Elric of Melniboné

[dasNdanger]

Has anyone else read this classic saga of the Last Emperor of Melniboné, written by Michael Moorcock over 40 years ago and still the stuff fantasies are made of?



For those not familiar with the character, he's an albino Emperor, prone to weakness until he comes to possess the hell-forged, vampiric sword, Stormbringer. It's a story about the struggle between Law and Chaos, about the multiverse, and above all, about the Eternal Champion. I'm halfway through the saga (made up of many books, novellas, and short stories), and am just loving it! So, wondering if there are any other Elric fans out there, or fans of Mr. Moorcock's work in general.

Here is a link to the new re-release of the Elric saga, published by Del Rey (eventually there will be 6 books in all):

http://www.randomhouse.com/delrey/au...authorid=21080

And some more images of Elric can be found here:

http://homepage.mac.com/antallan/gallery.html

And for those interested, Mr. Moorcock's forum:

http://www.multiverse.org/fora/index.php


Because many have asked, this is the CHRONOLOGICAL order of Elric's saga, and the Del Rey volumes they appear in (Only 4 out of the 6 volumes have gone to print - so not all stories are available yet through Del Rey, and are identified with a '?'. The ones I have in BOLD are the main books of Elric's saga):

The Dream of Earl Aubec aka Master of Chaos (novella) – Vol. 2

Elric: The Making of a Sorcerer (graphic novel) – ?

Elric of Melniboné (novel) – Vol. 3

The Fortress of the Pearl (novel) – ?

Elric: The Return to Melniboné (graphic story) – ?

The Black Blade’s Summoning aka The White Wolf's Song (short story) – Vol. 2

The Sailor on the Seas of Fate (novel) – Vol. 4

Elric at the End of Time (novella) – Vol. 2

The Dreaming City (short story) – Vol. 1

A Portrait in Ivory (short story) – ?

While the Gods Laugh (short story) – Vol. 1

Black Petals (novella) – ?

The Singing Citadel (novella) – Vol. 2

The Sleeping Sorceress aka The Vanishing Tower (novel) – Vol. 3

The Revenge of the Rose (novel) – ?

The Stealer of Souls (novella) – Vol. 1

The Last Enchantment (novella) – Vol. 2

Kings in Darkness (novella) – Vol. 1

The Caravan of Forgotten Dreams aka The Flame Bringers (novella) – Vol. 1

Dead God's Homecoming (novella) – Vol. 1

To Rescue Tanelorn (novella) – Vol. 2

Black Blade's Brothers (novella) – Vol. 1

Sad Giant's Shield (novella) – Vol. 1

Doomed Lord's Passing (novella) – Vol. 1


das

[LiquidSky]

Thanks for the thread das. Love the Elric picture in your post. Very colourful I am looking into the Elric saga. I went to bookstore and looked over the few books they had there. One was named The Stealer of Souls and there was another book called Elric Duke. Well, I said to myself first I need to pay my cable_internet_phone bill. So, I got distracted by going to the Collection shop. Where they sell action fiqures and I ended up buying the Prince Nuada action figure. No, I didn't buy the Elric books but, I took the Prince home with me. There are some books in the library too so, I will check that out.

LS

[dasNdanger]

Thanks for the thread das. Love the Elric picture in your post. Very colourful I am looking into the Elric saga. I went to bookstore and looked over the few books they had there. One was named The Stealer of Souls and there was another book called Elric Duke. Well, I said to myself first I need to pay my cable_internet_phone bill. So, I got distracted by going to the Collection shop. Where they sell action fiqures and I ended up buying the Prince Nuada action figure. No, I didn't buy the Elric books but, I took the Prince home with me. There are some books in the library too so, I will check that out.

LS

If you decide to start reading Elric, I suggest getting vol. 3 of the Del Rey series - The Sleeping Sorceress. It has the first major Elric story (chronologically) - Elric of Melniboné - in it. You really should read that one first since it sets up the character and why he does what he does.

