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Elric Volume 1: Elric of Melnibone (The Elric Saga #1)
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 adven...more
Compact Disc, Abridged, 0 pages
Published
November 29th 2006
by Audio Realms
(first published September 4th 1972)
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After reading and having my hair blown back by The Swords Trilogy (The Knight of the Swords,The Queen of the Swords and The King of the Swords), I decided to dive into the adventures of Moorcock's most famous avatar of the Eternal Champion, Elric of Melnibone.
This first installment serves as a nice introduction to the contemplative albino sorcerer, who rules the ancient, powerful land of Melnibone. It was a nice surprise to learn that in the never ending, multi-dimensional cosmic dus...more
This first installment serves as a nice introduction to the contemplative albino sorcerer, who rules the ancient, powerful land of Melnibone. It was a nice surprise to learn that in the never ending, multi-dimensional cosmic dus...more
I have spent a long time searching for a modern fantastical epic which is worth reading. It seems like there should be one, out there, somewhere. I have so enjoyed the battlefields of Troy, the dank cavern of Grendel's dam, Dido's lament, Ovid's hundred wild-spun tales, perfidious Odysseus, the madness of Orlando, Satan's twisted rhetoric, and Gilgamesh's sea-voyage to the forgotten lands of death. And so I seek some modern author to reinvent these tales with some sense of scholarship, poetry, c...more
In which Elric fights off his cousin's usurpation, first strikes a deal with Arioch and other higher powers, meets Rackhir the Red Archer, acquires the sword Stormbringer, and makes a lot of terrible choices in the name of defying Fate and the Powers That Be.
Overwrought and amateurish, and yet still a classic of fantastic literature: wonderfully dry (you can almost picture him writing these books with one eyebrow continuously cocked at his typewriter), compelling, a quick read, and f...more
Overwrought and amateurish, and yet still a classic of fantastic literature: wonderfully dry (you can almost picture him writing these books with one eyebrow continuously cocked at his typewriter), compelling, a quick read, and f...more
Tom
rated it
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review of another edition
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review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Fantasy and Dark fiction fans
Shelves:
fantasy
Michael Moorcock created a new kind of hero in Elric of Melnibone. Elric first appeared in several novelettes in the early 1960's (later collected as sequels to this volume).
Here, the brooding wizard prince of the ancient and powerful kingdom fights his male cousin, Yrkoon, for a seat on the Ruby Throne, and the love of his female cousin, Cymoril.
As a physically frail, well educated, wizard Elric is the opposite of the traditional warrior hero. This book stands the test o...more
Here, the brooding wizard prince of the ancient and powerful kingdom fights his male cousin, Yrkoon, for a seat on the Ruby Throne, and the love of his female cousin, Cymoril.
As a physically frail, well educated, wizard Elric is the opposite of the traditional warrior hero. This book stands the test o...more
A very interesting and well written set of books with the central character being Elric of Melnibone. Elric is an Albino king who is very sickly and weak until he discovers "stormbringer" a 'rune sword' of incredible power. With it, he is able to restore himself to the throne and many other things but it is bittersweet. The sword Stormbringer exacts its own price.
The whole "Elric" series is well written, a fast read, and full of twists and changes.
The whole "Elric" series is well written, a fast read, and full of twists and changes.
jackalope Mack
rated it
·
review of another edition
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
People disappointed with Harry Potter
Shelves:
sciencefiction
I'll never forget the first time I heard about Elric. It was at the high school graduation party of my friend, Denyse Byrd. Denyse was an intriguing figure to me. I never had the courage to ask her out. While she did not look like Morticia Addams, she had a certain dark allure about her, like Morticia. If she ever reads this, I hope she takes this in a good way.
Anyway, at the party, Denyse mentioned that she'd read Elric and found something in the books that she never got out of "...more
Anyway, at the party, Denyse mentioned that she'd read Elric and found something in the books that she never got out of "...more
I read this one years ago. When I ran across this audio version I picked it up. Having not read any of the Eternal Champion volumes for a long time it sort of "reminded me" how much I liked many of them.
This short book serves as a sort of "intro" to the entire Elric saga and we get a look at much of the character Mr. Moorcock was building for Elric (and I'd forgotten how annoying Elric could be).
