Scan barcode
jrug's review
2.0
2.5 stars
I feel like I should apologize for not getting this book. Moorcock and the Elric stories come highly recommended from a lot of different sources, and the experience of reading this volume mostly left me wondering why.
Moorcock's style in these stories doesn't sit very well with me. He uses a kind of hyperbolic, trope-laden, fantasy-cliche speak. My first reaction to the opening paragraphs was that it was a bit, and there was some sort of parody I was missing.
Seriously, help me out - did I miss something?
To Moorcock's credit, it's not an un-alleviated groan fest. He does know how to craft an entertaining story, and, when you can get past the prose, Elric is an interesting character. It's just that I spent large sections of the book unable to get past the prose. So, if that's your sort of thing, or if you feel a compulsion, as I do, to read as many of the foundational works of science fiction and fantasy as possible, give it a try. I guess.
I feel like I should apologize for not getting this book. Moorcock and the Elric stories come highly recommended from a lot of different sources, and the experience of reading this volume mostly left me wondering why.
Moorcock's style in these stories doesn't sit very well with me. He uses a kind of hyperbolic, trope-laden, fantasy-cliche speak. My first reaction to the opening paragraphs was that it was a bit, and there was some sort of parody I was missing.
Seriously, help me out - did I miss something?
To Moorcock's credit, it's not an un-alleviated groan fest. He does know how to craft an entertaining story, and, when you can get past the prose, Elric is an interesting character. It's just that I spent large sections of the book unable to get past the prose. So, if that's your sort of thing, or if you feel a compulsion, as I do, to read as many of the foundational works of science fiction and fantasy as possible, give it a try. I guess.
phunkypbj's review
3.0
This, perhaps, wasn't the best introduction to Moorcock, although it is some of his earliest work, and the beginning of his most famous character. Unfortunately, half of the ideas in it have been rehashed in so many other fantasy novels (see: [a:Steven Erikson|31232|Steven Erikson|http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/authors/1219169436p2/31232.jpg]'s entire ouvre) that it seemed a little tired, although it wasn't without its charms and it succeeded far better than its imitators (at least the ones that I've read). I haven't absolutely written him off as an author, but he has made his way further back on my list of authors to explore in-depth.
wmhenrymorris's review
Elric has its moments, but it lacks that extra layer of humour and lightness found in Fritz Lieber's Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser.
So very emo. I guess the issue is that the promised decadence never really went beyond the conventional and I never fully bought the soul sucking sword.
Still worth reading, though.
So very emo. I guess the issue is that the promised decadence never really went beyond the conventional and I never fully bought the soul sucking sword.
Still worth reading, though.
internpepper's review
3.0
For the time it was written, Elric is a vastly interesting person to read about. Everything else seems to be average, but when your book series is named after your protagonist, what more can one expect? It's definitely an interesting twist on heroic fantasy and an iconic literary character, to be sure.
mrdestructicity's review
challenging
dark
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
ederwin's review
2.0
I only read the first half of this book, which includes the earliest of the Elric stories. I think the character is interesting, but those stories are not very compelling. Moorcock, and many others, say the stories get better later as he matured as a writer. Probably so, but I'm stopping here for now.
bhalpin's review
2.0
Eh. I enjoyed the bloodletting but had a hard time getting beyond some of the conventions of the genre: the language and the dumb names (I mean, Dyvim Slorm. Honestly.) The early stories are marred by one deus ex machina ending after another, and the novel that concludes the volume descends into incomprehensible cosmic sludge.
srchief's review
4.0
Truly a classic series in fantasy. This book has all (or most) of the stories associated with the albino prince Elric. It is a fun read and I really enjoyed that the stories where all in one place. The stories of Elric were some of the stories that helped me become a fan of the fantasy genre as a kid.
gnasch's review
Elric still dies. Every time I read it he dies. WHY? WHY? WHY? Oh right. Big bad evil black sword