SaberPunk #1 'Elric of Melnibone'

Greetings all.

This is the first entry of my new blog, SaberPunk. Awesome name, I know … or maybe I just think it’s awesome and really I’m trying too hard for it to sound cool.

Anyways, I chose the name mainly because I like it as a play on the science fiction genre ‘cyberpunk,’ of which I am a fan (particularly of William Gibson) but with the word ‘saber’ in it, to cleverly denote a more fantasy-centric feel. My wheelhouse for reads, fictionwise(I enjoy history as well) is mainly confined to the realms of fantasy, sci-fi, and horror (though I also enjoy detective fiction).

Who are my favorite sci fi and fantasy authors? In no particular order: Joe Abercrombie, China Mieville, Neil Gaiman, M. John Harrison, H.P. Lovecraft, Patrick LeClerc, Lloyd Alexander, Robert E. Howard(Conan! Though I prefer Solomon Kane to the mighty-thewed barbarian), J.R.R Tolkien, of course (except for Tom Bombadil whom, I believe — probably along with anyone else who’s ever read it — would be gleefully edited out of ‘Lord of the Rings’ were it published in this day and age), and again, of course, George R.R. Martin.

And exactly why should you care about SaberPunk and me and who my favorite authors are? Really you shouldn’t. I’m not very important. Not even slightly.

Moving on, my plan for SaberPunk is to offer reviews, opinions, or just discuss works and authors within these particular genres. I’m hoping to work my way through both classics that many fans of these genres(myself included) may have missed or overlooked or forgotten and some new works that aren’t quite so mainstream(mainly indie authors). Maybe you’ll find a new favorite author. Maybe I will. Maybe you’ll begin to hate me. Maybe I’ll begin to hate myself. Who knows?

The first work I’d like to highlight is ‘Elric of Melnibone’ written by the sci fi and fantasy legend Michael Moorcock and published by DAW Books in 1972.

I was first introduced to ‘Elric of Melnibone’ in the early 1980’s when I started playing Dungeons and Dragons, the role-playing game that made young men across the world virtually irresistible to women. Thumbing through ‘Deities and Demigods’ (the greatest — in my opinion — work of TSR, the publisher of AD&D and Dungeons and Dragons) was always one of my favorite literary pastimes(I’ll highlight ‘Deities and Demigods’ in a later post because it is so very awesome).

The first thing a 1980’s nerd(I used to be wicked smart) such as myself would notice about Elric in ‘Deities and Demigods’ is that, despite being the marquee entry in his respective area of Melnibonean Mythos, Elric is not tough. Not even in the least. For a guy who memorized the stats of all the gods and goddesses and heroes in ‘Deities and Demigods’ and pontificated regularly on who would win if Thor fought Zeus in a no holds barred contest of fisticuffs and thunderbolts(It’s too close to call, but my money would be on Thor because he’s Thor), and who was the toughest god(It’s Hastur the Unspeakable pg.45), Elric was far and away one of the most disappointing and pathetic entries in the entire book. His strength and constitution are 6 and 3 normally, which means that the 1980’s version of myself, a ten-year-old lad, could have probably taken him a fair fight. Not the stuff of legend, except for the fact that he looks like the cracked-out albino version of the lead singer of virtually any eighties hair band, which might be considered awesome by some.

So, when I was about ten or so, I became so enthralled with the Elric Mythos that I never went out and searched for him in book stores or the library. I have no excuse(It was probably that strength of 6 thing and I didn’t want to read about a guy I could best at arm wrestling). Fast forward thirty or so years to last month when my friend handed ‘Elric of Melnibone’ to me because he thought I’d like it.

He was right.

‘Elric of Melnibone’ is the first full length high-fantasy novel featuring Elric. It’s about 170 pages long, and it’s good. It’s not the greatest fantasy I’ve read, but I can see how Moorcock was looking to turn the world of fantasy, at the time, on its head. It seems to me(I was not born until 1976 and have neither researched nor confirmed and cannot corroborate that the following statements I’m making are even slightly true)that much of the fantasy of the day was centered around powerful warriors whose martial prowess more often than not carried the day(See: Conan, Kull, Aragorn, Boromir, Prince Gwydion, Solomon Kane, etc…).

Enter Elric, the desiccated husk of an albino emperor of a fallen empire, who is only able to function due to the imbibement of various magical potions he brews. Essentially, he’s a fantasy version of Walter White that’s become addicted to and requires his own homebrew of methamphetamine to function. If he doesn’t have his drugs, he just kind of sits around. Maybe he does poetry or something.

Also, unlike the beefier heroes such as Conan, who pretty much do what they want without hesitation or regret, Elric feels. He regrets. He does possess a conscience. He’s just not ruled by it, or even swayed by it, not even a little. In fact, after he pontificates on the evil he’s about to commit, he usually commits it. Within the first thirty pages of the book, he stands by approvingly as a woman and child are tortured to death … under his own orders. Then he pretty much high fives the torturer for doing such a darn good job. Elric makes Jaime Lannister’s murderously incestual decision making prowess in ‘Game of Throne’s’ seem trite by comparison. In fact, it seems like Elric’d be more comfortable sitting next to Emperor Palpatine and zapping the crap out of whiny Jedi knights than being the protagonist in a series of high fantasy novels and rescuing damsels in distress(Fear not, the said damsel in distress is the love of his life, but she also happens to be his cousin, so it’s still rather icky).

‘Elric of Melnibone’ is dark and it’s horrible and it’s good. And even if you don’t dig it, it’s a super short read. So read it.

Rock on.

Kevin Wright
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