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3.64 AVERAGE
3.64 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
adventurous
medium-paced
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
This book goes fast. It's fun and sometimes surreal and hints at a huge world with rich lore and so on. Elric of Melnibone is the emperor of the most powerful people on the planet and happens to be the most powerful man on the planet, which makes this interesting to read for various reasons. One being that I've never read anything with an overpowered hero.
His downside is that he has a terminal disease that he staves off with drugs, so he's basically a drug addict sorcerer emperor who's also a great scholar and warrior. When he's away from his drugs for too long, he becomes very weak and vulnerable, something that's used to his disadvantage in the novel.
It reminds me, for some reason, of the old Dragon Quest JRPGs. It's a quest novel with adventuring in at least two different planes of reality.
But, yeah, an interesting start. Nothing really blew me away about this, though it's easy to see Elric's progeny in the works of others that I've read in the past. Moorcock's clearly been a huge influence on fantasy, but the book itself is sort of only exceptional within its historical context. That's not to say it's not good, because it is.
Solid prose, interesting world, intriguing character, and the beginning to a very long and celebrated series.
Excited to see what's next.
His downside is that he has a terminal disease that he staves off with drugs, so he's basically a drug addict sorcerer emperor who's also a great scholar and warrior. When he's away from his drugs for too long, he becomes very weak and vulnerable, something that's used to his disadvantage in the novel.
It reminds me, for some reason, of the old Dragon Quest JRPGs. It's a quest novel with adventuring in at least two different planes of reality.
But, yeah, an interesting start. Nothing really blew me away about this, though it's easy to see Elric's progeny in the works of others that I've read in the past. Moorcock's clearly been a huge influence on fantasy, but the book itself is sort of only exceptional within its historical context. That's not to say it's not good, because it is.
Solid prose, interesting world, intriguing character, and the beginning to a very long and celebrated series.
Excited to see what's next.
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Elric of Melniboné
Author: Michael Moorcock
=======================
REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS
Why this book:
Because I’ve always meant to read Elric.
_________________
Favorite Character:
Niun Who Knew All, who forgets he remembers when he remembers, and when he has forgotten everything may return from the hell of the Ameeron. That’s a helluva curse. As Elric pointed out, when he has forgotten everything, he may not remember that he can leave Ameeron and return home. …if he remembers home. In a book full of grim characters, Niun stands out.
Elric is a reader self-insert type of character. He’s tired. He’s weary. And there are quests and travels that he must do, but will he rest when he is done or will it be on to another and another…or will he become one of the playthings of the Arioch, Duke of Chaos, and his fellow Lords of Chaos and lose himself in some demonic form. Or be trapped forever, never to return to his home and his love, maybe in a city in a dark place where he forgets everything, like Niun.
Favorite Scene:
Imagine Yrrkon’s face when he entered the throne room thinking he was Emperor only to find his surprise awaiting him in the throne room.
Tropes:
Elric is a naive child of privilege who doesn’t believe he could ever be betrayed when he is inured and deeply embedded in a culture that is built on bloodthirstiness and treachery. And then, he trusts, seemingly blindly, in the assistance of the Lords of Chaos and the “help” of the elementals to chase his goal across the face of the earth.
WTF Moments/RUFKM Moments:
Elric’s inactions towards and forgiveness of Yrrkoon are asinine. What could possibly go wrong? Pfft.
The Sigh:
The Pulsing Cavern reached through the Tunnel Under the Marsh. … symbolism much.
Sigh. Okay…we get it…the tunnel is a vagina, and the doorway is cervix. And the chamber where Stormbringer and Mournblade are is a womb. And Elric is reborn when he take Stormbringer in his hand. Got it.
Turd in the Punchbowl:
The repetitive yelling of one’s own name when fighting…and/or the name of their weapon.
Apropos of Nothing and Everything:
There is enough front loaded worldbuilding in the first page of this to carry you through the entire first book and possibly further. It’s a lot of intricate detail for a hundred words or so. It’s rare to run across worldbuilding like this anymore. The giant, one-page infodump is passé.
Wisdom:
Elric’s disdain for ritual posturing rings well with a large disaffected population of readers who daily swim in an ocean of ritual posturing that once had meaning, but is now done by rote, to be seen doing it rather than feeling it.
Questions and Answers:
Is the writing style classic, timeless, or dated? Too early to tell. I fear it at this point with the infodump launch of Page 1.
The Poker Game/DND Table:
The Melnibonéans are tall, thin bloodthirsty elves.
Soundtrack:
Led Zeppelin.
_________________
Pacing:
Well paced
Last Page Sound:
So…he knew he lied when he made his promises to her. But did he lie about making his way home in a year? There’s always the next book…and the next…and…
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes