book 1 of Elric

by Michael Moorcock

isbn: 156504195X
subject: Fiction and Literature, SF
finished: 3/22/2000

Although I liked the Elric books when I was in middle school, I wasn't sure that I'd be able to enjoy rereading them now. Surprisingly, they've held up pretty well; at times Elric's brooding melancholy is as tiresome as his continual monster-slaying, but overall Moorcock has brought together the elements that make good sword and sorcery: a tragic hero, an interesting world, and lots of strange and violent adventures. It helps to keep in mind that the genre was in its infancy when Elric was being written. Song of the Black Sword collects Elric of Melnibone, Sailor on the Seas of Fate, Weird of the White Wolf, and the more recent and somewhat inferior Fortress of the Pearl. To sum up: readers looking for a coherent plot or tight characterization are not going to find it here, but those willing to suspend disbelief in order to enjoy a good adventure are in for a treat.