

The Ice Schooner depicts a future Ice Age.A small civilization is established on the ice fields, cities are built into crevasses, and trades and whalers ply the frozen oceans in their ice ships.Konrad Arflane, a typically moody and grim Moorcock hero, undertakes a quest to New York to discover why the ice is melting and his civilization possibly coming to an end.A rare example of pure SF from Moorcock; well told and atmospheric, with a perhaps too hasty resolution.

The Black Corridor, written with Moorcock's then-wife Hilary Bailey, reads more like a Robert Silverberg novel than Moorcock piece.A group of space travelers in cryogenic freeze are fleeing an Earth where xenophobia and war are destroying civilization.One man remains awake to operate the spaceship, and reflects on his final years on Earth, as the world crumbles around him.This is one of Moorcock's best works, taut, suspenseful, evocative, and horrifying. I've read this one three times since it originally appeared in 1969, and it still has an impact... and I'm not sure I completely understand it.

The Distant Suns, a collaboration with British artist and author James Cawthorn, appears in this volume for the first time in the U.S.Again, civilization is crumbling and a trio of space explorers set out to find an answer.(The characters are Jerry, Frank, and Catherine Cornelius, but names aside, they have no apparent connection to the Cornelius characters of Moorcock's other stories.)Written in a hyperventilating pulp style, the purpose here is perhaps to satirize pulp SF clichés, but the authors mimic the purple prose of the 40s too closely for my taste, and I quickly tired of this one, skimming through the last hundred pages to get a general idea of the plot.This ranks as one of Moorcock's misses for me... or perhaps I just missed the point.

Flux, a short story written with Barrington J. Bayley, describes a near future Europe, again facing imminent destruction, which sends an operative into the future to discover a solution.Anyone familiar with Bayley's work will not be surprised to find this story brimming over with madcap ideas.While not as polished as Bayley's later writings (to say nothing of Moorcock's) this is an enjoyable and thought-provoking tale.

Recommended for anyone who enjoys Moorcocks' early SF and fantasy works.

Doubting my own sanity!
This review is mainly concerning The Black Corridor.

I just read it (mostly yesterday and finished it in the bath). It's a shortish story which starts off harmlessly enough, almost blandly, and yet slowly draws the reader in. But by the end...

Put it this way, right now I'm surfing around trying to find somewhere or someone I can discuss this story with, ask their opinion, what does it mean? What did they think? Where was the line between reality and madness?

How strange that something so short and seemingly unimportant can generate such an emotion. Maybe I need to take some Proditol (read it).

I read it, it greatly stirred my emotions, five stars, enough said.

Sailing to Utopia is a fabulous way to spend an evening....
Sailing to Utopia is definately one of Moorcock's best works.It's sparse language and epic plot lines will leave you terrified, yet at the same timeyou are completely fulfilled. Each story in the novel is fabulous, eventhough they don't tie in to each other.Moorcock has writtenconcurrentstories with other Eternal Champion novels (Hawkmoon, Corum: the Coming ofChaos), you can't let this influence you in any way of how intense thisbook is.Instead of having a concurrent plot line throughout, Moorcock'splaces themes behind his stories that tie them together as one.However,each story is so enriched with life that each one can definately standalone as an extraordinary piece of writing.

"The Black Corridor",readers may want to leave the light on.
All of the short stories were excellent, but "The Black Corridor" really got the heart moving. Imagine the movie 'Event Horizon' actually done well, heck I think I was hearing things after Ifinished that piece. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (92)

Blast from the past, and brilliant nevertheless
I've never read Elric before, nor did I her of him. It was just recently that one of our publishers presented translation of this book, and I somehow acquired it. Wasn't really expecting anything, rarely do I read any fantasy these days, and even rarer I find something good in it. But Elric, Elric is something different. It doesn't resemble neither Tolkien, nor Jordan, nor Martin, though there is a certain epic sense presented in this book that corresponds to those authors. But much more important is subversion, because Elric is all about subversion.

Now, to honestly apreciate Elric, you need to be familiar wiith swords and sorcery ganre, you know - Conan stuff, mighty warriors battling for gold, ale and women, toppling kingdoms and doing all kinds of mischief in the name of greater good. Wouldn't hurt if you knew something about the morphology of fairy-tale but that's pushing it too far. Anyway, swords and sorcery was all about heroes and their quests, and Elric is not different in this aspect. What is different is Elric himself. He is a king, so he doesn't need a kingdom to conquer. He is a most powerfull warlock in the world, so it's not the power that he seeks. He has a loving maid by his side so it's not even love that makes him go. He is physically frail and he couldn't survive without help of his potions, so we may argue that Elric is one of the first drug-user kings around. Elric lives in powerfull kingdom whose power is diminishing for centuries but whose old habits and traditions still persists. And this is where Elric kicks in. He starts to read books, and by doing that, as we all know, he gets all kind of funny ideas, things that are almost adominable to ruler-warlock caste of his family. So, he's a genre hero without it's attributes, he's an abomination inside and outside, he's an Other to reader and to characters. And this is what keeps him going even today. Outside of drabness of genre characters came Elric, too human for power fantasy, too alien for humans. And this is the first book of Elroc saga - saga that will continue in many years following it's publication.

