The Dreaming City's Final Incarnation

Magic circles etched upon the floooooor
Hours of fasting and prayeeeer
Time to opeeeen
the forbidden dooooor

Triangle oooof
manifestaaaation
CALL ON THE LEGIONS
HERE
they will be booooouuund!

The Tetragrammaton spoken
Bathed in blood spilled fresh
Black book of knowlege
bound in human fleeeeesh



Yet another Fantasy character falls to my greedy clutches. With this drawing I shall claim his soul !
Let us proceed the same way I did the others.
A little bit of personal history though. The first time I have heard about our albino friend here (who I am sure in the future will be played by Idris Elba for the sake of diversity quota I guess...), was in a magazine where the evolution of the fantasy genre was being described. It started from R.E. Howard (fuck YEAH !) , Tolkien (meh... though if Children of Hurin is to be adapted in ONE,SOLITARY,SELF-CONTAINED movie, it has my blessings.) to Moorcock whose Elric saga was described as the story of an evil albino prince who betrays all his friends during his adventures. Then there was the one with Discworld but I have no idea about it except that the world is on elephants that are on a turtle in space.
Now that I have read material (the whole frigging Omnibus !) about Elric, I can safely say that:
* It's only true for the Julien Blondel comics who at best are a dark reinterpretation that in no way represent the guy of the book. Their take on the empire though is quite fitting even if I would have made it less Clive Barkeresque to be honest...
* Elric is NOT EVIL. In fact, I was flabbergasted at how pleasant, albeit moody, the guy ultimately was ! He is courteous, does not look for trouble and genuinely wishes for the best. He also gives a damn about his friends for all his melancholy. The violence ? Oh yeah, violence during wars and exacted upon people who really had it coming. Yeah, what an asshole... As for his angst, well if I had anemia and that my life support system is basically a murderous psychopath that defies my will at almost every turn, I think I'd be bitter about it too. All in all, he is a fairly compelling anti-hero.

Now I don't want to give everything out so I'll describe the major arcs in general as usual. Was Moorcock right in terms of criticizing Tolkien's middle-Earth ?
Abso-fucking-lutely. He gets that right as he does not spend 700 pages talking about some butthole's ancestry or something or another.
To be honest, the MAIN narrative is pretty solid and a fast read. However, since this was an Omnibus I've read, I have the 2 later novels as bonus in the package. Was that a mistake ? Let's find out ! In Chronological events. Publication wise you have to look at the years just to imagine how things eventually got collected...


I Elric of Melniboné (1972)

Thus I am introduced to the decadent empire, that still rules over 10000 so that is a fucking record but pacts with lord of Chaos (namely the mighty and capricious Arioch !) and other unsavory deities do that to civilizations. While the inhabitants are a bunch of depraved elf-like critters who indulge in today's equivalent of orgy and coke-snorting (well they do that on lax days...), their latest emperor, Elric, is really not interested in this. He prefers reading books and go on horse riding in the company of the fair Cymoril (who's also his cousin, but you know...), dreaming of a better for his people ! And probably a better treatment for anemia because that is something of a handicap.
This won't prevent his cousin and Cymoril's brother, the vile Yyrkoon of making snide remarks to his Emperor and our dear pal Elric. Granted if I were said emperor, I would have fed the rude bastard his own intestines for mere disrespect, but Elric is more forgiving than I. Which kinda blows up to his face later but he kinda walked onto this.
After one betrayal that does not quite work, Yyrkoon kidnaps his sister forcing Elric and his faithful servant Dyvim Tvar to go after the asshole leading to an epic fight where Elric will finally acquire his sword the fabled Stormbringer, courtesy of Lord Arioch. Stormbringer, and I want you to remember this from this point on, is a fucking BITCH ! Yeah, it has a conscience of its own and is malevolent as fuck. While it feeds off souls and blood, no matter how corrupt and cruel, it RELISHES killing friendly and kind-hearted folks above all-else !
Anyway, Elric leaves his empire after this little adventure to go explore the world. Of course, he leaves Yyrkoon on the throne while he is away. Cymoril does point out that her beloved's plan is cosmically retarded  but then again, I said Elric was likable, not that he had a lot of common sense (unlike Conan, who is likable and HAS some down-to-earth sense !). Oh well, ONTO THE ADVENTURE And blOOd and SoUls for My LoRd ARIOCH !


