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3.64 AVERAGE
3.64 AVERAGE
No había leído nada de la saga de Elric y este primer libro ha sido una sorpresa agradable. Es fantasía heroica clásica, y es de un estilo bastante "blanco" sin incestos, carnicería innecesaria ni nada parecido, y es fantasía de aventuras en la que los protagonistas van aquí, allá, hablan con dioses, buscan objetos mágicos...
Quizá sea demasiado pronto para hacer un análisis psicológico de Elric, un protagonista que por pasajes no quiere hacer más que morirse, pero es encomiable su intento de cambiar las cosas en una ciudad tan cruel como Melniboné (que sin llegar a la Mezoberranzan tiene también su miga). Gran cierre que desde luego deja con ganas de más, aunque solo sea por curiosidad de ver qué putadas le pasan al guerrero y emperador albino de Moorcock.
Quizá sea demasiado pronto para hacer un análisis psicológico de Elric, un protagonista que por pasajes no quiere hacer más que morirse, pero es encomiable su intento de cambiar las cosas en una ciudad tan cruel como Melniboné (que sin llegar a la Mezoberranzan tiene también su miga). Gran cierre que desde luego deja con ganas de más, aunque solo sea por curiosidad de ver qué putadas le pasan al guerrero y emperador albino de Moorcock.
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
For being barely edited and banged out in a few days (?) this is really good. But oh god is this book unsubtle. Every emotion gets explicitely told to you 3 times, twice in dialogue and once in description. I hope the ones written before this one are readable.
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
I really liked this! Kind of Conan-ish but without being even a little bit derivative. None of the characters are like any of the Conan characters, but you could see them fitting in the same universe. Really good sword and sorcery that still feels fresh and original.
After the disappointment that was [b:Stormbringer|60141|Stormbringer (Elric, #6)|Michael Moorcock|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1389510882s/60141.jpg|3010470], I did want to give this series a fair shake and try reading it from the chronological start. I decided to read this in parallel with the two graphic novels that cover this book's story ([b:Michael Moorcock's Elric Vol. 1: The Ruby Throne|21544670|Michael Moorcock's Elric Vol. 1 The Ruby Throne|Julien Blondel|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1396236337s/21544670.jpg|40878900] and [b:Michael Moorcock's Elric Vol. 2: Stormbringer|22181559|Michael Moorcock's Elric Vol. 2 Stormbringer|Julien Blondel|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1409510415s/22181559.jpg|41529842]).
End result: I continue to recommend the graphic novels over the books. Although Elric of Melnibone was a far more compelling read than Stormbringer, the prose and plot remain old-fashioned and of interest primarily for historical reasons.
Elric is certainly appealing as the tormented anti-hero: reading this takes me back to high school and the angst of being a misunderstood outsider. (Is Elric the fantasy version of “Catcher in the Rye”? No, I can't stoop that low - Elric remains far more likeable than Holden Caulfield). The historical/political context of the books is also interesting: Melnibonean society contrasted with the decline of the British empire post-WW2, and Elric contrasted with other fantasy heroes of the time like Conan.
In the end, though, I just can't get over how much better the graphic novels are. They take the same themes and characters that make the book great, while improving on the weaker plot points, expanding the minimal role of women in the story, and painting a far richer picture of the decadence of Melnibonean society than words alone can do. It's hard to get excited about the books after that.
End result: I continue to recommend the graphic novels over the books. Although Elric of Melnibone was a far more compelling read than Stormbringer, the prose and plot remain old-fashioned and of interest primarily for historical reasons.
Elric is certainly appealing as the tormented anti-hero: reading this takes me back to high school and the angst of being a misunderstood outsider. (Is Elric the fantasy version of “Catcher in the Rye”? No, I can't stoop that low - Elric remains far more likeable than Holden Caulfield). The historical/political context of the books is also interesting: Melnibonean society contrasted with the decline of the British empire post-WW2, and Elric contrasted with other fantasy heroes of the time like Conan.
In the end, though, I just can't get over how much better the graphic novels are. They take the same themes and characters that make the book great, while improving on the weaker plot points, expanding the minimal role of women in the story, and painting a far richer picture of the decadence of Melnibonean society than words alone can do. It's hard to get excited about the books after that.
Read at least once prior to 1991 but don't have date recorded.
I liked this first book well enough to want to read the rest in the series at some point, it was an intriguing fantasy novel set in a rich and detailed world, unlike anything I’ve read before.
Not my kind of my kind of book. To much hack and slash and to much brooding
adventurous
mysterious