Elric: The Stealer of Souls (Chronicles of the Last Emperor of Melniboné, Vol. 1)

This fantastic book is a collection of novellas concerning Elric and his accursed blade, Stormbringer. What brilliant writing! This was a complete joy, and anyone that enjoyed Lord of the Rings will find this enthralling as well. The story is so original despite the fact that it shares the common structure of sword & sorcery which is "hero goes on a quest to fulfill said objective, encounters obstacles, and prevails." I knew right away I had to read this book when Alan Moore, one of the most gifted comic book writers of all time said the Elric stories were classics. Michael Moorcock writes in a similar way, with dense description and vocabulary, and philosophical questions in parallel with action. Elric is a fascinating, flawed "anti-hero" in the Greek tradition. The gods put him on endless quests, Sisyphus-like, and his sword Stormbringer is one of the most interesting inanimate objects as character in all of fiction. Elric, Stealer of Souls is a collection of novellas presented in serial form. If you have read trade paperback anthologies of comic book series like "Y- the Last Man" or "The Watchmen" this style will be familiar to you. Each novella is a self-encapsulated story of its own, and in totality, they all build to create a greater dramatic arc together. The introduction is by Alan Moore and it is dense and thoughtful. Remarks by the author follow. Michael Moorcock simultaneously gives the reader a primer on the sword & sorcery structure and history while laying out what he intends to accomplish with Elric. After the stories, the author shares with us some of the allegorical meanings behind the Elric saga. Rather than spoiling the story as so often occurs, it adds a dimension. He writes to entertain, but the bigger issues he attempts to discuss below the surface are profound, and do not detract from the story. Like his Multiverse concept, the story of Elric is enjoyable on many levels. When he tells the reader some of his intent, he also teases, by saying he does not intend to spur us to re-read the book, looking for these themes. I wanted to do exactly that. Elric is a must-read for any fan, casual or serious, of the "fantasy" genre. Anyone that has played Dungeons & Dragons will instantly recognize how extremely foundational Elric was to the game. More so even than Lord of the Rings, or the Arthurian legend, Elric stories were the genesis for D&D. Michael Moorcock has labored in relative obscurity, and is self-effacing in his writing, like a true artist, detesting his work for the minute flaws that only he can see. I consider him a member of the pantheon of writing greats such as Tolkien, Herbert, and Alan Moore. I pity those readers who content themselves with the lightweight work of JK Rowling and have never experienced the multiverse of Elric, Stealer of Souls.

More popular and well-known in England than here in the States (though by no means unknown on this side of the pond), Michael Moorcock's Elric saga is a touchstone work of fantasy that's seldom praised simply because it's become too familiar, too comfortable a houseguest in the hearts and minds of its many fans. It's not that it isn't a great work of fantasy fiction, or that it didn't have an earth-shaking effect on the genre--it's simply that those effects have been so long-hence encountered and absorbed that we've sort of forgotten the initial shock and wonder of them. Not only did it introduce the world to its mean, moody, and magnificent eponymous antihero, it's also a well-realized piece of escapist fiction: as finely-tuned and smoothly crafted as its auspicious pulpy predecessors, and overflowing with adventuresome incident, unforgettable characters, malefic mysticism, and wonders galore. I was first introduced to Elric at a time when fantasy, for me, consisted of a very simple trinity: The Hobbit (and by extension, The Lord of the Rings); Conan the Barbarian (who I was more familiar with through his Marvel comics than through his film incarnation, who I was still not allowed to watch); and Dungeons & Dragons. Fantasy was hobbits running from goblins bearing magic rings. Fantasy was a big, strapping hero cutting a bloody swathe through the world because no one--I mean no one--could stop him. Or, fantasy was my older brother and his friends (and sometimes, me, after much whining) sitting around our dining room table eating Cheetos, drinking grape soda, pretending to be on some rad adventure in a mythical land of dragons and wizards--when in fact all we were doing was sitting at a table, staring at a map, occasionally rolling some funny dice to see if we made our saving throws or not. In short, fantasy was safe; fantasy was escapist; and fantasy was, largely, still about good and evil, right and wrong, being small and morally upright like a hobbit, or big, brawny, bloody and lusty like Conan. But, encountering Elric, I discovered something that my precocious-but-still-fairly-sheltered little mind could barely grasp: fantasy didn't need good and evil. More importantly, fantasy could be about some deep, serious, frightening and philosophical stuff--while also being thoroughly entertaining and wildly imaginative. What a concept! Elric was nothing like the other heroes I'd read about or seen in movies. He was skinny, scrawny, pale ; he was physically weak but incredibly smart, and liked to sit and think about things; and even though he was the guy in charge--the prince, the leader!--he didn't seem happy about it. Most of the heroes I'd encountered always started as nobody but became great leaders. Getting to be in charge was, in many ways, the prize they earned by being the heroes of stories (that, and getting the girl). But here was a guy who was already large and in charge, yet didn't seem to care. But chief among Elric's attractions was his constant awareness of how shady everything and everyone around him was. He didn't trust the decadence of his fellow Melnibonéans, or their entire, degenerate culture. He didn't trust the chaos gods he regularly sought help from (though he still sought help from them, because chaos gods are more or less reliable when it comes to slaying your enemies and stuff). And when he finally acquires Stormbringer at the end of Elric of Melniboné--the black, red rune-covered, soul-sucking sword that will ultimately make him a fearsome legend in his own time ("Bound by hell-forged chains and fate-haunted circumstance") --well, he doesn't trust that damned sword, either. For a hero, Elric spent an awful lot of time questioning things, and that made an impression on me as a youngster, even though it would be years before I could intellectually articulate why it made an impression. There was also the worldview offered by Michael Moorcock--a cosmology in which there were no gods of good or evil--indeed, there was almost never even a consideration of good and evil. Rather, in Elric's world (and, I would come to learn, all the worlds of the `Multiverse' which Moorcock's imagination played in), the primary conflict was between Law (capital L) and Chaos (capital C). These forces were neither good nor evil in and of themselves; they were, rather, meant to be in balance. And Elric, as an incarnation of the Eternal Champion, was meant not to always champion one cause or the other, but simply to restore a balance. So what are you waiting for? These new omnibus editions gather all of Moorcock's Elric tales and present them in corrected editions in a new order. They're the perfect way to meet Elric for the first time--or to revisit his world after many years away.