1.5 The Fortress of the Pearl (1989)

Yeah, fans of Elric do not like this novel much, but fuck that, they ain't the boss of me ! In fact, this is one of my favorite Elric romps ! The desert scene , the myriads of beautiful concepts and planes of the dreamworld. Honestly, this could easily the launch of its own series. Dame Oone the dreamthief and Elric's guide is quite neat for a supporting character.
The funniest part is how Elric gets himself in this situation in the first place and has to bring about an object that is not even in his plane of reality in the first place to get the antidote.
Honestly, if THIS was adapted as an animated project, it gets my full approval. Not only would it be a fitting introduction to the White Wolf but any animator worth his/her salt would have a blast with the dream world or the process of stealing dreams alone ! And the ending ? Well it kinda prepared me for what the albino can do in the following stories!



II The Sailor on the Seas of Fate (1976)

This one is mostly for the hardcore Moorcock fans. Especially his multiverse (which ended up oh so beautifully drawn by the great Walt Simonson.).
The biggest reveal at the beginning ? Well, Elric, Erekosë, Dorian Hawkmoon, Corum Jhaelen Irsei are actually four different iterations of the same being: The Eternal Champion ! A doomed hero, bound to a supernatural weapon, fated to fight on the side of Law or Chaos in order to maintain the Balance between the two forces
(thankfully, Jerry Cornelius was not in this here story because that would have been fucking ridiculous...). Yeah it starts as a cross-over event as all of them have their own stories. Which I guess I might try to get my claws on eventually.

The follow-up is more down-to-Earth though. Well kinda ; Elric meets Smiorgan Baldhead, a nice fellow among nice fellows and they will find themselves involved in a parallel world love triangle. Here's the deal: a legendary Melnibonéan nobleman named Saxif D’an believes that a woman is the reincarnation of the human princess he loved and killed. However, the half-Melnibonéan Prince Carolak, who also loved the princess, has an axe to grind with Saxif...
My parents always told me not to get involved in this sort of affair honestly....

The final part is a nice lost continent exploration !  Duke Avan wants to acquire the legendary jewels that form the eyes of an enormous jade statue located in a certain lost city. Elric is skeptical but accepts to join the expedition along good Smiorgan. Said adventure turned into "Dead Space" but on a lost continent and Chaos lord intervention...



III The Weird of the White Wolf (1977)

This is where are collected the first two Elric stories ever published, which made the notoriety of our favorite anemic albino.

" The Dreaming City" (1961)
Elric FINALLY goes back to Imrryr to get his beloved Cymoril. He also brings a whole armada to “raze the city to the ground” and take whatever the hell they want. Again, for Elric, foresight is just a word.
Saving Cymoril COULD have worked if her brother was not such a douchenozzle...and if Elric gutted the bastard prior to going into adventures. Ouch... As for the armada  and Count Smiorgan, I let you guess how well it went for them.

“While the Gods Laugh” (1961)
Elric weeps...
We encounter here Elric's best friend Moonglum of Elwher, who has the gigantic mirth of Conan and is the epitome of the lovable rogue. Hence why Peter Dinklage should totally pay this guy. Anyway, it's a good thing Moonglum is here or else the readership might end up dying of a prozac overdose.
The pair of mercs encounter Shaarilla, a young woman who wishes to regain her wings thanks the Dead God's Book scripture... I am sure she'll find it there...

“The Singing Citadel”
Elric and Moonglum are recruited by Queen Yishana of Jharkor (who would be a MILF if she had kids...) to solve the mystery of a mysterious citadel into which people are starting to disappear. She is also smitten by Elric (women like anemic bookworms after all !). The problem is that Yishana’s sorcerer, Theleb Ka’arna, is in love with that saucy dish and wants her for himself. Buuut, I am sure he will not go and cause Elric trouble later...



IV The Sleeping Sorceress (1971)

Thankfully she is not asleep for long !
Meet the sorceress Myshella, Empress of the Dawn, who fights for the forces of Law (yeah, it is a weird but intriguing concept to be honest...). She will be Elric's ally in this arc.
Anyway, Theleb K'aarna's schemes consist in killing Elric, destroying the castle at the world's end (Myshella's home and base of operations) as well as Tanelorn, the eternal, the constant, the neutral city.
There will be bum fights, lice-demon guardian of hobo-land, Elric slaughtering a God and a team-up with Corum and Erekosë, to end the reign of the sorcerer Voilodion Ghagnasdiak (look, it was cross-over time ! Also, I hear there is a talking bear in Corum's stories. Such wonders will be mine to read...). The ending of this glorious battle though, someone ends up paying the price dearly ...

