What do you think?
Rate this book
Hawkmoon #1
The Jewel in the Skull
From the back cover:
RUNESTAFF AND BLACK JEWEL
The Runestaff held all the secrets of the barren earth and the destiny of DORIAN HAWKMOON, Duke of Közln, warrior, swordsman, adventurer. But how much contradictory power was contained in the Black Jewel?
Dorian came to with the evil black gem embedded in his skull. It felt warm, pulsing. Then he discovered the terrible truth. The jewel itself was an eye through which his enemies, the forces of the Dark Empire, could see everything he saw - all the places he travelled, all the people he encountered. And if he refused to carry out their plan to overcome Granbretan, the Black Jewel could be made to come alive.
AND EAT DORIAN HAWKMOON'S BRAIN
RUNESTAFF AND BLACK JEWEL
The Runestaff held all the secrets of the barren earth and the destiny of DORIAN HAWKMOON, Duke of Közln, warrior, swordsman, adventurer. But how much contradictory power was contained in the Black Jewel?
Dorian came to with the evil black gem embedded in his skull. It felt warm, pulsing. Then he discovered the terrible truth. The jewel itself was an eye through which his enemies, the forces of the Dark Empire, could see everything he saw - all the places he travelled, all the people he encountered. And if he refused to carry out their plan to overcome Granbretan, the Black Jewel could be made to come alive.
AND EAT DORIAN HAWKMOON'S BRAIN
156 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1967
51 people are currently reading
2080 people want to read
About the author
Michael Moorcock
1,209 books3,768 followersMichael 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, at the age of sixteen, and later moved on to edit Sexton Blake Library. As editor of the controversial British science fiction magazine New Worlds, from May 1964 until March 1971 and then again from 1976 to 1996, Moorcock fostered the development of the science fiction "New Wave" in the UK and indirectly in the United States. His serialization of Norman Spinrad's Bug Jack Barron was notorious for causing British MPs to condemn in Parliament the Arts Council's funding of the magazine.
During this time, he occasionally wrote under the pseudonym of "James Colvin," a "house pseudonym" used by other critics on New Worlds. A spoof obituary of Colvin appeared in New Worlds #197 (January 1970), written by "William Barclay" (another Moorcock pseudonym). Moorcock, indeed, makes much use of the initials "JC", and not entirely coincidentally these are also the initials of Jesus Christ, the subject of his 1967 Nebula award-winning novella Behold the Man, which tells the story of Karl Glogauer, a time-traveller who takes on the role of Christ. They are also the initials of various "Eternal Champion" Moorcock characters such as Jerry Cornelius, Jerry Cornell and Jherek Carnelian. In more recent years, Moorcock has taken to using "Warwick Colvin, Jr." as yet another pseudonym, particularly in his Second Ether fiction.
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, at the age of sixteen, and later moved on to edit Sexton Blake Library. As editor of the controversial British science fiction magazine New Worlds, from May 1964 until March 1971 and then again from 1976 to 1996, Moorcock fostered the development of the science fiction "New Wave" in the UK and indirectly in the United States. His serialization of Norman Spinrad's Bug Jack Barron was notorious for causing British MPs to condemn in Parliament the Arts Council's funding of the magazine.
During this time, he occasionally wrote under the pseudonym of "James Colvin," a "house pseudonym" used by other critics on New Worlds. A spoof obituary of Colvin appeared in New Worlds #197 (January 1970), written by "William Barclay" (another Moorcock pseudonym). Moorcock, indeed, makes much use of the initials "JC", and not entirely coincidentally these are also the initials of Jesus Christ, the subject of his 1967 Nebula award-winning novella Behold the Man, which tells the story of Karl Glogauer, a time-traveller who takes on the role of Christ. They are also the initials of various "Eternal Champion" Moorcock characters such as Jerry Cornelius, Jerry Cornell and Jherek Carnelian. In more recent years, Moorcock has taken to using "Warwick Colvin, Jr." as yet another pseudonym, particularly in his Second Ether fiction.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 216 reviews
November 5, 2025
I found in an old schoolbook that I had written a review of this quadrilogy back in 1977.
Sadly, in a fit of "moving on" I appear to have tossed those schoolboy efforts away. I can't reproduce them from memory, and experience has steered me away from revisiting Moorcock's early works even though I still feel an enduring love for the stories.
I remember that our hero, Dorian Hawkmoon, has somehow had a mind-altering/eating jewel embedded in his forehead and is looking for someone to remove it (safely). Meanwhile the restyled and evil British Empire (the names have been massaged to protect the guilty) and the extra evil Baron Mendaleus (sp?) are out to get him.
Dorian finds sanctuary with Count Brass in a reimagined fantasy France where they ride battle-flamingos against the Brits' clockwork ornithopters. I think he finds a love interest in the count's daughter too...
Anyway, that's about all memory has to offer. The Brits soldiers wear beastial helmets and divide into factions / legions accordingly (Boar, Wolf etc). And later we meet the enigmatic (but good) Knight in Jet and Gold...
I wish my embarassing teenage moments would leave me as fully and effectively as the plot of these books has!
EDIT: I have re-read this (in 2025) about 45 years since I last read it. I found it to be better than some Moorcock books I've re-read. The man's imagination is world-class and there's lots of great imagery/ideas here.
As is often the case with Moorcock - and the easy excuse is that it's because all his heroes are aspects of the Eternal Champion - his characters are quite similar, brave, fatalistic, uncomplaining with not a lot of depth evident for all their moody brooding. But they're great vehicles for a rip-roaring swords and sorcery yarn.
It's both evident and amazing that these books were written in as little as 2 weeks each. Amazing because he produced coherent and entertaining stories in that time space - evident as they feel more like the product of frenetic mental mania and less like the output of a thoughtful, measured process.
Both the women in the book fall for our hero and the main one falls for both the hero and the villian, appearing to have no purpose but to motivate both and need saving.
I enjoyed the read. The books are a product of their time and of Moorcock's particular genius for quickfire chaotic imagination.
Join my Patreon
Join my 3-emails-a-year newsletter #prizes
.
Sadly, in a fit of "moving on" I appear to have tossed those schoolboy efforts away. I can't reproduce them from memory, and experience has steered me away from revisiting Moorcock's early works even though I still feel an enduring love for the stories.
I remember that our hero, Dorian Hawkmoon, has somehow had a mind-altering/eating jewel embedded in his forehead and is looking for someone to remove it (safely). Meanwhile the restyled and evil British Empire (the names have been massaged to protect the guilty) and the extra evil Baron Mendaleus (sp?) are out to get him.
Dorian finds sanctuary with Count Brass in a reimagined fantasy France where they ride battle-flamingos against the Brits' clockwork ornithopters. I think he finds a love interest in the count's daughter too...
Anyway, that's about all memory has to offer. The Brits soldiers wear beastial helmets and divide into factions / legions accordingly (Boar, Wolf etc). And later we meet the enigmatic (but good) Knight in Jet and Gold...
I wish my embarassing teenage moments would leave me as fully and effectively as the plot of these books has!
EDIT: I have re-read this (in 2025) about 45 years since I last read it. I found it to be better than some Moorcock books I've re-read. The man's imagination is world-class and there's lots of great imagery/ideas here.
As is often the case with Moorcock - and the easy excuse is that it's because all his heroes are aspects of the Eternal Champion - his characters are quite similar, brave, fatalistic, uncomplaining with not a lot of depth evident for all their moody brooding. But they're great vehicles for a rip-roaring swords and sorcery yarn.
It's both evident and amazing that these books were written in as little as 2 weeks each. Amazing because he produced coherent and entertaining stories in that time space - evident as they feel more like the product of frenetic mental mania and less like the output of a thoughtful, measured process.
Both the women in the book fall for our hero and the main one falls for both the hero and the villian, appearing to have no purpose but to motivate both and need saving.
I enjoyed the read. The books are a product of their time and of Moorcock's particular genius for quickfire chaotic imagination.
Join my Patreon
Join my 3-emails-a-year newsletter #prizes
.
February 1, 2015
Maybe not quite as good as Elric, from a "coldly logical" point of view, but I have a real soft spot for the Hawkmoon novels. This is close to the edition I read first (same cover but I read it in '74). These novels (2 Hawkmoon series) could be called the culmination of the Eternal Champion Cycle.