Is Elric still important today? Rules of fantasy fiction have changed over the course of the years, and Elric doesn't bring much impact into the world of today. But, his subversion was one of the first examples that opened up the genre and made way for better stories to come. It is still fun, inteligent, cyincal, but years haven't been kind to him. This edition should serve for a new reader to glimpse upon the world of the fantasy as it was back then, in times past.

Elric of Melnibone
In a world where no one feels guilt or compassion, there lives one man that is different from the rest. Melniboneans are known for doing only what pleases them, with no regard for the feelings of others. They have their rules and customs, but basic human emotions are foreign to them. The one man that stands apart just so happens to be the emperor, Elric. Elric must choose between his budding feelings and ruling the way the people demand. His throne will be challenged, but the questions remains, does he really want to be emperor if he can't rule his way?

Elric of Melnibone is short, sweet, and to the point. It is plot driven, but there is plenty of character development. Don't make the mistake of thinking the book is simple, however. It made me stop and think of what it would be like to be in Elric's situation various times. The plot, characters, action, and sorcery are much deeper than this book's 170 pages. Elric is well worth your time, if you haven't read it I highly recommend it, and I can't wait to read the rest of the series.

purists, read this
There are several different Elric omnibuses out there.Regrettably, Amazon has apparently been lumping them all onto this page.But the book I'm trying to review (ISBN-13: 978-1857987430), ""Elric Of Melnibone: "The Stealer of Souls" AND "Stormbringer" (Fantasy Masterworks)," has a greyish cover with Elric's thighs visible, NOT a white cover.This book was published in Britain and is evidently available in the United States only as an import, although fishing through Amazon's pages will leave that unclear.I myself had to buy it from Amazon's UK site and have it shipped here, but there seems to be a proper link to it now:Elric: "The Stealer of Souls" AND "Stormbringer" (Fantasy Masterworks).

If you're an Elric fan, that is the edition to get.But of course if you're a fan you know that.And you what what I am about to say next:

Elric has a rather convoluted publishing history.Many in the United States believe that the series, in the original order, consists of:

* Elric of Melniboné (ISBN 042508843X)
* The Sailor on the Seas of Fate (ISBN 0441748635)
* The Weird of the White Wolf (ISBN 0441888054)
* The Sleeping Sorceress (ISBN 0441860397)
* The Bane of the Black Sword (ISBN 0441048854)
* Stormbringer (ISBN 0425065596)

This is the order the Elric books have been most widely published in in the United States.But this sequencing actually involved some arbitrary excision and arranging on the part of Dell, when it first brought out this 6-book series in 1977.(I seem to remember this 6-book series being available as a boxed set, but I'm not sure of that.At any rate I can't find it on Amazon anyways.)At any rate, that Dell series does not reflect the original order of the tales that readers were introduced to, then witnessed the death of, the pale-faced Melnibonean.

You will only find this outrageous if you haven't read much Elric.This is because, unlike other multi-volume fantasy works such as "The Lord of the Rings," "The Chronicles of Narnia," and "The Chronicles of Prydain," many of the Elric stories have interchangeable chronologies.They basically feature Elric disporting himself in the Young Kingdoms and, while it's not completely true that you could read them in any order, it is true that any chronological progression through the middle volumes of the well-known Dell series is weak to non-existent.For this reason, Dell's procrustean editing decisions cannot be reckoned a major sin.

Which brings me to the thick, one-volume job I'm trying to review, the one whose ISBN appears first in this review.THAT BOOK is an anthologizing of the Elric stories as they originally appeared.They're considered the "original, classic" versions of the stories, although you might find them disappointing because that means if you buy this volume you are not getting some of the stories that the Dell version has.

To quote from Wikipedia about this volume:"Elric first appeared in print in 1961 in Michael Moorcock's novelette "The Dreaming City" (Science Fantasy #47 June 1961). A further four novelettes ("While the Gods Laugh", "The Stealer of Souls", "Kings in Darkness", "The Flamebringers") and four novellas ("Dead God's Homecoming", "Black Sword's Brothers", "Sad Giant's Shield", "Doomed Lord's Passing") followed, the last of these terminating the sequence with the close of Elric's angst-ridden life. The five novelettes were collected in The Stealer of Souls (collection, Neville Spearman 1963) and the four novellas were first published as a novel in Stormbringer (op. cit.). (This early version of Elric's saga, i.e., these nine short stories - with the full text of Stormbringer, as it appeared in Science Fantasy - has recently been republished in a single volume as Elric (Orion/Gollancz 2001), Volume 17 in the Fantasy Masterworks series.)"

