If you want some more Elric content check out this very in depth video from a different perspective by @iWizard kzfaq.info/get/bejne/gp5yjNxjxMjKj58.html

When Michael Moorcock first conceived of the character of Elric, he was asked by a publisher to do a run of the mill Conan-type in the vein of Robert E. Howard. What he did instead was create an anti-thesis to Conan and in doing so created one of the most iconic characters in fantasy.

"Just because it's old, doesn't mean you shouldn't read it!" Here, here, well said! I've definitely noticed that Fantasy readers tend to have a stronger recency bias than readers of other types of fiction, so this is a great reminder (and a great recommendation).

Moorcock wrote lyrics for three Blue Oyster Cult songs: The Great Sun Jester, Black Blade and Veteran of The Psychic Wars, all worth checking out, especially the versions on the Extra Terrestrial Live album. The lyrics were perfect for the music.

I was addicted to this saga when I was in high school. Had all the crusty old paperbacks and read each of them at least twice. I both related to and was seriously conflicted about the character of Elric. Genuinely complex and morally ambiguous beyond the usual anti-hero archetype. So glad there's this resurgence of interest in Moorcock's work!

I love how you correctly attribute Moorcock's Elric as inspiration for many modern fantasy authors.

This complete series is the best fantasy I have ever read. Dark,brooding and horrific. Could not put it down. I have now read it 3 times and find it to be deeper and deeper in each rereading.

Many years ago I heard someone describe Elric as the anti-Conan the Barbarian and I think it's a pretty good summary of his character. Whereas Conan and his many spiritual descendants were traditional manly characters, huge in stature, boasting humongous muscles and tiny brains and capable of astounding feats of strength and swordsmanship but eschewing scholarly pursuits and distrusting sorcery as the tool of weaklings who cheated to defeat with magic foes they could not overcome using their own strength, Eric is physically frail and is an introspective and intellectual sort, fully dependent on sorcercy and his magic runesword to be able to act like the Eternal Champion. Years later when I read Weis & Hickman's Dragonlance Chronicles I felt that the Majere twins, Caramon and Raistlin, were basically Conan if he was a lovable himbo instead of kind of a dick and Elric if he never learned how to wield a sword and had absorbed the dicki-ish nature taken away from his Conan-analogue twin brother.

This series has had some level of influence on so many of my favorite fantasy series, it's crazy. Berserk, Malazan, everything by Michael R. Fletcher, ASOIAF.. the list goes on. Glad to see you giving it a try.

Oddly enough, the first three Elric of Melniboné novels were the first things I read in fantasy. Even before The Hobbit or the Dragonlance novels (there wasn't much translated into Spanish in the early 90's). It all happened because we discovered role-playing games and in my group the guy who was the master had the Stormbringer game. I was fascinated by the setting (I was about 12 or 13 years old) and one of the guys who played with me said "hey, this is actually based on some novels, I have them, I'll lend them to you to read". And that's how I started reading fantasy, until today. Curiously I never read more than the first three novels, it's time to fill that gap :)

I’m very happy to see more and more Moorcock videos popping up in my algorithm- it’s great that more and more people are discovering his work; especially with all of the highly successful franchises and series out there now that have taken so much from his ideas.

You my friend are basically my favorite booktuber after this video. Elric absolutely holds up, and Moorcock's Eternal Champion multiverse is like 50 years old and still a bar above most modern genre fantasy being written today. Moorcock wrote some fascinatingly layered heroes and constantly throws them into morally grey scenarios. Tolkien and his derivatives, no matter how much paint has been slapped on them, are more like Sith dealing in absolutes of good and evil. Whenever you get to it, the Erekosë trilogy that really dives into the mythos behind the Eternal Champion will blow your mind.

As entertaining as the first novel is, as the series goes forward, MM really hits his stride. So many good ideas, and Elric as a character develops into one of the most interesting fantasy protagonists ever written.

The Elric Saga was mind blowing to me when I read the series in the 80s. I still tell people about this series, to this day. Vampire Hunter D reminds me of Elric.

