Probably the most influencial post-Tolkien Fantasy writer about.
Yup, it's a bold statement, and maybe he's not as good or as shiny as he was and I doubt if he can even be defined as great literature, but I stand by my statement. (I can hear the sacred cows lowing in displeasure already). His dazzling imagination has helped shape the conventions of Fantasy as we know it and give it the shape and voice it has now.
He gave us Law and Chaos as active cosmic alleigences, or dare I say, alignments (say thank you, GW and TSR)
He gave us Elric of Melnibone, the first angsty Elven outcast with a conscience (say thank you, Drizzt).
He gave us The Nomad of time, a Victorian dimensional swashbuckler (say thank you, Luther Arkwright).
I'm sure I could go on.
I don't think the Elric RPG has not been out of print since it first came out in the mid eighties,the latest of which is through Mongoose this year.
In spite of all of this, Del Rey have still not reissued Moorcock's Opus: The Etenal Champion sequence.
Why is this?
And why aren't we as readers more pissed?
I've got most of 'em from way back: Elric (up through Stormbringer), Hawkmoon (the war with Granbretan ones), Corum (both trilogies), a few others. My lack of Champion of Garathorm really doesn't bother me much. That said, it would be awful nice to see them all back in print, rather than going the way of the dodo.
Are they still out of print?
Yes, this should not be. I used to run a bookstore, and nothing made me sadder than having someone just starting to read fantasy, asking about what are the best series to read, really excited about the genre.
My answer to them, well you've got to read Elric, oh but you'll have to see if you can find them at the library. Fafhrd & the Grey Mouser are required reading but most of the time they are out of print. And if you want to read Conan, you won't be able to find any of the books written by REH to buy.
Maybe this should be put on the Things That Suck thread.
More than one publishing company has started reprinting some of these series, a few of them maybe even made it all the way through the series. But all of them were going out of print before too long.
I don't think they are the huge money makers companies, authors or holders of the rights, seem to think they are going to be, but they would bring in steady money every year, year after year, IF they were available to buy.
On a brighter note, our very own Paizo has both a Robert E. Howard book and a Michael Moorcock book available in their Planet Stories line. If we support these titles (ie buy them) perhaps we'll see more!
I'd have to agree I've found his recent stuff spotty at best- one gets the impression that exploring the Eternal Champion has led him up his own profundity.
Moorcocks own website has a statement from last year, in which he says Del Rey was going to start reissuing a complete run of the Elric books from the start of 2007. Maybe the Elric Movie is moving ahead and they want a tie-in, but right now, you have to go to Amazon.co.uk to get any of the older material (again with the Fantasy Masterworks Omnibuses, an excellent series for any beginning Fantasy reader).
The new Mongoose stuff are sourcebooks for Runequest (Elric and Hawkmoon so far)- not looked inside yet.
I still have fond memories of spending my summers as a kid devouring Corum, Hawkmoon and the rest, back when they were slim individual volumes with trippy covers. I'd love to see inexpensive slim copies back again, a welcome change to the doorstep stuff we get nowadays- I can only imagine how intimidating they would be for kids who might not be natural readers but are interested in the genre.
I tracked down the soft cover Elric novels with the white covers a few years ago in the book stores, along with the big thick collected novels with the Kent Williams cover and the collected first Corum trilogy and Hawkmoon book. There's also the Cornelius Quartet that came out a few years ago, though if you've read it once it isn't really necessary to read it again. The "oh, how fun! a novel written entirely on hallucinogenic drugs!" factor gets old when you decide that you want a story that makes some kind of sense.
I don't think anyone disputes that Moorcock is one of the defining authors of the genre and had a huge impact on D&D. It doesn't really get much better than the original Elric books, though. Of his recent work, I've only read Dreamthief's Daughter, so I'm not sure of his recent stuff's quality one way or the other.
I'd have to agree I've found his recent stuff spotty at best- one gets the impression that exploring the Eternal Champion has led him up his own profundity.
I think we pretty much all agree on that. Honestly, though, I like the early Corum and Hawkmoon stuff just as much as Elric (more, in some cases).
I got the old Stormbringer game (gold)
and the d20 version (meh....)
Did it strike you that the d20 Dragon Lords of Melnibone was written by people who didn't actually know the d20 core rules? That was certainly my impression.
Did it strike you that the d20 Dragon Lords of Melnibone was written by people who didn't actually know the d20 core rules? That was certainly my impression.I got the old Stormbringer game (gold)
and the d20 version (meh....)
Yup, that was my impression too- I'm just relived I didn't pay full whack for my copy. Thought the production values were pretty weak too.
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Did it strike you that the d20 Dragon Lords of Melnibone was written by people who didn't actually know the d20 core rules? That was certainly my impression.I got the old Stormbringer game (gold)
and the d20 version (meh....)
