Elric: Where to start?

[j d worthington]

Okay... Somewhere about I've got a listing of the Eternal Champion Cycle and related material, divided up by groups (thematically or by series). I'll try to dig that out and post it to help those just getting into Moorcock.

In the meantime... there's been a new addition to the Elric stories: a graphic novel titled Elric: The Making of a Sorcerer, by Michael Moorcock and Walter Simonson; and yes, apparently it is a canonical story, which takes place about a year prior to the first of the previously published novels. Here's a review of the thing (I recently got a copy, but have not yet had a chance to read it):

Xenagia: Review of Michael Moorcock's Elric: The Making of a Sorcerer

Along with The Swords of Heaven, the Flowers of Hell (a tale of Erekosë) and Michael Moorcock's Multiverse, this graphic novel is a genuine part of the cycle, from all accounts; so newbies may want to begin there.

The thing about Moorcock's work is, you can pretty much begin anywhere, and you can pick up the pieces as you go along. He wrote the stories in such a way as to allow a pretty free order of reading...

 

[Who's Wee Dug]

Im interested only in Elric saga. Corum i want to read too but i already know how to read him.


Dreaming City (EM)
While the Gods Laugh(EM
The Stealer of Souls
The Fortress of the Pearl ( EM)
The Sailor on the Seas of Fate(EM)

EM is i found in fantasticfiction that those stories are collected in EM collection.


Is my order a good start?

Also when you make a list, can make difference beteween novels,collections and short stories. Good to know what you are getting.

A good guide is The Tanelorn Archives - Richard Bilyeu pandora's Books
M.Moorcock A Readers Guide by John Davey
or the latest one I have is The Age of Chaos:The Multiverse of M.Moorcock by Jeff Gardiner published by British Fantasy Society

 

[j d worthington]

A good guide is The Tanelorn Archives - Richard Bilyeu pandor's Books
M.Moorcock A Readers Guide by John Davey
or the latest one I have is The Age of Chaos:The Multiverse of M.Moorcock by Jeff Gardiner published by British Fantasy Society

I have the first, but neither of the other two... going to have to do some looking, it seems.... Thanks, WWD!

 

[j d worthington]

Well, for those unaware, Moorcock has continued to add tales to the Elric cycle recently, both featuring the doomed albino himself, and those centering around other characters. At any rate, here is the latest series chronological listing I've found, which takes into account such recent additions:

Chronological List of Elric Stories - Wikiverse

 

[elvet]

I've wanted to read this series for a while, but like some other people, I have been confused aboput where to start. I skimmed through this thread, but the book I bought is a newer edition (Del Ray 2008) - Elric The Stealer of Souls, Chronicles of the Last Emporer of Melnibone (Volume 1). Here's the description:
chapters.indigo.ca: Elric The Stealer of Souls: Michael Moorcock: Books

I like to start at the beginning of a series, so I need to know if this is a good book to start with, or if I need to back to older editions to get what I want. I realize that

On the matter of reading the Elric stories in order: "There isn't any particular order you HAVE to read the books in, because I didn't write them in chronological order. They've been published in chronological order most recently, but you wouldn't have read them like that when they were originally appearing. It's best to begin with Elric of Melnibone (or even the current comic, which predates Elric of Melnibone) and end with Stormbringer, but what you do in between is entirely a matter of taste or circumstance.

I picked this book because of the nice format with illustrations, and that it has other volumes available.

 

[Ramoth's Rider]

I was going to tackle Moorcock, I have bought the History of the Runestaff?? But now I'm a little afraid!

 

[j d worthington]

Each of the books -- and, of course, the series -- can be read on its own. It forms a much larger picture when you have it in conjunction with the others, but Moorcock wrote each of them to be read as separate stories by casual readers who come in just about anywhere.

Elvet -- that's the Del Rey book... well, it is and it isn't. If you're looking for a series-chronological arrangement, then it isn't what you're looking for. If you want to look at the way Moorcock developed the character over his career, then it is. (It also includes bits from other material -- or entire stories -- which went into the creation of Elric as well, so that can be of interest.) For the series-chronological order, follow the post I made above....