It makes me so happy to see that more people is finally getting familiar with Moorcock... the influence of his work is everywhere in todays modern fantasy, and yet, no one appears to apreciate. Great job with your video!

I loved Elric. I read it as a kid. I’m still sad, and pondering the ending to this day, but damn, it was a great ride

The Elric saga were the books that first got me into fantasy as a teenager back in the early 80s. I've got the new editions and I'm looking forward to re-reading them. It's good to see them getting some attention again.

Ever since seeing The Library Ladder video on Moorcock he has quickly become one of my favourite authors. He's written so many amazing series in different genres and styles. The orignal Elric stories are definitely a lot better than the later stories (including Elric of Melnibone.) The Dreaming City through to Stormbringer are easily some of the best fantasy out there that I've found so far. Looking forward to seeing more people reading Moorcock

Robert Howard and Fritz Leiber should be next on your reading list. Also, try the Thieve's World anthologies by Robert Aspirin.

I got into Elic and Moorcock in the late '80s/early '90s. Hugely popular in TTRPG and nerd circles, but virtually unknown by normies. Wonderful books by a criminally underrecognized author. Far more people know Tolkein, but every other fantasy writer knows and has been influenced by Moorcock. GRRM's Valyrians are heavily reminiscent of Moorcock's Melniboneans.

Great video! Elric is my favorite series and IMO Moorcock is the greatest living fantasy author. It’s amazing that his illustrious writing career spans all the way from the mid 1950s (when he was 16 or 17 years old) through his most recent book which released just last week at the age of 83! He’s also worked in so many genres; pulp adventure, fantasy, sci-fi, early steampunk, some very subversive/experimental work, and also more “serious” literary fiction. I hope you enjoy the rest of the Elric books, and maybe check out some of his others such as the Corum books, the Jerry Cornelius books, and more!

I grew up on Elric. Fantastic books. Wish it had more popularity, and brought to the screen

I find it interesting that the SF community on KZfaq is primarily focused on reviewing and dissecting the classic novels of the genre of the 50s through the early 80s. & the fantasy community on KZfaq has an aversion to the classics. Props to you Jimmy for going and finding out for yourself!

The attack through the labyrinth and the torturer is wild.

For those who don't have enough time to read, Recorded Books let me keep the upload of the first book up on KZfaq, plus there are no ads (though you can hear me sleeping in the background some of the time, and sleep laughing at one point). The 2nd and 4th books are also available. All the Elric novels are very short though and worth reading first.

Many thanks for posting this. I've been an Elric fan since the early '80s, and I'm glad to see there's still some appreciation for Moorcock's works.

Great video, Jimmy! I completely agree with your take on this first stage of the Elric saga. Subsequent Elric stories begin crossing over with those of other Eternal Champions, so you might consider reading some of the other Champions before getting too deep into Elric's story. The Von Bek and Erekose stories provide helpful background information about the multiverse and about its theological and philosophical underpinnings. And Corum and Hawkmoon are, along with Elric, very instrumental in the broader conflict between Order and Chaos at the heart of Moorcock's multiverse.

So cool that you came out with this video today. I actually started the audiobook yesterday. Dude has a black dragon helm!! So gangster. Excellent review Jimmy.

Michael Moorcock is still one of my favourite authors. I have read all of his major series more than once and still consider him to be a king.

Years ago i was recommended this series. I bought everything he wrote. Its been sitting on my shelf awaiting me to read it. I'm glad I got it when I did since some of his books are pretty rare and pricey now. I'm excited to get into it when I have time

I read Elric everything in my teens, even had a signed print of that Michael Whelan cover in your thumbnail on my wall. Definitely a reaction to Tolkien’s “the destined king will solve all the world’s problems.” 😆 And now I need to reread it very soon.

I love the Elric saga and I was stunned when I read the last chapter and how it ended. I would have loved to read about the Melnibonéans at the height of their power.