I stumbled on this book when I had very limited access to books. Someone else had "donated it to the cause" (I was in a situation where we all shared any book that came to anybody). I liked fantasy and really loved this book. It was about this same time that I stumbled across my first one of Roger Zelazny's Amber books. It was probably 2 years later when I was back in a situation to have "ready access" to books stores.
Did you ever stop and think what a marvelous place this is? We think of hot and cold running water as a necessity of life, and we have access to bookstores in every neighborhood! No wonder I love America!
I ran down the Eternal Champion series...found Elric, Corum, and of course, Dorian Hawkmoon. So I have read these books over and over, don't miss them!
I stumbled on this book when I had very limited access to books. Someone else had "donated it to the cause" (I was in a situation where we all shared any book that came to anybody). I liked fantasy and really loved this book. It was about this same time that I stumbled across my first one of Roger Zelazny's Amber books. It was probably 2 years later when I was back in a situation to have "ready access" to books stores.
Did you ever stop and think what a marvelous place this is? We think of hot and cold running water as a necessity of life, and we have access to bookstores in every neighborhood! No wonder I love America!
I ran down the Eternal Champion series...found Elric, Corum, and of course, Dorian Hawkmoon. So I have read these books over and over, don't miss them!
July 15, 2020
I have a theory that of Moorcock's many readers, 49% count Jerry Cornelius as their favorite character, 49% favor Elric of Melnibone, and the other 2% of us are split between Catherine, Moonglum, Whiskers, Bastable.... mine is Dorian Hawkmoon of Granbretan. The books are set in a post-apocalyptic future but include all of the sorcerous and swordish adventure of the traditional fantasy novels. Hawkmoon is a tragic figure who must oppose the Dark Empire and his own trial of sin-and-redemption brought on by the mystic Runestaff, older than time itself, and the Black Jewel embedded in his head. Hawkmoon examines the conflict of the Balance for Law and Chaos and explores the character and nature of The Eternal Champion better than any of the other manifestations, in my opinion. Moorcock's multiverse tapestry is an endless delight, and Hawkmoon is my favorite facet.
April 29, 2025
I had read this book by Michael Moorcock, published in 1973, back in the 70s, in England, which was appropriate--as Moorcock was born in London (in 1939), although he moved to Texas (near Austin) in the 90s. While I enjoyed it, it is the first of a series and I didn't continue reading the series. When I found the book in a used bookstore recently, I thought I'd read it again and maybe continue reading the series. Hawkmoon is our hero in this sword and sorcery outing, not as popular as Moorcock's other S&S hero, Elric. But I liked this book especially for the world of the future that Moorcock has created. It's a post-apocalyptic world, centuries after a nuclear war. Europe has fallen back into a medieval-type society-and there is magic. The dominant power is the Dark Empire of Granbretan, that's right-Britain--a ruthless empire spreading over Europe. Hawkmoon is a great warrior who sides with Kamarg, an independent state in southern France, which, under Count Brass, is holding out against the British horde. Can the Evil Empire be stopped? I'll have to read on in this series to find out...
December 26, 2024
Very fun, fast paced read. I love 60’s magazine stuff, and Moorcock’s cannon was embedded in mags and fanzines of the time. Hawkmoon, one of the Champions Eternal! Excellent read.
May 14, 2014
It's a 3 1/2 story but I gave it 4 stars as I felt some of the reviewers were too harsh.
OVERALL FEELING: Evil Empire trying to take over an alternative European world; standard pulp swords and sorcery; easy read; somewhat good; few interesting points; some interesting characters; some are caricatures; flows well.
MARKETING APPEAL: This story came about in the 60s, I believe, when pulp sci fi magazines were a big thing; I doubt it made a lot of money at first but the Eternal Champion, most notably Elric and Corum, were a popular series. Remember, this was during a time when fantasy was just getting some notice but mostly in pulp magazines. Besides Tolkien and Le Sprague de Camp and a handful of others, there weren't that many.
SCORING: Superb (A), Excellent (A-), Very good (B+), Good (B) Fairly Good (B-) Above Average (C+), Mediocre (C ), Barely Passable (C-) Pretty Bad (D+), Dismal (D), Waste of Time (D-), Into the Trash (F)
DIALOGUE: B STRUCTURE: B- HISTORY SETTING: C CHARACTERS: B EVIL SETUP/ANTAGONISTS: B- EMOTIONAL IMPACT: C+ SURPRISES: B- MONSTERS: B- PACING: B+ THE LITTLE THINGS: B OVERALL STYLE: B- FLOW OF WORDS: B CHOICE OF FOCUS: B- TRANSITIONS/FLASHBACKS/POV: B- COMPLEXITY OF WORDS/SYMBOLISM/THEMES: B-
OVERALL GRADE: B-
CONCEPT: The idea of a technologically mixed Eurpean area, which exists thousands of years into the future, is an interesting one. During the 60s to 70s one could easily believe the world was destroyed by nuclear warheads and the results ended up in a future medieval Europe with magic and technology. Archetypes are heavy (see below for more details) . . . at its time, it was quite original.
CHARACTERS: they're average to very good.
DIALOGUE: Again, as character introspection is rare in this tale, it's reflected, to some degree, in dialogue. See the CHARACTER section on this point. Overall, the dialogue flowed well and the characters sounded somewhat different. But, no one stood out exceptionally like in better series like that of GRRM or even lesser ones like Kate Elliot's THE KING'S DRAGON.
PACING: The book is sparse to begin with; only 160 pages . . . but it moves quick. I think the pacing is great. Of course, the pacing is so good b/c Moorcock doesn't give us a lot of details. Everything is brief . . . succinct . . . he should be writing scripts. Sometimes though; I'd like more details. Have to be fair here in comparison to authors who have meatier texts; 160 pages; it's easier to move fast compared to 900 pages as the typical epic fantasy. Back when Moorcock was writing, novels were shorter and would be considered almost novelettes today. By the 70s and 80s the fantasy novels shot up to 400 or 500 pages. Since RJ's WHEEL OF TIME series, the novels have shot up to 800 pages or so per book.
FAVORITE DESCRIPTIVE PASSAGE: "The castle was built of the same white stone as the houses of the town. It had windows of thick glass (much of it painted fancifully) and ornate towers and battlements of delicate workmanship."
"The Baron was almost as tall as Count Brass. He was dressed in gleaming black and dark blue. Even his jeweled animal mask, which covered the whole of his head like a helmet, was of some strange black metal with deep blue sapphires for eyes."
OPENING PASSAGE: "Count Brass, Lord Guardian of Kamarg, rode out on a horned horse one morning to inspect his territories. He rode until he came to a little hill, on the top of which stood a ruin of immense age. It was the ruin of a Gothic church whose walls of thick stone were smooth with the passing of winds and rain. Ivy clad much of it, and the amber blossoms filled the dark windows, substitute for the stained glass that had once decorated them.
FLAWS: Not enough character introspection . . . most of the characters were archetypes so the emotional arcs were less than say in his ELRIC series where the character is far more developed and emphatic. Again, give it some latitude, as I believe he wrote this out in pieces for magazines. Quite different from the expected fantasy novel of today. OVERALL STYLE: Again, he's succinct. One thing I really like is Moorcock's narrative approach; he'll sometimes jump in as a narrator to explain things; sort of like Tolkien's THE HOBBIT but not quite as much. He also has a setup at each chapter to sort of lay down the setting.
THE LITTLE THINGS: Moorcock's division of the Evil Empire into jeweled masked faces in the shapes of different animals was interesting . .. pig, wolf, mantis, etc. The mix of technology with magic made for some interesting fights and events.
COMMENTS: Apparently, Moorcock was never big on Tolkien so he took the opposite approach in his works; far darker; less details; more gore; not as happy.
OVERALL FEELING: Evil Empire trying to take over an alternative European world; standard pulp swords and sorcery; easy read; somewhat good; few interesting points; some interesting characters; some are caricatures; flows well.
MARKETING APPEAL: This story came about in the 60s, I believe, when pulp sci fi magazines were a big thing; I doubt it made a lot of money at first but the Eternal Champion, most notably Elric and Corum, were a popular series. Remember, this was during a time when fantasy was just getting some notice but mostly in pulp magazines. Besides Tolkien and Le Sprague de Camp and a handful of others, there weren't that many.
