What do you think?
Rate this book
Eternal Champion
Erekose, the Eternal Champion - pulled by the tides of chance through a thousand worlds and ages. In his lonely search for peace and justice all he can trust are his own courage and enduring passion. Across magical landscapes, fantastic worlds without end, strides Erekose - eternal hero, eternal warrior, eternal lover - forever defying destiny and lifting his brave sword against the cruel, cold logic of the Multiverse...Contains THE ETERNAL CHAMPION, PHOENIX IN OBSIDIAN and THE DRAGON IN THE SWORD.
650 pages, Paperback
Published January 1, 2013
7 people are currently reading
249 people want to read
About the author
Michael Moorcock
1,207 books3,744 followersMichael John Moorcock is an English writer primarily of science fiction and fantasy who has also published a number of literary novels.
Moorcock has mentioned The Gods of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs, The Apple Cart by George Bernard Shaw and The Constable of St. Nicholas by Edward Lester Arnold as the first three books which captured his imagination. He became editor of Tarzan Adventures in 1956, at the age of sixteen, and later moved on to edit Sexton Blake Library. As editor of the controversial British science fiction magazine New Worlds, from May 1964 until March 1971 and then again from 1976 to 1996, Moorcock fostered the development of the science fiction "New Wave" in the UK and indirectly in the United States. His serialization of Norman Spinrad's Bug Jack Barron was notorious for causing British MPs to condemn in Parliament the Arts Council's funding of the magazine.
During this time, he occasionally wrote under the pseudonym of "James Colvin," a "house pseudonym" used by other critics on New Worlds. A spoof obituary of Colvin appeared in New Worlds #197 (January 1970), written by "William Barclay" (another Moorcock pseudonym). Moorcock, indeed, makes much use of the initials "JC", and not entirely coincidentally these are also the initials of Jesus Christ, the subject of his 1967 Nebula award-winning novella Behold the Man, which tells the story of Karl Glogauer, a time-traveller who takes on the role of Christ. They are also the initials of various "Eternal Champion" Moorcock characters such as Jerry Cornelius, Jerry Cornell and Jherek Carnelian. In more recent years, Moorcock has taken to using "Warwick Colvin, Jr." as yet another pseudonym, particularly in his Second Ether fiction.
Moorcock has mentioned The Gods of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs, The Apple Cart by George Bernard Shaw and The Constable of St. Nicholas by Edward Lester Arnold as the first three books which captured his imagination. He became editor of Tarzan Adventures in 1956, at the age of sixteen, and later moved on to edit Sexton Blake Library. As editor of the controversial British science fiction magazine New Worlds, from May 1964 until March 1971 and then again from 1976 to 1996, Moorcock fostered the development of the science fiction "New Wave" in the UK and indirectly in the United States. His serialization of Norman Spinrad's Bug Jack Barron was notorious for causing British MPs to condemn in Parliament the Arts Council's funding of the magazine.
During this time, he occasionally wrote under the pseudonym of "James Colvin," a "house pseudonym" used by other critics on New Worlds. A spoof obituary of Colvin appeared in New Worlds #197 (January 1970), written by "William Barclay" (another Moorcock pseudonym). Moorcock, indeed, makes much use of the initials "JC", and not entirely coincidentally these are also the initials of Jesus Christ, the subject of his 1967 Nebula award-winning novella Behold the Man, which tells the story of Karl Glogauer, a time-traveller who takes on the role of Christ. They are also the initials of various "Eternal Champion" Moorcock characters such as Jerry Cornelius, Jerry Cornell and Jherek Carnelian. In more recent years, Moorcock has taken to using "Warwick Colvin, Jr." as yet another pseudonym, particularly in his Second Ether fiction.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
August 28, 2014
This story stands out from the fantasy of Moorcock (of whom I'm fond generally) because it is a potent and memorable example of ultimate character development: the story of a true shift of loyalty and a rediscovery of one's own fundamental values. If all mythology and modern fantasy has, in some sense, the goal of showing the ideal of personal transformation, I can think of very few books besides another favorite (Hesse's Magister Ludi/The Glass Bead Game) that do it as well.
Which is not to say it's an uplifting book, as it's clearly a bitter (not to say unsympathetic or singleminded) look at race relations, nationalism, and nuclear armageddon.
Which is not to say it's an uplifting book, as it's clearly a bitter (not to say unsympathetic or singleminded) look at race relations, nationalism, and nuclear armageddon.
October 17, 2014
"The Eternal Champion" is a classic. The trilogy that deals with John Daker who becomes Erekozё and then goes on to become another hero at another world, all the while namedropping the myriads of other incarnations is an old-fashioned "hero goes to another world fantasy" with a twist or three.
Unlike "Von Bek", I'm not particularly interested in breaking down the stories in this one, as it reads like a single trilogy, with a recurring main character. As such, I will review the whole trilogy as one work. Keep in mind I've previously read the first two parts, and had a very vague recollection of how the first story ended and how the second begun. The third was completely new to me though.
trying to avoid spoilers, in "Eternal Champion" Moorcock lets his imagination run wild. Erekozё travels ALOT and the places he goes are VERY different. The places, and he cultures that arise in them are probably one of the highlights of the book.
In terms of the "bigger picture": "The Eternal Champion" does a great job setting up the Multiverse. It builds on concepts mentioned in "Von Bek" (which become significant in the third story), and does it well-the first story introduces the concept of Eternal champion, the second is largely about the Champion's relationship to his Sword, and the third, where Erekozё is sent to a mini-system of the worlds the Wheel, containing 7 interconnected realms brings out more about the cosmology--The Law v Chaos, the role of Balance, as well as introducing what I understand may be some characters common on the Champion's adventures in various incarnations (think Hoid in the Cosmere... although I could be wrong, but that's the impression I'm getting right now).
The Book is well-paced. it deals with interesting themes, and Erekozё constantly struggles against the "Good v Evil" definitions he is expected to follow. The fact that the Balance will sometimes require the Champion to fight for Chaos to prevent Law winning was, I felt, a clever concept, and I look forward to seeing it built upon.
Characters were mostly interesting, albeit many were fairly archetypical. The story didn't have too many unpredictable twists, but it was really all about the journey and showing the reader the worlds Moorcock creates, so I didn't mind too much.
