A review by ostrava
The Vanishing Tower by Michael Moorcock

3.0

Pretty alright. These are old-school tasteful adventures where a more critical reading doesn't seem necessary. Bad guys are ridiculously bad, Elric fights winged whales and most fights end through literal deus ex machina, so, the ball has already been dropped and there doesn't seem to be much of a reason to do so. But oh well, I enjoy the psychedelic writing of Moorcock, it's all very crazy and you never know what he's going to throw at you next (worldbuilding-wise anyway, the structure of the tales are practically identical each and every time which makes it seem like a Sunday Cartoon type of dynamic). This collection doesn't seem that important in the grander scheme of things anyway, Elric didn't even kill the baddie he's been chasing for a couple of stories now, but he's aware now (I think?) of his other incarnations... whatever that's supposed to mean. I don't know, I don't care that much about this universe.

I do have to mention my indifference towards the rest of the Champions. Every time Moorcock pulled off an Endgame with them I would get bored to tears and I don't know why. I guess, just in case, I would probably do good by avoiding their respective sagas, I've barely started liking Elric again.

Inconsistencies in quality brought the rating down a little bit and I still liked the first volume more, but so far it has been one of the most satisfying volumes in this series.