SCORING: Superb (A), Excellent (A-), Very good (B+), Good (B) Fairly Good (B-) Above Average (C+), Mediocre (C ), Barely Passable (C-) Pretty Bad (D+), Dismal (D), Waste of Time (D-), Into the Trash (F)
DIALOGUE: B STRUCTURE: B- HISTORY SETTING: C CHARACTERS: B EVIL SETUP/ANTAGONISTS: B- EMOTIONAL IMPACT: C+ SURPRISES: B- MONSTERS: B- PACING: B+ THE LITTLE THINGS: B OVERALL STYLE: B- FLOW OF WORDS: B CHOICE OF FOCUS: B- TRANSITIONS/FLASHBACKS/POV: B- COMPLEXITY OF WORDS/SYMBOLISM/THEMES: B-
OVERALL GRADE: B-
CONCEPT: The idea of a technologically mixed Eurpean area, which exists thousands of years into the future, is an interesting one. During the 60s to 70s one could easily believe the world was destroyed by nuclear warheads and the results ended up in a future medieval Europe with magic and technology. Archetypes are heavy (see below for more details) . . . at its time, it was quite original.
CHARACTERS: they're average to very good.
DIALOGUE: Again, as character introspection is rare in this tale, it's reflected, to some degree, in dialogue. See the CHARACTER section on this point. Overall, the dialogue flowed well and the characters sounded somewhat different. But, no one stood out exceptionally like in better series like that of GRRM or even lesser ones like Kate Elliot's THE KING'S DRAGON.
PACING: The book is sparse to begin with; only 160 pages . . . but it moves quick. I think the pacing is great. Of course, the pacing is so good b/c Moorcock doesn't give us a lot of details. Everything is brief . . . succinct . . . he should be writing scripts. Sometimes though; I'd like more details. Have to be fair here in comparison to authors who have meatier texts; 160 pages; it's easier to move fast compared to 900 pages as the typical epic fantasy. Back when Moorcock was writing, novels were shorter and would be considered almost novelettes today. By the 70s and 80s the fantasy novels shot up to 400 or 500 pages. Since RJ's WHEEL OF TIME series, the novels have shot up to 800 pages or so per book.
FAVORITE DESCRIPTIVE PASSAGE: "The castle was built of the same white stone as the houses of the town. It had windows of thick glass (much of it painted fancifully) and ornate towers and battlements of delicate workmanship."
"The Baron was almost as tall as Count Brass. He was dressed in gleaming black and dark blue. Even his jeweled animal mask, which covered the whole of his head like a helmet, was of some strange black metal with deep blue sapphires for eyes."
OPENING PASSAGE: "Count Brass, Lord Guardian of Kamarg, rode out on a horned horse one morning to inspect his territories. He rode until he came to a little hill, on the top of which stood a ruin of immense age. It was the ruin of a Gothic church whose walls of thick stone were smooth with the passing of winds and rain. Ivy clad much of it, and the amber blossoms filled the dark windows, substitute for the stained glass that had once decorated them.
FLAWS: Not enough character introspection . . . most of the characters were archetypes so the emotional arcs were less than say in his ELRIC series where the character is far more developed and emphatic. Again, give it some latitude, as I believe he wrote this out in pieces for magazines. Quite different from the expected fantasy novel of today. OVERALL STYLE: Again, he's succinct. One thing I really like is Moorcock's narrative approach; he'll sometimes jump in as a narrator to explain things; sort of like Tolkien's THE HOBBIT but not quite as much. He also has a setup at each chapter to sort of lay down the setting.
THE LITTLE THINGS: Moorcock's division of the Evil Empire into jeweled masked faces in the shapes of different animals was interesting . .. pig, wolf, mantis, etc. The mix of technology with magic made for some interesting fights and events.
COMMENTS: Apparently, Moorcock was never big on Tolkien so he took the opposite approach in his works; far darker; less details; more gore; not as happy.
May 31, 2010
This book seemed to have a decent plot, but I found that the exposition was really poor. It felt more like I was reading through a long summary of the story rather than the story itself; each element was introduced and then resolved without much emotion in the writing at all. Characters' moods and opinions changed however the story needed them to with little realism or explanation. Problems tended to be resolved very simply and quickly, but rather than seeming to have "Mary Sue" characters, it felt more like the problems weren't that big of a deal to begin with. If the writing had a voice, I would say that it was monotone. The book could have been good, but it needed more life.
July 25, 2011
Moorcock only wrote one "Eternal Champion" book. He just gave it multiple titles and filled in the rest like an anti-hero "Mad Libs". Fortunately for me, I liked the book and can see it all as just variations of some desert I really enjoy.
Here is an overview of "The Book". Feel free to use it for Corum, Erekose, Elric or what-have-you.
A juvenile, self absorbed, doomed, ant-hero archetype sets out to destroy the the "Freaked Out Evil Britain Analogy". Not because he wanted to, but because he had to.
Meets himself/some ass named Jerry/both.
Hero hunts for lost love, shoe or back scrubber. It doesn't matter because you will never believe in his motivation anyway. Meets strange people and learns "unpleasant truths". Finds a weapon that he eventually wishes he hadn't used.
Kills/murders a butt-load of people in really horrid ways and with an arrogance that only the Eternal Champion could muster.
Kills major villain. Inadvertently/tragically kills himself/love interest.
Gets reincarnated.
Changes names.
I don't know if there is something wrong with me, but I totally eat this crap up. Seriously, what's not to love?
Here is an overview of "The Book". Feel free to use it for Corum, Erekose, Elric or what-have-you.
A juvenile, self absorbed, doomed, ant-hero archetype sets out to destroy the the "Freaked Out Evil Britain Analogy". Not because he wanted to, but because he had to.
Meets himself/some ass named Jerry/both.
Hero hunts for lost love, shoe or back scrubber. It doesn't matter because you will never believe in his motivation anyway. Meets strange people and learns "unpleasant truths". Finds a weapon that he eventually wishes he hadn't used.
Kills/murders a butt-load of people in really horrid ways and with an arrogance that only the Eternal Champion could muster.
Kills major villain. Inadvertently/tragically kills himself/love interest.
Gets reincarnated.
Changes names.
I don't know if there is something wrong with me, but I totally eat this crap up. Seriously, what's not to love?
May 18, 2018
A young knight, having lost everyone and everything he holds dear, travels to a strange land, falls in with an older man and a beautiful woman in a battle against an evil empire, one that is ruled by a mystical ancient emperor and his most trusted evil, general, a vile battle-hardened brute who always wears a mask. There's a mystical force controlling our hero's destiny although he knows little about it at first, oh, and there's also a trusted companion covered totally in long ginger hair.
Stop me if you've heard this before :-)
Moorcock's tale came a few years before Star Wars, but a fairy tale is a fairy tale, however it's told, and this one follows the same great themes. It takes place in the far future on earth rather than in a galaxy long ago and far away, and being Moorcock, reality is never all that stable, but it's another great romp.
Dorian Hawkmoon is the latest incarnation of the Eternal Champion in this one, book one of the four-book history of the Runestaff. And again there's epic battles -- even more of them than in previous volumes -- some truly vicious bad guys, and heroic defenders standing against them.
The evil empire of the future Great Britain, with its beast-masks, vast military, flying machines, time palaces and crystal bridges is more of Moorcock's early proto-steampunk, and comes alive wonderfully in the mind's eye, as does the castle in the Camarg that stands against them.
As book 1 of 4 it's a wonderful introduction to all the main players, and the big battle is a joyous romp of old-school sword and sorcery. These four books as a whole are among my favorites of all of Moorcock's work, and I'm looking forward to spending most of the weekend lost in his world with them.
Stop me if you've heard this before :-)
Moorcock's tale came a few years before Star Wars, but a fairy tale is a fairy tale, however it's told, and this one follows the same great themes. It takes place in the far future on earth rather than in a galaxy long ago and far away, and being Moorcock, reality is never all that stable, but it's another great romp.
Dorian Hawkmoon is the latest incarnation of the Eternal Champion in this one, book one of the four-book history of the Runestaff. And again there's epic battles -- even more of them than in previous volumes -- some truly vicious bad guys, and heroic defenders standing against them.