Overall, a solid book. I felt the conclusion was fitting. Curious to see if there will be many references to events from this boo in further ones. I did notice 2 important cross-references to other books to come. I'm guessing that finding these is half the fun of reading the series
Unlike "Von Bek", I'm not particularly interested in breaking down the stories in this one, as it reads like a single trilogy, with a recurring main character. As such, I will review the whole trilogy as one work. Keep in mind I've previously read the first two parts, and had a very vague recollection of how the first story ended and how the second begun. The third was completely new to me though.
trying to avoid spoilers, in "Eternal Champion" Moorcock lets his imagination run wild. Erekozё travels ALOT and the places he goes are VERY different. The places, and he cultures that arise in them are probably one of the highlights of the book.
In terms of the "bigger picture": "The Eternal Champion" does a great job setting up the Multiverse. It builds on concepts mentioned in "Von Bek" (which become significant in the third story), and does it well-the first story introduces the concept of Eternal champion, the second is largely about the Champion's relationship to his Sword, and the third, where Erekozё is sent to a mini-system of the worlds the Wheel, containing 7 interconnected realms brings out more about the cosmology--The Law v Chaos, the role of Balance, as well as introducing what I understand may be some characters common on the Champion's adventures in various incarnations (think Hoid in the Cosmere... although I could be wrong, but that's the impression I'm getting right now).
The Book is well-paced. it deals with interesting themes, and Erekozё constantly struggles against the "Good v Evil" definitions he is expected to follow. The fact that the Balance will sometimes require the Champion to fight for Chaos to prevent Law winning was, I felt, a clever concept, and I look forward to seeing it built upon.
Characters were mostly interesting, albeit many were fairly archetypical. The story didn't have too many unpredictable twists, but it was really all about the journey and showing the reader the worlds Moorcock creates, so I didn't mind too much.
Overall, a solid book. I felt the conclusion was fitting. Curious to see if there will be many references to events from this boo in further ones. I did notice 2 important cross-references to other books to come. I'm guessing that finding these is half the fun of reading the series
July 9, 2018
The Eternal Champion: 3 or 3.5 stars. It's pretty predictable and a little rushed sometimes, but it's fun and has some epic sequences. It doesn't quite reach the heights of Elric or even Corum.
Phoenix in Obsidian: 3 stars but barely. It's dark and has a lot more atmosphere than the previous novel, but it's a little disjointed and all over the place. The revelations about the Eternal Champion and the Multiverse are certainly helpful for later, if one plans to continue reading Moorcock's multiverse series, but overall it's dark, depressing and falls a little flat.
The Dragon in the Sword: 3 maybe 3.5 stars. More cohesive than its predecessor, but not quite as straightforward as the first novel in the trilogy. It's fun most of the time, and it offers a lot of cool looks at the core of the Balance and the struggle between Law and Chaos. Sometimes it drags, but the pacing is better than that of the previous two. I found von Bek unnecessary in this, and I felt like Moorcock just wanted to excuse his presence near the end where von Bek does something "important." Still, I enjoyed it.
Overall, if I were to rate this omnibus as a single novel, I'd probably go as high as 3.5 stars, but wouldn't round up. It's fun, sets up the multiverse, but I'd recommend starting reading Moorcock's series elsewhere. Maybe the first three Elric books, or the first Corum trilogy.
Phoenix in Obsidian: 3 stars but barely. It's dark and has a lot more atmosphere than the previous novel, but it's a little disjointed and all over the place. The revelations about the Eternal Champion and the Multiverse are certainly helpful for later, if one plans to continue reading Moorcock's multiverse series, but overall it's dark, depressing and falls a little flat.
The Dragon in the Sword: 3 maybe 3.5 stars. More cohesive than its predecessor, but not quite as straightforward as the first novel in the trilogy. It's fun most of the time, and it offers a lot of cool looks at the core of the Balance and the struggle between Law and Chaos. Sometimes it drags, but the pacing is better than that of the previous two. I found von Bek unnecessary in this, and I felt like Moorcock just wanted to excuse his presence near the end where von Bek does something "important." Still, I enjoyed it.
Overall, if I were to rate this omnibus as a single novel, I'd probably go as high as 3.5 stars, but wouldn't round up. It's fun, sets up the multiverse, but I'd recommend starting reading Moorcock's series elsewhere. Maybe the first three Elric books, or the first Corum trilogy.
September 13, 2022
This is a review of the three Erekose novels!
The Eternal Champion - 3/5
John Daker dreams of other worlds, and a name: Erekosë. He finds the strength to answer the call, traveling to a strange land ruled by the aging King Rigenos of Necranal. Humanity is united in a desperate fight against the inhuman Eldren, and he must fight with them. But the actions of his brethren turns his loyalties, and as Erekosë he will be forced to make a terrible decision that could end in the deaths of millions of innocents regardless of his choice.
A reverse war revenge story where the protagonist joins the ranks of the (evil fantasy race) and turns against the people he was initially supposed to be fighting for. The intro is rough and choppy, Erekosë conveniently overcomes the loss of his previous identity with no challenge or remorse for his past life. The characters are a bit shallow and Erekosë himself makes decisions with the mental and emotional maturity of a newborn baby, (he technically is a newborn baby in a matter of speaking, so I guess I can let it slide.)
Despite some pacing issues and lack of proper character development, I think the reversal of the revenge trope was well done and the ending was quite melancholy. Although Erekosë wasn't nearly as interesting or morbid as Elric of Melnibone, reading this book helped me get a much better grasp on how the multiverse and the Eternal Champion works in context of the shared universe. Even though I didn't enjoy this nearly as much as Elric, I wish I had read this one first to save myself a lot of confusion during my reading of Elric (especially during Sailor on the Seas of Fate.)
The first third of the book was a bit rough, but the rest was smooth, action-packed and had a pinch of nihilistic philosophy thrown in for good measure. The segments I actually enjoyed the most are the parts where it was just the main character dreaming of his alternate personas in parallel universes and contemplating his role in the grand scheme of the universe. I loved the gloomy and surrealistic tone overall.
***
The Silver Warriors - 3/5
After abandoning his past identity as John Daker, Erekose made a choice to destroy humanity for the sake of preserving the last remaining Eldren. Suffering from severe guilt and depression from his unforgivable crime, he struggles to find comfort in the arms of his lover Ermizhad. Haunted by nightmares and the voices of other incarnations of the Eternal Champion, he struggles to stay sane and to remain in his current body.