I feel like the wave is coming around again for classic fantasy. If you've ever read any old English Romances, the defining characteristic of "modern" works in comparison is that they focus so intently on characterization, motivation, etc. Something we got from Shakespeare and his generation, by and large. But, as someone who loves the classics, I've always thought about how our oldest story telling traditions are more concerned with plot and symbolism then with interpersonal dynamics. The Elric Saga (which I've just started reading myself) is a wonderful conflagration of both of these things, and I personally like that it tips just a /little/ more in the direction of plot and symbolism. It feels epic, and it feels legendary--and I think a lot of that is because classic fantasy follows in that ancient tradition in a way that modern stories don't.

I just read this book and agree with everything you said. Great book. In this era of epic fantasy where so many series consist of a dozen 1,000 page books, I think Moorcock does more with less. I love his world building because he DOESN'T describe every tiny detail. He describes it enough to spark the imagination and leaves the rest to the reader. I agree the dialogue is a bit tricky but IMO it's sort of like the way Tolkien wrote. it's kind of a formal, rigid style that doesn't always flow smoothly. BTW I'm a huge Tad Williams fan. too. Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn is my favorite fantasy series.

Nice video, enjoyed the context of how Moorcock was doing something very different from Tolkien

I read these when I was a kid over 40 years ago. I thought about a comment I heard recently about the HBO series "Succession", that good tragedy feels inevitable, and that made me think back about Elric. The ending of that first book you mention, as well as the whole series, I thought were phenomenal. I remember in the official Dungeons & Dragons 'Dieties & Demigods', Elric was listed as a 'chaotic evil' person. But it's hard to see him as evil while reading the books, at least at first. In fact, this whole good/evil, moral/immoral is a persistent theme in the Elric books and even now, I bet I could read them again and have a different take. Wonderful, wonderful books! Hopefully some day will be given the same glorious screen attention as the George Martin novels.

Super glad you're getting into Elric!!!

I literally said out loud "This seems like my type of book." Dark fantasy that inspired Witcher. Sold. And complicated and morally gray main character right up my alley. That description of Elric was BEAUTIFUL.

Great to see a review of Elric of Melinibone. Read it about forty years ago and it still resonates. It’s not the world building, the novels too short, it’s the lore of this world which grabs the reader and demands attention. Amazing read. I would also recommend the History of the Runestaff, really good.

Super hyped you started this series it's so good.

Gollancz has a giant set of Moorcock i was going to collect until this gorgeous hardcovers came out. It would be nice if they did the same for his other properties. Maybe it's the changing writing style of modern fantasy, but i really miss the atmosphere of older works like this. Fritz Lieber is another one I'm looking to get into.

The Elric saga is fantastic! Hawkmoon is really good too 👍

This is such a great review, Jimmy. I'm hooked! Added to the TBR.

Yes! Started vol 1 a few months ago and I am hooked. I’ve been gradually collecting books from his Eternal Champion series wherever I can find them. Hoping to find some vol 1’s of those so a I can start reading those as well.

I’m super excited about this! I’ll be starting it next month. Thanks Jimmy!

Blood and souls for Lord Arioch!

Bobby ain’t behaving 😂 Really interesting video, Jimmy!

Probably my all time favorite series. Moorcock really despised a lot of the more problematic and reactionary undertones that he saw in many of his contemporary scifi and fantasy stories. And his writing was an answer to that. I think that's one of the reason it's still so readable today. It feels modern and fresh and calls out imperialism and such instead of upholding it. also i love that scifi and fantasy where much more overlapping instead of so rigidly defined. as Moorcocks multiverse takes places in typical fanatsy worlds, scifi worlds, alt earth history and they all interact with each other.

How timely that this was uploaded just two days ago. Today, on this gloomy and rainy day, I felt in the mood for some dark fantasy and decided to take the leap and see what Elric was all about. I'm a few chapters in, and I adore it. I feel immediately that one of my other great loves, the story of the Legacy of Kain series, must have taken some inspiration from Elric with it's brooding protagonists and its sword that is more doom than salvation, as questions of self and destiny abound. Already I can tell that I am in for something special!