Maybe a little; I just thought that Chaosium's system for some reason handled the Young Kingdom's magic system better. It was pretty basic, but it was a firm foundation. The d20 system either didn't work, or failed in their hands.
The fact that all the monsters had 4 HD was sort of a tip-off (except the dragon; if I remember correctly, they were generous and gave him 8).
My first Moorcock was "The Swords Trilogy" which I found thrilling and couldn't put down. Ironically I picked up the trilogy at a yard sale for twenty five cents. It had a ridiculous cover--it showed a massively muscled horseman on a huge rampant black stallion clutching a curvaceous redhead wearing little more than bits of gold to cover the strategic areas. As far as I could tell there was no scene and no set of characters like this in the book, which I found hilarious. But what I did find was startling. I'd never read any fantasy novel that had such a dramatic sweep to it.
I'd love to see some nice new editions of this come out. I thought I saw some Conan anthologies the other day but they might just have been the new stuff written for Mongoose.
Chief Creative Officer, Publisher
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Del Rey is republishing the Elric books in short order, similar to the Robert E. Howard Conan compilations they've had recent success with.
From what I hear (direct from Mike), these books will be wonderful.
Also wonderful are the KANE OF OLD MARS books we'll be publishing in our Planet Stories line.
You've all ordered those, right? :)
--Erik
Yes master. Your wish is our command.
(ED: I originally came in here to chime in on how I also spent my childhood summers consuming Moorcock. I'm pleased they are making a movie.)
I get really scared at the mention of an Elric movie.
Oh, well...any publicity is good publicity. Just hope it doesn't blow too bad.
There's going to be an Elric movie?
Erik Mona wrote:
Del Rey is republishing the Elric books in short order, similar to the Robert E. Howard Conan compilations they've had recent success with.
From what I hear (direct from Mike), these books will be wonderful.Also wonderful are the KANE OF OLD MARS books we'll be publishing in our Planet Stories line.
You've all ordered those, right? :)
--Erik
I'll be ordering those as soon as I feasibly can.
In the meantime, for those who can't wait for Elric, here's the amazon entry.If you can't hold out til January, amazon.co.uk still carries a lot of Moorcock, including the Tale of the Eternal Champion- a series of about eighteen omnibuses brought out by Gollancz about ten years ago (that's my set).
Pity it'll miss Christmas. Still, that's my gift giving sorted for next year.
Since you're the proverbial "unnamed sources", Erik- what have you heard about the movie? Last I checked, Mr. Moorcock was still working on the draft screenplay with Depth of Field producing. Funny how Elric bears a singular resemblence to former Albino Paul Bettany, eh?
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Actually I was introduced to Elric (and therefore, to Micheal Moorcock) by playing D&D. I was lucky enough to have a copy of the 1st Edition Deities and Demigods that had the Elric of Melniboné section. For years I was unable to find any of the books except for a short story that was published in an sword and sorcery anthology (I think it was "Flashing Swords 1") that I bought at a yard sale. Finally, I was able to find a copy of "Elric of Melniboné at college book store right after I graduated from high school and I have been hooked ever since.
To this day, I still have most of the Elric, Corum and Hawkmoon books so I don't think that I will be buying any new anthologies but I am certainly glad to see that they are coming back out in print.
Actually I was introduced to Elric (and therefore, to Micheal Moorcock) by playing D&D. I was lucky enough to have a copy of the 1st Edition Deities and Demigods that had the Elric of Melniboné section.
Are you sure? I have a 1st Ed. Legends & Lore that has the Lankhmar Mythos, but no Elric. Or is 1st Ed. Deities & Demigods a different book?
There's going to be an Elric movie?I get really scared at the mention of an Elric movie.
Oh, well...any publicity is good publicity. Just hope it doesn't blow too bad.
And Moorcock is involved.
And Moorcock is involved.
Hmmm. That doesn't mean much these days, but I suppose having the writer there might stop them being too liberal. If Elric is all modern buff and athletic instead of scrawny and wizardly I'll eat my 1980s copy of The Vanishing Tower in frustration. Actually that would be counter-productive; I'll buy the DVD and nail it to my Wall of Broken Dreams beside James Cameron's Battle Angel Alita/
Actually, Moorcock said he wanted to fix some narrative difficulties in the books that just won't translate to screen. (ED:weird, your post vanished)
Gah! I'm an idiot! I was trying to be funny by posting what I just wrote in this thread in the Geek moment thread, because I relaized how geeky it sounded.
Needless to say I posted in the wrong window, tried to fix it, deleted it, Kruelaid replied, and it was all a horrible mess. Hopefully you can see what I was trying to say.
I think that's a sign that I should get back to work...
Are you sure? I have a 1st Ed. Legends & Lore that has the Lankhmar Mythos, but no Elric. Or is 1st Ed. Deities & Demigods a different book?