Just when Erekose finally seems to have found peace at the cost of sacrificing his former comrades and loved ones, he is yet again summoned to another parallel dimension in the multiverse in another body where he is forced to wage yet another morally questionable battle against an unfamiliar force. He unwillingly takes on the mantle of Count Urlik Skarsol of the Frozen Keep. Against his will, he is once again forced to choose between one of two races to sacrifice for the benefit of the other.
This setting and incarnation of the Eternal Champion were much more interesting here than in the first Erekose book, but the characterization and the motives behind the conflict are even less developed. The world and society he finds himself in is strange and interesting, the lore behind the Silver Warriors who hatched from a fallen moon who supposedly threaten humanity is cool, but there was a large disconnect between the characters and their enemies this time around which made me not care too much about what happened to either side unlike the conflict between the humans and the Eldren from the first book. It doesn't have the same grandiose level of intrigue, complex world building and entertaining trippiness as other Eternal Champion series, but it's still good as a gloomy sword and sorcery romp. The pacing, action, eerie existentialism and philosophical monologuing are what I really enjoy about them and this one is no exception.
***
The Dragon in the Sword - 4.5/5
He was once John Daker, a mortal man living an unfulfilling life on Earth. Then he was Erekose, a doomed hero summoned out of time to slay the Eldren but chose another path. Then he was Count Urlik Skarsol of the Frozen Keep summoned to slay the strange race of Silver Warriors who hatched from the moon. Now, John Daker takes on the mantle of one final warrior to put an end to the cycle of chaos once and for all. He is reborn once more as Prince Flamadin in the Six Realms of the Wheel, where he befriends concentration camp escapee Count Ulric von Bek and an Eldren woman named Alisaard who bears a striking resemblance to Erekose's lost love Ermizhad.
The odd crew of three band together in a grand mission to save the multiverse from three faces of great evil. They must obtain the Dragon Sword before the insane Princess Sharadim gets her hands on it. They must secure the Holy Grail before Adolf Hitler and his loyal supporters are granted godlike power. And finally, they must challenge the Dukes of Hell to restore balance and order to the multiverse so they may return to where they rightfully belong.
After finding the first two Erekose books decent, I wasn't expecting to enjoy the last one so much more than any other I've read in the Eternal Champion universe so far. I thought Erekose was the least interesting of the protagonists I've read about, but this final entry in his trilogy is off the walls madness. What really did it for me is the surprisingly good-humored Von Bek. He brought out Erekose's personality and just added a lot of flair to the overall story that was lacking in the others. Then there's the way so many different timelines and dimensions converge to form a massive crazy battle. An evil princess, Hitler and cosmic entities from Hell and the cosmos mixing up in a single explosive plot was extremely chaotic but also a ton of fun to watch unfold.
The tale of Erekose comes to a bittersweet end. While the series was a bit weak in some ways, it added a lot of depth to the multiverse and made me further appreciate all of the other entries in the Eternal Champion chronicles. It explained how the Eternal Champion and the Black Sword function in every realm, how times flows, the balance of chaos and order and so on. Even when the story wasn't that great, it had some truly fascinating world building and philosophical exposition. I understand why the final book may have been unappealing to a lot of people because of how absurd and overwhelming it was at times, but funny enough, that's precisely why I enjoyed it as much as I did.
The Eternal Champion - 3/5
John Daker dreams of other worlds, and a name: Erekosë. He finds the strength to answer the call, traveling to a strange land ruled by the aging King Rigenos of Necranal. Humanity is united in a desperate fight against the inhuman Eldren, and he must fight with them. But the actions of his brethren turns his loyalties, and as Erekosë he will be forced to make a terrible decision that could end in the deaths of millions of innocents regardless of his choice.
A reverse war revenge story where the protagonist joins the ranks of the (evil fantasy race) and turns against the people he was initially supposed to be fighting for. The intro is rough and choppy, Erekosë conveniently overcomes the loss of his previous identity with no challenge or remorse for his past life. The characters are a bit shallow and Erekosë himself makes decisions with the mental and emotional maturity of a newborn baby, (he technically is a newborn baby in a matter of speaking, so I guess I can let it slide.)
Despite some pacing issues and lack of proper character development, I think the reversal of the revenge trope was well done and the ending was quite melancholy. Although Erekosë wasn't nearly as interesting or morbid as Elric of Melnibone, reading this book helped me get a much better grasp on how the multiverse and the Eternal Champion works in context of the shared universe. Even though I didn't enjoy this nearly as much as Elric, I wish I had read this one first to save myself a lot of confusion during my reading of Elric (especially during Sailor on the Seas of Fate.)
The first third of the book was a bit rough, but the rest was smooth, action-packed and had a pinch of nihilistic philosophy thrown in for good measure. The segments I actually enjoyed the most are the parts where it was just the main character dreaming of his alternate personas in parallel universes and contemplating his role in the grand scheme of the universe. I loved the gloomy and surrealistic tone overall.
***
The Silver Warriors - 3/5
After abandoning his past identity as John Daker, Erekose made a choice to destroy humanity for the sake of preserving the last remaining Eldren. Suffering from severe guilt and depression from his unforgivable crime, he struggles to find comfort in the arms of his lover Ermizhad. Haunted by nightmares and the voices of other incarnations of the Eternal Champion, he struggles to stay sane and to remain in his current body.
Just when Erekose finally seems to have found peace at the cost of sacrificing his former comrades and loved ones, he is yet again summoned to another parallel dimension in the multiverse in another body where he is forced to wage yet another morally questionable battle against an unfamiliar force. He unwillingly takes on the mantle of Count Urlik Skarsol of the Frozen Keep. Against his will, he is once again forced to choose between one of two races to sacrifice for the benefit of the other.
This setting and incarnation of the Eternal Champion were much more interesting here than in the first Erekose book, but the characterization and the motives behind the conflict are even less developed. The world and society he finds himself in is strange and interesting, the lore behind the Silver Warriors who hatched from a fallen moon who supposedly threaten humanity is cool, but there was a large disconnect between the characters and their enemies this time around which made me not care too much about what happened to either side unlike the conflict between the humans and the Eldren from the first book. It doesn't have the same grandiose level of intrigue, complex world building and entertaining trippiness as other Eternal Champion series, but it's still good as a gloomy sword and sorcery romp. The pacing, action, eerie existentialism and philosophical monologuing are what I really enjoy about them and this one is no exception.