I read the first two omnibus volumes earlier this year and liked them. Very nice discussion. 🙏🏽

Sounds fascinating. Thanks Jimmy.

I'd like to give you a heartfelt thank you, you got me reading again. 👏

Elric doesn't live in a Universe, he lives in a MULTI-verse. I was so wrapped up in the Elric novels when I first read them in the 90's I actually nearly changed my name to Elric. I read Lord of the Rings and it just seemed like rambling nonsense. I don't think that now. I've got a lot more respect for Tolkien's work than I did. But I've always been a fan of the Elric sagas. Where one of the central characters was a soul-stealing, sentient, 5 foot long, crooning, rune carved black blade; STORMBRINGER and it's twin MOURNBLADE. Wicked! I also think that Deep Purple's "Stormbringer" was written first and foremost about that blade - no matter what David Coverdale says!

Great review!

Yesssssss love getting hyped for this. I picked up the audios on sale since it’s done by my boy Samuel Roukin from Sun Eater. Can’t wait to try them out!

Excellent video, Jimmy! I completely agree with basically everything you said. I think his world and story are absolutely amazing. As for his general prose and dialog it's not my favorite but it is very serviceable and by no means bad. I also agree with his criminally underappreciated legacy along with Glenn Cook. Two titans that paved the way for many of my favorites. Would love to see some spoiler wrap up thoughts or spoiler discussions with some people if you really dig it going forward!

Wow. I remember the Elric Saga coming to my attention over a decade ago when, at the time, I was looking for the next great fantasy series to dive into. I had just come off of devouring all the Hobb books to date, the Harry Potter series, Discworld, Garth Nick's original Old Kingdom trilogy, Earthsea, Dune, Ender's Game and it's sequels, and lord knows how many others. Elric was on my list of series to check out but for some reason I picked up something else and just completely forgot about them. I haven't thought about Elric in all the time since until just a few minutes ago when I saw the title to this video. Damn! Yeah! I will be hunting these books down ASAP. HUGE thanks Nutts for recommending this. I'm off the bookstore

Thank you, this and a few other videos convinced me to read. Wow so glad, just about to finish Elric of Melniboné. What a great complex character!

One of my favorite books!🙌…and a favorite fantasy character

Glad you enjoyed the first one! I'm five novels in and definitely enjoying them, especially the contrast with just about everything else I've read in the genre.

Awesome, this is on my TBR now

Great review Jimmy! I'm glad you like this book. I read it a long time ago and loved it. I should probably do a re-read but I've also read all the graphic novel adaptations by Roy Thomas back in the day and those are very cool as well.

This sounds so interesting! My TBR is infinitely long already haha but it would be cool to check out some more old school fantasy. Great review!

I'm rereading it at the moment.

If only Elric had executed Yrkoon on the spot it would have most likely been better for everyone. It might have been impressive at that moment that he didn't but the consequences are maximally tragic. In later decsions (outside of this first book) Elric rarely shows mercy, maybe he has at least learnt one lesson.

What a fantastic video.

I found today that Spokowski (The Witcher) did a translation for Elric before he 'wrote' the Witcher. Without Moorcock there will be no Witcher - thank You Mr. Moorcock

I first read Elric when it was only two books-- the handful of stories collected in "The Stealer of Souls" and the novel "Stormbringer". Those were wonderful. Dark, disturbing, so utterly different, Now-- the moment that Moorcock created his whole "Eternal Champion" idea, he lost me. I refuse to read any of the Eternal Champion stories. But I will still read (and love) the two 1960s books.

I've been fortunate enough to work with Michael on the next issue of my magazine, which will contain a brand new, original Elric story. Let me tell you, it was a totally positive "Meet your heroes" experience - he's great.

