Elric of Melniboné and Other Stories [June 1, 2020]

[Niki Hawkes, I made it past GOTM... barely]

This is a Buddy Read for Elric of Melniboné and Other Stories by Michael Moorcock that started yesterday...

Thanks for your patience, Bea! Sorry <3

[Soo]

I'll start on this tomorrow. =D

[Bea]

I started today but I haven't gotten so far.
I have to admit I skimmed parts of the introductions because I felt like they're only really interesting if you've already read Moorcock and the other authors mentioned (which I haven't exept for Tolkien and Peake).

Also read the first short story about Aubec. It was to short imo, just when it had really started it was already over again! But I liked what I read.

(view spoiler)[So countries are created when a person stands up to chaos and the world gets bigger. That's cool!
And apparently people life in chaos, did I understand that right? Is it like a different dimension? I want to know more! (hide spoiler)]

[Soo]

I probably won't read the intro. I like to read them after the book because it usually makes more sense. Otherwise, it can kind of ruin things. lol

Will post once I start tomorrow!

[Soo]

>.<

Totally sidetracked by this PNR series I started last week. It's not the most amazing writing, etc but there are cool characters & concepts.

Now it's like a train blasting into various blockades and I'm cursing as I ride the runaway crazy train. Ya know, it was more laughing & good notes until the last few books and now it's more WTH and still gotta read to see where it goes. Hahaha

On this book, I skimmed the intros and notes. Decided to skip them all until I read the stories. Also, I feel like this book deserves my full attention vs the 50/50, 55/45 audio/print I've been doing with the PNR series (in print) and different audiobooks.

[Bea]

Soo wrote: ">.<

Totally sidetracked by this PNR series I started last week. It's not the most amazing writing, etc but there are cool characters & concepts.

Now it's like a train blasting into various bloc..."

Don't worry, read whatever you enjoy right now :)

So far I find that it's not incredibly hard to concentrate on but it's also not the easiest read, mostly because of the format...

[Bea]

I've read the first wo parts of the "graphic novel" now. It's so weird to read without pictures, it feels like so much is missing and the story progresses in a weird, jumpy way. I'm not really enjoying it that much so far but I think that's at least partly to blame in the weird format.

(view spoiler)[It kind of reminds me a bit of greek myths, an island in the sea, going on quests and old supernatural beings showing up.

The Melniboneans somehow give me Targaryen vibes. Dragon lords in a remote kingdom that once was the most powerful in the world.
I like the idea that dragons sleep most of the time and cannot be used in battle all the time. It prevents a dragon nation from being too overpowered.

I'm not sure how exactly the dreams work. Are the persons Elric dreams to be earlier versions of himself and he is their reincarnation? If he does not succeed in a dream, does that change the past and tberefore the present or is everything meant to happen like it does because it has already happened? (hide spoiler)]

[Soo]

Earl Aubec

I liked the opening descriptions. Set a nice atmosphere for the story. The fighting scenes were kinda bad. lol

(view spoiler)[

- Chaos: I don't think it's a matter of people living in the Chaos fog. My take was that the Chaos is a mass of energy that can become anything and destroy whatever. When a hero goes into Chaos, the hero's fears & wishes create setting & creatures/etc. If the fear is faced & conquered, maybe parts of what they imagined becomes "concrete" and real?

Like Chaos is to be formless and Law is to have shape?

- I liked the whole ordeal of fighting Aubec's created fears. Nice touch of magic.

- The multiverse reference was nice. Be cool to learn more about that.

- I bet we'll see more of Myshella in the series.

- The best tidbits to the series are little mentions that are dropped around in the story.

- Writing is a bit clunky. lol An odd mix of trying to be descriptive and concise.

- I thought it was funny and gross that one of the few things Myshella can look forward to is sex with whatever hero that manages to defeat their fears. lol Gotta be a bit dull to not really have choice.

- Nice twist in leaning on Aubec's desire to "expand" his Queen's land & getting him to go forth into crazy world.

- It was a bit odd how easily Aubec accepted weird things happening. I did not think that magic was a common thing in his world? It seemed like it was talked about but not an ordinary part of life.

(hide spoiler)]

[Soo]

- Elric: The Making of a Sorcerer (A Graphic Novel)

Ch1
... You know, if they were going to add graphic novels to the freakin' collection, I would expect it to be the actual comic & not just the write up by the author. I feel like I'm reading a poor screenplay.

That said, there are some cool imagery & designs for the characters & world.

Sadric - This name. Automatically makes him a bad guy right? =D

Silverskins - Nice! I like this description/label of albinos.

Tanglebones is a great name. lol

Elric & Cymoril: Romance?

Michael Whelan is one of my fav fantasy artists.

Ch2
Dragons & riders! =D

Ch3

White Crow - Trickster: One of many sides of Elric?

'I can assure you, your majesty, that I am better conversation than I am a canape.' lol

Actorios, the Dragon Stone

At this point, I'm guessing the addition of the graphic novel parts are to give highlights of important people/things/events.

Odd way to insert setting/character/background info but does the job.

[Soo]

Ch4 The Dragon Stone

It makes me want to read the graphic novel and see the picture panels. =)

Sepiriz = Phonetic of Spirits? Play on words for a demonic familiar.

Giant - Woah. Sucks to be him.

Ch5 The Swearing of Oaths aka Whole Lot Happens

I liked the mix of native style & western folklore for the dreams. It's like memory and trials that are relived and reconquered.

[Bea]

I'm finished now, sorry I did not comment that much so far!

Re chaos (view spoiler)[Yeah, that's possible, too. Maybe it will become clearer in the later stories how exactly chaos and order "work"? (hide spoiler)]

Re Myshella (view spoiler)[Yeah, right? What a dull life! xD (hide spoiler)]

I enjoyed the second part that was not in 'graphic novel' format a lot more!

(view spoiler)[I have a feeling that it's going to go downhill for Elric from now on. In classic fantasy, often the hero starts out in a lower position. Elric starts of in the highest position possible and I think while he will probably keep that position, his sanity and character might degrade.

I wish the side characters had a bit more personality. Yyrkoon felt a bit 'evil just for the sake of being evil'. Cymoril was a bit too much of a damsel in distress for my liking. I felt a bit like she's only there to advance Elric's plot. Then on the other hand they are Melniboneans, so maybe that was intentional?

I liked the relationship between Elric and Rakhir in the end!

I don't believe we have seen the last of Yyrkoon's BS.
Btw. how do you pronounce his name? Eerkoon? Jeerkoon?

I'm pretty sure Steven Erikson got some inspiration here. A black sword that absorbs the souls of it's victims and is related to chaos wielded by an Albino? I'm not sure how far you are into Malazan, so I don't want to say more here...

Anyway, Stormbringer is an interesting weapon so far! (hide spoiler)]