***
The Dragon in the Sword - 4.5/5
He was once John Daker, a mortal man living an unfulfilling life on Earth. Then he was Erekose, a doomed hero summoned out of time to slay the Eldren but chose another path. Then he was Count Urlik Skarsol of the Frozen Keep summoned to slay the strange race of Silver Warriors who hatched from the moon. Now, John Daker takes on the mantle of one final warrior to put an end to the cycle of chaos once and for all. He is reborn once more as Prince Flamadin in the Six Realms of the Wheel, where he befriends concentration camp escapee Count Ulric von Bek and an Eldren woman named Alisaard who bears a striking resemblance to Erekose's lost love Ermizhad.
The odd crew of three band together in a grand mission to save the multiverse from three faces of great evil. They must obtain the Dragon Sword before the insane Princess Sharadim gets her hands on it. They must secure the Holy Grail before Adolf Hitler and his loyal supporters are granted godlike power. And finally, they must challenge the Dukes of Hell to restore balance and order to the multiverse so they may return to where they rightfully belong.
After finding the first two Erekose books decent, I wasn't expecting to enjoy the last one so much more than any other I've read in the Eternal Champion universe so far. I thought Erekose was the least interesting of the protagonists I've read about, but this final entry in his trilogy is off the walls madness. What really did it for me is the surprisingly good-humored Von Bek. He brought out Erekose's personality and just added a lot of flair to the overall story that was lacking in the others. Then there's the way so many different timelines and dimensions converge to form a massive crazy battle. An evil princess, Hitler and cosmic entities from Hell and the cosmos mixing up in a single explosive plot was extremely chaotic but also a ton of fun to watch unfold.
The tale of Erekose comes to a bittersweet end. While the series was a bit weak in some ways, it added a lot of depth to the multiverse and made me further appreciate all of the other entries in the Eternal Champion chronicles. It explained how the Eternal Champion and the Black Sword function in every realm, how times flows, the balance of chaos and order and so on. Even when the story wasn't that great, it had some truly fascinating world building and philosophical exposition. I understand why the final book may have been unappealing to a lot of people because of how absurd and overwhelming it was at times, but funny enough, that's precisely why I enjoyed it as much as I did.
August 1, 2025
Regular readers (if there are such magical creatures) of my bookish peregrinations may have noted that I'm working my way very gradually through the collected Gollancz paperback editions, one by one. Sixteen down so far, and the Eternal Champion makes 17.
This voyage has taken a few years so far and will undoubtedly go on for a few years more. Which helps to explain why my memories of the other incarnations of the Eternal Champion - Hawkmoon, Corum, Elric - are as hazy as John Daker's own memories.
See, John Daker is the sole aspect of the eternal Champion doomed to have knowledge of his past and future lives. Called from twentieth century London to a distant world to take up his role in an apocalyptic war against the Eldren, his story as the hero Erekose is archetypal Moorcock action, with added gouts of genocide and lashings of tyranny, layers of philosophy tied in with land-bound ships, descended moons, and overly-civilised bears at the end of time and space.
Often cited as one of the prime foundations of Grimdark, The Eternal Champion is a distillation of the other facets thus far into three novels of hard-boiled violence and arbitrary questing that will actually bear up to more repeated reading than some of the pulpier series in Gollancz's collected edition. Massive fun, and von Bek's tirades against tyranny, aimed against certain fascistic despots of the previous century, are still very pointedly relevant today.
Dig out and dig in.
This voyage has taken a few years so far and will undoubtedly go on for a few years more. Which helps to explain why my memories of the other incarnations of the Eternal Champion - Hawkmoon, Corum, Elric - are as hazy as John Daker's own memories.
See, John Daker is the sole aspect of the eternal Champion doomed to have knowledge of his past and future lives. Called from twentieth century London to a distant world to take up his role in an apocalyptic war against the Eldren, his story as the hero Erekose is archetypal Moorcock action, with added gouts of genocide and lashings of tyranny, layers of philosophy tied in with land-bound ships, descended moons, and overly-civilised bears at the end of time and space.
Often cited as one of the prime foundations of Grimdark, The Eternal Champion is a distillation of the other facets thus far into three novels of hard-boiled violence and arbitrary questing that will actually bear up to more repeated reading than some of the pulpier series in Gollancz's collected edition. Massive fun, and von Bek's tirades against tyranny, aimed against certain fascistic despots of the previous century, are still very pointedly relevant today.
Dig out and dig in.
April 3, 2021
É, não rolou mesmo.
O livro é constituído de três histórias: the eternal champion (4 estrelas), phoenix in obsidian (2 estrelas) e the dragon in the sword (2 estrelas). Apesar de eu ter gostado muito da primeira, as duas seguintes foram uma enrolação gigantesca. Sem contar que a única descrição que o personagem sabia ao se referir às mulheres era que elas eram bonitas. Sério, não deu.
O mundo criado é bom, a ideia é boa, mas o livro não funcionou para mim.
O livro é constituído de três histórias: the eternal champion (4 estrelas), phoenix in obsidian (2 estrelas) e the dragon in the sword (2 estrelas). Apesar de eu ter gostado muito da primeira, as duas seguintes foram uma enrolação gigantesca. Sem contar que a única descrição que o personagem sabia ao se referir às mulheres era que elas eram bonitas. Sério, não deu.
O mundo criado é bom, a ideia é boa, mas o livro não funcionou para mim.
November 25, 2022
«Recordé algo que le decía Pierre a Andrei en Guerra y Paz , algo referido a cómo todos los hombres encontraban un modo de olvidar la muerte. Algunos se volvían mujeriegos, otros jugadores, otros bebedores y, paradójicamente, algunos se lanzaban a hacer la guerra. Bien, no era el hecho de la muerte lo que me obsesionaba; más bien al contrario, era el hecho de la existencia eterna lo que me rondaba en la mente. Una vida eterna dedicada a hacer la guerra eternamente».
December 17, 2022
The Eternal Champion: 3 stars
Phoenix in Obsidian: 3.5 stars
The Dragon in the Sword: 4 stars
Really fun and interesting world-building throughout. Looking forward to reading more.
