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3.69 AVERAGE
3.69 AVERAGE
I'm done with this book/series. Something about it just doesn't work for me, and one of my resolutions for this year is to DNF more books that I'm not enjoying. So. Into the donate pile it goes.
A great story by a true master, Michael Moorcock - a staple of Gygax's "Appendix N" . . . a brilliant tale of the Eternal Champion, a man out of time, summoned to fight a war . . . but on which side should he fight? The Eternal Champion faces a great and terrible choice to either fight for the human race which he calls his own (so corrupt that he can scarcely stand Humanity) or betray his people for the Eldren, an ancient race of near-immortals with whom he has greater sympathies . . .
dark
sad
tense
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I did not like this book. I was told that Moorcock was an important author to the genre, and I believe he is, but this book is so simultaneously depressing and uninteresting that I can't help but wonder why. Here we have a naive power fantasy novel in which the main character, whisked away from his boring suburban life by fate, commits horrific ultraviolence for no reason other than being a bit miffed, and learns nothing from it.
Dreck.
Dreck.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Genocide
I decided to read Moorcock when I heard he called Tolkein a crypto-fascist. Having read the book, I see why. It's refreshing to read a fantasy novel with aims beyond the execution of its plot, or the building of its world. The plot is vaguely philosophical, but still a fantasy adventure. A clever trick to be sure. There is a little bit of contempt for the reader, but if you can get past that, the book is pretty great.
Above all things, The Eternal Champion is a story of identity. John Daker is a man who lives in our time and listens to the voice of a dream to reincarnate another version of himself, Erekosë. As Erekosë, he struggles to understand the expectations of his human brethren and he is praised as a famed champion though he does not have memory of this life. Erekosë seems only capable of killing in a vicious cycle and he is eager to find out who he is, why he was summoned, and how life is to be if all that is ever expected of him is only war. The Eternal Champion seeds a lot of philosophy and moral dilemma to create its plot and it was a good story for it and often had me questioning what I would do if I were to take Erekosë’s place. Erekosë is meant to kill off a whole race of people whilst leading his own race but somehow he finds that his race seems to be the worse of the two and that stretches his loyalties. The plot was full of this sort of tension and it was a marvelous read and I truly couldn’t tell what was to happen next.
Erekosë has a loving side and in the novel there is a definite love interest that drives a side of his humanity to utter resolve for the one he loves. The cast includes a bloodthirsty king who uses Erekosë as the champion and symbol of humanity on earth. The king’s trusted advisor, lord Katorn, makes things interesting with Erekosë because they both love the same woman and Katorn also hates to see his own favor with the king diminish as Erekosë’s is ever-increasing. There is also a good friendship between Erekosë and count Roldero that was interesting as they like to battle their worldviews and philosophies with one another. All in all the characters were well put together and the relationships were well felt.
The Eternal Champion is told in the first person POV by John Daker/Erekosë. This POV is highly useful as Erekosë is frequently reflecting on his own destiny, the causes and outcomes of his decisions, and the general loss of identity that drives the book from start to finish. Reading him struggle through the campaign against the Eldren and the battle to discover his true nature and place in the universe was so very unique from any fantasy I’ve read. The writing developed all the characters well and I felt very closely with Erekosë as he made some pretty tough decisions towards the end. This was a brilliantly written story with some of the best writing I’ve read in fantasy.
Seldom do I find fantasy that has this much philosophy threaded through its pages. Aside from just the good writing, The Eternal Champion sings a beautiful song of love and death that was a completely different tune than that I am used to in a fantasy novel. I have always been fascinated by the moral grey and moral dilemma that can occur in some fantasy novels, especially in grimdark, and this novel is a part of that class. But it deals with morality better than any book I have read before it. If I were in Erekosë position I am unsure of what measures I would take. Would I raise my enemies to annihilation? What costs are acceptable to see peace prevail? Will war ever end? These sorts of questions are explored with much depth and it was really a rich read in that regard. This easily became one of the most interesting novels I’ve read in a long time and I am deeply looking forward to the next one.
Rating: 10/10
Erekosë has a loving side and in the novel there is a definite love interest that drives a side of his humanity to utter resolve for the one he loves. The cast includes a bloodthirsty king who uses Erekosë as the champion and symbol of humanity on earth. The king’s trusted advisor, lord Katorn, makes things interesting with Erekosë because they both love the same woman and Katorn also hates to see his own favor with the king diminish as Erekosë’s is ever-increasing. There is also a good friendship between Erekosë and count Roldero that was interesting as they like to battle their worldviews and philosophies with one another. All in all the characters were well put together and the relationships were well felt.
