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Elric of Melniboné (The Elric Saga #1)

3.89 of 5 stars 3.89 · rating details · 9,165 ratings · 269 reviews

It is the colour 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 -- the hero of Michael Moorcock's remarkable epic of conflict and adven...more

Paperback, 181 pages

Published July 15th 1987 by Ace Books (first published January 1st 1972)

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Jan 21, 2012 Stephen rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: audiobook, 1970-1979, sorcerous-swords, fantasy, moorcocks-broken-sword, hardboiled-and-noir, kings-of-badassia

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 dust up between...more

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Dec 13, 2011 Keely rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, uk-and-ireland, reviewed, sword-and-sorcery

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

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Mar 28, 2013 StoryTellerShannon rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: owned, fantasy-scifi

This is THE classic sword and sorcery tale that came about in the early 1960s. Note that I am referencing when Elric first appeared which was in Moorcock’s novella, "The Dreaming City" (Science Fantasy #47, June 1961 (Wiki).

Note that this is one of my early reviews so the format is different.

CONCEPT: Very interesting. This one was done in the 60s before there were a lot of Sci fi/Fantasy writers. Moorcock is definitely one of the older writers and his works range in quality though fortunately...more

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Apr 18, 2013 Uncommon Sellsword rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, revolutionary

As a self-professed Tolkien separatist, Michael Moorcock never appealed to me. Because so, I was rather sceptical (perhaps even pessimistic) about Elric of Melniboné. At a young age, I was obsessed with Middle-Earth's vast legendarium, and I thought his works to be impeachable. I know now that they aren't and yet, that still doesn't change my reverence toward Tolkien and his works.

With Moorcock however, I learned not to be too haste in judging the man behind the work. Though I found his Epic Po...more

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Mar 07, 2011 Kat Hooper rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: audiobook

ORIGINALLY POSTED AT Fantasy Literature.

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 cha...more ORIGINALLY POSTED AT Fantasy Literature.

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 looks and acts like a leader should. He’s strong, agile, and nationalistic, and he wants to restore Melniboné to its former greatness.

While Yyrkoon is dancing, acting like a proper nobleman, and plotting to kill Elric, Elric spends his time thinking about tradition, social justice, and his duty to his country. Is it Elric’s job to give the people of Melniboné what they want — tradition, a powerful leader, war, and dominance over smaller states — or is it better to be universally humanistic and to try to lead Melniboné, against its wishes, into cooperation and peace with its neighbors? Should Elric sacrifice his personal ideals in order to be the leader his people demand? Is his responsibility to his country or to the world at large?

Elric of Melniboné, by Michael Moorcock, is a thought-provoking work but, at the same time, it’s appealing to those who just want to read a good sword & sorcery story — sea battles in grottos, ships that sail on land or sea, magic mirrors that wipe out memory, and fights with demons in the underworld. Many of the Elric stories were originally published in pulp magazines or as novellas, so they are fast-paced with sketchy scene and character development. This is likely to be unsatisfying to some readers, but I enjoyed the quick pace and appreciated Elric’s introspective concerns about his duties.

I listened to Audio Realms’ production of Elric of Melniboné. Jeff West was an excellent narrator, but I was annoyed by the music which plays behind the entire book’s text — not just at the beginning of chapters or scenes (listen to sample). It is soft and doesn’t cause any trouble with hearing the narration, but it’s clearly designed to add drama and emotion to the story and I prefer to let Moorcock do that himself. I would have enjoyed Elric of Melniboné more if there had been no music at all and I’ll be careful about Audio Realms’ productions in the future. (less)

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Feb 01, 2011 Sath rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, sfx-100-writers, 2011-must-read, reviewed

Yet another classic I've been meaning to read for a long time, and was glad I got around to!

The Melniboneans are an Ancient race of humans, characterised by their self importance, hedonistic ways, and distinct lack of compassion for others. Very similar to the traditional fantasy dark elves, although of course their appearance is human.
Elric is the last in a long line of Melnibonean kings, he's a sickly albino that has managed to sustain his health and keep up appearances by the heavy use of dr...more

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Sep 03, 2009 Zach rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy

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 full of the g...more

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Sep 05, 2007 Tom rated it 4 of 5 stars 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 of time and remains a exc...more

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Aug 30, 2007 Jim rated it 4 of 5 stars

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.