This book wasn't a novel as I had expected, but more a collection of the early Elric stories, starting back in the 60s when Michael Moorcock first began writing them. Back then, SF/F novels weren't the gargantuan things they are today, so what was being published would be considered novella length now. Regardless, it was a pleasure to revisit the old stories and be re-introduced to both Elric and to Michael Moorcock's universe of the Eternal Champion. Definitely an excellent read, and definitely one that I'll be buying the sequels to.

Elric has its appealing moments, but much of the novelty of the universe is tempered with slow plot development and flat characters. I was handed a list of formative fantasy novels by a friend and this one piqued my interest as the first to read. Early on the novel establishes that it will not be moving at a brisk pace, with the first chapter devoted to the creation of the 'hero' Elric and it spends all too much time to trying to establish Elric as a brooding ex-monarch. Consistently we hear about how Elric's people are this great long-lived civilization that ruled the world, but that gravitas really never enters the reader's mind while enjoying the novel. The magic system is quickly used and we really never get a good explanation of how the different planes really interact with one another. Characters are introduced left and right and quickly you discover the red-shirt syndrome and unlike in Martin's "A Song of Ice and Fire" you really never get attached to them prior to their unceremonious demise. When I finished, I came to the realization that Elric had not advanced as a character throughout the book. He was the same as at the beginning, except his adventures had gotten even more ludicrous as time went on. Rather than being pulled into the end of the world, I found myself losing the willing suspension of disbelief and instead just chuckled at the clear path the novel was taking. His travels to a parallel world to kill a zombie Roland in particular broke my taking this novel seriously. With all the above said, there are many good characteristics about the book. Elric's soul-stealing sword is fiercely enjoyable and creative and kept my interest engaged as we tried to understand what it's purpose was. Similar, the seeming ennui of the characters towards what Fate is setting them up to do kept me chuckling as totally random choices were made based on this perceived hand of Fate. The descriptions of the people and places I found quite excellent especially towards the end of the novel where some of the fantastically unbelievable adventures with Chaos happen. The forces of Chaos are described enough to understand, but not enough to remove the active imagination from engaging. This is a good read and I don't regret the time spent with Elric, but it didn't really hit my desire to understand the formative fantasy novelists.

I read all the original Elric books many years ago and the years between haven't lessened how good they are. Elric is a different hero from most in this genre and can be very dark but many of today's series owes something to the Elric saga. This book shows the beginning and end of Elric, I also recommend reading many of the tales between the first and last I story in this book. You will find them in other books and while they are dark, they show also the other side of Elric.

An earlier review ("Good if you already like Elric", by G. Steyn, already up-voted as 'helpful/useful') sums up most of my concerns and reservations with this volume. Specifically that the reviews and other feedback, while interesting to existing fans and those curious about initial reaction and longer term impact, delay the reader from getting right into the story. Even though I enjoyed that material, the delay could be costly (in terms of alienating new readers or readers seeking to satisfy their urge for instant gratification). G. Steyn left another observation that hit the mark: the novel opens with what appears to be the weakest stories. Again, readers already familiar with the character (and those who want see the chronological development of these events, as was the case with this reviewer) will be more accepting of this arrangement. New readers might be more inclined to put the book down (possibly permanently) instead of finish. On the plus side, it was rewarding to read this collection of stories in a more sequential order. The Elric character is intriguing, if at times juvenile or given to melodrama. This attribute, while sometimes making him frustrating to relate to, offers as much evidence of his anti-hero status as the hellblade he yields. Moorcock seems at his best when offering big ideas, such as in this passage from, "Doomed Lords Passing": "Perhaps all is cyclic and this event will occur again and again until the universe is run down and fades away as the world we knew has faded. Meaning, Elric? Do not seek that, for madness lies in such a course." "No meaning, no pattern. Then why have I suffered all this?" "Perhaps even the gods seek meaning and pattern and this is merely one attempt to find it." Here, Moorcock illustrates a distillation of one the core philosophies in the Elric stories. Not only is the notion that there was a civilized world long before recorded history a very different take on things, but that those who ruled it still answered to a higher power that could be every bit as lacking omniscience as their mortal counterparts was food for thought. All in all, a worthy read. Even for those as yet uninitiated to a universe bound by Law and Chaos, they need only exercise patience to reach the "Stormbringer" section the novel. Failing that, an impatient reader could simply skip ahead. Bless the Kindle for that functionality. ;-)