The evil empire of the future Great Britain, with its beast-masks, vast military, flying machines, time palaces and crystal bridges is more of Moorcock's early proto-steampunk, and comes alive wonderfully in the mind's eye, as does the castle in the Camarg that stands against them.
As book 1 of 4 it's a wonderful introduction to all the main players, and the big battle is a joyous romp of old-school sword and sorcery. These four books as a whole are among my favorites of all of Moorcock's work, and I'm looking forward to spending most of the weekend lost in his world with them.
June 29, 2021
The first half of so is pretty great: we've got hateable villains, a righteous hero, some sympathetic supporting cast, and an immediate threat to be done away with and a great deal of tension in it. But after the middlepoint things fall apart a little, with a fairly uninteresting journey that skips too many things and tells more than it shows. There's a decent enough final battle and the main conflict is more or less done away with, but there's also way too many loose ends left for the sequels.
It's all too obviously just the first part of a longer series, and doesn't quite manage to form its own identity.
It's all too obviously just the first part of a longer series, and doesn't quite manage to form its own identity.
December 14, 2016
I can see why Moorcock is considered the father of modern fantasy. This short book was a prelude to the Runestaff series in which Dorian Hawkmoon plays a primary role as the displaced ruler of Koln. Hawkmoon is captured and tortured by the evil Meladius of Granbretan and then sent to the country of Kamarg where he is to spy on Count Brass and then kidnap his beautiful daughter, Yisselda.
I enjoyed the elements of magic and technology and the references to the "Tragic Millennium". This was a challenge book and I'm glad I read it. I'll probably try to find others of the Runestaff books.
I enjoyed the elements of magic and technology and the references to the "Tragic Millennium". This was a challenge book and I'm glad I read it. I'll probably try to find others of the Runestaff books.
June 8, 2024
This is the type of classic fantasy adventure story that I enjoy. Michael Moorcok creates larger than life heroes in a future Earth that has been thrown back to almost medieval political systems. A small country stands alone against the might of an evil empire the only thing standing against enslavement are the heroes. The heroes and villains fight with swords and ride horned horses. There are domesticated flamingoes that are ridden into battles against mechanized ornithopters. Influencing all these events is the powerful Runestaff an artifact of great power that even the heroes know little about. The Jewel in the Skull is a tale of good vs evil with the Runestaff driving events and influencing the characters.
The Duke Meliadus leads armies for the evil immortal Emperor of Granbretan (once Great Britain) bent on controlling the world as they march across Europe enslaving and destroying. Count Brass stands alone defending his people against the aggression of Granbretan and in the process makes a personal enemy of Meliadus. Enter Duke Dorain Hawkmoor, whose country has been overrun by Granbretan and he has been captured. Meliadus has plans for the duke to use against Count Brass. But the Runestafff has plans for Hawkmoor as well!!
This is a 4-star read for me. I like all the fantastical elements and enjoy when the main characters are truly heroic. There are no shades of gray in the story or characters. The heroes always seem to have an answer and there are elements and characters that enter the story with little warning. These always seem to advantage the good guys. However, it is a fun story to immerse yourself in. The book has conflict, tension, action, a love story and a cast of imaginative characters that make it a truly enjoyable tale from a master of fantasy.
The Duke Meliadus leads armies for the evil immortal Emperor of Granbretan (once Great Britain) bent on controlling the world as they march across Europe enslaving and destroying. Count Brass stands alone defending his people against the aggression of Granbretan and in the process makes a personal enemy of Meliadus. Enter Duke Dorain Hawkmoor, whose country has been overrun by Granbretan and he has been captured. Meliadus has plans for the duke to use against Count Brass. But the Runestafff has plans for Hawkmoor as well!!
This is a 4-star read for me. I like all the fantastical elements and enjoy when the main characters are truly heroic. There are no shades of gray in the story or characters. The heroes always seem to have an answer and there are elements and characters that enter the story with little warning. These always seem to advantage the good guys. However, it is a fun story to immerse yourself in. The book has conflict, tension, action, a love story and a cast of imaginative characters that make it a truly enjoyable tale from a master of fantasy.
February 12, 2019
Another beginning saga for another Eternal Champion incarnation from Moorcock. Of course as usual the Eternal Champion is a long suffering tragic hero. I am sure that Moorcock has some Greek in him somewhere. Good read and story. Very recommended.
January 3, 2025
The Jewel in the Skull, the first of a series of books, focusing on a brave warrior named Hawkmoon.
Set in a future post-apocalyptic Europe, the dark empire of Granbreton attempts to conquer the remaining kingdoms that are free from its tyranny. Hawkmoon, also known as the Duke of Koln, is cursed by them. A gem is implanted into his brain. If he refuses their bidding, the jewel will be awoken and his brain will be consumed by evil.
As I was reading this, I reminded of the works by From Software, and after doing some research it turns out that Miyazaki, the creator of Dark Souls and Elden Ring, confirmed he was inspired by “The Eternal Champion series”, the multiverse that ties many of the works of Michael Moorcock together.
Their are swords and scorcery, monsters and tyrants, heroics and evil deeds, everything you want from a fantasy. Hawkmoon is a fine character but he is slightly over showing by another regular hero who makes an appearance named Count Brass, who will later become a familiar character in a world that I have instantly become invested in.
Whilst the writing isn’t quite as focused as Elric of Melniboné (often considered the best creation of Moorcock), the world, characters and fast pace are an absolute delight to read.
This is the fourth series of books I’ve now sampled by the influential writer, and once again it didn’t disappoint. For fans of science fiction and fantasy, I strongly recommend this forgotten master of the genres.
Read:
•The Jewel in the Skull (Hawkmoon 1)
•Warriors of Mars (Michael Kane 1)
•The Black Corridor (Sailing to Utopia 2)
•Elric of Melniboné (The Elric Saga 1)
Next to read
•Rituals of Infinity (The Roads between the Worlds)
•An Alien Heat (Dancers at the End of Time)
•The Knight of the Swords (Corum)
Set in a future post-apocalyptic Europe, the dark empire of Granbreton attempts to conquer the remaining kingdoms that are free from its tyranny. Hawkmoon, also known as the Duke of Koln, is cursed by them. A gem is implanted into his brain. If he refuses their bidding, the jewel will be awoken and his brain will be consumed by evil.
As I was reading this, I reminded of the works by From Software, and after doing some research it turns out that Miyazaki, the creator of Dark Souls and Elden Ring, confirmed he was inspired by “The Eternal Champion series”, the multiverse that ties many of the works of Michael Moorcock together.
Their are swords and scorcery, monsters and tyrants, heroics and evil deeds, everything you want from a fantasy. Hawkmoon is a fine character but he is slightly over showing by another regular hero who makes an appearance named Count Brass, who will later become a familiar character in a world that I have instantly become invested in.
Whilst the writing isn’t quite as focused as Elric of Melniboné (often considered the best creation of Moorcock), the world, characters and fast pace are an absolute delight to read.
This is the fourth series of books I’ve now sampled by the influential writer, and once again it didn’t disappoint. For fans of science fiction and fantasy, I strongly recommend this forgotten master of the genres.
Read:
•The Jewel in the Skull (Hawkmoon 1)
•Warriors of Mars (Michael Kane 1)
•The Black Corridor (Sailing to Utopia 2)
•Elric of Melniboné (The Elric Saga 1)
Next to read
•Rituals of Infinity (The Roads between the Worlds)
•An Alien Heat (Dancers at the End of Time)
•The Knight of the Swords (Corum)
May 19, 2018
Originally published on my blog here in March 1999.
The first of Moorcock's Runestaff series really sets the tone of his mature style. Like many of his fantasy novels, it fits in with his ideas about the Eternal Champion, which is a mechanism by which all his heroes are in fact more or less interchangeable aspects of one archetypal hero.
The atmosphere of the book is typical of Moorcock. It is set in a Europe far into the future, in a civilisation recovered after a nuclear holocaust. The Dark Empire of Granbretan is where most of the atmosphere is generated; this is done with little bits of descriptive writing, using symbols to evoke an emotional response: the beast-masks, the dark dungeons and alchemical experimentation, the grotesque Emperor Huon. This is an empire whose legions are gradually extending it through the whole of Europe, maintaining an iron grip on the conquered populace.