Three "different" books here. DDG was first published with the Cthulhu and Melnibonean Mythos in addition to the Lanhmar one. Then Chaosium, Inc. got the rights to the first two, so they were yanked, leaving the DDG with some pictures on the wrong pages (an Egyptian scene faces the last page of the Chinese mythos, in my copy). Then, for inexplicable reasons that no doubt involved irate fundamentalists, the book was renamed Legends and Lore, and retained that title throught he 2nd edition.
Gah! I'm an idiot! I was trying to be funny by posting what I just wrote in this thread in the Geek moment thread, because I relaized how geeky it sounded.
Needless to say I posted in the wrong window, tried to fix it, deleted it, Kruelaid replied, and it was all a horrible mess. Hopefully you can see what I was trying to say.
I think that's a sign that I should get back to work...
Actually, I kind of agree with you, making him all buff and heroic would really put the f$~% into things.
Three "different" books here. DDG was first published with the Cthulhu and Melnibonean Mythos in addition to the Lanhmar one. Then Chaosium, Inc. got the rights to the first two, so they were yanked, leaving the DDG with some pictures on the wrong pages (an Egyptian scene faces the last page of the Chinese mythos, in my copy). Then, for inexplicable reasons that no doubt involved irate fundamentalists, the book was renamed Legends and Lore, and retained that title throught he 2nd edition.
Aha. My copy also has an Egyptian scene in the Chinese chapter. Is it a full-page picture of a soul being judged? I was pretty sure my copy is called Legends & Lore, though it could be DDG. I'll have to pull it out when I get home.
Actually, I kind of agree with you, making him all buff and heroic would really put the f@&* into things.
I like how in the Dragon Lords of Melnibone D20 his CON is given as "4 (without Stormbringer)".
My copy also has an Egyptian scene in the Chinese chapter. Is it a full-page picture of a soul being judged?
The very one. I never knew why it was in the Chinese chapter until I saw my friend's DDG (he got his a bit before I did, and it still had the 2 removed chapters).
Ahh...Michael Moorcock. My fave.
I remember I first picked up "The Weird of the White Wolf" at a used book store one spring break in Fort Meyers Beach. I sat on the porch with a couple of parrots, and finished it in one sitting.
On the plane home, I reread it.
It wasn't long before I was running off to Borders when I had some money to pick up the next in the Omnibus Collection White Wolf (aptly named) was putting out. I got up to Corum: The Prince With The Silver Hand before they stopped appearing in stores.
I remember reading them throughout college. I'd mention his name to many of my other literary colleagues, none of whom had heard of him. We were all busy reading Virginia Woolf, James Joyce, Charles Dickens, etc. I was with a poetry set at the time, and as such, would follow popular reads, which included Li-Young Lee, Anne Sexton, Allen Ginsberg, and so on.
But the realms of fantasy and science fiction that Moorcock evoked were pure gold, like candy when the stifling choke-hold of other classics was too much. (Ever read Dickens' "The Old Curiosity Shop?" You're better off without it.)
I loaned "Hawkmoon" to a buddy once. A few months later, I had to snitch it when he wasn't looking to get it back. Pure fantasy gold.
Along with Philip K. Dick, Michael Moorcock's been the only author I've ever been really enthusiastic about. (Betcha both those guys went through a tough time in middle school, with their names.) I'm not ashamed to say I've borrowed more than one theme/character concept from him, and given much of what I've seen in modern fantasy, I wasn't the only one.
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Chief Creative Officer, Publisher
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Since you're the proverbial "unnamed sources", Erik- what have you heard about the movie? Last I checked, Mr. Moorcock was still working on the draft screenplay with Depth of Field producing. Funny how Elric bears a singular resemblence to former Albino Paul Bettany, eh?
Sadly, I've heard almost nothing about the movie. Have you tried Mike's message boards? I suspect there are lots of comments about the movie there.
Myself, I'm currently reading a stand-alone far-future novel of Mike's called The Shores of Death. It was a serial from New Worlds polished up and published in 1965. It also appeared in one of the last White Wolf compilations.
It's insane. A thousand years before the novel, aliens came to Earth and stopped its rotation for some reason, and the cultures that remain in the twilight and (increasingly) in the light are growing decadent beyond belief. I'm really enjoying it.
After we publish Mike's KANE OF OLD MARS trilogy, I'd love to bring to light a few of his stand-alone books and expose them to modern readers.
Any suggestions?
--Erik
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Any suggestions?--Erik
Yes
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Just funnin' you. I don't know enough about this sphere of literary history beyond the mainstream to make any useful suggestions other than to say I'm just going to buy books. In fact, I'm looking forward to reading some forewords that might shed a little light on this esoteric interest of yours.
Sounds like some of the other readers in here have had a little more exposure.