The Snow King
"Elric of Melnibone" is the excellent beginning of Michael Moorcock's sprawling series about the dying,weak albino heir to Melnibone. Elric is a fascinating character- he's a proto-emo with his pale skin, he's vampire-like with Stormbringer, but he shows moral and physical strength when necessary. There is Elric's wicked cousin, Yrkoon, who plots to steal the throne, and Cymoril, Elric's beloved.

Michael Moorcock lushly describes the decadent, labyrinthine land of Melnibone. It's reminiscent of Faramir's description in "The Two Towers" of the corrupt Numenorians,using sorcery to keep themselves alive, fearing death, yet not bearing children. Melnibone has become an inhuman world, yet Elric remains human. He's also reminiscent of the Mayan god Quetzalcoatl,who rejected the corrupt sorcery around him,who was frail,and tempted to incest. Elric's beloved Cymoril,also happens to be cousin. After a sensual scene of lovemaking in the wilderness, Elric unintentionally slays her. The heartbreak drives him to madness-- and revenge.

"Elric" is an excellent, compelling, literary work. It sets the standard for post-Tolkien fantasy. Journey into Melnibone!

A horrible, horrible train wreck
I have been devouring 20th century fantasy and science fiction for a rather long time, from Howard to Heinlein, from Lovecraft to Tolkien, Asimov and onward. And I kept hearing the names Elric and Moorcock. Everyone calls Elric a must-read in modern FSF. So I got it.

It's garbage. It's boring. It's annoying. It's terribly, horribly, painfully, poorly written. There is zero character development, meaning, you will never care about anyone in these books. There is zero plot logic, meaning you can pick up anywhere and start reading and understand the general nonsense that is going on, because no event has anything to do with any other. There is zero world-building, meaning magical things and people are mentioned once and never explained.

But to break the camel's back, Moorcock does nothing but tell, not show. So we get this, over and over: "Elric briefly has a thought or feeling, but because he is from Melnibone, he decides he doesn't care about that thought or feeling, and decides to go do something stupid."

I cannot imagine why anyone likes this book/series. It is almost unreadable. Go pick up George Martin, or Herbert, or Leiber, or anything else! Save yourself...and your money! ... Read more

Product Description
Three science fiction novels comprise the sixth volume in Michael Moorcock's acclaimed Eternal Champion series: "The Wrecks of Time, The Winds of Limbo", and "The Shores of Death". ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

A collection of Moorcock's "pulp" science fiction
From the author's notes, Moorcock was writing these stories in the period while he was editor of New Worlds.These stories were an attempt to tie together the old traditions of SF with the new wave, of which he was apart.The three stories in the book have little in common with theexception of the Multiverse concept, which ties together all of the storiesof the Eternal Champion which Moorcock has written.All represent thestruggles that the people of Earth are going through at one point in thecontinuum.

I have enjoyed all of the Eternal Champion series that I haveread to date, and have been pleasently surprised by how enjoyable and wellwritten the non-Elric stories are.Most people seemed to be introduced toMoorcock through Elric and perhaps do not read more.They are missing outon a broader picture of which Elric is only a part.

I found myselfwanting to read more about Faustaff, the Fireclown, and Clovis Becker whenthe stories were over.I wish there were more books about them!This bookis similar to the first book in the series entitled The Eternal Championwhich introduces a number of characters through medium length tales.

Intruiging science-fiction
The cover of this book is what first attracted me. Any book that dares to place a demonic clown standing on top of the sun can be relied on to be at least mildly interesting.Of course, first I had to read the other books in the series, so now that I finally get to this book, I've found that it lives up to the weird cover.Rare science-fiction from Michael Moorcock (the other exception being A Nomad of the Time Streams), it's just as good as his others.
Some comments on the three novels:

The Wrecks of Time: Kicking off the volume off the volume with the strangest story scienifically, it gets even stranger toward the end, but the tale of Faustaff and his fight against the D-Squads is great.

The Winds of Limbo: Ah, here the clown!One of Moorcock's more political tales, it also brings back his Von Bek family, who appear to be playing on both sides of the conflict.It's very good for a story with a clown and politics.

The Shores of Death: Interestingly enough, Clovis Becker is the only definate Eternal Champion in this volume (and the only reason I know that is because he is mentioned when all the names are going through John Daker's head in the first volume).Moorcock nevers explains how or when the planet stopped spinning, which is good, because if the Earth ever stopped spinning, everyone on it would be killed by interta, which would propel us all at thousands of miles per second.Still, it doesn't get in the way of a good story.