Wonderful short stories from the early sixties. You can see how these tales influenced so much of what came afterwards, not just in sci-fi books, but in today's in video games.

If you are new to the series, this is the last book you want to read. I would suggest that you use wiki to find the internal chronological order. However, this is a great series and i'm sure to be a new fan of Moorcock's work.

Obviously there is nothing new in this collection but it really is a nicely packaged presentation of some of Moorecock's best and most popular material. I don't often buy these repackaged collections (which seems quite a regular publishers trick with many of the best authors, especially Mr Moorcock) but my much read and much loved copy's of the Elric novels were begining to dissolve into the atmosphere. As these books are not available on Kindle (WHY?, please whoever makes these descions, more Moorcock on Kindle!) I brought it, and I'm glad I did. For anyone not familiar with the Elric stories I urge you to give them a try. These are not the usual heroic fantasy stories that seem mass produced at times, Elric is a far more morally complex character than the obligatory paragon of virtue hero or evilly deranged bad guy in most works in this genre. He's not exactly amoral, far from it, it's simply that his morality is so far removed from humanity hat it's almost unrecognisable. Almost. Elric is a genuinely tortured soul, in a very real and littoral sense, who is trapped by his destiny to be the champion and protector of a humanity that he is not , and never can be a part of, except for very occasional and fleeting moments that only serve to highlight his alienation. If all this sounds a bit heavy (or pretentious, if you like), relax. These are also bloody good stories. Fast paced, exciting sword and sorcery escapism that also happen to be absorbing and very well written. Defiantly for those who like a bit of intelligence and complexity with their blood and mayhem.

Ob man dieses Buch kaufen sollte, hängt stark davon ab was man sucht. Ist man auf der Suche nach einem Fantasyepos wie ihn George R. R. Martin oder Robert Jordan geschaffen haben, dann ist man hier sicherlich falsch. Ist man aber auf der Suche nach der historischen Entwicklung des Fantasygenres, dann ist man hier richtig. Michael Moorcock hat mit Elric in den frühen sechziger Jahren ein Fantasywerk geschaffen, welches er der Low Fantasy von Howard (Conan) und der High Fantasy von Tolkien (Herr der Ringe) entgegensetzte und dem er gleichzeitig ein Stück des Lebensgefühls seiner Zeit mitgab. Das Buch ist nicht vergleichbar mit neueren Fantasywerken, die als Roman in einem Verlag veröffentlicht wurden. Schon allein die Sprache, die Ausarbeitung der Handlung, der Welt und der Charaktere ist schwierig zu beurteilen, wird aber dem Anspruch der damaligen Zeit und Publikationsform (Journal) gerecht. Man kann das Buch getrost demjenigen empfehlen, der einmal den Kontrast und die Entwicklung der Fantasyliteratur sehen will und nicht abgeschreckt ist vom immensen Anteil Hintergrundliteratur (zur Veröffentlichung und Entwicklung) aus der diese Sammlung besteht, denn auf eine Seite Geschichte kommen gut und gerne zwei Seiten Kommentar.

good

Despite reading fantasy novels from a young age, this is, in fact, the first book by Michael Moorcock I have ever read. I had of course heard of Elric, but just had never gotten around to reading the stories. I was really pleased when I found out about this set as I was very confused as to which order the books should be read in - these new editions are ideal for readers new to the saga such as myself. I'll be totally honest and say that the actual quality of writing is not great - in fact it's pretty awful. The characters are not developed very deeply and it wasn't one of those books that I would lose myself in - it was all a bit flat. Also the stories themselves seemed to be rather samey - Elric travels somewhere, encounters a monster, kills it with his big black sword, sobs a bit and feels sorry for himself. I felt that the reader had to fill the gaps in themselves with their imagination to render the characters some personality. I am assuming that as the stories went on (this being only volume one) Moorcock developed as a writer and improvements were made, because if not, then I really am left wondering what all the fuss is about regarding his writing skills. I did feel enough interest in Elric and Moonglum to want to read the next volume, and hope that the characters are developed more fully subsequently. The extras in the book did not really enhance it for me at all as the paper quality is fairly poor - it is a very soft covered book and the illustrations are all b/w.