Dorian Hawkmoon, the Duke of Köln, was captured by Granbretan while attempting to lead a revolt in his country, overrun by the Empire some years before. Now he is to be used against Count Brass, who has kept the Kamarg safe from the Empire and who has recently humiliated the Granbretan envoy, the sinister Baron Meliadus. Sent to betray Count Brass, Hawkmoon has a black jewel implanted in his skull by Granbretan alchemists. This not only enables them to spy on what he is doing and saying, but makes it possible to kill him from a distance at the slightest hint that he might turn against them.
Hawkmoon comes to admire Count Brass and his daughter Yisselda, and the Count uses his own knowledge of sorcery, by which he immediately recognised the Black Jewel for what it was, to temporarily neutralise it. There are now two tasks facing Hawkmoon: to destroy the armies of the Dark Empire, now massed on the borders of Kamarg, and to find a more skilled sorcerer who can destroy the power of the jewel permanently.
Exciting and atmospheric, The Jewel in the Skull is a fine introduction to Moorcock's first mature fantasy series.
The first of Moorcock's Runestaff series really sets the tone of his mature style. Like many of his fantasy novels, it fits in with his ideas about the Eternal Champion, which is a mechanism by which all his heroes are in fact more or less interchangeable aspects of one archetypal hero.
The atmosphere of the book is typical of Moorcock. It is set in a Europe far into the future, in a civilisation recovered after a nuclear holocaust. The Dark Empire of Granbretan is where most of the atmosphere is generated; this is done with little bits of descriptive writing, using symbols to evoke an emotional response: the beast-masks, the dark dungeons and alchemical experimentation, the grotesque Emperor Huon. This is an empire whose legions are gradually extending it through the whole of Europe, maintaining an iron grip on the conquered populace.
Dorian Hawkmoon, the Duke of Köln, was captured by Granbretan while attempting to lead a revolt in his country, overrun by the Empire some years before. Now he is to be used against Count Brass, who has kept the Kamarg safe from the Empire and who has recently humiliated the Granbretan envoy, the sinister Baron Meliadus. Sent to betray Count Brass, Hawkmoon has a black jewel implanted in his skull by Granbretan alchemists. This not only enables them to spy on what he is doing and saying, but makes it possible to kill him from a distance at the slightest hint that he might turn against them.
Hawkmoon comes to admire Count Brass and his daughter Yisselda, and the Count uses his own knowledge of sorcery, by which he immediately recognised the Black Jewel for what it was, to temporarily neutralise it. There are now two tasks facing Hawkmoon: to destroy the armies of the Dark Empire, now massed on the borders of Kamarg, and to find a more skilled sorcerer who can destroy the power of the jewel permanently.
Exciting and atmospheric, The Jewel in the Skull is a fine introduction to Moorcock's first mature fantasy series.
November 30, 2022
I wish I liked this more than I did. It felt like extremely standard pulp fare whilst I wish it leaned more into its alternative history angle and gave us more of its interesting worldbuilding. I liked the subversion of Hawkmoon himself not turning up until halfway through which definitely help to build him up as a legendary figure.
3/5
3/5
January 2, 2015
1960s pulp sword & sorcery by the guy who brought you Elric and Stormbringer (actually I gather Hawkmoon is part of Moorcock's Eternal Champion multiverse). It's about what you can expect from the genre and era, but Moorcock was an important early influence on 70s and 80s fantasy, as well as Dungeons & Dragons.
It's set in a future Europe that has reverted to a medieval level of technology, with some remaining technology plus magic (they talk about sorcerer-scientists). Great Britain (Granbretan) is the evil empire conquering and slaughtering its way across the continent.
There's actually a strong female character! More or less. She shows up at the end of the book, wears platemail and leads her army in battle against Granbretan. Of course, Dorian Hawkmoon (the main character) still has to help her liberate her city from Granbretan and she offers to marry him after (but he's already betrothed).
One nice technical note: I bought this from Kobo, but it was DRM-free at the request of the publisher! They include a note saying you can make whatever backups you need, read it on any device you own but please be nice and don't give away pirate copies. More of this, please!
It's set in a future Europe that has reverted to a medieval level of technology, with some remaining technology plus magic (they talk about sorcerer-scientists). Great Britain (Granbretan) is the evil empire conquering and slaughtering its way across the continent.
There's actually a strong female character! More or less. She shows up at the end of the book, wears platemail and leads her army in battle against Granbretan. Of course, Dorian Hawkmoon (the main character) still has to help her liberate her city from Granbretan and she offers to marry him after (but he's already betrothed).
One nice technical note: I bought this from Kobo, but it was DRM-free at the request of the publisher! They include a note saying you can make whatever backups you need, read it on any device you own but please be nice and don't give away pirate copies. More of this, please!
December 1, 2021
Like most of Moorcock's series books, this is fast moving, skimpy on the sort of sensory details that give weight to a setting, and leans heavily on the concept rather than its execution, especially as the story slides into the usual Moorcock fetchquest and crashing conclusion.
Structurally it resembles the tale of knightly romance and high adventure--vengeance, rivalry, dastardly foes, boon companions, random mysterious warriors, strange lands and artifacts--all sitting atop the bones of the Tragic Millennium and its technological detritus. Unfortunately I have trouble imagining its initial effect in 1967, as since then its bones have been picked over by the likes of Masters of the Universe and so forth.
I was surprised in this reading how evident Moorcock makes the framework of the Tragic Millennium and the fact of this happening in some post-apocalyptic future, rather than as a revelation to slowly peel back. Also, the collected edition contains samples of art from James Cawthorn's graphic novel version, and it is clear that the thing Moorcock needs more than anything is an artist to interpret whatever is going on in his head.
Structurally it resembles the tale of knightly romance and high adventure--vengeance, rivalry, dastardly foes, boon companions, random mysterious warriors, strange lands and artifacts--all sitting atop the bones of the Tragic Millennium and its technological detritus. Unfortunately I have trouble imagining its initial effect in 1967, as since then its bones have been picked over by the likes of Masters of the Universe and so forth.
I was surprised in this reading how evident Moorcock makes the framework of the Tragic Millennium and the fact of this happening in some post-apocalyptic future, rather than as a revelation to slowly peel back. Also, the collected edition contains samples of art from James Cawthorn's graphic novel version, and it is clear that the thing Moorcock needs more than anything is an artist to interpret whatever is going on in his head.
January 18, 2015
http://panopticonitalia.blogspot.it/2...
The jewel of death is the first volume in the saga of Rune Magic of Michael Moorcock, published on the British market in 1967 by Lancer Books under the title "The Jewel in the Skull"; while it is high in Italy only in 1978, thanks to the publisher Longanesi.
This novel can be cataloged fantasy / sword and sorcery / fantasy science / clockpunk, though presents unique elements that make it difficult to harness it into a single genre. Some would not hesitate to call grimdark fantasy, label very dear to modern critics.
But we come to the content of the book.
We are on Earth in the distant future and post-nuclear where chaos reigns and nation states we know today have dissolved. In place of them there are a myriad of small domains ruled by local lords, with a feudal political system. The science has returned to the Middle Ages and the Black Empire of Great Britain, ruled by Emperor Huon, a being pseudoumano, is quickly subduing the whole of Europe, thanks to technological innovations that the other states do not have. The most dangerous are the flamethrower and thopters can unleash impetuous attacks from the sky; virtually impossible to counter. During the wars of expansion disparate behaviors, the soldiers of Great Britain are much feared as well as being fully equipped and to have an iron discipline, they fight with their faces covered by masks depicting animals (wolf, bear, mantis, crow, pork, bull), which represent their orders, and indulge in atrocities that make them inhuman in the eyes of the defenders.
Also the Empire Black can also make use also of alchemists and sorcerers, capable to elaborate spells aimed at obscuring the minds of men and make them their slaves.
But not only has changed the geopolitical situation of the Earth, as even humans and animals have undergone transmutations that made them ugly and grotesque. We find mountain giants, huge flamingos that can be ridden, goats big as ponies, horned horses, bats titanic equipped with long arms and sharp claws, and other monstrous creatures.