My favorite is The City in the Autumn Stars, but The Jewel in the Skull would be an excellent introduction to Hawkmoon for many fans. I find my friends I've exposed Moorcock to like Hawkmoon over any of the other Eternal Champions (not the Sega game, like I need to say it).
But, in truth, Gloriana deserves another run. I missed my chance with this one, and would love to have another crack at it. Or, Jerry Cornelius, maybe?
I get really scared at the mention of an Elric movie.
Oh, well...any publicity is good publicity. Just hope it doesn't blow too bad.
My thoughts exactly. And I believe big names actors should be kept away from such a project although if they could pull it off great; However the Elric saga would be a huge CGI monster.
The story of a weak albino whom uses drugs and wields a 8'ft long two handed sword the eats the souls of those whom are slain by it, kinda hard to sell that to the mainstream, so they slap on the Hollywood gloss(Spiderman).Where the Hell is Elric's video game I've been dying to play him to hell with the God of War bring me the Eternal Champion!
Any suggestions?
--Erik
I really enjoyed Behold The Man, although it's less fantasy amd more...blasphemous. Not for kids at any rate!
Myself, I'm currently reading a stand-alone far-future novel of Mike's called The Shores of Death. It was a serial from New Worlds polished up and published in 1965. It also appeared in one of the last White Wolf compilations.It's insane. A thousand years before the novel, aliens came to Earth and stopped its rotation for some reason, and the cultures that remain in the twilight and (increasingly) in the light are growing decadent beyond belief. I'm really enjoying it.
After we publish Mike's KANE OF OLD MARS trilogy, I'd love to bring to light a few of his stand-alone books and expose them to modern readers.
Any suggestions?
--Erik
Wow- Shores of death- I remember reading that at age 14 and thinking "what kind of mindf**kery is this"? It's a great counterpoint to Dancers at the End of Time.
Can we see Sojan back in print next? Not had the pleasure, but I understand it is to Conan what Kane is to John Carter of Mars.On a related question for everyone- there have been so many artistic visions of Elric- which are your favorites?
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..."The Black Corridor" (sf story on a spaceship headed for a distant world - don't want to say much more as it has some cool twists in it). The latter is quite experimental in places...
The first page of 'The Black Corridor' was used by Hawkwind, word for word, as an introduction to 'Space Is Deep'. And iirc, parts of the text were scattered through the 'Hawkwind Log', which was a bizarre , thick, newspaper handout, which came with the original, fold-out LP of 'X In Search of Space', detailing their trials and misfortunes on their journey.
Several other tracks, and indeed whole albums, have used the themes (if not the exact text) of Moorcock's work, and he would often accompany them on tour to give readings between songs.
Good items to check out if you're a Moorcock/Elric fan, are 'The Chronicle of the Black Sword', or 'Live Chronicles', which expands '...Black Sword' to 2 discs of live material. The track 'The Pulsing Cavern' would be a good one for exploring a living, womb-like location (such as a Tyranid ship in WH40K/Space Hulk)...
Erik, do you have a list of possibles for us to chose from?
So much of what I read by Moorcock were series, but they might be collected into one book because the individual stories would be considered too short by today's standards. (Count Brass, Corum)
If these types are included I would really like to see Hawkmoon.
As for one-shots, Glorianna was probably my favorite by him, however I already own this so I selfishly suggest some of those suggested by Kamelion that I haven't read yet.
The Ice Schooner or The Black Corridor both sound intriguing.
I have this feeling that my luck is none too good
This sword here at my side don't act the way it should
Keeps calling me its master, but I feel like its slave
Hauling me faster and faster to an early, early grave
And it howls, it howls like hell
I'm told it's my duty to fight against the law
That wizardry's my trade and I was born to wade through gore
I just want to be a lover, not a red-eyed screaming ghoul
I wish it'd picked another to be its killing tool
Black blade! Black blade!
Forged a billion years ago
Black blade! Black blade!
Killing so its power can grow
There's death from the beginning to the end of time
And I'm the cosmic champion and I hold a mystic sign
And the whole world's dying and the burdens mine
And the black sword keeps on killing 'til the end of time
Black blade! Black blade!
Bringing chaos to the world we know
Black blade! Black blade!
And its using me to kill my friends
Black blade! Black blade!
Getting stronger so the world will end
Black blade! Black blade!
Forcing my mind to bend and bend
The black blade
Forged a million billion years ago
My cosmic sword goes on for eternity
Carving out destiny
Bringing in the lords of chaos
Bringing up the beasts of Hades
Sucking out the souls of heroes
Laying waste to knights and ladies
My master is my slave
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
Is that like, a Hawkwind song or something?
Is that like, a Hawkwind song or something?
Blue Oyster Cult, I think?
Another Moorcock- associated band in anycase :)