 

[GOLLUM]

As mush as I hate flattering JD’s ego – He is probably the best source for this type of info....

Yes, what I want to know is have you J.D. read ALL of the Elric literature by Moorcock to date? I don't know anyone who has read everything on Elric but I'm sure there are folk out there who have.

If I had the funds I would probably buy that Millennium/White Wolf set.

 

[j d worthington]

Yes, what I want to know is have you J.D. read ALL of the Elric literature by Moorcock to date?

Not everything, no. But I have read all of it save for the more recent pieces. These are the ones I have not read (so far):

Elric: The Making of a Sorcerer
"A Portrait in Ivory"
"Black Petals"
The Skrayling Tree
The White Wolf's Son
"The Roaming Forest" (not Elric, but Rackhir; still, related)
the tales featuring Elric as Zenith the Albino, in The Metatemporal Detective

These, plus The Vengeance of Rome (the final Pyat novel) would bring me up-to-date on all of Moorcock's fiction, I believe. I've been meaning to get back to my reread (or, with such items, first-time read) of all of Moorcock for a while now, but other things keep intervening. However, this is a good time of year for getting it back on track, so I may pick it back up beginning later this week.

 

[elvet]

Thanks for all the info, J.D.
I've decided to start with the Del Ray book, Stealer of Souls. I'll post my impression once I get into the book.

 

[Connavar]

I finally found a Stormbringer ombnius paperback from 68-69. It has the early stories which are enough of a try out for me. I hope i like Elric shorter stories because i want to read his other novels.

Not liking his most famous character might kill my interest several of his other books.

 

[Fried Egg]

I have read the "original" elric series and in this order:

...(going onto next post because of image posting limit)...

 

[Fried Egg]

It seemed like a fairly complete story from start to finish in my opinion. It lacks the latter additions to the series and I may go back and read those at some point. I also read this but it seems to stand outside of the above series, more of a mash-up of Elric and "The dancer's at the end of time":

 

[Connavar]

Does it matter story wise if i read the four novellas in Stormbringer paperback from 68 ?

The stories should be self contained ?

I have no interest in the latter ones, i want sample shorter stories of Elric that he is famous for.

 

[Fried Egg]

To be honest I don't know exactly what stories your collection contains, it sounds like it'd different from my copy (I have all the late seventies editions). I think that generally they can be read out of order but I seem to remember one or two that appeared to follow on pretty closely from one another. I haven't read them for a few years now so it's all getting a bit vague...

 

[j d worthington]

Connavar: If you could post the table of contents, I'd have be able to answer the question with a good deal more confidence....

 

[Connavar]

Its the 68 fix up novel according to multiverse,fantasticfiction.

But i just solved my MM issue with Elric, the inter library system just added a new copy of 2001's Stealer of Souls/Stormbring Fantasy Masterworks UK Version.

Which is perfect since i was looking second hand versions with Elric collection of stories and not the novels.

 

[j d worthington]

My only caveat about the original novel version (rather than that which is much closer to the original serial) is that it leaves out about a quarter of the text, including some of the more powerful scenes in there. The later, revised version, where Moorcock went back to the serial and reinstated the text, lightly touching up otherwise here and there (to remove problems in continuity and the like), is a much stronger book, I think. Either way, it is quite a good novel. It begins a little weakly, but quickly finds its "legs" and becomes a memorable read....

 

[Connavar]

My only caveat about the original novel version (rather than that which is much closer to the original serial) is that it leaves out about a quarter of the text, including some of the more powerful scenes in there. The later, revised version, where Moorcock went back to the serial and reinstated the text, lightly touching up otherwise here and there (to remove problems in continuity and the like), is a much stronger book, I think. Either way, it is quite a good novel. It begins a little weakly, but quickly finds its "legs" and becomes a memorable read....

Yeah i read that in your earlier post about the different versions.

I just want to sample Elric early stories seeing if it is worth the effort of getting the famous novel,stories.

I'm more interested in the original 60s,70s stories and not the newer works.

 

[Who's Wee Dug]

Some of the UK early originial Elric ones had different titles, later ones were changed by the American editors.