The protagonist of the story is Dorian Hawkmoon, Duke of Koln, who, after being defeated in war by the army of Great Britain, was imprisoned and underwent an operation by which the alchemists / scientists have the Black Empire inserted in front of the Bud Black, subduing to their will; on pain of death. But our asylum located at Karmarg (Camargue wetland south of Arles, France), governed by Count Brass, one territory that can withstand the inexorable advance of Britain. Here you will be able to mitigate the power of Gemma Black and leave for Haman, in search of the magician Malagigi, in order to find a solution to the spell that afflicts him.
Dorian Hawkmoon is an anti-hero charming and cursed by Gemma Black, consumed by the desire to avenge his father's death at the hands of Baron Meladius, generalissimo Black Empire. Alongside him in this enterprise will be Count Brass, streetwise and mercenary leader, Bowgentle , philosopher of Brass, Oladah, smart giant mountains, Von Villach, weapons master of Brass, Yisselda, his beloved and beautiful queen Fawbra.
This short novel, less than two hundred pages, rushing and propels us into a fantasy world and gloomy, highlighting the extraordinary visionary capacity of Michael Moorcock, comparable only to that of Clark Ashton Smith, Jack Vance and Roger Zelazny. Those who like the authors cited and sword and sorcery can not help but get excited about reading The jewel of death and will be obliged to continue this wonderful fantasy saga.
The jewel of death is the first volume in the saga of Rune Magic of Michael Moorcock, published on the British market in 1967 by Lancer Books under the title "The Jewel in the Skull"; while it is high in Italy only in 1978, thanks to the publisher Longanesi.
This novel can be cataloged fantasy / sword and sorcery / fantasy science / clockpunk, though presents unique elements that make it difficult to harness it into a single genre. Some would not hesitate to call grimdark fantasy, label very dear to modern critics.
But we come to the content of the book.
We are on Earth in the distant future and post-nuclear where chaos reigns and nation states we know today have dissolved. In place of them there are a myriad of small domains ruled by local lords, with a feudal political system. The science has returned to the Middle Ages and the Black Empire of Great Britain, ruled by Emperor Huon, a being pseudoumano, is quickly subduing the whole of Europe, thanks to technological innovations that the other states do not have. The most dangerous are the flamethrower and thopters can unleash impetuous attacks from the sky; virtually impossible to counter. During the wars of expansion disparate behaviors, the soldiers of Great Britain are much feared as well as being fully equipped and to have an iron discipline, they fight with their faces covered by masks depicting animals (wolf, bear, mantis, crow, pork, bull), which represent their orders, and indulge in atrocities that make them inhuman in the eyes of the defenders.
Also the Empire Black can also make use also of alchemists and sorcerers, capable to elaborate spells aimed at obscuring the minds of men and make them their slaves.
But not only has changed the geopolitical situation of the Earth, as even humans and animals have undergone transmutations that made them ugly and grotesque. We find mountain giants, huge flamingos that can be ridden, goats big as ponies, horned horses, bats titanic equipped with long arms and sharp claws, and other monstrous creatures.
The protagonist of the story is Dorian Hawkmoon, Duke of Koln, who, after being defeated in war by the army of Great Britain, was imprisoned and underwent an operation by which the alchemists / scientists have the Black Empire inserted in front of the Bud Black, subduing to their will; on pain of death. But our asylum located at Karmarg (Camargue wetland south of Arles, France), governed by Count Brass, one territory that can withstand the inexorable advance of Britain. Here you will be able to mitigate the power of Gemma Black and leave for Haman, in search of the magician Malagigi, in order to find a solution to the spell that afflicts him.
Dorian Hawkmoon is an anti-hero charming and cursed by Gemma Black, consumed by the desire to avenge his father's death at the hands of Baron Meladius, generalissimo Black Empire. Alongside him in this enterprise will be Count Brass, streetwise and mercenary leader, Bowgentle , philosopher of Brass, Oladah, smart giant mountains, Von Villach, weapons master of Brass, Yisselda, his beloved and beautiful queen Fawbra.
This short novel, less than two hundred pages, rushing and propels us into a fantasy world and gloomy, highlighting the extraordinary visionary capacity of Michael Moorcock, comparable only to that of Clark Ashton Smith, Jack Vance and Roger Zelazny. Those who like the authors cited and sword and sorcery can not help but get excited about reading The jewel of death and will be obliged to continue this wonderful fantasy saga.
July 7, 2022
The Post Apocalyptic Novels
6 July 2022
It has been ages since I’ve read a Michael Moorcock novel, and a part of me, even though I have already read a bunch of them back in my youth (that makes me sound really old), a part of me really wants to read them again. The problem is that I pretty much gave them all away. However, one of my friends had a collection of Hawkmoon stories, so I decided to grab them and give them a read.
Actually, I vaguely remember actually reading this one. The reason I say this is because I suddenly remembered the silver bridge that crossed the English Channel, and that the story started off with this guy who only ever wore brass. Rather imaginatively, his name was Count Brass. The other thing is that this story is set far in the future, after what was called The Tragic Millenium. We are never told what actually happened, but it sounded as if there was a huge war, possibly even nuclear, and the world reverted to a medieval state, though some technology remained.
Anyway, the British Empire has been revived, sort of, but it is now known as The Dark Empire, or the Empire of Granbretan. Well, one could probably say that it has more to do with the English empire during the Hundred Years War, namely because they have invaded France, and are slowly making their way to attempt to conquer all of Europe, and then the world. The empire had recently captured the city of Cologne, of which Hawkmoon was the ruler, and one of the Barons, Meladius, travels to Count Brass to attempt to negotiate a truce. Instead, he decides to kidnap his daughter and is promptly kicked out. So he goes to Hawkmoon, plants a Jewel in his skull, and tells him to go and kidnap the daughter for him.
The story is split into four parts, the first part introducing the conflict between Meladius and Count Brass, the second introducing Hawkmoon and also his trip to visit Count Brass, the battle between the Dark Empire and the forces of Brass and Hawkmoon, and finally Hawkmoon’s quest to disable the jewel. The thing is that the Jewel not only allows the minions of the Dark Empire to spy on him, but it is also a time bomb in that if they desire, they can simply kill Hawkmoon.
Yeah, the story was okay, though it is fairly basic. Actually, the interesting thing is that it isn’t quite like some of Moorcock’s other stories, which pretty much twists the whole standard narrative of the typical fantasy novel on its head. However, it was written before the whole fantasy genre took on a life of its own. Actually, a part of me almost considers his works to be a counter-point to Tolkien’s works, where the main characters are more anti-heroes than heroes. Yet, this isn’t the case with Hawkmoon – I get the impression that he is a fairly noble and upstanding individual. This is probably why I never really liked these stories as much as the other ones.
Still, it is a rather short read, and entertaining as well.
6 July 2022
It has been ages since I’ve read a Michael Moorcock novel, and a part of me, even though I have already read a bunch of them back in my youth (that makes me sound really old), a part of me really wants to read them again. The problem is that I pretty much gave them all away. However, one of my friends had a collection of Hawkmoon stories, so I decided to grab them and give them a read.
Actually, I vaguely remember actually reading this one. The reason I say this is because I suddenly remembered the silver bridge that crossed the English Channel, and that the story started off with this guy who only ever wore brass. Rather imaginatively, his name was Count Brass. The other thing is that this story is set far in the future, after what was called The Tragic Millenium. We are never told what actually happened, but it sounded as if there was a huge war, possibly even nuclear, and the world reverted to a medieval state, though some technology remained.
Anyway, the British Empire has been revived, sort of, but it is now known as The Dark Empire, or the Empire of Granbretan. Well, one could probably say that it has more to do with the English empire during the Hundred Years War, namely because they have invaded France, and are slowly making their way to attempt to conquer all of Europe, and then the world. The empire had recently captured the city of Cologne, of which Hawkmoon was the ruler, and one of the Barons, Meladius, travels to Count Brass to attempt to negotiate a truce. Instead, he decides to kidnap his daughter and is promptly kicked out. So he goes to Hawkmoon, plants a Jewel in his skull, and tells him to go and kidnap the daughter for him.