“Know this. Elric cannot have what he desires most. What he desires does not exist. What he desires is dead. All Elric has is sorrow, guilt, malice, hatred. This is all he deserves and all he will ever desire.”
Bummer, man...


4.5 Revenge of the Rose (1991)

Yeah, fans of Elric do not like this novel much, and OK. They are right. THIS book is borderline TERRIBLE !
It starts well enough; Elric encounters the soul of father Sadric and he has to free it from Arioch's influence (Arioch who in this story takes a leak on another lord of chaos...). So far, so good. Sir Wheldrake is a fun character and the Rose from the title is a decent character. BUT JAYSUS DOES IT DRAG ! In the middle of it you'll be begging for the narrative to get on with it ! Not the worst thing I've read but it fucking needed an editor to tell Moorcock to pick up the pace or trim the fat !
A C- grade for this flower...Some scenes would make for great paintings though...



V The Bane of the Black Sword (1977)

And we are back in business ladies and gentlemen ! And we return to the early straight to the point good old pulp ! Long live the pulp ! In books and Oranginas !

“The Stealer of Souls” (1962)
Elric is rekindled with the few Melnibonéans that survived , among them the faithful Dyvim Tvar, and they go to get revenge on Theleb K'aarna. That part works out and of course negative consequences ensue (it's like a Spawn story; damned if you do, damned if you don't !).

"Three Kings in Darkness" (1962)
Finally, Elric encounters the fair maiden that will be his greatest love and give a new lease in life: Zarozinia of Karlaak.www.youtube.com/watch?v=FSqdao…
They will have an upbeat adventure and then marry (seriously, if Elric has to get a job, I see him as a pharmacist...). She even helps him kick off his attachment to Stormbringer and go back to create his own potions to sustain his health. Well, when in peace...

"The Flame Bringers" (1962)
... it didn't last fucking long unfortunately.
Moonglum comes back from his native country to inform Elric that a barbarian has assembled a formidable force and is ready to conquer whatever he set his eyes on. Said barbarian has a sorcerer for a slave and WMD. Will our duo save said sorcerer and Karlaak ? Yes. Does this story end well ? For the most part. Hurray !

Rackhir the red archer, in the meantime, saves Tanelorn the constant. But this is merely the calm before the storm...


VI Stormbringer (1964)

And said storm was brought... and my heart is broken. Holy hell ! This has the most despicable antagonist of the saga; Jagreen Lern of Pan Tang.
All stops are pulled ; from Sepiriz the servant of the balance announcing what will happen to Elric and how disastruous the victory of either Chaos or Law would be, the scenes with Zarzonia and the loyalty of Moonglum. DAMN !
It is a fucking emotional roller coaster; over-the-top enough to exile Gods yet grounded enough so that the loss of this world ends up hitting home. QUICKLY AND EFFECTIVELY. I will not say more. Easily my FAVORITE chapter in this whole saga and it's a damn sin that Wendy Pini's project of animating it did not come through.


In conclusion ?

"I think of myself as a bad writer with big ideas, but I'd rather be that than a big writer with bad ideas." - Michael Moorcock
Honestly for my part ? I think Moorcock is pretty damn good ! I don't care for this "high literature" distinction snobs love puking up when it comes to books or movies, entertainment and mileage is what I seek! And I disavow the notion of guilty pleasure, guilt is yours if you wish, I only keep the pleasure.
This saga has uneven moments BUT on the whole, it was a very good read ! Also kudos to Michael Whelan, I based my Elric on his for the most part.


Now that all is said and done, grab your micro and let's sing along ! (This is how I imagine Elric's voice sounding like BTW...)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=XCxL3-…

I have this feeling that my luck is none too good
This sword here at my side don't act the way it should
Keeps calling me its master, but I feel like its slave
Hauling me faster and faster to an early, early grave
And it howls, it howls like hell

I'm told it's my duty to fight against the law
That wizardry's my trade and I was born to wade through gore
I just want to be a lover, not a red-eyed screaming ghoul
I wish it'd picked another to be its killing tool

Black blade! Black blade!
Forged a billion years ago
Black blade! Black blade!
Killing so its power can grow