In my late teens I learnt of Elric and the Eternal Champion and sought a copy. it was out of print in the late 80's and thus began an almost two year search for the first novel I wanted to read. In the intervening months I collected almost all Eternal Champion stories ( Corum, Hawkmoon, Bastable, Erekose, ) until, when finally acquiring Elric of Melnibone I had amassed well over 50 volumes and proceeded to read them all in succession. i have since read them all again. Moorcock forever remains a great favourite and one i fully recommend to all.

My dad let me borrow part 1 of the hardbacks which had the first 3 books. Almost done with it. Got lucky the other day at a used book store and found the other 3 parts on hardback for 10 bucks a piece. Elric is pretty awesome. The stories are really good. I haven't read in years and I'm having a blast.

Whenn i was 14 i read ender's game and elric back to back and i've loved this genre ever since. I just realized ive never reread elric. Whelp next on my tbr

It's been sitting on my shelf for so long.... Maybe its time!

I have been looking into this, watching review after review. Everything I hear about it, it’s history, the setting and tone is consistent with everything I love about fantasy. I just bought the first volume. The cover is beautiful. I can’t wait to read and review it.

I'm only 5 minutes into this review and I love it so far you're on point. Even though the tragedy and anti-hero theme is there it's definitely that believe in yourself that sets it apart. Standing in a place beyond the culture civilization world universe multiverse a literal force of nature accommodation of physics and magic it's crazy beyond its time.

Added to my TBR! I actually don't care for most newer stuff unless its by current authors I follow, so this is perfect!

After watching many of Brian Lee Durfee’s classic fantasy reviews I decided to rotate between modern and classic fantasy. I went ahead and purchased all 3 Elric omnibus editions and got half way through this first book. After your review I am now going back to finish at least Elric of Melnibone. I also wanted you to know that I read Memory, Sorrow & Thorn after your Lands of Osten Ard video. That was a super video! Other classics I enjoyed recently are The Black Cauldron & Magician Master.

Caught your YT while doing something else, took a break to type this. Interesting hearing thoughts of someone so young, being a reader of Moorcock and having actually awaited the releases of Elric work back in the day. Yes, he's a master of fantasy. One thing that puts him in the pantheon of the greats is what's now called "world building". Throughout Elric (and other works) MM would write a line or two, or a paragraph, almost throw away, that were Brand New to modern fantasy. (lol notice the caveat; there's nothing really new under the sun, you just sometimes have to go waaay back to find it). Encompassing an idea that others would use as the basis for entire plots/characters/even worlds. (Another writer, one of my favorites, that did this was Jack Vance.) Anyway, cool that you're enjoying Elric. BTW, it gets darker... Bwahahahaha! :)

Moorcock was my the first dip into Fantasy… haven’t read him in years… might need to go back. Thanks for the review.

I am considering the author's "An Alien Heat". Happy reading to you.

I read these 45 years ago as a child, which was a big of a mind'f' at that age. Very different than Lord of the Rings... dark dark stuff

I don't remember all the finer details of it but I'll always remember the idea of being gifted a ship that can sail through land and rock as if it was water that was blessed by an ocean god to spite the god of land that they were at war with to travel around in was such a cool idea. Too bad the ocean god yoinked it back so soon.

Beyond Good and Evil- nice Nietzsche drop!

I was feeling the same way. I've read so many more modern fantasy and I just felt like I needed to go back and check out some Moorcock. I want to check out some more now but I'm in the middle of my first Malazan read- through so it will have to wait a bit.

I recently mentioned to you that I had read “Salammbo” by Gustave Flaubert, from 1862. Since then, I have learned that some of the biggest names in Sword & Sorcery were inspired by Flaubert and “Salammbo”: Especially his incredible detailed settings drips of decadence and brutality and his prose is a clear inspiration for Clark Ashton-Smith and HP Lovecraft. And the characters, especially the eponymous Princess Salammbo (a damsel in distress or a femme fatal?) and the Mercenary duo of the big and physical strong (but also prone to great passion and distress) “Barbarian” Matho the Libyan and the willy and “entrepreneurial” Jack of all trades Spendius, would not be all unfamiliar from a Sword & Sorcery setting! In fact, Spendius might be an “ur-rogue”, as Fritz Leiber mention Spendius specifically as an inspiration, along with Loki and Peer Gynt, for his own “the Grey Mouse” (of “Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser” fame), who in turn was a great inspiration for the Rogue/Thief Class in “D&D”!

