Michael Moorcock

bropous · 03-12-2007, 02:02 PM

I was wondering if any of you other 'Mooters have read any of Mike's works.

His concept of the Eternal Champion, who lives endless incarnations serving the Cosmic Balance in the infinite struggles between Law and Chaos were inspirations to many, many sci fi/fantasy writers.

Mike was a member of the 60's-70s psychedelic rock band "Hawkwind", a band that also had as a member Lemmie from "Motorhead".

Some of his more recent works aren't as enjoyable as his earlier works, but he has created some enduring characters, such as Elric of Melnibone and his hellish runeblade Stormbringer, the Prince in the Scarlet Robe Corum Jhalein Irsei, and the tragic figure Hawkmoon, Servant of the Runestaff.

Additionally, Erekose, Jherek Carnelian, and Companions to Champions Jhary-a-Conel, Ohladahn and Moonglum also are some of his creations.

Mike has been working through the arcane machinations of the Hollyweird movie making covens to get a movie version of "Elric of Melnibone", a tragic albino who is servant of Chaos but really serves the Cosmic Balance. Known as "Woman-slayer" and "Kinslayer", Elric is known in his world as Last Emperor of the Dreaming Isle and one of the last of the great Dragon Lords. His heartbreaking tale and his almost slavish relationship with the crooning Runeblade, Stormbringer the Stealer of Souls really draw out the concept of the anti-hero.

A lot of Mike's works can be hard to find, but his books are highly readable, and for those wishing to get started on the Eternal Chamion series, I highly recommend starting with "The Swords Trilogy", an amnibus volume of "Knight of the Swords", "Queen of the Swords" and "King of the Swords". Check on Ebay for his books, and if you give this guy a chance, you will be hooked. He's one of the seminal voices of swords and sorcery.

brownjenkins · 03-12-2007, 02:26 PM

I just reread all his Eternal Champion series stuff over the summer (thanks to used books on ebay

). Highly recommended. Especially the swords series.

Butterbeer · 03-12-2007, 03:45 PM

I have only read Elric - but i jost posted that in the conan bit..

i ambled upon these through my brother - and i'm a little vague on which i have read - and almost certainly out of sequence -

but i liked your summary Bropous .

brownjenkins · 03-12-2007, 04:20 PM

Here's a great, and extensive, reading order.

It looks insane, but the stories tend to be quite short (100-200 pages).

03-12-2007, 02:02 PM	#1
bropous EIDRIORCQWSDAKLMED DCWWTIWOATTOPWFIO Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Littleton, CO Posts: 1,176	Michael Moorcock I was wondering if any of you other 'Mooters have read any of Mike's works. His concept of the Eternal Champion, who lives endless incarnations serving the Cosmic Balance in the infinite struggles between Law and Chaos were inspirations to many, many sci fi/fantasy writers. Mike was a member of the 60's-70s psychedelic rock band "Hawkwind", a band that also had as a member Lemmie from "Motorhead". Some of his more recent works aren't as enjoyable as his earlier works, but he has created some enduring characters, such as Elric of Melnibone and his hellish runeblade Stormbringer, the Prince in the Scarlet Robe Corum Jhalein Irsei, and the tragic figure Hawkmoon, Servant of the Runestaff. Additionally, Erekose, Jherek Carnelian, and Companions to Champions Jhary-a-Conel, Ohladahn and Moonglum also are some of his creations. Mike has been working through the arcane machinations of the Hollyweird movie making covens to get a movie version of "Elric of Melnibone", a tragic albino who is servant of Chaos but really serves the Cosmic Balance. Known as "Woman-slayer" and "Kinslayer", Elric is known in his world as Last Emperor of the Dreaming Isle and one of the last of the great Dragon Lords. His heartbreaking tale and his almost slavish relationship with the crooning Runeblade, Stormbringer the Stealer of Souls really draw out the concept of the anti-hero. A lot of Mike's works can be hard to find, but his books are highly readable, and for those wishing to get started on the Eternal Chamion series, I highly recommend starting with "The Swords Trilogy", an amnibus volume of "Knight of the Swords", "Queen of the Swords" and "King of the Swords". Check on Ebay for his books, and if you give this guy a chance, you will be hooked. He's one of the seminal voices of swords and sorcery. __________________ "...[The Lord of the Rings] is to exemplify most clearly a recurrent theme: the place in 'world politics' of the unforeseen and unforeseeable acts of will, and deeds of virtue of the apparently small, ungreat, fogotten in the places of the Wise and Great (good as well as evil). A moral of the whole (after the primary symbolism of the Ring, as the will to mere power, seeking to make itself objective by physical force and mechanism, and so also inevitably by lies) is the obvious one that without the high and noble the simple and vulgar is utterly mean; and without the simple and ordinary the noble and heroic is meaningless." Letters of JRR Tolkien, page 160.

03-12-2007, 02:26 PM	#2
brownjenkins Advocatus Diaboli Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Reality Posts: 3,767	I just reread all his Eternal Champion series stuff over the summer (thanks to used books on ebay ). Highly recommended. Especially the swords series. __________________ Your reality, sir, is lies and balderdash and I'm delighted to say that I have no grasp of it whatsoever.

03-12-2007, 03:45 PM	#3
Butterbeer Elf Lord Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: here and there Posts: 3,514	I have only read Elric - but i jost posted that in the conan bit.. i ambled upon these through my brother - and i'm a little vague on which i have read - and almost certainly out of sequence - but i liked your summary Bropous . Last edited by Butterbeer : 03-12-2007 at 03:49 PM.

03-12-2007, 04:20 PM	#4
brownjenkins Advocatus Diaboli Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Reality Posts: 3,767	Here's a great, and extensive, reading order. It looks insane, but the stories tend to be quite short (100-200 pages). __________________ Your reality, sir, is lies and balderdash and I'm delighted to say that I have no grasp of it whatsoever.

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