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Jul 31, 2007 jackalope Mack rated it 5 of 5 stars 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 "The Lord of the ...more

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Mar 27, 2011 Mike (the Paladin) rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

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) is a book I'd recommend for anyone who likes...more

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May 04, 2013 Charles Dee Mitchell rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy

Heroic fantasy has never been high on my reading list, but I have read some of Moorcock's science fiction and liked it, and I read one of the hard-to-classify Jerry Cornelius books and liked it, and so I decided to dive into this best-known of his series. Based on the first three I have read, these are not radical reinventions or deconstructions of the genre, but they swiftly and well told stories with a complex hero, fantastic settings, and cool monsters. In other words, I am pleased so far.

Elr...more Heroic fantasy has never been high on my reading list, but I have read some of Moorcock's science fiction and liked it, and I read one of the hard-to-classify Jerry Cornelius books and liked it, and so I decided to dive into this best-known of his series. Based on the first three I have read, these are not radical reinventions or deconstructions of the genre, but they swiftly and well told stories with a complex hero, fantastic settings, and cool monsters. In other words, I am pleased so far.

Elric of Melnibone comes labelled Elric #1, and everything about it seem to be the beginning of a series. But in the omnibus volume I read, the third book has some earlier copyright dates, even though the plots clearly follow what happens in this first novel. All this is some future bibliographers delight or nightmare.

Elric is the albino emperor of Melnibone, ruling from the ruby throne in the city of Imrryr the Beautiful.. He is a scholar and a sorcerer and a reluctant warrior. His love is his cousin Cymoril and his enemy is her brother Yyrkoon. (Yes, since this is heroic fantasy, everyone has irritating names impossible to pronounce. Moorcock's somewhat lazy approach to this convention is simply to repeat letters, a technique that reaches its most absurd heights with demon names: Haaashaastaak, Lord of the Lizards, and some buzzy thing whose moniker has about a dozen U's in a row.)

Melnibone has existed for 500 centuries. It is a powerful and decadent place. Melniboneans scorn the upstarts of the Young Kingdoms, but they are hardly paragons of nobility. Yyrkoon attempts to kill Elric early on, and when Erlic announces that the punishment for the insurrection will be to remove chunks of Yyrkoon's accomplice's flesh, roast it, and feed it to the traitor at a banquet, all Imrryr is delighted that their emperor is proving to be the kind of leader they can look up to, and not some bookish nerd.

But of course, Yyrkoon escapes and a chase is on. A climactic scene inside twin architectural towers that prove to be disconcertingly and disgustingly organic once entered brings Elric the prize of the runesword Stormbringer, a weapon that delivers strength to its owner with every soul it takes. But as with all gifts of the Lords of Chaos, Stormbringer is a mixed blessing for Elric.

Much of this first nobel is necessarily involved with setting up the situation, but it never bogs down in explication. It's a lively 130+ pages that had me turning immediately to the second installment.(less)

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Apr 26, 2013 Tony rated it 4 of 5 stars

MINOR SPOILERS

"It is the colour of a bleached skull, his flesh; and the long hair which flows below his shoulders is milk-white. From the tapering, beautiful head stare two slanting eyes, crimson and moody, and from the loose sleeves of his yellow gown emerge two slender hands, also the colour of bone." – Moorcock, Elric of Melinboné

One of Michael Moorcock's most successful and enduring characters. Among Moorcocks sprawling eternal champion super-cycle, Elric is perhaps his best and certainly m...more

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Jan 22, 2013 Werehare rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. 4,5/10

Tante ottime idee trattate in modo approssimativo, con una manciata di cliché come contorno. Elric, il protagonista, è l’imperatore albino e malaticcio di una civiltà decadente nella quale la crudeltà è all’ordine del giorno, ma lui non è come tutti i suoi sudditi: è… troppo Bbbuono! Moorcock, stavi andando benissimo, perché rovinare tutto così?
Come se non bastasse, Elric è buono soprattutto quando ciò va a suo svantaggio, risparmiando ripetutamente il proprio arcinemico quando tutti gli...more 4,5/10