Great trio, though the connecting material leaves a little to be desired.I couldn't figure out what it had to do with the stories, though I remember Renark Von Bek as the cosmic guy from The Sundered Worlds.I assume that the stories are memories he is thinking about, but since he never appears in the stories, it is curious as to why he remembers them.However, the connecting material is only at most a page long and this is only a minor quibble.This is required reading for any interested in fun science-fiction

Moorcock brings alternate versions of Earth to life
The Roads Between the Worlds contains three unrelated stories, set in the theme of the multiverse. These stories take place on Earth, but not the Earth we know. These Earth's exist in different planes of the multiverse and coexist with our own. The first, and most entertaining story, The Wrecks of Time, finds the enigmatic Dr. Faustus leading his elite group against D-Squads who are tring to destroy Earth. Making matters worse for Dr. Faustus is that he travels the multiverse and the D-Squaders are trying to destroy thirteen Earths. The story keeps you guessing until the climax when Faustus meets the creatures behind the D-Squaders. Next, The Winds of Limbo takes you to Switzerland where the mysterious Fireclown speaks out against the government and what Earth has become.Here Moorcock skillfully blends politics and religion into a ideological clash between old and new guard politics. Finally in The Shores of Death, Moorcock takes us to a doomed Earth where the few humans left live extremely long lives but cannot have children. Here we see the clash between those who accept their fate vs. the few who try to find some hope for humanity's future. Like other Moorcock works, these stories make you think and question how we live, think and co-exist with one another, despite how different we truly are ... Read more

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thought provoking Read for fans of Sci-Fi
This book was a very engrossing read, suspenseful with a very unexpected conclusion.
It is not of the super hi tech all technology is good branch of sci-fi, its of the other branch that asks us to consider what impact advanced technology will have on our humanity.
Interesting questions, disturbing answers.

Super Reader
Earth society is falling apart, so Ryan decides to take a ship full of people and leave. The journey has its own problems of engineering and psychology. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Super Reader
There is a whole bunch more Jerry Cornelius weirdness here. He is still roaming around 1960s London, among other places, and in conflict with the villainous Bishop Beesley.

Some people are certainly going to find it too weird, or too impenetrable to enjoy, I think, as it is by no means straightforward, but this is part of JC's appeal.

Unfortunately, the patient died
Good artists may break the rules after proving they can create within them. We know Moorcock can write, so we can guess that he wrote "A Cure For Cancer" as an experiment in a chaotic, vague vein. Unfortunately, as with many experiments, wading through the results can be a chore.

Social satire? Sure. Interesting sci-fi vignettes? Absolutely. Incisive glances at the sounds, styles, and feel of a parallel world subjectively based on a late-1960s London? You bet. But be warned that if you're looking for more than the faintest shred of plot to capture your interest, look elsewhere in the Eternal Champion multiverse. Perhaps ACFC is Moorcock's idea of what happens to a novel dipped in the primordial Chaos described in his other works.

I can appreciate what Moorcock is trying to get across. I even get a kick out of the *idea* of the novel's structure, in theory, anyway. However, it's difficult to actually enjoy a work in which a) every stitch of dialogue is so vague that, if you had no grasp of Moorcock's other works, the book would seem a nearly interminable string of highly stylish non sequiturs, and b) characters that live and (suddenly) die so guided by random chance and urges from the id that the joke pales early on. The chapter headlines culled from sensational tabloids did give me a chuckle, though.

It's certainly possible that you may find great enjoyment and provocative thoughts aplenty in ACFC. You certainly will in other Moorcock novels. And if you're looking for the pinnacle of social satire in an "unconventional" novel, check out the far superior "Catch-22" by Joe Heller. But unless you're the type who relishes flipping through TV channels for hours on end in an altered state of consciousness, or tends to convince yourself after reading a work such as ACFC that your time was well spent and the emperor is indeed wearing clothes, don't waste your time. This patient is terminal.

...BURN OUT THE CANCER BURN OUT THE CANCER BURN OUT THE C...
Quite an astonishing book. Unlike the previous Jerry Cornelius book (The final programme), the plot is significant to the book. Thats not to say its any easier to understand. It concerns Jerrys hunt for a mysterious deviceof his, and the attempts of others, particularly the grotesque BishopBeesly, to get hold of the device for their own ends.

This book, thoughoften humourous, has a far more serious tone than its predecessor, and somevery harsh satire. Targets include the irrelevence of the popular press andcorruption within the Catholic Church.

The title refers to both a literalcure (as described in the section headings), and more importantly, to"Social Cancer" which is cured by Ethnic Cleansing. The image ofhoardes of NATO helicopters napalming London, screaming "BURN OUT THECANCER" will stay with you a long time.

This book is well worth reading.
I think that the way that michael moorcock writes this book makes to the fact that yet again he has come up with a best selling book, even some ofthe less inteligent people in my school have read it and have been able tocomment on it posititvely. well done.

