Elric: Swords and Roses (Chronicles of the Last Emperor of Melniboné, #6) in Sword & Sorcery: "An earthier sort of fantasy"

May 24, 2017 Joseph rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Sixth and final of Del Rey's series collecting all of Michael Moorcock's Elric stories (& other miscellanea) (n.b. except for the novels of the Dreamquest trilogy, which were still in print and so didn't really need to be "rescued" by inclusion in this series; plus TOR probably wouldn't have agreed ...)

There are three major works in this volume: The Revenge of the Rose from 1991, which was the last Elric novel until the Dreamquest novels began appearing, a previously-unpublished screenplay from Sixth and final of Del Rey's series collecting all of Michael Moorcock's Elric stories (& other miscellanea) (n.b. except for the novels of the Dreamquest trilogy, which were still in print and so didn't really need to be "rescued" by inclusion in this series; plus TOR probably wouldn't have agreed ...)

There are three major works in this volume: The Revenge of the Rose from 1991, which was the last Elric novel until the Dreamquest novels began appearing, a previously-unpublished screenplay from 1964 or so for a movie called Stormbringer, and Black Petals, a longish (50 pages) story that appeared in Weird Tales magazine in 2008 and may be the most recent major piece of Elric fiction Moorcock has written.

The book is rounded out with a set of republished essays & introductions either about fantasy in general (with special attention paid to Elric) or about Elric specifically, including one non-Moorcock piece that actually (and fascinatingly) lists all the Elric stories, their initial publications, and the ways they were subsequently revised & recombined to make the "classic" six paperbacks of the 1970s. (Plus, of course, the stories & novels published subsequently, and the collections that followed them; but the six-book series from the 1970s contains the "core" of the Elric series -- the relatively finalized versions of the stories that brought him originally to prominence.)

As to the fiction: The Revenge of the Rose is, like The Fortress of the Pearl, Moorcock returning to Elric as a much more mature & accomplished writer. In this particular case, Elric is sent on a quest across multiple realities by his father Sadric's ghost; much blood & plenty of souls goes to My Lord Arioch and while it's a shame we don't spend more time in the Young Kingdoms, the different planes we do visit are fascinating places.

The Stormbringer screenplay is ... odd. The actual story being adapted is really that of The Eternal Champion, except the protagonist is named Urlik rather than Erekosë (n.b. -- Urlik was the Champion's name in The Silver Warriors), and the Champion's sword is actually and explicitly Stormbringer itself. It'd almost be interesting to give this to, say, Peter Jackson to see what he could make of it -- reading some of the descriptions, it's hard to imagine it being produced in the 1960s.

And Black Petals is a fine story of Elric & Moonglum joining an expedition to an ancient city in search of a mysterious flower that might be able to replace Stormbringer in giving Elric the strength he needs just to live. Needless to say, it's not as simple as it sounds ... ...more

6 likes · Like · see review

Nov 04, 2022 Steve Dilks rated it liked it

I was a big fan of Elric and Michael Moorcock during my teenage years. That hasn't changed. I still am. But back then, as a greasy long haired spotty 17 year old with no hope of getting a girlfriend, I identified strongly with Moorcock's self pitying, doom driven anti-hero with his eternal melancholy and soul hungry hell sword, Stormbringer. I devoured those books with feverish abandon, relishing each Michael Whelan cover and delving into the cosmic struggles of the multiverse with gusto.
My int I was a big fan of Elric and Michael Moorcock during my teenage years. That hasn't changed. I still am. But back then, as a greasy long haired spotty 17 year old with no hope of getting a girlfriend, I identified strongly with Moorcock's self pitying, doom driven anti-hero with his eternal melancholy and soul hungry hell sword, Stormbringer. I devoured those books with feverish abandon, relishing each Michael Whelan cover and delving into the cosmic struggles of the multiverse with gusto.
My interest with Elric started to wan around 1989 with THE FORTRESS OF THE PEARL. A sad irony, as it was at the book launch of that novel in London that I first met Michael Moorcock. It just didn't have the same... verve or passion as those early stories. Subsequent books followed, each less enchanting than the last until I just could not bring myself to buy another. The last I recall reading was THE DREAMTHIEF'S DAUGHTER.
Fast forward some twenty five years later and here I am with SWORDS AND ROSES. This is a collection that I was interested in getting for two reasons. One was for the 1976 first draft script for a proposed movie, STORMBRINGER, written by Moorcock himself, and the other a novella, 'Black petals', first published in the 85th anniversary issue of WEIRD TALES in 2008. The main part of the book is taken up by THE REVENGE OF THE ROSE, a novel that I read many years ago and of which I recall very little except that I didn't much like it. Indeed, I had to google the plot to remind myself what it was about.
My main thoughts here concern the script and the WEIRD TALES novella, both of which are interesting for different reasons.
The script for STORMBRINGER was commissioned after Moorcock and James Cawthorn completed the screenplay for the movie, THE LAND THAT TIME FORGOT. For all of you who accuse John Milius of bastardizing and ruining Howard's character with CONAN THE BARBARIAN, then the script for STORMBRINGER will come as something of a shock- especially as it is written by the man who actually wrote the book upon which it is based. For the script has actually nothing to do with Elric at all but is loosely based on his novel THE ETERNAL CHAMPION. I say loosely, because, beyond the basic premise of the plot it is nothing like that book either. The protagonist's name is Ulric (the name of the character in THE SILVER WARRIORS) and it starts off with an action set piece in the 20th century. Stormbringer does play a huge role. Basically, it's a cannibalization of Moorcock's themes elastoplasted together to make a film. It clocks in at 80 pages. It's a bit daft and rushed and reads for what it is- a first draft treatment. Interestingly, Mike agreed only to do the project if his friend, James Cawthorn, was allowed to do the storyboards. Alas, it never got to the pre-production stages to make that come to fruition.
'Black petals' is interesting because it harkens back to the days when Elric was still chumming and slumming it around with his old mucker, Moonglum. It starts off well. There is some great descriptive passages and it's nice to see the companions in the back alleys and narrow lanes of a strange new city again. This time they are seeking a mythical plant which may, may or may not, ease the last lord of Melnibone's sickliness and thus end his reliance on his wicked blade, Stormbringer. There are two princesses, another Melnibonean, and a trip up a jungle river to an ancient ruined city over run with cannibals. All's well that ends.... well, let's just say that the story reads like Moorcock in his early days. Not his great, glory days, mind, but rather the days of 'The jade man's eyes'. The story was fine up until a point but I had the feeling I had read it all before. Elric's actions play out rather mechanically. You can virtually predict how things are going to go down. I get the feeling Moorcock was self consciously playing to the old school fan base whilst uneasily recognizing that his enthusiasm for this sort of caper had died off years ago.
I'm among the first to recognize that Moorcock's golden glory days are behind him and that some of the stuff in this book, such as the script for STORMBRINGER, was never really meant to be read by anyone but movie execs. Nevertheless, for the completist, it is still fascinating and fun to read this sort of stuff. The illustrations by John Picacio for THE REVENGE OF THE ROSE, by the way, are marvellous. ...more

3 likes · Like · see review

Mar 26, 2011 Robin rated it really liked it

Shelves: fantasy

This series has the potential to confuse newcomers to Elric, but for existing fans the bonus material adds welcome insight into the creation of the series.

Like · see review