Tante ottime idee trattate in modo approssimativo, con una manciata di cliché come contorno. Elric, il protagonista, è l’imperatore albino e malaticcio di una civiltà decadente nella quale la crudeltà è all’ordine del giorno, ma lui non è come tutti i suoi sudditi: è… troppo Bbbuono! Moorcock, stavi andando benissimo, perché rovinare tutto così?
Come se non bastasse, Elric è buono soprattutto quando ciò va a suo svantaggio, risparmiando ripetutamente il proprio arcinemico quando tutti gli consigliano di finirlo ed è chiaro che appena potrà il Malvagyo gli metterà i bastoni tra le ruote, cosa che puntualmente succede – ma non sia mai che per questo Elric debba fare la fine che meriterebbe: guarda un po’, si scopre che doveva agire proprio in questo modo per guadagnarsi il favore del dio che gli salva il deretano. A questo proposito, pare che gli dei facciano a gara per favorire Elric, salvandogli il culo myracolosamente quando si trova in situazioni senza via d’uscita: mi è stato assicurato che questo appoggio avrà un prezzo… nei prossimi volumi, per il momento Elric ha ottenuto gratis tutto quello che voleva.
Ogni situazione di tensione si risolve appunto a favore di Elric. Dopo le prime due o tre volte, la curiosità per conflitti in fondo ben gestiti lascia il posto alla noia, è chiaro che Elric in qualche modo (meglio se myracoloso) riuscirà sempre a cavarsela al meglio.
Elric di per sé è melanconico, un po’ emo, francamente tonto e incline alle pippe mentali. Emblematica a riguardo le scena in cui, nel bel mezzo di un duello, l’avversario lo deride in quanto albino dicendogli che per lui non c‘è posto nel mondo: pausa emo, Elric si mette a riflettere sulla sua mostruosità. LOL? Le tirate mentali per lui non sono un’eccezione, né sono fuori luogo considerato che oltre a essere albino è talmente debole da aver bisogno di assumere pozioni regolarmente per tenersi in piedi (un punto di forza quanto a originalità, questo). Elric è anche l’unico personaggio con un qualche tipo di introspezione psicologica: quanto al resto abbiamo una donzella che non fa altro che svenire/angosciarsi /cadere preda di sonno magico/venire rapita (così l’Eroe deve salvarla!) e altre attività che denotano un’incredibile personalità, e un cattivo patetico.
Quanto alla trama, l’impressione è che pur essendo in linea di massima buona e interessante potrebbe essere stata sviluppata con più calma; le stesse descrizioni sono scarne o circoscritte a un paragrafetto a loro esclusivamente dedicato. C’è un fiorire di ninnoli magici degni della miglior tradizione fèntesi: specchio magicissimo, spada magicissima con nome trucido, altra spada magicissima con nome ancora più trucido, nave più magica di tutti… La parte peggiore è indubbiamente quella del viaggio nell’aldilà di Elric, accompagnato da un Robin Hood daltonico raccattato trenta secondi prima al bar dell’angolo: non sanno dove andare, ma nel giro di qualche minuto reperiscono un buon uomo che pareva aspettare loro ed è in preda a un’amnesia totale, ma la destinazione di Elric la potrebbe indicare a occhi chiusi. Non mancano le canzoncine imbarazzanti, senza le quali “non è fèntesi!!1!”, e le cose francamente stupide come le navi corazzate di oro massiccio. Ehm, l’oro ha un peso atomico di poco inferiore a quello del piombo o del mercurio (e chi ha provato a sollevare una bottiglia di mercurio sa di cosa parlo), navi del genere dovrebbero colare a picco nel momento in cui entrano in acqua.(less)

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Nov 19, 2012 Onefinemess rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Ahh, Elric. One of the classics of 70′s pre-epic fantasy. It was pretty much what I expected. Filled some folks would probably call “cardboard” characters – although interesting ones, I think – it is quite obviously a product of its times. And I like that.

Things basically just flew by – I mean, it was only ~150 pages! Yet the MC survives an assassination, befriends a few ancient elementals, retakes his throne, submits himself into the service of an ancient chaos god, loses his love, finds his lo...more Ahh, Elric. One of the classics of 70′s pre-epic fantasy. It was pretty much what I expected. Filled some folks would probably call “cardboard” characters – although interesting ones, I think – it is quite obviously a product of its times. And I like that.