Do you want to know what is happing in Kosavo?
And why a generation that avoided napalm, now is bombing the hell out of the Balkins? This book will not give a direct answer, but it can give you a rare deep look into the darker side of the countercluture at the time ofits creation, not a cheesy, moralistic look back by some ultra-repentant,dew eyed hippy. You can hear the NATO copters with loudspeakers screamingLETS FIND A CURE FOR CANCER LETS FIND A CURE FOR CANCER LETS FIND A CUREFOR CANCER ... Read more

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Once more into the matter transmitter for an unforgettable journey to ancient Mars! Pulled back to earth on the eve of his marriage to the beautiful Princess Shizala, brilliant physicist Michael Kane must once again journey to the Red Planet to reclaim a life of swordplay and high adventure in the tradition of Edgar Rice Burroughs! Kane finds himself on a different Mars, a place of blue giants and red revolution that ultimately leads to a ruined obsidian city inhabited by savage spider-men. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Perfect Planetary Pastiche
Lord of the Spiders is the second in the "Kane of Old Mars" trilogy that Micheal Moorcock apparently banged out over a few weeks back in 1965.Sequel to City of the Beast, and followed by Masters of Pit, its original title was Blades of Mars.Kane is an earthman seeking to return to Mars, to marry his beautiful Shizala.He reconstructs his transporter machine, makes careful calculations - and gets it wrong.He is either in the wrong place, or the wrong time, or both.Luckily though, he is still on Mars, so he shrugs his shoulders and sets off in search of adventure.He meets Hool Hazi, a blue giant - but a friendly one - whose taste in women leads to disaster, and Kane and Hool Hazi must flee for their lives from a despotic tyrant.

All kind of events then ensue, including a run in with the surprisingly sporting titular villian.After that, the tyrant is vanquished, Hool Hazi asssumes his rightful throne and Kane sets off once again, only to met old friends and old enemies both.

Like the other Kane books, this is straight-up old-fashioned sword and planet tale with despicable villians, sturdy heroes, and beautiful women.Its brevity is an asset in this age of doorstop tomes, a breathless breakneck story that hurries to its satisfying end.

Jhaeman's Review
Michael Moorcock's Kane of Old Mars trilogy continues in the eighth Planet Stories book, under the name Lord of the Spiders.* After his untimely departure from Mars, Kane enlists a wealthy benefactor to help him recreate the machine that sent him to the red planet. The device works, but Kane finds himself in an area of Mars far removed from where he was before--and this time, he's caught up in a war between rival sects of the Argzoon, the blue giants he fought in the previous book. Kane becomes the battle-tactician for one of the factions, and discovers that an old enemy is responsible for the war. And will he ever see his beloved Shizala again? (sigh . . .)

Not surprisingly, this book is very much in the same vein as the first one. It is fast-paced, heavy on the action, and light on the exposition. More time, however, is spent on the history of Old Mars and the ancient beings responsible for the amazing technological advances present (probably my favorite part of the book is when Kane leads an Argzoon expedition to survey a lost city of the ancients). At 132 pages, this is another quick and mildly enjoyable read--it won't transcend any stereotypes, but it's fun for what it is.

* The original title of the book is Blades of Mars. I'm not sure why Paizo titled the book Lord of the Spiders, as there's only one brief chapter involving the man-spiders depicted on the book's cover. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Hard to Follow
I think this book will make sense and be enjoyable only if you've read everything Moorcock has written at least twice and at least recently.

I read his earlier stuff many years ago and just started reading his new stuff. I admit I got lost and a little bored, so I guess this was not the book for me.

Not just for children
I ordered just for beauty of pictures.
Now I am back to be young / it was long way to go /and I enjoy book.....
I will keep for my grandchildren... now they can only borow it under mysupervision.......

A great introduction to Moorcock's multiverse
A range of familiar Moorcock characters from Elric , Cornelius to Jack Karaquazian of War Amongst the Angels and Blood, all merging together in a finale which is hard to beat.I can't agree that Moorcock is a lazy writer, though so many people have pinched his ideas, it might seem that he's 'borrowing' what in fact he created inthe first place -- DC alone owe him for ideas found in almost all their current lines.I find him a complex but engaging writer with maybe the broadest sweep of anyone alive today.This version of the comic lacks the departments (letters section, Rick Klaw's column and so on) but gains Moorcock's explanation of his Multiverse seen as a series of 'planes', like so many billions of Mandelbrot sets only varying in the slightest detail from set to set and only diverging markedly when they are millions of planes apart.It's one of the best models of a multiverse I know, borrowing from modern physics and math theory (Doughty and Mandelbrot) -- unless, of course, they're borrowing from him! Whatever, it's some of the most interest pure science fiction around, and coming from someone who says they write fantasy not sf.Reminds us what a good sf writer Moorcock can be when he wants to be (cf Dancers at the End of Time and The Black Corridor).

