Favourite Eternal Champion??

[Nesacat]

It's a close tie between Elric of Melnibone and Ulrich von Bek but I'll go with Elric first. The Elric books were my first proper introduction to Moorcock and it was him that made me look out for the rest of them.

He's such a different sort of hero. An albino prince who is doomed and who's motives are often less than noble. Has a sword without which he's absolutely weak and you wonder who exactly is the master in this relationship. There's some of the old sword and sorcery magic of writers like Robert Howard but you also have a much more human hero.

I met Ulrich von Bek in Warhound and the World's Pain. An old friend had given me the book in my first year of law school and I remember being very drawn to the story and the role of Lucifer. But Lovecraft and his works happened and I went back to Von Bek only after reading Elric.

[Krystal]

Well, I haven't read the others but after reading Elric's books I don't think I will choose another. I just enjoy so much Elric's saga.

[Jack]

Erekosë, I like the morbid depression of the character as he is forced to remember each reincarnation.

[Trey Greyjoy]

Corum for me. Just a personal preference. I got a lot out of those books and they influenced me for a long time. Well, they probably are still influencing me. A classic of scifi/fantasy as far as Im concerned.

[GOLLUM]

I picked Elric....

[Eoghann]

I had to pick Hawkmoon. Elric is probably the superior literary creation, but he's just too damn depressing for my personal tastes.

I find it interesting that it was noted above that Elric is Moorcock's favorite and Hawkmoon his least favorite. That probably explains why I really don't enjoy most of Moorcock's work.

I can see the merit in it, but I don't enjoy it. The first Hawkmoon series I really liked, the second not so much. I seem to recall enjoying the Corum books too, but its been a long time, probably 15 years or so now.

[Blue Tyson]

Hawkmoon, for me.

[Perssonicus]

My favorite would be Corum Jhalen Irsei, the Vadhagh Prince in the Scarlet Robe. Possibly because "The Swords Trilogy" was the first of the Moorcock books I read, possibly because he was the last of his kind (for the most part), but most likely because the device of the Hand and Eye and his summoning his last enemy to fight his next enemy.

Initially, I didn't like the following three books as well, but after a few years I began to read all six together as a complete story instead of as the original three and the derivations. I am drawn to his personal tragedy, as someone said earlier.

Elric is close, close, close second. I was intrigued with the glimpse of him (and Erokese, and Hawkmoon) in the scenes of The Vanishing Tower, and was really drawn to the idea of Stormbringer and the tragedy inherent in elric's saga.

Actually, I think some of the big "unifying moments" for the Eternal Champion are in the first three Corum books, not only with the three incarnations fighting together at the Vanishing Tower, but as Corum and Jhary pass through universes projected like quickly-changing movie screens looking into the lives of different incarnations.

I highly recommend reading the Corum books again.

[Who's Wee Dug]

Originally Posted by dwndrgn

I've just finished my first Michael Moorcock book. I found Elric of Melnibone in a second-hand store. It was quite short and read more like a morality play or a myth that is handed down verbally through generations than a regular novel. Most of the characters seemed one-dimensional and the story was simplistic. However, for all that, I quite enjoyed my little foray into the struggle between Law and Chaos. I will probably have to see about finding the rest of the tales of Elric and possibly some of the others. At the very least it was light and easy reading and I read it in a total of about an hour (doing chores in the house all day and when I got to certain points my reward was to sit and read for a bit ).

The first one,Elric he wrote in two days, that was why it is so short that and being stoned.

[stellspalfie]

For me its Corum, but I gotta say Runestaff is my favorite of the books. Count Brass ( for some reason i always think of Sean Connery) is better than any of the champions and so is Jharry-a-Connell, ooohh and D'averc. Which poses the question. Who is the best companion? also, who is the best champions token totty?

[jimbombimbo]

corum (THE ETERNAL CHAMPION)/orland fank(BEST COMPANION)/Yisselda(TOP TOTTY)

[Urlik]

out of that list it is hard to choose
but it would have to be Jerry Cornelius purely because he live on a diet of hallucinogens and chocolate biscuits

but I have to go with Urlik Skarsol

fave companion is a tough choice
Jharry has that air of mystery about him but Moonglum seems just a bit more dependable

[j. d. worthington]

Originally Posted by Urlik

out of that list it is hard to choose
but it would have to be Jerry Cornelius purely because he live on a diet of hallucinogens and chocolate biscuits

but I have to go with Urlik Skarsol

Interesting choice, that... I'm not sure I'd say he's my favorite, but I do find him high on the list of intriguing aspects of the Champion, definitely (perhaps because he was the first I encountered after reading "The Jade Man's Eyes" many, many moons ago....)

And hello, Urlik, and welcome to the Chronicles! Glad to have another Moorcock fan on board!

[Urlik]

thanks for the warm welcome

I've been reading Moorcock for about 30 years (first book was Warriors of Mars and as soon as I finished it I went out and got Lord of the Spiders and Masters of the Pit and then every Moorcock book I saw in jumble sales and 2nd hand shops and those I couldn't find I borrowed from the library including The Golden Barge, Gloriana: The Unfullfilled Queen, Byzantium Endures and The Laughter of Carthage. I prefer his fantasy writing :\)

[j. d. worthington]

Originally Posted by Urlik

I prefer his fantasy writing :\)

Yes, I think a lot of people feel that way. I have an enormous fondness for his fantasy; less so for his early sf (though there's some very nice stuff in with there, nonetheless... certainly some of his concepts seem to be much stronger than the actual writing, in some cases, but he also has some stunning tableaux, as well) -- but I think I've come to really appreciate his later writing, as it is so richly textured and I can savor the ideas, the story, those superb tableaux, and the meaty prose, altogether....