The Del Rey books are republishing the Elric stories in the order in which they were originally published - not chronologically. Moorcock wrote the end of Elric's saga first, then went back and wrote the beginning later on, that's why the first story is in the third volume.

Vol. 1 - The Stealer of Souls
Vol. 2 - To Rescue Tanelorn
Vol. 3 - The Sleeping Sorceress
Vol. 4 - Duke Elric

Vol. 5 & 6 are yet to be released.




das

[LiquidSky]

If you decide to start reading Elric, I suggest getting vol. 3 of the Del Rey series - The Sleeping Sorceress. It has the first major Elric story (chronologically) - Elric of Melniboné - in it. You really should read that one first since it sets up the character and why he does what he does.

The Del Rey books are republishing the Elric stories in the order in which they were originally published - not chronologically. Moorcock wrote the end of Elric's saga first, then went back and wrote the beginning later on, that's why the first story is in the third volume.

Vol. 1 - The Stealer of Souls
Vol. 2 - To Rescue Tanelorn
Vol. 3 - The Sleeping Sorceress
Vol. 4 - Duke Elric

Vol. 5 & 6 are yet to be released.




das

Thanks, I have been out and about today. busy, busy. When I came home I was so tired home I had a little 'catnap'. Came here to check out everything. "The Sleeping Sorceress", is on hold in the library. Looked into the saga I tell you I was so confused. Some of the older novels are not in publication anymore. Now that I know that Del-Ray is republishing the series Oh, I think I will like the character. So much like Nuada. Love those pale anti-heroes

LS

[Sparrow_hawk]

Hey, das! Thanks for starting an Elric thread here.

Michael Moorcock is a fantastic author and his Elric stories were really my first introduction to antiheroes - I've been hooked ever since! I agree with your suggestion about starting with the story Elric of Melnibone which happens to be in The Sleeping Sorceress, book three of the new Del Ray compilation. In the old books published by Daws, I think that was actually the first story in the first book and I'm pretty sure it was the Elric story I ever read. My copy is so worn it is falling apart! Here is the cover:

Spoiler:

[LiquidSky]

Hey, das! Thanks for starting an Elric thread here.

Michael Moorcock is a fantastic author and his Elric stories were really my first introduction to antiheroes - I've been hooked ever since! I agree with your suggestion about starting with the story Elric of Melnibone which happens to be in The Sleeping Sorceress, book three of the new Del Ray compilation. In the old books published by Daws, I think that was actually the first story in the first book and I'm pretty sure it was the Elric story I ever read. My copy is so worn it is falling apart! Here is the cover:

[URL]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/b/bd/Weird_of_the_white_wolf_daw_1977.jpg[URL]

Those old books are hard to come by since they are out of publication by Daw. Now that Del Ray has the publication right to reissue the saga. Great art work from the 60's and it was all hand drawn not computer generated. and look at that price $1.75 Looks like I will be enjoying a series of novels!

LS

[LiquidSky]

With the new publications and a redesigned lay out Del Ray and, Moorcock can attract a new generation of readers even if the put out graphic novels. I read some where in the 80's there was plans to create an Elric movie but, it never happened. I can think of one actor who could fit the bill physically. He was the actor who played in "Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan" he play Khan's second in command. I can't think of his name but, he played in a lot of Sc Fi movies and TV shows. If this movie was made in the 80's it might have ended up looking cheesy as a lot of movie, especially science fiction, did from that time.

LS

[Sparrow_hawk]

With the new publications and a redesigned lay out Del Ray and, Moorcock can attract a new generation of readers even if the put out graphic novels. I read some where in the 80's there was plans to create an Elric movie but, it never happened. I can think of one actor who could fit the bill physically. He was the actor who played in "Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan" he play Khan's second in command. I can't think of his name but, he played in a lot of Sc Fi movies and TV shows. If this movie was made in the 80's it might have ended up looking cheesy as a lot of movie, especially science fiction, did from that time.

