The Weird of the White Wolf

These shorts and novellas almost all revolve around Elric, the tormented anti-hero that sits in the palm of Chaos thanks to his intelligent and willful sword Stormbringer.

As sword and sorcery stories go, this one really stands out. It's not so much Conan as it is straddling the line between shifting realities and the world, wanting to be free of the fate of the Champion of Chaos while being the penultimate brooder with unimaginable powers, seeking peace at any cost.

Whenever I think of Elric, I think of the ultimate archetype, and there's a lot to point at to prove it. The writer walks the careful line of making him and his quest larger than life, full of magic and conquest, sea battles, monster battles, and even going so far as to open show more the book of life, as stolen by the greatest necromancer... only to have all answers crumble before him.

Chaos and Law are the maelstroms that Elric traverses, and even though the theme is very much done and done again even in this cycle, the quest is always the thing. We're always meant to come away with the same conclusions as Elric, the great and evil Elric, deciding to give the world the misery it so seems to desire.

Pretty powerful stuff, really, and these really should be placed in their proper time, the sixties and seventies, introducing us to the template to one of the greatest tragic heroes and sometimes horrendous villains. show less

Modern fantasy has gotten me used to sprawling, thousand-page epics (Ice & Fire, Stormlight, Malazan, etc.), so it's astonishing how much Moorcock can acomplish in 160 pages! A world-building prologue and three separate tales, each of which packs a ton.

Elric's alienation from the world and despair at finding peace and meaning continue to grow, his dependence on Stormbringer likewise deepens, and he once again acts like a jerk to people who trust or admire him. And yet people still crave his aid, and trust him enough to follow him into adventure.

This DAW edition includes an awesome map that shows the relative locations of the many kingdoms and other lands that Elric travels through.

I'm quite surprised at how much I'm enjoying this series. Often, the books I read as a young man end up leaving me cold now that I'm an old fart.

But Elric stands up. And this volume, bookended by two short stories, with a long one in between, is just as much fun. Elric is now a nomad, a dark, brooding orphan from a city that no longer exists, his only companion a sword with a mind of its own that he can't be rid of.

So, it's somewhat like Conan, right? Well, yes and no. There's definite similarities, but there's significant differences that make Elric a singular character in fantasy fiction.

Looking forward to the fourth volume.

In which Elric of Melnibone lays his birthright to waste, in which he kills his one true love, in which the hope of learning the meaning of it all turns to dust in his hand; this is not to mention that he is coming to appreciate how much the sword Stormbringer is taking him over. Is it any wonder that the poor dear is an angst-ridden wreck?

Seriously, I'm coming to appreciate how this series is written in the form of vignettes that impart a fable-like quality to the story. This is particularly when atmosphere is one of the best things the Elric saga has going for it. Speaking of atmosphere, the psychedelic flavor is even deeper in this round of stories, and it's a tribute to Moorcock's prose that this doesn't come off as dated as it might.

Tragedy has pushed Elric and Stormbringer even closer together and it is not for the good. Elric has finally given in to his blade and together they have made a pact of blood and violence, swearing to forsake all and destroy anything that gets in the way. Despair and hopelessness will mold the shadows and devour souls in this dark and embittered volume.

Michael Moorcock has created many characters who are an aspect of the Eternal Champion, who battles sometimes on the side of Law and sometimes on the side of Chaos, depending on his incarnation. In the incarnation of Elric of Melnibone, a man weak in body except when augmented by the stolen souls provided through the medium of the perilous sword Stormbringer, he is powerful in intellect, passion and magic.

Yet more than that, he is a man who is the very embodiment of the hard choices which Fate can inflict on a soul. Torn between obligation, a desire for vengeance and simply to be allowed by the gods and demons of the Universe to have a measure of peace, Elric is both deadly and beautiful, pitiless and deserving of sympathy.

An show more unforgettable anti-hero, and this is just one installment in the series of his personal incarnation. An outstanding line of books for lovers of saga and epic fantasies, sword and sorcery which blasts its unforgettable images into your heart and soul. show less

This series is gradually growing on me. It is very enjoyable to have a main character who isn't actually a hero"; Elric is interesting but not likeable, which is a nice change from the norm."