burton (06/25/82)
Are there any other people on the net who are fans of Michael Moorcock? I'd be particularly interested in starting some discussion, either by mail or on the net, concerning Moorcock's many novels. Does anyone have *all* of Moorcock's books? Depending on how you count them, I have 50 or so different books (plus many more which are the same book with different titles), and I think I'm only missing three: The Warrior of Gulls, The Adventures of Una Persson and Catherine Cornelius in the 20th Century, and one other I can't remember at the moment. Has anyone seen these books or does anyone know anything about them? Does anyone have a *complete* list of Moorcock's books, including alternate titles, to which I can compare my list? Come on, all you Elric and Hawkmoon fans, lets hear from you! Doug Burton Bell Labs, Indianapolis inuxc!burton
donald (06/28/82)
It's been a long time since I've seen another SF fan that's heard of Elric of Melnibone, Kinslayer and Last Lord of Imyrryr (sp?), so here's a few questions I have about the Elric series: - What are the names of the Elric stories and their proper chronological sequence? I've been reading them on and off for the last few years-- it's hard to find them since they appear to be out of print. Also, I've found some editions which claim to be 'revised' by the author. Does any- body know about the nature of the revisions? I've also heard that some of the stories published in North America were terribbly hacked up by the publishers without the author's permission. Is that true? - There is an Elric short story called "The Jade Man's Eyes" in which Elric travels to R'lin K'ren A'a with Duke Astvan of Old Hrolmar. At that time he was in the company of Moonglum and the story took place after the Fall of Imyrryr. However, in the Elric novel "Sailor on the Seas of Fate" I found the same short story in a very different form, where Elric is in the company of Count Smiorgan Baldhead, and the story takes place *before* the Fall of Imyrryr! Which is right and who did what to whom? Don Chan
jagardner (06/30/82)
Moorcock has updated several of his earlier books to reflect
additions to the Eternal Champion cycle. For example, Phoenix
in Obsidian (U.S. title, The Silver Warriors) and the Eternal
Champion were written in the mid-sixties but revised in the
mid-seventies to include references to Corum and Hawkmoon, etc.
This really makes it tough to figure out a proper chronology,
which I suspect is exactly what Moorcock intends. The Multiverse
is not a linear place.
By the way, my vote for the best Moorcock series is the
Dancers at the End of Time trilogy. In this he parodies all
his other work, and I just love in-jokes. There are two more
End of Time books, but they don't measure up because they are
lacking the all important Mrs.Amelia Underwood.
Jim Gardner, U.of Waterlooburton (06/30/82)
In answer to the questions posted by Don Chan: 1) I have already posted a *complete* list of Moorcock books, and in it I have included both Elric series. When the series was first released in America, it was hacked up considerably into 5 books: The Singing Citadel, The Dreaming City, The Sleeping Sorceress, The Stealer of Souls, and Stormbringer. Later, Daw books released the author's approved (or revised) version, in six books: Elric of Melnibone, The Sailor on the Seas of Fate, The Wierd of the White Wolf, The Bane of the Black Sword, The Vanishing\ Tower, and Stormbringer. The new version is more cohesive, and in more nearly chronological order, than the old series. 2) I confess I have not read the entire old series, so I am not familiar with that peculiarity (although I wouldn't doubt it). Doug Burton
burton (06/30/82)
Regarding the non-linearity of the multiverse: This is particularly true when you consider that Elric of Melnibone is a hero of one of the Dancers at the end of Time, that Jherek and Amelia meet up with Oswald Bastable and Una Persson at the beginning of time, and that Corum meets Elric on the Ship that sails the planes at a point which for him is after meeting Elric during the adventure with the Vanishing Tower, but which for Elric is before the Vanishing Tower. For Jim Gardner: if you liked the Dancers at the End of Time, you should try the following books by Arthur Byron Cover (if you can find them): Autumn Angels, The Platypus of Doom and other Nihilists, and An East Wind Cometh (I think thats the title of the latest). Other strange 'nonlinearities': How does the 'End of Time' compare with the time of The Silver Warriors? Also, the Conjunction of Million Spheres takes place at the End of Time, at the 'same time' (for want of a better phrase) as it does in the Elric books, the Corum books, and the Hawkmoon books; yet it is implied that Elric and Corum represent the past, and Hawkmoon the future, of the same plane (sort of). Are the planes just different points along the time line of the same reality? Its very confusing. Doug Burton