Phoenix in Obsidian: 3.5 stars
The Dragon in the Sword: 4 stars
Really fun and interesting world-building throughout. Looking forward to reading more.
August 31, 2014
The 3 stars are only for the eponymous novel, "The Eternal Champion". While paving the way for the entire Eternal Champion series and concepts, it is one rather disturbing book. It will be changed when the entire omnibus is over.
"Phoenix in Obsidian" got 4/5 stars (Read from August 07 to 18, 2014). "The Dragon in the Sword" remains to be evaluated, as of August 18.
And finally, "The Dragon in the Sword" is a solid 4,5/5 stars, so overall the omnibus goes to 4/5. The most important here, apart from the development of the entire Eternal Champion idea, is the obvious evolution in Michael Moorcock's writing, and how he gradually tones down the whole angst and nihilism, filling his early works, while improving his plot and character creating abilities - John Daker in "The Eternal Champion" and John Daker in "The Dragon in the Sword" are very different personalities. And, the ending does not contradict the one of "The Quest for Tanelorn".
"Phoenix in Obsidian" got 4/5 stars (Read from August 07 to 18, 2014). "The Dragon in the Sword" remains to be evaluated, as of August 18.
And finally, "The Dragon in the Sword" is a solid 4,5/5 stars, so overall the omnibus goes to 4/5. The most important here, apart from the development of the entire Eternal Champion idea, is the obvious evolution in Michael Moorcock's writing, and how he gradually tones down the whole angst and nihilism, filling his early works, while improving his plot and character creating abilities - John Daker in "The Eternal Champion" and John Daker in "The Dragon in the Sword" are very different personalities. And, the ending does not contradict the one of "The Quest for Tanelorn".
June 23, 2024
Without question, the last of the three books collected here is not terrible, but only just. The first two are at best pulp and deliberate camp but it more felt like sincerely bad. The drop in quality going from VON BEK to this volume is painful. Whereas there's a sense of pastiche or mundane irony in Dragon in the Sword that makes Daker's soap-opera emotionalism more (but never totally) bearable -- as well as engrossing multiverse-building and plot developments, which is primarily what readers of M's Multiverse are after -- the first two novels on the other hand are purple all the way through. I've loved almost everything else of his that I've read, and understand that his earliest novels are rough compared to his best stuff, but, man, I can't imagine Daker or Erekose in conversation with Elric or even Corum.
November 14, 2014
While it's not my favorite story of the Eternal Champion it does remind me of the journey you go through when reading a story. Some parts are good and you enjoy them. Some parts drag out and really suck. That's this book for me. The stories are good but sometimes you fight through some chapters. I would recommend this book to anyone. It has high adventure and danger. It has love found and love lost. All the tropes you'd expect in a fantasy novel. I look forward to the next novel in the series but I'm in no rush. I'll enjoy something else for now just like the writer intended.
July 2, 2012
I found it a little jarring at first getting used to the way the sentences were formed, but got really into the story and character after a bit. Loved the philosophical tones of the human condition presented.
January 22, 2013
I think I read most of the Moorcock Eternal Champion/Elric books at some point. Really like Moorcock: he's one of the more inventive sf/fantasy writers around, and he can WRITE, as opposed to merely having cool ideas.
September 3, 2011
I've owned this for 14 + years, yet never got around to reading The Dragon in The Sword. I will fix this one day...
January 1, 2025
The second volume in Moorcock’s Eternal Champion series focuses on the incarnations of John Daker.
THE ETERNAL CHAMPION
The first novel in this collection sees Daker drawn into an Earth where the last remnants of Humanity fight against an alien invader called the Eldren. Now called Ereköse, Daker is summoned by King Rigenos to be Earth’s Champion and so he fights, wielding the terrible, almost living sword Kanajana. Daker finds he has martial skills he never knew he possessed. But has Rigenos told him the full truth?
Moorcock has described Daker as the least ambiguous incarnation of the Eternal Champion and this, published in the 1950s, is a fairly straightforward fantasy novel, full of battles, beautiful women and betrayal. Moorcock revised this novel much later to bring it fully into the cycle, so Daker experiences dreams of other Champions - Elric, Hawkmoon, Von Bek, Urlik and more - he is doomed to remember each incarnation he inhabits.
So after monstrous acts of genocide, Ereköse finds love and happiness, only to have it snatched away as he is pulled into a new world and a new adventure…..
PHOENIX IN OBSIDIAN
Moorcock returned to Daker in the 1970s with this novel, where he is Urlik Skarsol, Lord of the Frozen Keep. The setting is a far future dying Earth, one almost frozen over as the sun fades, with Humanity again on the brink of extinction. He comes to a decadent city and is again told half truths to gain his help by the Belphig, Lord Temporal of he city.
Betrayed and abandoned, Daker eventually discovers the truth of this world, where the Moon has crashed into the Earth and a race of aliens have been enslaved by Belphig as he holds their Queen hostage.
For me this was the weakest of the three novels contained in this omnibus. It just didn’t connect with me. It’s well written, but short and a bit one note, although it does introduce characters that appear later.
THE DRAGON IN THE SWORD
The final novel, written in the 1980s, is the best of the three and really shows off Moorcock’s Multiverse and his writing is much more developed.
Now incarnated as Prince Flamadin of the Valadek, Daker (pining for Ermizhad, his love from the first book) meets Ulrich Von Bek, a descendant of the Von Bek’s from the first volume of the Eternal Champion tales, who has wandered into the so-called Middle Marches after a failed attempt to assassinate Hitler.
This world is traversed by huge wheeled cities in the shape of vast ships and the two men are picked up by one such ship, led by the usurper Armiad, a petty tyrant. They travel to the Massing where all six realms of the Worlds of the Wheel meet. Here Daker spots a woman who is the doppelgänger of Ermizahd, also an Eldren woman and violates all kinds of laws to try and get to her., setting off a series of events that lead to a huge battle between Law and Chaos.
Flamadin’s twin sister, Sharadim, has been corrupted by Chaos and leads armies to conquer the six realms, while Daker, Von Bek and the Elren woman Alisaard, race against time to find the sword that will sway the battle and which will also be the means of the Eldren being reunited with their menfolk.
