The Sword and Laser discussion

Our December pick will be Elric of Melniboné by Michael Moorcock

Let us know what you think about the pick.

This is one of those books that I've seen around a lot, but never read.

I did enjoy the odd Moorcock book many decades a go and am keen to try him again.

A rare Veronica pick that's older than her. 😉

Nice to see a classic pick like this. I read this series many years ago and gave this one 4 stars.

It's kind of amusing to see the Elric books go from contemporary to classic within my lifetime. In my high school and college years I was aware of Moorcock, although mainly as a writer of books I wasn't interested in. Some people I knew loved his books. I read a few of his works. One of them had to do with humans traveling back from the end of time to an earlier day in a time loop; we never evolved but rather went back to become ourselves. In maybe that same book or another work he postulated Piccadilly Circus as the center of the Universe in some way, which early-teen me wondered at as I had little idea what Piccadilly Circus was. Anyway, I didn't really have much interest in Eternal Champion and this, maybe they're the same.

As for Moorcock himself, I had some vague unease about him from talking to fans at SF cons. Later on I found out that he treated major authors with disdain. That includes Tolkien, CS Lewis, Heinlein, the list goes on and on. At the same time I heard about Heinlein treating his fellow authors well, as he famously supported Philip K. Dick in a down period despite their personal and political lives being very different. Even later on Heinlein supported Spider Robinson. If I am to think about which authors came out better in the exchange, I am going for those Moorcock attacked.

Anyway. The book is free at LA Public Library and it won't kill me to read it. I respect Moorcock's success as an author. I'm not particularly supportive of the way he's used his fame to attack fellow writers. It's a short work, 181 pages per Goodreads, so why not. After 40ish years I will finally see what the fuss is about...

One of my favorites for many years, and one of the series I discovered as a direct result of Advanced Dungeons & Dragons (the Melnibonéan gods were in the first edition of Deities and Demigods: Cyclopedia of Gods and Heroes from Myth and Legend, and Moorcock was included in Appendix N, E. Gary Gygax's list of inspiration reading in the original Dungeon Master's Guide.

One point of clarification: Is the book pick actually

Elric of Melniboné, the short 1972 novel?

Or is it

Elric of Melniboné, the first of the new volumes from Saga Press collecting the entire series into three fairly hefty volumes?

(The Saga Press collection includes the first four books in the original Elric series, beginning with the 1972 Elric of Melniboné novel.)

My understanding is it's just the former, which is the first in the latter (which may be easier to obtain)

Thanks! Makes sense to me.

This is a very cool coincidence. I read the first Saga Press volume a few months ago and now I'm reading volume two. It'll be interesting to read (and hear) what others think.

I read the comic the other week because Hoopla featured it. It was.... a story. Not sure if they comic bears much resemblance to the novel, though Moorcock seemed to praise it.

I last read this way back in the 1980s; so quite a long time ago. I don't recall it being my favourite of Moorcock's books although my teenage tastes may have been different than my current perspective would be. Still, it stuck in my memory, and it's far from the weakest, either.

(Although "...ended less than 500 years hence" in the blurb? Slap me with a haddock if I'm wrong, but doesn't 'hence' mean 'in the future' not 'prior'?)

I remember reading this long ago and thinking it was "ok" but for the life of me I can't remember why or much about the book at all :). I shall dig it out of pile of old paperbacks and give it a reread.

Looking forward to revisiting this!

I know I read this a long time ago… or, at least I’m pretty sure I did. Maybe it was the comic, or some short stories. I’ll give it another go, anyway.

I read this in 2014. Had the "Flawed Hero" trope down pat. Not the first but one of the best. Serious in nature, not a smidge of humor in this Classic Sword and Sorcery book. And super short, so before the trend of doorstop 1000 pages tomes.

Great choice. An essential read for Swords and Sorcery and fantasy in general. As someone who grew up in the 1970s, I can attest that the Elric tales stood out from the pack. I may have missed some other writer, but I always felt Moorcock was the first to write S & S on a high fantasy stage.

Cool. I haven’t read this, and just found I’d put it on my TBR list in 2016.

I'll just listen to the Blue Oyster Cult songs about Elric.

Tamahome wrote: "I'll just listen to the Blue Oyster Cult songs about Elric."

Is there more than one song?

Blue Öyster Cult - "Black Blade" with Elric art

https://youtu.be/XCxL3-Fl7bM

Mark wrote: "Blue Öyster Cult - "Black Blade" with Elric art

https://youtu.be/XCxL3-Fl7bM"

You should also post this in the Music thread.

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Micheal Moorcock. Stoked! Great author.

I’m glad the Patreon book briefing had a link so I know I’m getting the right one 😂😂

Is that “Six Wakes” ironic humor?

Read this longer ago than I care to believe. (Getting close to 40 years ago!) My brother had loads of Moorcock novels on his bookshelf and would occasionally deign to share with me. Going to give this a spin in audio and see how it holds up.

Wow, Elric! Those were some of my favorites about 40 years ago. I want to re-read them someday, maybe as part of the larger Eternal Champion Universe if I can ever figure out a coherent reading order for that thing. Unfortunately I can't fit it in this month with a new job and baby girl's basketball season taking up all my free time. Have fun, everyone!

I love the Elric books and have read them all many times. The early novels are very much pulp fiction while later books contain political satire and social commentary. Moorcock's writing improved over time. Now 82 and living in Paris. One of Britain's best and a new Elric Novel out in December . Nice to choose an older book.

Also Hawkwind's album - Bane of The Black Blade and song Moonglum.
Indeed loads of music https://rideintoglory.com/chronicle-o...

Tamahome wrote: "Is that “Six Wakes” ironic humor?"

As I haven't read that yet (I'm a titch behind), no. Unless it is? ;)

Did I get the wrong book? This starts with a short story about a boy who wants to write about Elric? I am soooo confused....

By Neil Gaimain? That's it. And Michael Moorcock isn't dead.

Yeah, thanks, nevermind. 😂

Still feel it's very strange to start a boob with a short story like that. It makes me feel this edition is not intended for new readers. Strange how visceral I feel rejection towards this approach... 🤔

Book...

Oh god, do I hate Elric. He feels so Mary Sueish (or a bad RPG character). And everything is so forcefully edgy wish fulfillment...

I am wondering if the introductory story has somehow colored how I read this as a power fantasy...

Hmmm, I think I'll take a break from it 😉

Just got the Audible version, and 9 of the first 10 reviews recommended skipping the first chapter.

The month has begun..go forth and discuss!