This (these actually as it applies to the Elric series) i...more
This short book serves as a sort of "intro" to the entire Elric saga and we get a look at much of the character Mr. Moorcock was building for Elric (and I'd forgotten how annoying Elric could be).
This (these actually as it applies to the Elric series) i...more
Haven't read fantasy in a long, long while. When I was a teenager, my diet put the genre on par with science fiction, i.e. I read a lot of it. But by the time my role-playing ways turned away from Dungeons & Dragons in university, I also turned my back on sword&sorcery. This week, airport terminals and plane rides in my immediate future, I was looking for something short and compact in my pile of unread second hand books when I found the first three Elric books. On the heels of reading and enjoy...more
Notice: I have made a review for every book of this series and they need to be read in order since they are supposed to feel like an on-going impression. So if you read the second without reading the first will feel rather off.
I am mostly focusing on the style of storytelling and a lot less on if it reads well or something sophisticated like that. For the same reason I tend to have lots of SPOILERS which means that if you read this text you will know THE OVERALL PLOT and how much I DI...more
I am mostly focusing on the style of storytelling and a lot less on if it reads well or something sophisticated like that. For the same reason I tend to have lots of SPOILERS which means that if you read this text you will know THE OVERALL PLOT and how much I DI...more
I have this feeling that my luck is none too good. This sword here at my side don’t act the way it should. Keeps calling me it’s master, but I feel like it’s slave.
Hauling me faster and faster to an early, early grave.
And it howls! It howls like hell!
"Black Blade" by Blue Öyster Cult, lyrics by Michael Moorcock
How many authors do you know who gets to write lyrics for a song based on his book to be record by a legendary metal b...more
‘Elric’. The name is legendary. Even those who don’t really touch fantasy tend to know the name ‘Elric’ or at very least ‘Stormbringer’. Those older will know the name ‘Moorcock’ too, the creator of both the man (Elric) and his sword (Stormbringer). The books were huge, huge hits in the 60’s and 70’s because Moorcock was able to create a series that had all the themes of the time (sex, drugs, desire for peace, the struggles for freedom and need to follow your own path). In a sense, now you know ...more
This was one of the earlier fantasy works that does not fall into what I consider the fantasy genre I term as 'Lord of the Rings wannabe's'. Elric is not a hero nor is he on a quest to save the world. In fact, while not going out of his way to destroy the world, the character of Elric would be more at home as a villain than as the central character of a fantasy series. But this is what Elric is, and these stories, originally published as short stories, were compiled into what is the first of a ...more
Fantastic... read it as a young lad, made me want to be an albino (king ;-) Seriously though, really good - the only reason that I don't give any of the Elric books 5 stars is because I thought that MM could have detailed the fight scenes just a little bit more, and his characterization could have a little more 'meat' (though like Howard's work, this really isn't necessary - and not to say that MM has character building similar to Howard, far more in depth than Howard in fact). Plus... Michael...more
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, ...more
I'm not sure what to make of Elric yet. I wasn't a fan for the first half of the book. At the start, Elric is the greatest sorcerer in the world and the second greatest swordsman. He's already emperor. And the gods answer his calls for help.
That's just a little too high fantasy for me. I don't need everything to be epic. In fact I resent a story that's too epic. It's harder to relate to it.
He doesn't have much character yet either. Elric is less of a douche than...more
That's just a little too high fantasy for me. I don't need everything to be epic. In fact I resent a story that's too epic. It's harder to relate to it.
He doesn't have much character yet either. Elric is less of a douche than...more
Michael Moorcock’s first Elric novel is a commendable use of the fantasy genre to approach social and moral dilemmas. Moorcock's Melnibone’ is a lethargic dystopia and stagnating empire. In this setting, the author places his albino emperor (anti-)hero in opposition to his cousin, Yyrkoon, who believes that he could do a better job on the imperial throne, where he would restore Melnibone’ to its former grandeur and morally questionable glory. From this trope, the novel unfolds, and Elric is p...more
You know, I kept seeing Moorcock's Elric stories referred to by authors I enjoyed greatly as being totally inspirational and important to the beginnings of "New Weird" fiction (which is what people who write Urban Fantasy but want to be taken seriously call their work). So I'm going on vacation and I think to myself "This'll be the perfect thing to read on the beach or in transit; fun, surprisingly good, etc etc etc".