The Eternal Champion is told in the first person POV by John Daker/Erekosë. This POV is highly useful as Erekosë is frequently reflecting on his own destiny, the causes and outcomes of his decisions, and the general loss of identity that drives the book from start to finish. Reading him struggle through the campaign against the Eldren and the battle to discover his true nature and place in the universe was so very unique from any fantasy I’ve read. The writing developed all the characters well and I felt very closely with Erekosë as he made some pretty tough decisions towards the end. This was a brilliantly written story with some of the best writing I’ve read in fantasy.
Seldom do I find fantasy that has this much philosophy threaded through its pages. Aside from just the good writing, The Eternal Champion sings a beautiful song of love and death that was a completely different tune than that I am used to in a fantasy novel. I have always been fascinated by the moral grey and moral dilemma that can occur in some fantasy novels, especially in grimdark, and this novel is a part of that class. But it deals with morality better than any book I have read before it. If I were in Erekosë position I am unsure of what measures I would take. Would I raise my enemies to annihilation? What costs are acceptable to see peace prevail? Will war ever end? These sorts of questions are explored with much depth and it was really a rich read in that regard. This easily became one of the most interesting novels I’ve read in a long time and I am deeply looking forward to the next one.
Rating: 10/10
6.5/10
ch1 goes hard. Dude is literally materialized from his universe to the erikose's universe. Literally birthed from thin air leaving behind his previous life. Dead ass an isekai.
The human kingdom Necralala in Erekose's eternal champion is funny cause the name is silly.
Humans mad xenophobic towards eldren. Pre funny how crazy they are. Don't like how clear the propoganda is and how erekose won't pick up on that. Enjoy seeing how perimitive the humans are when it comes to war plans and stuff. They had not devised of a contengency plan before erekose brought it up.
I like the characters. Feels like King Rigenose knows he's xenophobic and he's rushing their plans to engage in battle before Erikose realises the truth. He also thinks very politically and uses Erekose to further increase his power by displaying how he has him under control. A king who rules with an immortal god under his command. A god which fights for the greater good. It legitimizes your claim. He displays his authority infront of erikose out of fear.
i love iolinda's name. She a psycho idiot brainwashed by the anti-eldren propoganda lmao.
katorn is cool but i like Roldero more.
Cover bait and switch is dope
pacing is ass. takes too long for hero to realise from right and wrong. too pussy whipped. in the last 15 pages he switches sides and genocides the other way. Kinda wack. Took to long
Like the internal conflict he has however, book is too short to fit all the author wanted.
ch1 goes hard. Dude is literally materialized from his universe to the erikose's universe. Literally birthed from thin air leaving behind his previous life. Dead ass an isekai.
The human kingdom Necralala in Erekose's eternal champion is funny cause the name is silly.
Humans mad xenophobic towards eldren. Pre funny how crazy they are. Don't like how clear the propoganda is and how erekose won't pick up on that. Enjoy seeing how perimitive the humans are when it comes to war plans and stuff. They had not devised of a contengency plan before erekose brought it up.
I like the characters. Feels like King Rigenose knows he's xenophobic and he's rushing their plans to engage in battle before Erikose realises the truth. He also thinks very politically and uses Erekose to further increase his power by displaying how he has him under control. A king who rules with an immortal god under his command. A god which fights for the greater good. It legitimizes your claim. He displays his authority infront of erikose out of fear.
i love iolinda's name. She a psycho idiot brainwashed by the anti-eldren propoganda lmao.
katorn is cool but i like Roldero more.
Cover bait and switch is dope
pacing is ass. takes too long for hero to realise from right and wrong. too pussy whipped. in the last 15 pages he switches sides and genocides the other way. Kinda wack. Took to long
Like the internal conflict he has however, book is too short to fit all the author wanted.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
After halfway it rushes to the conclusion and even more quickly to the aftermath, but I guess the book isn't really about Erekosë. I think it's about the terrible weight that fate exerts, and what it can cost to defy it.
Well that was tedious. Wanky dude with identity issues is pulled into Generic Fantasy World #12 and makes decisions as required by the plot.