Michael Moorcock's Artiverse
The outstanding art is enough reason to venture into this multiverse.

The art's so special that it distracted me from the text. When I realized that, I made a complete pass thru the book just looking at the graphics. It's dazzling: artists Simonson, Reeve, and Ridgway and colorist Wood each contribute to a dazzling show.

Presumably Moorcock as writer guides the artists but the text itself seems to me to contribute less than I would have expected from Moorcock (I've read and relished 8 of his books). Well, it's a different genre and maybe the text is meant to take a back seatto the individual art and to the structure the writer provides for that art.

Multiverse, chaos engineers, they may mean something but this book seemed largely a visual trip and a splendid one at that. After you've gone thru it many times, perhaps the graphics will become familiar enough that you can attend well to the text. Ultimately, graphics and text should work together, but so far for me the graphics keep grabbing my attention. Not the worse fate.

The Zeitjugo- the mythical game of time
To call this an ambitious project would be an understatement. That is because this is an attempt to express the totality of Moorcock's conception of the multiverse in graphic novel form. In other words, it describes not only our somewhat familiar universe, but also all possible universes. Not only that, but it describes them all, over the entire range of time, because as the author points out, all of time exists simultaneously. It is only human consciousness that organizes it in a linear or cyclic fashion. In fact, that is what the main protagonists of the story, the Chaos Engineers, do- they range the entire multiverse, upscale and downscale, in their living organic vessels. They do this in the service of complexity and diversity. They do this in opposition to their sworn eternal enemies the lords of sterile, dead, and static Order.

Now, operating on the margins of this great eternal conflict between Chaos and Order are the Jugadors, who are the Great Players who play the multiverse as a game- or is it as an instrument? They maintain the great dynamic equilibrium between Order and Chaos. This is because one must never be allowed to totally triumph over the other- that would spell the end of the whole. It is the Balance, the perfect equilibrium, which is the ideal. Most of the sentient and nonsentient universe is rooted in this struggle. This includes a majority of Moorcock's major characters, from Elric to the Rose, to Begg, Von Bek, Keraquazian, Cornelius, Bastable, etc.

This is not an easy story to follow. The logic is complex, but it is consistent. You almost have to be a metatemporal detective like Sir Seaton Beggs to follow it. Indeed, the principle artist makes an appearance in the story proclaiming that he doesn't understand the rules! That is what makes fiction like this so enjoyable- it is so utterly challenging in the way that Moorcock has thrown away all the rules of conventional fiction. It is a grand jazz riff of metaphysics of flow of consciousness- or higher consciousness. It is no wonder that this has been described as the crowning achievement of all the decades of his work.

See you on the moonbeam roads.... ... Read more

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terrific action-packed reprint
Dorian Hawkmoon and his companion Oladahn the Bulgar Mountain Beastman journey towards Castle Brass.However their trek is interrupted by the powerful ruthless Dark Empire of Granbretan armies and their evil dark jewel power (see The Jewel in the Skull).The pair survive and enter Soryandum a rare city not conquered by the Dark Empire due to their knowledge of time and space.

Dorian thinks if he can learn the secrets of this safe city, he can use them to keep Kamar safe; the home of his beloved Yisselda, currently a prisoner of the Mad God.Hawkmoon knows he must battle through the Granbretan forces and evil monsters, but is unprepared for nasty pirates assaulting him and his travel mates.Still he and the others continue their quest knowing the madwomen army of the Mad God awaits them before he can attempt to take the amulet away from the insane deity.

This reprint from the Law and Chaos saga is a terrific action-packed entry as the rules of existence are fought eternally.Filled with battle scenes after battle scenes, the cast is never developed except somewhat the hero and the use of chance to move forward the quest is distracting.However, readers who enjoy an ultra high octane fantasy set in a fascinating multiverse will appreciate the adventures of Hawkmoon.

Harriet Klausner
... Read more

Product Description
The Eternal Champion is doomed to live forever in a thousand incarnations. Elric of Melnibone, emperor of the most important nation in the world, struggles for his love, empire, and sanity. Little does he know that he also battles the forces of the Cosmic Balance. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (20)

A Hero of a Different Color
So much has already been written in the excellent reviews here that I will keep this brief. This is my first Michael Moorcock reading and I couldn't put it down. Thoughtful, challenging, and -- in spite of Elric's inclinations toward doom -- not nearly as dark as other books I've read. I highly recommend it.

