Topic for the day: Elric is the original d-rowpire. Discuss

[Lt. Tyler]

I recently picked up the first three of the 6 Elric books, and reread them for the first time since probably the mid-80s.

It made me a little sad, because it was obvious that Elric is basically a cross between Louis (Brad Pitt) from Interview with a Vampire and Drizzt. He’s physically weak until he feeds on souls of others (which Stormbringer drinks, might as well have it be a bendy straw to drink the victim’s blood from). He doesn’t want to kill those, but in the end he is compelled to. He was raised in a decadent, corrupt, essentially evil society, yet he leaves it to break free from its oppressive nature (Melibone equals Menzoberranzan). He has a cool sword (might as well be two scimitars). He has pale hair (Drizzt) and a pale complexion (vampires).

Now, that’s not to say that I don’t think the story and books aren’t great. They are. Put them in perspective and their time, and they’re some of the best. Stormbringer is an incredibly cool name for a sword (so often named swords just sound ridiculous – not so here). The setting of a decaying culture in relation to up and coming younger nations is also quite interesting (Pointdexter: Wait – would you rather live in the ascendancy of a civilization, or during its decline? Omega Mu: Poindexter, do you wanna ****, or not?) The evil aspects of sorcery and magic in this world are cool as well (vaguely Robert E. Howard, not Elmindouchester).

And character archetypes or “tropes” aren’t bad. They can be quite good and well done. But in this case I found it distracting.

I’m also wary of rereading the Corum series. Growing up I liked the Corum books much better than the Elric ones, but now I fear I’ll be a bit let down with those too (assuming I could ever find copies of the darned things).

Thoughts? Opinions?

[Thrym]

Iathouz is the Elric nut of the Finger Lakes crew. As evidenced by his avatar…

I read a couple in high school … *wavy flashback scene* … I barely remember them to be somewhat confusing stories and that the characters all seemed surreal.

[Thrym]

Find the books in our store under the author:

Michael Moorcock

I just added the re-released paperbacks of the first saga.

Want to add your favorite author to our store, just send me a PM with links to some books.

[Lt. Tyler]

@Thrym wrote:

Iathouz is the Elric nut of the Finger Lakes crew. As evidenced by his avatar…

Uh oh. Looks like this might be another time where Ia and I will have to agree to disagree. 🙂

[Brak]

*Dreams a little dream of the perfect storm of Elric/Drizzit. love/hate all coming together*

[s-m-r]

I think Elric should be taken in the larger context of Moorcock’s other books, I think called the Eternal Champion mythos. I read all the Elric books in my younger days as well, and I definitely enjoyed them, but my favourite book of his read more recently is “The Eternal Champion.”

As I understand it, the big picture (and please correct me where applicable) is that there’s the constant struggle of balance between law and chaos (as opposed to good and evil), and Elric is simply one manifestation of the agent balancing the scales. This causes antiheroes like Elric, or unwilling participants such as the Eternal Champion, to manifest as different facets of the same role, in different dimensions.

The whole sense of obligation towards destiny and cosmic roles is something of a common thread between all of Moorcock’s works, and makes for fascinating reading once you branch out beyond one series and go to another.

…But only Elric’s books have blood-sucking trees in them. 😈

[Thrym]

@s-m-r wrote:

there’s the constant struggle of balance between law and chaos (as opposed to good and evil)

Hmmm, that sounds vaguely familiar. Where have I seen that emphasis before?

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