Things basically just flew by – I mean, it was only ~150 pages! Yet the MC survives an assassination, befriends a few ancient elementals, retakes his throne, submits himself into the service of an ancient chaos god, loses his love, finds his love, chases the enemy into another realm, makes an ally, recovers an ancient and awesomely powerful sword, survives possession by said sword, realizes he and his enemy are (view spoiler)(less)

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Jun 24, 2012 Doug Dandridge rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Readers of Dark Fantasy

Elric rocks as one of fantasy's great heroes.
The first in the Elric series, Michael Moorcock introduces an albino from
an eldritch race with the inherent weaknesses of a series condition. He is
the heir to the throne to the kingdom. he and his cousin, Yyrkoon, gain
possession of the twin black blades, Stormbringer and Mornblade. Elric is
a sorcerer and summoner, and is in love with his female cousin, Yyrkoon's
sister, who dies on Stormbringer during a battle with his cousin.
Stormbringer is a de...more

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Jun 02, 2012 sologdin rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: speculative, ruling-class-protagonist

Dying empire presented with two means of resuscitation: irredentist aggression or contemplative isolationism, each represented, somewhat reductively, by the principal antagonist and protagonist. Their agon includes a series of coups and counter-coups, and results in a bizarre duel with sentient nuclear-swords on the wrong side of the last sphincter in hell's colon.

The protagonist has the repuation of being an anti-hero, and he lives up to it, as "his desire was not to reform Melnibone but to re...more Dying empire presented with two means of resuscitation: irredentist aggression or contemplative isolationism, each represented, somewhat reductively, by the principal antagonist and protagonist. Their agon includes a series of coups and counter-coups, and results in a bizarre duel with sentient nuclear-swords on the wrong side of the last sphincter in hell's colon.

The protagonist has the repuation of being an anti-hero, and he lives up to it, as "his desire was not to reform Melnibone but to reform himself" (30), which I suppose means the quest, if there is one here, is not to change the Evil Empire but merely for Elric, who "debates moral issues" (4) and "neither thinks nor acts in accordance with their conception of how a true Melnibonean should think and act" (5), to become the proper Evil Emperor. He employs torturers and feels "no sympathy" for torture victims, even juveniles (28). He relies on slave labor (21, 49, ff.). He orders an enemy tortured and fed to another enemy for his entertainment (73).

Elric's not the villain, if only because his antagonist is categorically worse than him, basically a fascist, concerned with "our great race," "that race's pride," "our nation's soul" (12)--though I'm still not sure if the "race" in question is meant to be human or not--as well as "the blood of our house diluted" (13). It's an ugly mix of race theory and feudal "blood" ideology (a cipher for property to some extent). The antagonist would "attack their nations and burn their cities" (33) in response to piracy, "conquer them and ensure our security." It's very Roman, I suppose.

The only people worthy of our sympathy in the story are the "poverty-stricken peasants," "barely a nation at all," "not a potential soldier among them," (107), or those purported pirates who seek to destroy Melnibone because "you offer us harm by your very presence," with sorcery, customs, and arrogance (42). Can't say I disagree with him, even if the proposed remedy is overdoing it.

Lotsa silly interaction with deities, including some deus ex machina moments. Partakes of the aristocrat protagonist convention. Very pulpy. Not sure why the protagonist need be a disabled albino. Text is haunted by the specter of brother-sister incest (and incest-rape) on the throne, which should be familiar enough to readers of Martin.

Comical that, when in a bind, Elric "sent his mind into twisting tunnels of logic, across endless plains of ideas, through mountains of symbolism and endless universes of alternate truths" (81), which is, apparently, the way to summon demons. I'm gonna keep that process handy next time I get a flat tire.

I realize that the writer is something of an anarchist, so this critical presentation of hideous aristocrats and inherited political power makes some sense; we are not reading an Epic Pooh here, and the author's criticisms of the genre are well-founded. That said, the aesthetics of this particular effort could've been more delicate, and the narrative development could've been handled more patiently.

There are some concepts otherwise interesting. One numinous object, the Mirror of Memory, "contains many memories, some of which have been imprisoned for thousands of years" (85), and is used as a weapon by the antagonist. When that mirror is later broken and the stolen memories are released, they "warred for a place in Elric's skull" (129) and compelled others to rip out their own eyes and bash their own brains out (130). Memory is definitely a Bad Thing in this setting--apparently the burden of past crimes is too great, and maybe that's the reason that, while Elric's "knowledge of the world beyond the shores of Melnibone is profound" (5), it is also drawn from books, and therefore reviled. During the underworld scenes (which are reminiscent of Leguin's underworld scenes in Earthsea), we meet also Elric's sidekick, an archer-priest, genuinely cool, "the inheritor of all [his sect's] knowledge," who refused it and went to exile (141). Another character in the underworld is a guy "Who Knew All" and who is tasked to forget everything before he is liberated from the underworld (151). Hell is not other people, but is rather remembering what a fucking scumbag murderer aristocrat you are, I guess.