Ironic fantasy
It's a shame that the tradition in which Moorcock and a few others write has been almost swamped into non-existence by the kind of security-blanket fiction preferred by the likes of poor Mr Powell, whose review appears here.There was a time when James Branch Cabell, Lord Dunsany, Fritz Leiber, Jack Vance and, yes, the great M.John Harrison, more or less dominated this field.Now it has been taken over by the depthless pseudo-seriousness which once characterized the worst pulp sci-fi.It's sad that the portentousness of Tolkien and his followers dominated by sentimentality and ersatz seriousness has become the benchmark, so that the majority (as always, I guess) has the feel and texture of a baby's security blanket.You can almost smell the milk on the breath and see those hurt little eyes staring at the albino as he pulls their comforters from their lips and goes on about his horrid business.I'm even beginning to suspect that the Tolkienoids, in common with the religious right who are their spiritual comrades, are trying to kick at Moorcock's shins with their little slippered feet.This makes me remember why I only ever went to one fantasy convention.
If you want the real stuff, that's in the tradition of the great non-generic fantasts, Moorcock's the first you should try. Then try Cawthorn and Moorcock's 100 Best Fantasy Books, which will give you some idea of the great tradition you've been missing. Incidentally, Moorcock and his collaborator are perfectly kind to Tolkien and are positive about him. But if Tolkein clones are your idea of the best, it's time you took a look at the real hard stuff.

Michael Moorcock--Crypto-Froot Loop
I can't imagine that anyone reading this review is actually someone who could stand to benefit by it; surely, no one reads the review of a Michael Moorcock volume--let alone the fifth volume of his series--without either having already read it, or already being a die hard fan of his work. But let us pretend that it is not necessarily so, and that my words of caution might have some effect on the world other than to anger the Moorcock faithful, and proceed.

As you may or may not be aware, this volume comprises the fifth volume in the "Eternal Champion Series" but was, originally, a number of different works, some of which were written before Moorcock had come upon the idea of an "Eternal Champion." The works in this volume, moreover, were not even published in the order that they appear in this collection: the forth story was published first; the second, last. Does reading these stories out of their originally published order affect the reading? Of course it does, and much to the detriment. Also, and because of the lame Eternal Champion idea that Moorcock eventually came up with to unite his works (idea being that almost all of his heroes in various stories are incarnations of the same guy in a different dimension), Moorcock liberally brings in characters and names from his other books without any real context, expecting us to have read his entire library. Further, because these stories are published out of order, some of the stories reference ideas like the Eternal Champion, and multiverse, and some we read after (but published first), do not. Some characters are brought in without much background because Moorcock had described them in an earlier published work... but that's not the order they're in here.

Really, this is a poor approach--if you must read Moorcock, read them in the original order as published. But, I think there's a good question as to whether these stories are worth reading at all.

The first story in the collection (published forth, naturally) is probably the best--Elric of Melnibone. It is also the worst because it leads you to believe that the rest of the stories might be worth reading, too; your memories of Elric of Melnibone will push you onwards through the LSD-influenced Fortress of the Pearl and dull-as-dishwater Sailor on the Seas of Fate, and utterly forgettable short stories once published as The Weird of the White Wolf for some arcane reason. Moorcock writes bloodless prose, which for him is really more of an exercise in fleshing out his bizzare Law versus Chaos theories than telling a compelling, human story. His descriptions are sparse, his vocabulary alternating between smarter-than-thou fifty dollar words and incredibly repetitious (a great Moorcock drinking game would include a shot every time he uses the word "ironic" to describe someone's smile or tone of voice, and two for "sardonic"). His "hero," Elric, is a depressed moper who succeeds only because some random God or another scoops him out deus-ex-machina style from the flames at the last second. Make no mistake: Moorcock writes with agendas, political and philosophical. Unfortunately, he doesn't write with them all that well, and his works decline in quality over time as he lets them take over the normal conventions of plot and character.

Speaking of, his plots are weak and his characters borderline non-existent. The tone of his work is unceasingly morose, and the only thing worse being when he tries to interject some humor because it always falls flat. Elric hates living--he hates trudging through the stories he's forced, Fated, to endure--and his world weariness communicates itself to the reader. We, too, are depressed after reading his journeys.

Moorcock wanted to write something unlike the fiction of J.R.R. Tolkien, and in that he succeeded. (Before--or after--reading this, you may be interested to read Moorcock's nonfiction essay "Starship Stormtroopers," easily found on the web, in which he declares the writings of Tolkien, Issac Asimov, Robert Heinlein, Richard Adams, C.S. Lewis, H.P. Lovecraft, and many others to be "crypto-fascist," "misanthropic," "misogynistic," "bourgeois," "anti-semitic" and other such things; despite its promising insanity, this essay is sadly even worse written than his fiction.) Tolkien wrote engaging prose with humor and wonderful characters you'll treasure forever. Moorcock wrote dry and funereal prose (though undoubtedly "ironic" and "sardonic"), with benighted characters you'd sooner forget, which you will.