It’s a fast paced, hugely entertaining fantasy and easily the best of the Daker novels. It cements his place in the Eternal Champion pantheon and could easily be read as a standalone tale.
So, a mixed bag for this omnibus edition, hence the three stars. Moorcock’s imagination is never in doubt, but this really does show how his vision developed from the 1950s to the 1980s.
THE ETERNAL CHAMPION
The first novel in this collection sees Daker drawn into an Earth where the last remnants of Humanity fight against an alien invader called the Eldren. Now called Ereköse, Daker is summoned by King Rigenos to be Earth’s Champion and so he fights, wielding the terrible, almost living sword Kanajana. Daker finds he has martial skills he never knew he possessed. But has Rigenos told him the full truth?
Moorcock has described Daker as the least ambiguous incarnation of the Eternal Champion and this, published in the 1950s, is a fairly straightforward fantasy novel, full of battles, beautiful women and betrayal. Moorcock revised this novel much later to bring it fully into the cycle, so Daker experiences dreams of other Champions - Elric, Hawkmoon, Von Bek, Urlik and more - he is doomed to remember each incarnation he inhabits.
So after monstrous acts of genocide, Ereköse finds love and happiness, only to have it snatched away as he is pulled into a new world and a new adventure…..
PHOENIX IN OBSIDIAN
Moorcock returned to Daker in the 1970s with this novel, where he is Urlik Skarsol, Lord of the Frozen Keep. The setting is a far future dying Earth, one almost frozen over as the sun fades, with Humanity again on the brink of extinction. He comes to a decadent city and is again told half truths to gain his help by the Belphig, Lord Temporal of he city.
Betrayed and abandoned, Daker eventually discovers the truth of this world, where the Moon has crashed into the Earth and a race of aliens have been enslaved by Belphig as he holds their Queen hostage.
For me this was the weakest of the three novels contained in this omnibus. It just didn’t connect with me. It’s well written, but short and a bit one note, although it does introduce characters that appear later.
THE DRAGON IN THE SWORD
The final novel, written in the 1980s, is the best of the three and really shows off Moorcock’s Multiverse and his writing is much more developed.
Now incarnated as Prince Flamadin of the Valadek, Daker (pining for Ermizhad, his love from the first book) meets Ulrich Von Bek, a descendant of the Von Bek’s from the first volume of the Eternal Champion tales, who has wandered into the so-called Middle Marches after a failed attempt to assassinate Hitler.
This world is traversed by huge wheeled cities in the shape of vast ships and the two men are picked up by one such ship, led by the usurper Armiad, a petty tyrant. They travel to the Massing where all six realms of the Worlds of the Wheel meet. Here Daker spots a woman who is the doppelgänger of Ermizahd, also an Eldren woman and violates all kinds of laws to try and get to her., setting off a series of events that lead to a huge battle between Law and Chaos.
Flamadin’s twin sister, Sharadim, has been corrupted by Chaos and leads armies to conquer the six realms, while Daker, Von Bek and the Elren woman Alisaard, race against time to find the sword that will sway the battle and which will also be the means of the Eldren being reunited with their menfolk.
It’s a fast paced, hugely entertaining fantasy and easily the best of the Daker novels. It cements his place in the Eternal Champion pantheon and could easily be read as a standalone tale.
So, a mixed bag for this omnibus edition, hence the three stars. Moorcock’s imagination is never in doubt, but this really does show how his vision developed from the 1950s to the 1980s.
December 30, 2024
Book 1: The Eternal Champion: An Eternal Champion Novel - 6.5/10
Started Reading - April 29, 2024
Finished Reading - May 4, 2024
- ch1 goes hard. Dude is literally materialized from his universe to the Erikose's universe. Literally birthed from thin air leaving behind his previous life. Dead ass an isekai.
- The human kingdom Necralala has a silly name.
- Humans are mad xenophobic towards Eldren. Pre funny how crazy they are. Don't like how clear the propaganda is and how Erekose won't pick up on that. Enjoy seeing how Perimitive the humans are when it comes to war tactics/strategy. They didn't have the concept of a contingency plan before Erekose brought it up? In hind sight it makes sense because the Eldren state that humanity self inflicts damage.
- I like the characters. Feels like King Rigenose knows he's xenophobic and he's rushing their plans to engage in battle before Erikose realises the truth. He also thinks very politically and uses Erekose to further increase his power by displaying how he has him under control. A king who rules with an immortal god under his command. A god which fights for the greater good. It legitimizes your claim. He displays his authority in front of Erikose out of fear.
- I love Iolinda's name. She a psycho idiot brainwashed by the anti-Eldren propaganda lmao.
- Katorn is cool but I like Roldero more.
- Cover bait and switch is dope with Iolinda and Ermedese
Con:
- Pacing is ass. takes too long for hero to realise from right and wrong. too pussy whipped. in the last 15 pages he switches sides and genocides the other way. Kinda wack. Took to long
Like the internal conflict he has however, book is too short to fit all the author wanted.
Book 2: Phoenix in Obsidian - 6/10
Started Reading May 4, 2024
Finished Reading May 9, 2024
I loved the setting of the hedonistic city that Erekose first arrives at. Love how self-indulgent the citizens are in human pleasure but everything else about the book is bad. Feels like a rehash of the first book but faster paced. The ice queens death was cool tho.
Book 3: The Dragon in the Sword - 8/10
Started Reading - May 10, 2024
Finished Reading - May 28, 2024
THIS IS NOT A REVIEW! I am blurting my thoughts here so I can come back to them in the future!
HEAVY SPOILERS!!
I just finished reading section 1 (book 1) of dragon in the sword. The pay off is pretty good the foreshadowing from the previous book (pheonix in the obsidian) though obvious was satisfying however the first 3 chapters are very boring.
Seems like every book follows a similar formula eternal champion thrown into situation he's unfamiliar with... some sort of companion/friend is made... said friend fills in the blanks... reaches first destination... usually this location isn't the goal... goes to secondary location... finds out his purpose... completes goal while having some internal strife. Cool ideas, locations, and world building inbetween Base structure is the same and it's used to display different settings and conflicts <- this could be wrong for all i know since im not done book 3 but im pretty sure im right
The Dragon in the Sword has a wonderful character named Morandi Pag. I enjoyed reading that characters dialogue. There was a paragraph prior to meeting that character that i just don't get. It feels like Moorcock was rushing through it so we could reach Morandi. Kinda weird. Pacing just feels so off in that paragraph. Morandi Pag and his senile-ness is funny.
