Recommendations: Elric of Melnibone?

[berk]

No, it's the first series, which were written (famously) in three days each. That's what Moorcock means by 'quick cash'. The Count Brass novels took maybe six days apiece to write - and I actually think they're all the better for it. The first novel (Count Brass) is particularly good in depicting Hawkmoon's mental breakdown as he descends into madness by playing war games with miniature soldiers (a RL passion of Moorcock's btw) in an attempt to find the strategy that would have saved all his friends at the end of the first series. They have, however, a completely different feel to them, being much more focussed on Moorcock's Multiverse and the cosmology of the Eternal Champion, than the original quartet.

Maybe it's because I read the Count Brass books before I read the original Hawkmoon series that they didn't make much of an impact on me at the time. But I still remember the first Hawkmoon series fondly - I liked the concept, the alternate fantasy-Europe setting and the role-reversal of Gran Breton (was it?) as the bad guys and the German as the hero (if my memory serves). One of these days I hope to read or re-read all the Eternal Champion stuff to see how I like them. I never have gone through the whole thing.

[demos99]

Maybe it's because I read the Count Brass books before I read the original Hawkmoon series that they didn't make much of an impact on me at the time.

Yeah, I can see how that would make a difference; the CB books are very much dependent on knowing what happened in the first series to better appreciate the events of the second. It probably also helps if you're somewhat familiar with Moorcock's other heroes like Elric, Corum and Erekosë.

But I still remember the first Hawkmoon series fondly - I liked the concept, the alternate fantasy-Europe setting and the role-reversal of Gran Breton (was it?) as the bad guys and the German as the hero (if my memory serves).

Oh, I do agree. The Jewel in the Skull was the very first Moorcock book I ever read and as an somewhat overly-imaginative teenager I was completely sucked into the world of Hawkmoon and Granbreton. The action scenes were so visceral that I could - metaphorically - smell the blood. No books ever worked their magic on me in quite the same way again. I particularly liked Moorcock's clever corruption of RL place names - Vitall, Kroiden, Parye, Amarekh - to evoke a joint sense of familiarity and otherness about the Dark Empire. Although, as an older reader, I now see some of the flaws in the books I still hold a sentimental fondness for my first love.

[berk]

Yeah, I can see how that would make a difference; the CB books are very much dependent on knowing what happened in the first series to better appreciate the events of the second. It probably also helps if you're somewhat familiar with Moorcock's other heroes like Elric, Corum and Erekosë.


Oh, I do agree. The Jewel in the Skull was the very first Moorcock book I ever read and as an somewhat overly-imaginative teenager I was completely sucked into the world of Hawkmoon and Granbreton. The action scenes were so visceral that I could - metaphorically - smell the blood. No books ever worked their magic on me in quite the same way again. I particularly liked Moorcock's clever corruption of RL place names - Vitall, Kroiden, Parye, Amarekh - to evoke a joint sense of familiarity and otherness about the Dark Empire. Although, as an older reader, I now see some of the flaws in the books I still hold a sentimental fondness for my first love.

Yeah, Moorcock always had a great ear for his invented names.

Although I have to admit that I've never figured out any way to pronounce Melniboné" to my own satisfaction.

Of the Eternal Champions stuff, the Hawkmoon series is the one I look forward the most to re-reading, since I recall enjoying it a lot but not many details of the story. Corum I remember better as I read those a few years later, so I don't have as much incentive to read them again, although they were probably my favourites at the time. Elric I read only the first one or two, so I want to finish that series as well, or at least the original 4 books RR mentioned.

[Aaron King]

Yeah, Moorcock always had a great ear for his invented names.

Although I have to admit that I've never figured out any way to pronounce Melniboné to my own satisfaction.

Wikipedia, for whatever it's worth, has mel-NIB-o-nay, but I've always said mel-NIB-o-nee.

[berk]

Wikipedia, for whatever it's worth, has mel-NIB-o-nay, but I've always said mel-NIB-o-nee.

Whereas I've always leaned towards mel-ni-BONN-ay, which, though I still prefer it over any other pronunciation I've seen espoused, still doesn't seem quite right. I think it's just one of the very few of Moorcock's invented fantasy names that doesn't work that well for me.