The story is split into four parts, the first part introducing the conflict between Meladius and Count Brass, the second introducing Hawkmoon and also his trip to visit Count Brass, the battle between the Dark Empire and the forces of Brass and Hawkmoon, and finally Hawkmoon’s quest to disable the jewel. The thing is that the Jewel not only allows the minions of the Dark Empire to spy on him, but it is also a time bomb in that if they desire, they can simply kill Hawkmoon.
Yeah, the story was okay, though it is fairly basic. Actually, the interesting thing is that it isn’t quite like some of Moorcock’s other stories, which pretty much twists the whole standard narrative of the typical fantasy novel on its head. However, it was written before the whole fantasy genre took on a life of its own. Actually, a part of me almost considers his works to be a counter-point to Tolkien’s works, where the main characters are more anti-heroes than heroes. Yet, this isn’t the case with Hawkmoon – I get the impression that he is a fairly noble and upstanding individual. This is probably why I never really liked these stories as much as the other ones.
Still, it is a rather short read, and entertaining as well.
January 30, 2017
This is me finally getting off of my but and investigating arguably one the great fantasy concepts of the latter half of the 20th century. Moorcock's Eternal Champion mythos. Along with Julius Schwartz (as editor) and Gardner Fox (as writer) I cannot think of any other writer who has done so much to establish the concept of the multliverse as firmly in the fantasy/science fiction genre as Moorcock.
But, where to start? I mean it does seem to be an imposing amount of reading. I elected to begin with the Runestaff aka Dorian Hawkmoon books. And, kudos to Moorcock for doing so much in what would today be considered a limited amount of space (less than 200 pages).
The attraction for me of Hawkmoon are the minor post-holocaust overtones of the series setting and that Hawkmoon himself is one of the less tragic or anti-hero of the Eternal Champions. Of course Hawkmoon is a superb fighter, and has moral standards, but beyond that there is not much characterization of the main protagonist.
I do wonder if Moorcock was having fun poking at Britain's politics as the evil empire is the decadent and deranged Granbretan.
By modern fantasy standards this is a brief read. There is not a lot of characterization, but Moorcock deserves, I think, a lot of credit for moving the story along at a good pace and resolving plot points in the first book that I expected the author to drag out for multiple books to come.
But, where to start? I mean it does seem to be an imposing amount of reading. I elected to begin with the Runestaff aka Dorian Hawkmoon books. And, kudos to Moorcock for doing so much in what would today be considered a limited amount of space (less than 200 pages).
The attraction for me of Hawkmoon are the minor post-holocaust overtones of the series setting and that Hawkmoon himself is one of the less tragic or anti-hero of the Eternal Champions. Of course Hawkmoon is a superb fighter, and has moral standards, but beyond that there is not much characterization of the main protagonist.
I do wonder if Moorcock was having fun poking at Britain's politics as the evil empire is the decadent and deranged Granbretan.
By modern fantasy standards this is a brief read. There is not a lot of characterization, but Moorcock deserves, I think, a lot of credit for moving the story along at a good pace and resolving plot points in the first book that I expected the author to drag out for multiple books to come.
October 1, 2015
Another good read.
I can remember reading some of his fantasy stories back in the late 70s/early 80s although am not sure if I have read this one before or not.
Wanted to sample this first one in the Hawkmoon series to see if it was as good as I remembered (in general - not this specific one), and I'm pleased to report that it was.
This is a stirring swords and sorcery tale written in 1967 - it features a version of Europe (alternative universe or far future isn't made clear) in which the villain of the piece is the Dark Empire of Granbretan (Great Britain) with it's capital city of Londra (London) - it's unusual for a Brit to be reading this, but the whole continent seems far removed from reality but with touches that make it seem familiar (Geography and bastardised place names etc).
It's a great story of a hero (Hawkmoon) and his struggles against the Dark Empire.
As I have enjoyed this one, and its the first of a 4 part series, I will be straight on to the next book in the series (they're all fairly short books and not the weighty fantasy epics that make up long running series these days!).
I can remember reading some of his fantasy stories back in the late 70s/early 80s although am not sure if I have read this one before or not.
Wanted to sample this first one in the Hawkmoon series to see if it was as good as I remembered (in general - not this specific one), and I'm pleased to report that it was.
This is a stirring swords and sorcery tale written in 1967 - it features a version of Europe (alternative universe or far future isn't made clear) in which the villain of the piece is the Dark Empire of Granbretan (Great Britain) with it's capital city of Londra (London) - it's unusual for a Brit to be reading this, but the whole continent seems far removed from reality but with touches that make it seem familiar (Geography and bastardised place names etc).
It's a great story of a hero (Hawkmoon) and his struggles against the Dark Empire.
As I have enjoyed this one, and its the first of a 4 part series, I will be straight on to the next book in the series (they're all fairly short books and not the weighty fantasy epics that make up long running series these days!).
February 15, 2015
I'm glad I read it, and I really the cover art and size of the book - book fetishism I know. I skimmed the 3rd quarter , it was one long battle scene that I could pick the key points out of. I was engaged again in the last quarter. The structure isn't standard with the first quarter being all about Count Brass then the rest being about Hawkmoon. It's written 'from a distance' more than the 'immediate here and now' of contemporary novels. It's more like being told a fairy tale. I was reading another Moorcock, The Bane of the Black Sword in digital format while on the train to work. There is a difference in style, the Elric stories seem more immediate and intimate to me. I'd recently read Moorcock's 'How to write a novel in three days' article which gives some insight where his head was at when he produced a lot of this stuff. It was in my mind as I was reading that these books are very much a product of their time and place, as all books are.
August 21, 2022
In a far off future, after a great apocalypse, the brutal Dark Empire of Granbretan seeks to conquer all of Europe. Count Brass of Kamarg seeks to remain neutral. Dorian Hawkmoon of Köln, a prisoner of the Dark Empire is fitted with a black jewel that allows his captors to observe what he sees. He is sent to gain the trust of Count Brass and kidnap his daughter. If Hawkmoon doesn’t obey, the jewel will kill him.
I wasn’t surprised when I read that Moorcock wrote this in three days. The characters are a little two dimensional and things happen at breakneck speed. Compared to the battle at the end of part two, the battle and events in part three felt rushed.
None of this stopped me from enjoying the book though. The world is interesting, the story is imaginative, pulpy, and a lot of fun, and things are just getting started. Looking forward to reading book 2.
I wasn’t surprised when I read that Moorcock wrote this in three days. The characters are a little two dimensional and things happen at breakneck speed. Compared to the battle at the end of part two, the battle and events in part three felt rushed.
None of this stopped me from enjoying the book though. The world is interesting, the story is imaginative, pulpy, and a lot of fun, and things are just getting started. Looking forward to reading book 2.
March 26, 2021
Муркок в своей лучшей форме. В 150 страниц плотно упакованы не только приключения и битвы в пост-ядерной рыцарской Европе (хотя этого тоже хватает!), но и рассуждения о природе фашизма, и немного романтики, и маленькая вставная поэма, и бог знает что еще. Замечательная книга.
Очень жаль, что к каждой замечательной книге Муркок обязательно пишет сто графоманских продолжений про бесконечные путешествия по мирам хаоса и сражения с демонами хаоса с помощью магии хаоса. Впрочем, выбора нет, приходится терпеть.
Очень жаль, что к каждой замечательной книге Муркок обязательно пишет сто графоманских продолжений про бесконечные путешествия по мирам хаоса и сражения с демонами хаоса с помощью магии хаоса. Впрочем, выбора нет, приходится терпеть.
July 28, 2010
Another of the runestaff, Hawkmoon books, which I liked quite a lot.
December 6, 2010
Very, very average book, but I guess that's what you get when you read groundbreaking dark fantasy 43 years late.
meh
meh
February 7, 2014
In the first of the four volume ‘Runestaff’ series, Moorcock introduces us to Dorian Hawkmoon, another incarnation of the Eternal Champion. Hawkmoon hails from Köln, in a Germany of the far future. The Dark Empire of Granbretan has begun its invasion of Europe and in the way stands the Kamarg, a land of marshes, giant flamingos, white bulls and horned horses. There, in Castle Brass lives Count Brass, scientist and soldier.
Hawkmoon is captured by Baron Meliadus and, having had a sentient and deadly jewel inserted in his forehead, is sent to Castle Brass to kidnap the Count’s daughter Yisselda. When the Count neutralises the jewel’s power and recruits Hawkmoon to his cause, Meliadus swears by the Runestaff to have his vengeance, thus invoking ancient and powerful forces and setting fast the course of the future. Thus Hawkmoon, his allies and enemies are locked into the predestinate grooves along which lies their destiny.