Finished the John Daker Vol 2 Millennium Eternal Champion book. I got some thoughts/questions I wanna ask/talk about and your detailed and thorough replies came to mind.
In book 3 chapter 4 of dragon in the sword Sepiriz alludes that the warriors at the edge of time are most likely the previous incarnations of the eternal champion. I'm assuming they're empty husks cause they seems they only have one purpose. To battle and die. At the end of Flamadin's battle with Balarizaaf only 14 remain. Are these the 14 we read about in all the books? I came to this conclusion because I think there's like 14 millennium omnibuses and I'm assuming each one contains stories about a specific champion. If that's the case then is John Dakers story technically the ending? Cause technically due to his multiverse shattering actions only 14 remain and Sepiriz and Jermays both say that he accomplished something that permanently affected all multiverses.
Jermey's mentions that in a multiverse cycle we'll see hints of the fate of Melnibone which I'm assuming is related to Elric the most popular eternal champion. So even though Elric's events technically occur after John Daker's, John Daker's actions have finished the line of eternal champions by banishing balarizaaf? Or is this temporary and his stay on Earth (Tanelorn?) is temporary and inevitably he'll be called upon again. He's simply getting this brief respite because of what he accomplished. Those inevitable calls being champions we never hear about because they're stories that occur after the 14 that are left over.
The death ship thingy peeps mention 2 swords being forged out of the broken dragon sword. I'm assuming these are mentioned in Elric's saga because I heard there's mention of him picking 1 of the 2 for his nefarious deeds. I think John Daker's saga also mentions Melnibone and others choosing from 2 swords.
This comment has a good amount of my thoughts lmao. https://www.reddit.com/r/Fantasy/comm...
In book 3 ch 4 Sepiriz alludes that the warriors at the edge of time are most likely the previous incarnations of the eternal champion. I'm assuming they're empty husks cause they seems they only have one purpose. To battle and die. At the end of Flamadin's battle with Balarizaaf only 14 remain. I assume these the 14 are the ones we read about in all the books. 14 millennium omnibuses = the 14 champions left 🤷♀️. If that's the case then is John Daker's story is technically the ending? Cause technically due to his multiverse shattering actions only 14 remain and Sepiriz and Jermays both say that he accomplished something that permanently affected all multiverses.
Jermey's foreshadows some Melnibone stuff saying we'll see hints of the fate of Melnibone in a multiverse cycle which I'm assuming is related to Elric. So even though Elric's events technically occur after John Daker's, John Daker's actions have finished the line of eternal champions by banishing balarizaaf? Or it could be that John Daker's stay on Earth (Tanelorn) is this temporary and and inevitably he'll be called upon again. He's simply getting this brief respite because of what he accomplished. Those inevitable calls being champions we never hear about because they're stories that occur after the 14 that are left over.
The death ship thingy peeps mention 2 swords being forged out of the broken dragon sword which is either foreshadowing for future stories or multiverse fuckery where stuff that technically happens in the past is affecting past Eternal Champion incarnations that occur in the future lmao. i.e Elric saga has 2 swords (I think).
He didn't find Ermizahd q_q. Gave up and hopes he'll find Earth's equivalent. If Earth is Tanelorn then my guess is he's been getting transported back and forth usually without memory up until now. He has memories now and suffers due to a previous incarnations mistake of denying the sword and his duty? This no longer plagues him until he's accomplishes new eternal champion goals cause he became a good boy again. Am I think too deeply about this? Probably.
Started Reading - April 29, 2024
Finished Reading - May 4, 2024
- ch1 goes hard. Dude is literally materialized from his universe to the Erikose's universe. Literally birthed from thin air leaving behind his previous life. Dead ass an isekai.
- The human kingdom Necralala has a silly name.
- Humans are mad xenophobic towards Eldren. Pre funny how crazy they are. Don't like how clear the propaganda is and how Erekose won't pick up on that. Enjoy seeing how Perimitive the humans are when it comes to war tactics/strategy. They didn't have the concept of a contingency plan before Erekose brought it up? In hind sight it makes sense because the Eldren state that humanity self inflicts damage.
- I like the characters. Feels like King Rigenose knows he's xenophobic and he's rushing their plans to engage in battle before Erikose realises the truth. He also thinks very politically and uses Erekose to further increase his power by displaying how he has him under control. A king who rules with an immortal god under his command. A god which fights for the greater good. It legitimizes your claim. He displays his authority in front of Erikose out of fear.
- I love Iolinda's name. She a psycho idiot brainwashed by the anti-Eldren propaganda lmao.
- Katorn is cool but I like Roldero more.
- Cover bait and switch is dope with Iolinda and Ermedese
Con:
- Pacing is ass. takes too long for hero to realise from right and wrong. too pussy whipped. in the last 15 pages he switches sides and genocides the other way. Kinda wack. Took to long
Like the internal conflict he has however, book is too short to fit all the author wanted.
Book 2: Phoenix in Obsidian - 6/10
Started Reading May 4, 2024
Finished Reading May 9, 2024
I loved the setting of the hedonistic city that Erekose first arrives at. Love how self-indulgent the citizens are in human pleasure but everything else about the book is bad. Feels like a rehash of the first book but faster paced. The ice queens death was cool tho.
Book 3: The Dragon in the Sword - 8/10
Started Reading - May 10, 2024
Finished Reading - May 28, 2024
THIS IS NOT A REVIEW! I am blurting my thoughts here so I can come back to them in the future!
HEAVY SPOILERS!!
I just finished reading section 1 (book 1) of dragon in the sword. The pay off is pretty good the foreshadowing from the previous book (pheonix in the obsidian) though obvious was satisfying however the first 3 chapters are very boring.
Seems like every book follows a similar formula eternal champion thrown into situation he's unfamiliar with... some sort of companion/friend is made... said friend fills in the blanks... reaches first destination... usually this location isn't the goal... goes to secondary location... finds out his purpose... completes goal while having some internal strife. Cool ideas, locations, and world building inbetween Base structure is the same and it's used to display different settings and conflicts <- this could be wrong for all i know since im not done book 3 but im pretty sure im right
The Dragon in the Sword has a wonderful character named Morandi Pag. I enjoyed reading that characters dialogue. There was a paragraph prior to meeting that character that i just don't get. It feels like Moorcock was rushing through it so we could reach Morandi. Kinda weird. Pacing just feels so off in that paragraph. Morandi Pag and his senile-ness is funny.