As it turns out I'm just not seeing it. I k...more
As it turns out I'm just not seeing it. I k...more
A recent re-read has confirmed my long-held opinion that Elric of Melnibone is, indeed, my favorite fantasy series. Moorcock creates an economic Epic, and within these short 200 pages more things happen than in many other fantasies that seem to go on and on, for thousands of pages, across multiple volumes.
This first volume sets the stage for what is one of the most bizarre, emotional, and creative adventures I've encountered. In this book, Moorcock creates the tapestry of high and lo...more
This first volume sets the stage for what is one of the most bizarre, emotional, and creative adventures I've encountered. In this book, Moorcock creates the tapestry of high and lo...more
My experience with fantasy is pretty limited. I enjoyed Tolkein's Lord of the Rings books (although some parts are so tedious you'd think they were written by a tenured old linguistics professor), and I really love Martin's A Song of Fire and Ice saga (if it ever ends). But the few other fantasy books I've read over the years, recommended by friends or tried on a whim, left so little impression on me that I can't remember their titles or authors. Unfortunately, this one falls into that last cate...more
I'm torn as to how to rate this. The book itself was a solid piece of older fantasy.
If I were to rate it as a book published in 1972, it's quite good. There are distinctive characters, interesting twists, and a decent plotline.
The major thing that bothered me was the voice. The author chose to emphasize details in a weird way. When I'm reading a fight scene, I really want to hear about the conflict and emotions of the characters. Instead, that was sort of opaque. An...more
If I were to rate it as a book published in 1972, it's quite good. There are distinctive characters, interesting twists, and a decent plotline.
The major thing that bothered me was the voice. The author chose to emphasize details in a weird way. When I'm reading a fight scene, I really want to hear about the conflict and emotions of the characters. Instead, that was sort of opaque. An...more
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I was first introduced to the brooding sorcerer-emperor of Melnibone in high school, and instantly related to his sense of not belonging, of always questioning the whys and wherefores of life.
Elric is one of fantasy's most intriguing characters, and has sparked some rather heated debates as to whether or not he can be defined as a "hero" in the classic sense. (I say yes). Elric is NOT, Conan, for which many of us with literary leanings can be profoundly grateful. Michael ...more
Elric is one of fantasy's most intriguing characters, and has sparked some rather heated debates as to whether or not he can be defined as a "hero" in the classic sense. (I say yes). Elric is NOT, Conan, for which many of us with literary leanings can be profoundly grateful. Michael ...more
I haven’t read Elric in more than twenty-five years, but I was obsessed with the series when I was a teenager. Having just recently re-read the first book, I see why my fourteen year old self devoured these things; they’re tailor-made empowerment fantasies for mildly-bright adolescent boys (Nothing necessarily wrong with that, but ... that’s definitely what this was).
For all its pretensions, Elric is essentially a by-the-numbers sword-and-sorcery story, dripping with “by-my-sword”s a...more
For all its pretensions, Elric is essentially a by-the-numbers sword-and-sorcery story, dripping with “by-my-sword”s a...more
Elric is angsty without being annoying. Then he is happy (-ish) and still believable. Some of his lines are almost comical they're so dark and brooding. At least he's decisive, though. Most contemporary fantasy heroes take up an extra 200 pages coming to a decision- for each secision- and then waste more time contemplating the ramifications of each decision. Elric just does it.
The world was also rich and more or less believable. Except when Elric traveled. He is said to have s...more
The world was also rich and more or less believable. Except when Elric traveled. He is said to have s...more
This initial story of Elric has neither suspense or much in the way of drama -- Elric is very powerful and the obstacles in Elric's way are generally easily surmounted through either his ability or boons of summoned powers. But there are two things that I enjoy:
1) The story telling is much like reading a tale as told by a bard of old. There isn't the nuanced dialog one would see in modern epic fantasy, but the telling of the tale has a certain draw to it.
2) Like most of...more
1) The story telling is much like reading a tale as told by a bard of old. There isn't the nuanced dialog one would see in modern epic fantasy, but the telling of the tale has a certain draw to it.