Despite its hastily written feel and its formulaic structure, Hawkmoon’s first adventure is full of strange and original ideas, blending fantasy and science fiction (although more prosaic critics would argue that the scientific elements are merely fantasy devices wrapped in the robes of technology) into that entertaining hybrid Science Fantasy.
Our contemporary civilisation has been long forgotten, although fragments of it remain, as in Bowgentle’s recited poem which contains references to Earth’s lost past, which itself was long before ‘The Tragic Millennium’ that spawned twisted mutated creatures and the breakdown of civilisation. Stories and myths are told about the far lands of Asiacommunista and Amarekh, though no-one has actually returned from these lands to verify the facts.
Hawkmoon discovers that his only hope of ridding himself of the jewel embedded in his skull is to travel to Hamadan to seek Malagigi the sorceror-scientist. On his journey he teams up with Oladahn, a hair-covered midget half-giant who becomes his companion and is – as is pointed out in other works – another incarnation of the Eternal Champion’s companion, or possibly the Champion himself.
There he thwarts the plans of the Granbretanians and the life within the jewel is destroyed.
Moorcock’s abiding theme in his work is the eternal battle raging throughout the Multiverse between Order and Chaos.
The forces of Chaos here are represented by the decadent and psychotic people of Granbretan, divided into ‘tribes’ or ‘clans’ defined by the beast-masks they wear.
It’s a stultified jaded society composed of people afraid to show their true faces, ruled for the last two thousand years by King Huon from the depths of his throne globe.
The two thousand year figure is significant since this was written around the time of Moorcock’s involvement with the British new wave, and also a time when the voice of youth was rebelling against the establishment. This is by no means a work which fits into the New Wave, but is in its own way the work of an individual voice and pushes the devices of SF and Fantasy almost to the point of self-parody.
Hawkmoon is captured by Baron Meliadus and, having had a sentient and deadly jewel inserted in his forehead, is sent to Castle Brass to kidnap the Count’s daughter Yisselda. When the Count neutralises the jewel’s power and recruits Hawkmoon to his cause, Meliadus swears by the Runestaff to have his vengeance, thus invoking ancient and powerful forces and setting fast the course of the future. Thus Hawkmoon, his allies and enemies are locked into the predestinate grooves along which lies their destiny.
Despite its hastily written feel and its formulaic structure, Hawkmoon’s first adventure is full of strange and original ideas, blending fantasy and science fiction (although more prosaic critics would argue that the scientific elements are merely fantasy devices wrapped in the robes of technology) into that entertaining hybrid Science Fantasy.
Our contemporary civilisation has been long forgotten, although fragments of it remain, as in Bowgentle’s recited poem which contains references to Earth’s lost past, which itself was long before ‘The Tragic Millennium’ that spawned twisted mutated creatures and the breakdown of civilisation. Stories and myths are told about the far lands of Asiacommunista and Amarekh, though no-one has actually returned from these lands to verify the facts.
Hawkmoon discovers that his only hope of ridding himself of the jewel embedded in his skull is to travel to Hamadan to seek Malagigi the sorceror-scientist. On his journey he teams up with Oladahn, a hair-covered midget half-giant who becomes his companion and is – as is pointed out in other works – another incarnation of the Eternal Champion’s companion, or possibly the Champion himself.
There he thwarts the plans of the Granbretanians and the life within the jewel is destroyed.
Moorcock’s abiding theme in his work is the eternal battle raging throughout the Multiverse between Order and Chaos.
The forces of Chaos here are represented by the decadent and psychotic people of Granbretan, divided into ‘tribes’ or ‘clans’ defined by the beast-masks they wear.
It’s a stultified jaded society composed of people afraid to show their true faces, ruled for the last two thousand years by King Huon from the depths of his throne globe.
The two thousand year figure is significant since this was written around the time of Moorcock’s involvement with the British new wave, and also a time when the voice of youth was rebelling against the establishment. This is by no means a work which fits into the New Wave, but is in its own way the work of an individual voice and pushes the devices of SF and Fantasy almost to the point of self-parody.
August 18, 2019
I went through a Michael Moorcock phase five years ago. I’m not a reader of heroic fantasy, but I ran across Moorcock’s essay, “Epic Pooh,” his takedown of JRR Tolkien, the Tolkien industry, and almost everything that had followed in its wake. Having abandoned the Ring novels when I first encountered them decades ago and having never felt compelled to give them a second try, I was intrigued by Morcocks’s Eternal Champion, a figure that takes various incarnations in the Moorcock Multiverse. I started, as did the author, with the Elric series.
Don’t worry, I do not intend to summarize those novels, just know they wreak havoc with the tropes of traditional heroic fantasy while never falling into parody. In this world there is an ongoing battle between the powers of Chaos and Order. Elric is on the side of Chaos, but things get murky early on. The novels are morally complex, action packed, and filled with entertaining cohorts and repulsive monsters. And they wind things up in under 200 pages. Highly recommended.
So I decided to try the next hero’s saga in the History of the Runestaff trilogy. The first novel, The Jewel in the Skull, may be Moorcock’s sophomore slump. The nation of Grandbretan (get it?) is on an imperialistic rampage through either an alternative or far future version of Europe and the Middle East. Battles are fought with a combination of medieval weaponry, ray guns using the ancient technology of the 20th century, and magic. The good guys are very good, and the bad guys are unremittingly evil. Our hero is Hawkmoon, the dispossessed prince whose European state that has been conquered by Granbretan. He is in love with a beautiful princess; he’s captured and tortured by Granbretan; and, he is under a curse that he must cross a continent to have removed. But these exploits are related in with a notable lack of enthusiasm compared to the Elric sage. And Hawkmoon, compared to Elric, is a tedious bore. John Clute,, who writes the general introduction to the Gollanz muti-volume collection of Moorcock’s fantasy novels, describes Hawkmoon as “a bit of a berk.” I had to Google it, but then I agreed.
Don’t worry, I do not intend to summarize those novels, just know they wreak havoc with the tropes of traditional heroic fantasy while never falling into parody. In this world there is an ongoing battle between the powers of Chaos and Order. Elric is on the side of Chaos, but things get murky early on. The novels are morally complex, action packed, and filled with entertaining cohorts and repulsive monsters. And they wind things up in under 200 pages. Highly recommended.
So I decided to try the next hero’s saga in the History of the Runestaff trilogy. The first novel, The Jewel in the Skull, may be Moorcock’s sophomore slump. The nation of Grandbretan (get it?) is on an imperialistic rampage through either an alternative or far future version of Europe and the Middle East. Battles are fought with a combination of medieval weaponry, ray guns using the ancient technology of the 20th century, and magic. The good guys are very good, and the bad guys are unremittingly evil. Our hero is Hawkmoon, the dispossessed prince whose European state that has been conquered by Granbretan. He is in love with a beautiful princess; he’s captured and tortured by Granbretan; and, he is under a curse that he must cross a continent to have removed. But these exploits are related in with a notable lack of enthusiasm compared to the Elric sage. And Hawkmoon, compared to Elric, is a tedious bore. John Clute,, who writes the general introduction to the Gollanz muti-volume collection of Moorcock’s fantasy novels, describes Hawkmoon as “a bit of a berk.” I had to Google it, but then I agreed.
December 5, 2012
I read the earlier un-revised version of this book, and I can see why he decided to go back and revise it later. In some ways it was very typical male authored fantasty, male characters doing important things, with very few female characters (though I did like the Princess in the blue plate mail!) There were a little too many fights and battles for my taste and the characters were fairly one dimensional. That said there were quite a lot of things I did like. I really liked the post-apocalyptic fantasy setting. I liked the evil British Empire. I really liked Count Brass. I liked that Hawkmoon became traumatised into numbness in the beginning of the his part of the book. I liked that it was full of odd creatures and monsters. It was fun, though not on the same level as Elric and Corum. I will definitely read the rest though I think I need to take a break from fantasy for a bit. While I enjoyed both this and the Beagle I'm remined why I don't read fantasy novels anymore!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 216 reviews