Recommended for crude shamans from the steppe, persons with regressive rather than deficient blood, and those who oust themselves.(less)

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Jun 01, 2012 Heather Shipley rated it 3 of 5 stars

Oh, dear. My window of opportunity for thrilling to this book might have closed many years ago. So many authors I love have sung its praises, and so many friends (including my one true love) have adored it, that I just had to pick it up.

The writing is sketchy at best. Moorcock might have acknowledged Brecht's Threepenny Opera as an inspiration, but the book is a drug-fueled pastiche. (Seriously: you can call them wizardly potions, but when they cause strange invincibility, glassy-eyed jitters,...more

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Apr 17, 2012 Kascha rated it 5 of 5 stars

My brothers were really heavily into D&D and the swords and sorcery thing when we were growing up and I ended up getting into this series and author after weirdly enough looking at Elric on the cover of this book and thinking he was the most interesting looking guy I had ever seen, haha.

Anyways, this is a great start to what ended up being an awesome series. It was easy to fall right into the decadence and politics of Melnibone and to feel right at home in this world. Almost like I was a mem...more

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Mar 28, 2012 Donovan rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy

The story of Elric was the first I read of Michael Moorcock's works. It was also the first time I was introduced to the concept of Law and Chaos and their associated Gods. This is fantasy on a level so objectively different to the standard that Tolkein created with Middle Earth yet just as powerful in its own right. Moorcock has created a Multiverse that is so interconnected that I doubt you can find any of his works that do not have some form of relationship to another - in this case it is Elri...more

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Mar 19, 2012 Scott rated it 4 of 5 stars

Elric, as a character is sublime, pure and simple. As a member of an old and jaded race he is seemingly the only one of all his subjects (as Elric is an Emperor) to have any semblance of human decency. He sits upon a throne carved out of a single monstrous ruby, though he does so not because he himself wishes such extravagance, indeed, he would doubtlessly give up not only the garish object that is the throne but also the empire that it represents, if only there was someone to whom he could abdi...more Elric, as a character is sublime, pure and simple. As a member of an old and jaded race he is seemingly the only one of all his subjects (as Elric is an Emperor) to have any semblance of human decency. He sits upon a throne carved out of a single monstrous ruby, though he does so not because he himself wishes such extravagance, indeed, he would doubtlessly give up not only the garish object that is the throne but also the empire that it represents, if only there was someone to whom he could abdicate. Whilst all his subjects seek only their own pleasures and take what they will from whomever would cross their path (as the Melniboneans have no understanding of morality), Elric contemplates his kingdoms place in the world. After ten millennia of dominance the power of Melniboné is wavering, the so called New Kingdoms are waiting for a chance to strike and Elric struggles to find reason in his own Empires continued existence. Perhaps it would be best for the New Kingdoms to swallow the old and listless Melniboné in their wake?

Fate has more in store for Elric and his kingdom than mere contemplation however. Elrics cousin Yyrkoon is a far more traditional Melnibonean, he strives for power, lives a life of excess and despises that his cousin would see the great traditions of his nation undone. He plots against Elric and openly questions Elrics ability to rule (an action that would see him put to death in agonising fashion under a more traditional ruler). Yyrkoons sister, Cymoril, is as loving towards Elric as her brother is hateful, her kindness and understanding towards Elric is little more than another reason for Yyrkoon to hate his Emperor.

It is these relationships the serve as a centrepiece of Elric of Melniboné. As Yyrkoon strives to usurp his cousin the future of Melniboné hangs in the balance. Will it be lead by a man who epitomises what it is to be Melnibonean or will the rightful King retain his throne? Moreover, is it possible for Elric to both retain his throne and yet keep his unnatural (for a Melnibonean) morality? Perhaps the best question is whether or not it is up to mere mortals to decide their own fate.(less)

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Jan 17, 2012 Siskoid Siskoid rated it 4 of 5 stars

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 a...more

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Nov 17, 2011 Πέτρος rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

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 DIDN’T like...more

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Oct 30, 2011 Apatt rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy-top20

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 band? Elric has to be just about the coolest most bad ass mofo in the...more

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Aug 10, 2011 Marc Aplin rated it 5 of 5 stars

‘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 ‘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 this – if you read the books through now, you could see how the hippies and drug fuelled readers could enjoy the books so thoroughly. There are weird creatures popping up everywhere, there are weird colours and beautiful women, a protagonist who ends up with a love/hate addiction to first drugs and then souls...