Once again, I doubt that anyone is reading this review who could actually stand to benefit by it; unlike Mr. Tolkien and the other greats that Moorcock mindlessly maligns, the world has essentially forgotten Michael Moorcock, a process that takes up steam with every passing year, and will relegate him to a footnote in the annals of mediocre fantasy fiction. In the end, I think that Moorcock, himself, understood this, and that jealousy as much as his odd anarchic-fringe idealism fueled his hate-filled diatribe. As these things infected his fiction as well, I cannot recommend this volume to anyone other than the very curious who've already read Moorcock's betters. One star because it's mandatory, and one more for the passing-good Elric of Melnibone.

The genesis of Dark Fantasy...
What can I say about this pioneering work in the Field of Fantasy, except that Micheal Moorcock deserved to win(and did) the British Fantasy award for all five books when they came out. And now you have the chance to buy these books in one collectors edition, this is not something that you should miss out on...nor should you forget that this is still part of a larger textured world known as the Eternal Champion Series, each volume as devastatingly brilliant as the one who brought them to their well deserved recognition.

The first half of the Elric saga
What to say, what to say... the Elric saga is one of the most excellent fantasy series ever written. This is the first part, composed of the first three books, excluding Fortress of the Pearl, which was written after the six-book saga was completed. Nevertheless, it fits smoothly.

Elric of Melnibone - The flawless beginning of the saga. Elric of Melnibone introduces its namesake, his best friend Dyvim Tvar, his lover Cymoril, and his competent cousin Yyrkoon. This is, obviously, the first true advancement into the story; but as I mentioned before, it is flawless.

The Fortress of the Pearl - A sidestory, taking place between Elric of Melnibone and the Sailor on the Seas of Fate. Not as good as the other installments in the series, but a gem nonetheless.

The Sailor on the Seas of Fate - Split into three seperate, overall unrelated stories. Of course, all three fit into the current storyline, but each can be considered a seperate adventure. The first introduces Hawkmoon, Erekose, and Corum, three of the other incarnations of the Eternal Champion. The next two tell of Elric's adventures with Smiorgan and Duke Avan.

The Dreaming City - The conclusion to the plot that was set up through the entire first book (Elric of Melnibone). To say any more would spoil and excellent plot twist. Also, to mention, this is the first part of Weird of the White Wolf, the third book in the Elric Saga.

While the Gods Laugh - The second part of Weird. Here Elric meets Shaarilla, the wingless woman of Myrrh. Also, in this story, Elric meets Moonglum, his most faithful companion, and the one who stayed with the albino warrior the longest. An excellent story, simply put.

The Singing Citadel - Elric's first meeting with his long-lasting enemy (from this point on), the sorcerer and servant to Chaos, Theleb K'aarna. Here Elric also meets Yishana, who appears once more in the future Elric stories. The third installment in Weird.

My final word: Read it, read it, read it! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Not Free SF Reader
Tallow is a short, odd man, who goes to find a Golden Barge, and with it, himself.His journey takes him through green women, war, death and other assorted goings on.

The introduction says this was the first thing Moorcock ever wrote, and he has changed it a bit for publication.

Genius leaps fully drawn into a golden and mystic dawn
Who said authors cant leap fully made into great work.This is a great work.Often an authors early work is some or all of their best and this applies to Michael Moorcock.It captures brilliantly in the image of the unobtainable golden barge moving down the river - the unobtainable desire for the golden mean of contentedness and happiness as we move through our lives.

It encapsulates better than any novel I have ever read the word - no let us say "empire" of "yearning".

Not bad for a teenager
In his introduction to the first edition (Savoy) Mr Moorcock explains how this is his first surviving book, done at an early age under the influence of his friend Mervyn Peake.He tends to disparage it but there is an odd, original quality about this book.You can now get it, with a lot of other good material, in White Wolf's EARL AUBEC volume, which reprints much of the author's shorter fiction, plus this novel.These beautifully produced illustrated editions are definitive and are well worth buying. Excellent value.But the original Savoy edition with its gold-leaf Moreau cover and its Cawthorn interior illustrations still isn't that expensive second hand from the UK. Check out the Savoy website for some strange, beautifuleditions of VERY obscure titles!

Profoundly true and self reflecting
This was a book I read 15 or so years ago. Of the hundreds I have read this has been the most remembered and enjoyable read by far. For years I have looked for a personal copy having borrowed the one I read with out success. I would recommend to anyone, to beg, borrow, steal or pester Amazon.com to get you a copy of your own. The fable is a story following a river yet never catching up. By the end of the tale you pray the narrator will find his goal. The goal is well worth discovering and you must read the story to find out what it is.This is and is not religious. This book can also be considered a self help story, or perhaps a study in personal understanding. If you read it you will never forget it! PS. If you don't like it, I buy your copy! ... Read more