The Elric Saga
A review by Tommy N. Jeffers
There are a few times when a reader finds himself so awed and enthralled by a work of literature that the power of the story stays with him forever. When I picked up these editions of the Elric Saga, I was in for one of the best reads of my life. I had seen them as individual paperbacks in bookstores for years and had always wanted to get to them. Instead, when I finally bought these collected works, they “got to me.”
The story starts by building up the world in which the main character, Elric, lives. His is a life of stagnation and near boredom. What sets him apart from so many others is the fact that, due to his genetic defect of albinism, he is weak physically. His mind, however, has legendary strength, and he has studied the ways of the ancient sorcerers. When he gets hold of the chaotic sword Stormbringer, the sentient weapon provides him with a physical strength that he would never be able to attain alone. The weapon steals the souls of its victims and channels the life energy into Elric. From this point on, Elric is forever bound to the black sword. He is also bound to his fate, which manipulates him with a power that is reminiscent of a Greek tragedy. His entire life is directed by his needs, loves, and urges. He finds that his destiny is one that will either save or destroy the world or perhaps even both.
This book comes with my highest recommendation. Not since Tolkien, have I enjoyed a work of fantasy so much. This is not a book for those who want a happy, warm feeling inside because it delivers such an emotionally draining punch. Elric is a character that you admire, love, hate, and pity all at the same time. The entire series is a slow burn to an ending that has kept me thinking about it for days after I have read the book. This is not to say that it is a slow read. It is not. The fights are almost constant. The quests are reasonable. The world is so richly described that you feel like you have been there. The characters stand up so strong that you feel like you know them. This is a book that will make you cringe in horror and then make you debate why you cringe. In the end, the last page or so is worth the entire effort of reading the series. Moorcock is a master storyteller; his prose has an almost poetic quality. This is a series that every fantasy lover should read. If you are looking for something other than simple pulp fantasy, The Elric Saga delivers the goods with amazing quality.
The novels are collected by the Science Fiction Book club in the above editions. There are several other Elric stories, but the novels listed below constitute the main and original storyline. They can be found as individuals and should be read in the following order.
Elric of Melibone
The Weird of the White Wolf
The Vanishing Tower
The Bane of the Black Sword
