[knivesout]

A lot of Moorcock's fantasy, mainly the earlier works, are writen more in the mythic mode than the more familiar fictional narrative we are used to. Probably a mix of conscious choice and his novice skills at the time. Still, the Elric books are worth following through - I like them for the vast, symbolic moments (Cymoril's death for instance)and the sense of ageless melancholy.


I'd say this book is also a set-up for the rest of the series, in a way. Stormbringer, the culmination of the Elric saga is possibly the strongest, but the new books featuring Elric (Dreamthief's Daughter, The Skrayling Tree and more to come) promise to take the character to a new level. The young sword-and-sorcery author struggling to break the mould has matured into a far broader writer than nearly anyone in the fantasy genre, I think, embracing a range of concerns and ideas far beyond the usual scope of fantastic fiction.