Favourite Eternal Champion??

[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]

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]

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....

 

[Lyrebird]

Haven't met 'em all, so can't vote yet!

Having read "Elric of Melniboné" and "The Dancers at the End of Time", I would say Elric currently tops the list. You can't always admire him, but that's part of the charm! A powerful creation indeed.

 

[Connavar]

I read a 80's comic recently called Chronicles of Corum.

I found Corum the prince in scarlet Robe pretty interesting.

Making me wonder if the books about him are good or famous work of MM, so are they?

Also i am curious about MM cause his was my fav fantasy writers aka David Gemmell's favorit writer as a child

 

[j d worthington]

The Corum books aren't as famous as, say, Elric or Jerry Cornelius, but they're definitely up there. And, as I've said before, they're not his best books (they were written rather hastily, and it sometimes shows in small ways) but they are very enjoyable books, and colorful. Quick reads, but with some meat to them, if you're interested.

 

[Connavar]

They dont have to be his most famous work or the best but i was wondering if they were famous which usually means people think its good enough to read.


Since you say they are :
" they're definitely up there. And they are very enjoyable books"


I will check them out.

 

[RuePantages]

Corum has just always been my favourite eternal champion and favourite fantasy character over all. That book and character MADE me a fantasy lover.

 

[DMFW]

Got to be Corum for me.... I like the Elric series as well, but I feel that the story arcs of the Corum series (both of them) are tighter and more focused whereas Elric is more espisodic. You feel you're making progress with Corum where Elric treads water sometimes, if I can dare to say that about an Eternal Champion

 

[Giovanna Clairval]

Corum for me. But I must say that I hesitated between Cornelius and him.

Cornelius is so funny and decadent! He is the frank, innocent (a bit autistic), ultimate non-champion when things are at the end of things.

Corum, on the other hand, is the champion of the time that is before time, when bronze dragons fly in the sky. He’s got all-violet eyes, which is cute, and a chivalrous, pure heart, which makes him Cornelius' brother, in a way.

Writing this, I see why I hesitated between them: they are kin.

 

[colmywaykurtz]

Elric's intriguing, certainly, but my favorite manifestation of the EC is one I've not heard mentioned here yet---Oswald Bastable. He seems to have a genuine concern with doing good, and for all of that recognizes that's not enough---the Balance must be appeased, too. I find him the most tragic in that way, yet he sucks it up and goes on---"quiet desperation is the English way."

 

[j d worthington]

Elric's intriguing, certainly, but my favorite manifestation of the EC is one I've not heard mentioned here yet---Oswald Bastable. He seems to have a genuine concern with doing good, and for all of that recognizes that's not enough---the Balance must be appeased, too. I find him the most tragic in that way, yet he sucks it up and goes on---"quiet desperation is the English way."

I've always found Bastable to be a mixture of a satire of and a tribute to the Colonial officers. Certainly he begins as an insufferable prig, in many ways, but he becomes increasingly warm and human as the stories go on. While he's by no means my favorite, I've got to agree that he doesn't get the mention he deserves....

 

[Ice fyre]

Ahhhh Oswald, that was my first introduction to moorcock with the warlord of the Air. I cant vote on this because I feel fondness for all of the incarnations of the Champion apart from Jerry Cornelius.

Sorry, Moorcock can write a fantasy that makes my eyes water with its scope and depth, but can also write what I consider some of the worst self indulgent drivel I have ever read.

I tried to read the Jerry Cornelius compendium as a part of the Eternal champion series expecting a near future adventure in the vein of some of his stand alone novels perhaps Bastable but all I got was bad poetry abstract imagery and quite frankly a headache!

It in my view would have worked as songs, but of course this is just my very subjective opnion.

 

[BloodAndSouls]

Elric, sweet Elric, how I love him so. I also have quite a fondness for the Von Bek family, though I get confused as to who is who. I mean, there was an Ulrich von Bek in The Warhound and the World's Pain, and I think another Ulrich in The Dragon in the Sword. I liked them.

Corum irked me at times... I found him a little wimpy.

Haven't yet read anything with Jerry in it, though I've liked the descriptions I've heard of him.

What about non-Champion characters? I personally love Arioch, and adore the way he speaks to Elric, calling him "sweetmeat" and that. Teehee. Oh those pesky dukes of hell...

 

[Connavar]

Im reading first Corum book right now.

I dont feel Corum is wimpy, i find him wise,strong character. I really felt bad for him seeing what happened to his world. Its interesting seeing he doesnt go down easy, has strong will to live and to do something about the people he sees as evil.

 

[BAYLOR]

I like Elric the most. Ruler of Melibone , he decent person and he's the only one in the whole kingdom who is.

Lest favorite incarnation Erekose. I absolutely despise him.

 

[ErikB]

Elric was a unique creation. A true anti hero as it were. I first read the six book series when I was in high school in the early eighties.

What struck me was not just his weakness and strength in opposition and yet in need of each other aspect in order to function, but his situation.

He's the very last glimpse of the Empire of a dying yet dominant and savage race. A race that is naturally evil in its own right but now in decline.

The backstabbing, betrayal, leaving battles when things turned dark, and even the acceptance of Elric as their ruler when the remnants of the dispersed Melniboneans encounter Elric in spite of his being the cause of their fall is intriguing.

I think that a race that has organ music made of the screaming pitch of slaves being tortured at different points and have worship of demons and pacts with dark forces speaks volumes about their character as a race.

Its not off putting when Elric does reprehensible or twisted or cowardly acts to save himself at the expense of others. Its just what he (and his people) are.

I mean when Melniboneans despise humans because they are not inherently evil and so the few that are are acting against their nature and thus blaspheming evil by doing it wrong, that makes it impossible to hate or dislike Elric for his acts.

He is as much a tragic figure as and "eternal champion" given the self destructive path of his life choices and his ultimate destiny.

Next to this, other characters can't really stand as uniquely or richly if we are comparing Moorcock's creations. In my opinion of course. To each their own...

Cheers!

 

[BAYLOR]

Elric .