LS

It says on the back of the new books that there is a movie "in development" - not in production, but just development. Das refered me over to Michael Moocock's blog (thanks das! it never occurred to me that one existed) and there is a huge fan community over there. On one of their threads, there was some discussion about who they thought should play the role of Elric in the movie. Suggestions included Jason Isaacs, who played Lucius Malfoy in the Harry Potter movies and Paul Bettany, who played Dustfinger in the movie, Inkheart and Silas in the DaVinci Code. I could see Jason Isaacs in the role, just on his appearance. I have no idea if he could pull off the fight scenes - but I guess that is what stunt doubles are for! I haven't seen the second actor in his movies but his still shots look like he would fit the role appearance-wise, too.

And there at least two Elric graphic novels: The Making of a Sorcerer and Stormbringer. The first one is backstory for Elric's early life. I like the artwork a lot. The second is a graphic novel of Moorcock's original Stormbringer story. It's a good story and the graphic novel does a good job with it, but I'm not as fond of the artwork in that one. Just personal preferrence.

The Daws book cover (which I went back and spoilered because the image I posted is so dang big!) is by artist Michael Whelan, who does great fantasy art. I didn't realize it until I visited his website, but he also did some other book cover art that I love: the covers for C.S. Friedman's Coldfire Trilogy.

[dasNdanger]

Sparrow - there is also other graphic novels - not in print, but perhaps available on-line still. My comic book shop guy found in his old stock Elric of Melniboné (1986). The art in this graphic novel is okay...nothing special...although there is a rather eye-opening scene between Elric and his beloved Cymoril that leaves very little to the imagination. And yes...Elric is white all over.

Here it is in hardcover: http://www.graphittidesigns.com/shop...tid=62214&cat=

But it is still out there in soft cover, which would be cheaper, I suspect.


das

[Sparrow_hawk]

Sparrow - there is also other graphic novels - not in print, but perhaps available on-line still. My comic book shop guy found in his old stock Elric of Melniboné (1986). The art in this graphic novel is okay...nothing special...although there is a rather eye-opening scene between Elric and his beloved Cymoril that leaves very little to the imagination. And yes...Elric is white all over.

Here it is in hardcover: http://www.graphittidesigns.com/shop...tid=62214&cat=

But it is still out there in soft cover, which would be cheaper, I suspect.


das

Leave it to you, das, to find the most revealing picture of Elric! Thanks for the link, I may look into it further. Sadly, I have no comic guy.

[dasNdanger]

Leave it to you, das, to find the most revealing picture of Elric! Thanks for the link, I may look into it further. Sadly, I have no comic guy.

Well, it's mostly butt shots. Although, there is one where he's walking out of the water, and has an...uh...anomaly...that looks very much like a naked Ken doll. The artist, however, is a bit more detailed with Cymoril...and where Elric has his hands...


das

[Sparrow_hawk]

Well, it's mostly butt shots. Although, there is one where he's walking out of the water, and has an...uh...anomaly...that looks very much like a naked Ken doll. The artist, however, is a bit more detailed with Cymoril...and where Elric has his hands...


das

Anomaly ... I've never heard it called that before . But that's a pity. However, I'm betting that Elric looks good from behind.

I love the new sig. I've got to find me a copy of that Moorcock book with Zenith! He sounds like my kind of guy!

[LiquidSky]

Anomaly ... I've never heard it called that before . But that's a pity. However, I'm betting that Elric looks good from behind.

I love the new sig. I've got to find me a copy of that Moorcock book with Zenith! He sounds like my kind of guy!

Hi Sparrow, Here is the link to the novel at Amazon.com

LS

http://www.amazon.com/Metatemporal-D.../dp/1591025966

[LiquidSky]

I just want to make a quick note here. Elric of Melinbone or Zenith looks to be the template for pale, albino characters. We have the Wraith, Prince Nuada and, The Witcher just to name a few. Now I real have to go.

Enjoy the day

LS

[Sparrow_hawk]

Hi Sparrow, Here is the link to the novel at Amazon.com

LS

http://www.amazon.com/Metatemporal-D.../dp/1591025966

*sigh* I have been so bad lately. I just ordered it.

And I think you may be right, LS. Zenith is probably the first of that type of character. Michael Moorcock said he based Elric on Zenith.