So yeah, not surprisingly; the ‘hippies’ of the 1960’s and 1970’s were Moorcock’s best customers. However, that’s not to say that if you don’t like drugs – you don’t like ‘Elric’. Although I’m sure the times shaped Moorcock’s writing - today we recognise ‘Elric’ as more than just a hero who had the abilities to do single-handedly what the nation fought for. He is one of the coolest Fantasy characters to have ever appeared within written word and his sword? One of the most memorable in the whole of the genre.

Anyway, today, I’m going to talk about the first book that was officially published. It is important to know that Elric’s novels are very, very complicated to order because he published short stories here and others there, he lost a few, then found a few, some are set in the past, others in the future, some in dreams and so on... I would say your best bet is to start with ‘Elric of Melniboné’ though. It might not be the ‘start’ of Elric, but it was the first novel properly published for the public to read and enjoy without having any prior knowledge of the character.

The novel starts off with Elric sitting on his Ruby Throne. He is pumped full of drugs to keep him alive – basically because he was born as a runt albino. Never a good way to be born of course. So, he sits on his throne and feels week. Below him are huge groups of people who don’t believe he deserves the throne. Not just because he is weak, but because he seems to have morals and an ability to forgive – none of these are traits that the Melnibone people see as acceptable. In fact, they pretty much want to see him done away with – although none would risk doing it themselves.

His main opposition comes in the form of his cousin, Yyrkoon, who is indeed next in the line of succession should Elric die. He constantly belittles Elric in front of his people and appears to them to be the aggressive, unforgiving and powerful ruler they would expect. His plotting and squirming around Elric will certainly make readers hate him and he is one of the very best cheesy, stereotypical villains you will ever read about... there is even a bit where he ‘throws his head back and laughs’!!!

Without spoiling things, what Yyrkoon does sends Elric off around not only Melnibone, but other Kingdoms and even realms fighting other Melnibone and Young Kingdom based beings, but also demons and such too. The world that Moorcock designs really is fantastic. Again, I think the amount of world-building he is able to do in such a short, short novel is just amazing. You really feel as if you know the world, roughly its limits, its magic system and everything else whilst Elric is travelling about.

Perhaps though, Moorcock’s finest achievement was to create a character that isn’t actually good. Yes, sometimes he does ‘good’ things, but essentially he is pretty damned evil. He is an Overlord who rules not only his nation, but the surrounding Kingdoms with fear. Should they step out of line, they expect a swift death and by Elric’s hand. I think at the time and especially coming off the back of ‘Lord of the Rings’ this was something new to readers and I would guess it inspired later writers such as Gemmell, who in turn has paved the way for authors like Joe Abercrombie and even more recently Sam Sykes. I think Moorcock’s version of the ‘Anti-Hero’ in Elric remains today as ‘the’ most important in the history of the genre.

What the ‘anti-hero’ aspect does to us as a reader is leave us in a state of intrigue and even confusion. This guy is pretty damned evil, but at the same time, in terms of his realm he is pretty good. Does this mean we should support him? Or should we wish his failure? He is evil after all!!! It’s hard to decide and this feeling of uncertainty is only added to by Elric’s own inner-conflicts. He himself hates what he is and he hates what his Kingdom has become. However, he isn’t willing to change it and is far more willing to do what they expect him to do in most circumstances. He is on drugs and can’t get off them, he is weak without them and wonders whether he should just lay down and die... again... we wonder the same thing.

To summarise the novel, it is a quick read that is absolutely full of beautiful imagery and complex emotion. Although people don’t generally consider a novel of just 100 pages to be ‘fantasy’ these days, there is as much to get excited here as there is in the like of ‘Way of the Kings’ which is about twelve times as long. Certainly, you could end up reading the book in one sitting and I don’t think there is anything wrong with that either. Elric of Melnibone is proof that Fantasy novels don’t need to be behemoths to craft a complex world and remain enjoyable.

I guess the only sad thing is I can’t talk to you for the moment about ‘Stormbringer’ because it doesn’t come in until the very end of the book. What I will say though is that this is the start of far greater things to come, for Stormbringer brings to readers new conflicts and a new aspect to Elric’s life that increases the stories scope ten fold...
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Jul 23, 2011 David Sarkies rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

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

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Jun 26, 2011 John Montagne rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: sword-sorcery

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 i...more

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Jan 11, 2011 Ithlilian rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

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

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Jul 27, 2010 Jon rated it 3 of 5 stars

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 the other Melnibonean's (and spe...more

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Sep 22, 2009 Charles rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

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 pres...more

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About Michael Moorcock

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 1956,...more

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