You should read the Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser series by Fritz Leiber - considered to be the beginning of fantasy writing. Great books!

I'm re-reading the Elric series right now. Had the book set for over 35 years. Re-Read The History of the Runestaff and the Chronicles of Castle Brass then Elric as part of the Eternal Champion saga. It's awesome.

I read Micheal Moorcock's novels for a few decades. Last ones was the 3 books of his Alternative History of the 20th Century. A wild ride. And the Jerry Cornelius stories. I read Elrick too, A long time ago. Was it the 70's. ? Anyone remember anything from the the 70's,.

A couple of older recommendations come to mind. I much enjoyed Karl Edward Wagner's Kane books and stories. Yes, that Kane, sort of. Killed his brother and was cursed by God. Fascinating anti-hero. Also Tanith Lee. Especially her Flat Earth novels. As rich and captivating as the Arabian Nights.

Been on my old school fantasy kick for 5-6 months now. A lot of gems out there.

Michael Moorcock's writing is chef's kiss good. It was such as a surprise that I have loved these novels as much as I do.

I mean... Since you asked so nicely❤❤❤

I don't know if anyone has mentioned it or not, but the easiest way to read the Elric Saga is the pair of omnibus editions; Elric of Melnibone and Stormbringer. All the main Elric stories in two volumes presented in Michael Moorcock's instructed timeline (not publishing) order. They do not include the latter three books, which are not Elric adventures per se though the Proud Prince of Ruins does show up in The Dreamthief's Daughter, The Skrailing Tree and...the last book escapes me. Millennium Publishing, possibly Orion for the omnibus editions. They cataloged and published the entire Eternal Champion series that way, so probably the best bet all round if you're interested. Blood and Souls for my Lord Arioch!

Moorcock is such an important foundation when it comes to fantasy. So innovative. I recommend Dancers at the End of Time, a three volume entry in the eternal champion saga. Its one of the most unique fantasy settings and stories ive ever read. And there's a short story where Elric crosses into their part of the multiverse.

My mom named me after this character from the book thanks for filling me in at who he is in the books

One of the ideas behind Elric is that he was meant to be an anti-Conan. Whereas Conan was strong and tough, Elric was frail. Whereas Conan fought wizards, Elric was a sorcerer in league with a demon god. Whereas Conan started out as a warrior and became a king, Elric was an Emperor who led barbarians against the land that exiled him. Moorcock really opened up the idea of what a fantasy protagonist could be.

One of the things I have always loved about Moorcock is a trait that he shares with Vonnegut which in a word, is brevity. They both have that knack for telling you a lot with a few words. That's another way in which he bucks the trends. Even today a lot of SF/F is incredibly overwritten in the name of "world building" but Moorcock demonstrates that one can create a convincing 3 dimensional world without wasting a single word. Next you should read the Nomad of the Time Streams books, then Dancers at the End of Time, and finish with his novel Behold the Man. It's 7 books in all, but they're Moorcock books so 3 are about the size of one Tolkien book. They all involve time travel.

I should be mentioned that Moorcock is the original creator of the "GrimDark" genre. If you ever heard about Warhammer (40K), you will be familiar with the forces of Chaos: Moorcock created them. (He is even the original inventor of the 8-pointed star as its emblem)

If you want some really Classic fantasy that shaped the modern fantasy, and even inspired Tolkien according to some, read Broken Sword by Poul Anderson. You got elves, humans, goblins, trolls, and even gods, all while being heavily influenced by norse sagas. 100% recomend the read.

I had planned to start Elric after I finished Conan, but was so disappointed with Conan I took a break from sword and sorcery. This got me PUMPED to read it after I finish Book of the New Sun! GREAT REVIEW JIMMY!