2) Like most of...more
Elric, emperor of Melniboné, is not your typical fantasy hero. He’s an albino with white skin, long white hair, and slanting red eyes. He’s weak and has to take drugs every few hours just to maintain the strength of a normal man. He’s a brooding and contemplative scholar, which makes him dull at parties.
Some people think Elric is a demon — he sure looks like one — and many of his subjects would prefer to have the throne of Melniboné occupied by Elric’s charismatic cousin Yyrkoon who lo...more
Some people think Elric is a demon — he sure looks like one — and many of his subjects would prefer to have the throne of Melniboné occupied by Elric’s charismatic cousin Yyrkoon who lo...more
By many of today's standards, the writing in Elric seems amateurish and unrefined. It his, however, a solid example of writing in the time it was written.
I must confess that I have been slack in my duties as a lover of Speculative Fiction. I have just read Elric for the first time in my life.
I like that Elric is not the classic, strong warrior of so many fantasy stories. He is strong in his own way, but he is certainly no Conan or Tarzan. His is a strength of will.
...more
I must confess that I have been slack in my duties as a lover of Speculative Fiction. I have just read Elric for the first time in my life.
I like that Elric is not the classic, strong warrior of so many fantasy stories. He is strong in his own way, but he is certainly no Conan or Tarzan. His is a strength of will.
...more
I think I had too much oestrogen in my body to like this book. It read like Lord Dunsany but without the magic, it was look I'm creating a world and it will be magnificent and have flying boats and sword fights and magic and stuff
but it felt like the log from someone's D&D campaign. Elric was a terrible Gary Stu, I didn't associate with any of the characters and I found the story itself boring. I didn't like the prose or the narrative voice. In fact I found myself hoping that Melnibone mig...more
but it felt like the log from someone's D&D campaign. Elric was a terrible Gary Stu, I didn't associate with any of the characters and I found the story itself boring. I didn't like the prose or the narrative voice. In fact I found myself hoping that Melnibone mig...more
I have NO idea why I read this series, who gave me the idea, I must have blocked it out. I didn't have any D and D friends, so this is weird. Oh wait a minute. I did play a lot of online games, I think it was super old school, Ultima or something like that.
Anyway, I thought i was a loner in liking this series, but it turns out I have met other really obscure fantasy geeks out there who have read this series too. This series has been the source of a lot of my high school paintings an...more
Anyway, I thought i was a loner in liking this series, but it turns out I have met other really obscure fantasy geeks out there who have read this series too. This series has been the source of a lot of my high school paintings an...more
Moorcock est issu du pulp comme bon nombre de ses contemporains de l’heroic fantasy, tel Fritz Leiber ou Howard. De cette culture où des histoires simples et fortes, et des héros inoubliables qui priment sur la longueur des descriptions ou la cohérence de l’univers où tout cela prend pied, il ne reste plus grand-chose tant Tolkien et son Seigneur des Anneaux les ont éclipsés.
Cependant il reste bien des perles de la « Sword and Sorcery », et Elric tient une place particulière. Un récit all...more
Cependant il reste bien des perles de la « Sword and Sorcery », et Elric tient une place particulière. Un récit all...more
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Michael John Moorcock is an English writer primarily of science fiction and fantasy who has also published a number of literary novels.
Moorcock has mentioned The Gods of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs, The Apple Cart by George Bernard Shaw and The Constable of St. Nicholas by Edward Lester Arnold as the first three books which captured his imagination. He became editor of Tarzan Adventures in...more
More about Michael Moorcock...
Moorcock has mentioned The Gods of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs, The Apple Cart by George Bernard Shaw and The Constable of St. Nicholas by Edward Lester Arnold as the first three books which captured his imagination. He became editor of Tarzan Adventures in...more
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“Legends are best left as legends and attempts to make them real are rarely successful”
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“Elric knew that everything that existed had its opposite. In danger he might find peace. And yet, of course, in peace there was danger. Being an imperfect creature in an imperfect world he would always know paradox. And that was why in paradox there was always a kind of truth. That was why philosophers and soothsayers flourished. In a perfect world there would be no place for them. In an imperfect world the mysteries were always without solution and that was why there was always a great choice of solutions.”
—
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