Finished the John Daker Vol 2 Millennium Eternal Champion book. I got some thoughts/questions I wanna ask/talk about and your detailed and thorough replies came to mind.
In book 3 chapter 4 of dragon in the sword Sepiriz alludes that the warriors at the edge of time are most likely the previous incarnations of the eternal champion. I'm assuming they're empty husks cause they seems they only have one purpose. To battle and die. At the end of Flamadin's battle with Balarizaaf only 14 remain. Are these the 14 we read about in all the books? I came to this conclusion because I think there's like 14 millennium omnibuses and I'm assuming each one contains stories about a specific champion. If that's the case then is John Dakers story technically the ending? Cause technically due to his multiverse shattering actions only 14 remain and Sepiriz and Jermays both say that he accomplished something that permanently affected all multiverses.
Jermey's mentions that in a multiverse cycle we'll see hints of the fate of Melnibone which I'm assuming is related to Elric the most popular eternal champion. So even though Elric's events technically occur after John Daker's, John Daker's actions have finished the line of eternal champions by banishing balarizaaf? Or is this temporary and his stay on Earth (Tanelorn?) is temporary and inevitably he'll be called upon again. He's simply getting this brief respite because of what he accomplished. Those inevitable calls being champions we never hear about because they're stories that occur after the 14 that are left over.
The death ship thingy peeps mention 2 swords being forged out of the broken dragon sword. I'm assuming these are mentioned in Elric's saga because I heard there's mention of him picking 1 of the 2 for his nefarious deeds. I think John Daker's saga also mentions Melnibone and others choosing from 2 swords.
This comment has a good amount of my thoughts lmao. https://www.reddit.com/r/Fantasy/comm...
In book 3 ch 4 Sepiriz alludes that the warriors at the edge of time are most likely the previous incarnations of the eternal champion. I'm assuming they're empty husks cause they seems they only have one purpose. To battle and die. At the end of Flamadin's battle with Balarizaaf only 14 remain. I assume these the 14 are the ones we read about in all the books. 14 millennium omnibuses = the 14 champions left 🤷♀️. If that's the case then is John Daker's story is technically the ending? Cause technically due to his multiverse shattering actions only 14 remain and Sepiriz and Jermays both say that he accomplished something that permanently affected all multiverses.
Jermey's foreshadows some Melnibone stuff saying we'll see hints of the fate of Melnibone in a multiverse cycle which I'm assuming is related to Elric. So even though Elric's events technically occur after John Daker's, John Daker's actions have finished the line of eternal champions by banishing balarizaaf? Or it could be that John Daker's stay on Earth (Tanelorn) is this temporary and and inevitably he'll be called upon again. He's simply getting this brief respite because of what he accomplished. Those inevitable calls being champions we never hear about because they're stories that occur after the 14 that are left over.
The death ship thingy peeps mention 2 swords being forged out of the broken dragon sword which is either foreshadowing for future stories or multiverse fuckery where stuff that technically happens in the past is affecting past Eternal Champion incarnations that occur in the future lmao. i.e Elric saga has 2 swords (I think).
He didn't find Ermizahd q_q. Gave up and hopes he'll find Earth's equivalent. If Earth is Tanelorn then my guess is he's been getting transported back and forth usually without memory up until now. He has memories now and suffers due to a previous incarnations mistake of denying the sword and his duty? This no longer plagues him until he's accomplishes new eternal champion goals cause he became a good boy again. Am I think too deeply about this? Probably.
June 13, 2025
Recopilació de la trilogia de Erekose de Moorcock (curiosament aquests llibres van popularitzar el concepte de multivers en la literatura fantàstica), llibre per llibre:
- El campeón eterno: 4/5 Simplista, encara que molt entretingut, no es fa tan pesat per la trama i la sequedat dels personatges.
- Fénix de Obsidiana: 5/5 Impressionant, curt, però l'ambient i les localitzacions que descriu molt encertades. El background que dona a l'univers dels llibres és just i suficient per no saturar i els secundaris són agradables, ho fa tot bé.
- El dragón en la espada: 1/5 més llarg els dos anteriors junts, més dolent que els dos anteriors junts, la primera secció és un info dump constant d'un món força avorrit i la segona un "Hem d'aconseguir X per anar a Y i fer Z" etern, menció a l'anada d'olla del innecessari subplot pulp/sci-fi/fantastic de Hitler.
- El campeón eterno: 4/5 Simplista, encara que molt entretingut, no es fa tan pesat per la trama i la sequedat dels personatges.
- Fénix de Obsidiana: 5/5 Impressionant, curt, però l'ambient i les localitzacions que descriu molt encertades. El background que dona a l'univers dels llibres és just i suficient per no saturar i els secundaris són agradables, ho fa tot bé.
- El dragón en la espada: 1/5 més llarg els dos anteriors junts, més dolent que els dos anteriors junts, la primera secció és un info dump constant d'un món força avorrit i la segona un "Hem d'aconseguir X per anar a Y i fer Z" etern, menció a l'anada d'olla del innecessari subplot pulp/sci-fi/fantastic de Hitler.
December 27, 2021
The Eternal Champion ***
Phoenix in Obsidian ***
The Dragon in the Sword *****
Not my favorite sequence in Moorcock's Champion of the Multiverse, but ends with close to a masterpiece: the epic, bittersweet The Dragon in the Sword.
Phoenix in Obsidian ***
The Dragon in the Sword *****
Not my favorite sequence in Moorcock's Champion of the Multiverse, but ends with close to a masterpiece: the epic, bittersweet The Dragon in the Sword.
October 2, 2014
This is where it all begun.
When one takes an objective look at Moorcock's work, one cannot help but be impressed by the verve and energy of his writing, the breadth of ideas, and the sheer imaginative power that goes into them.
True, it doesn't always work, but when he's good, there are none better.
To review the eternal champion in this day and age of fantasy being sanitised, homogenised, and commercialised, it's difficult to relate to how ground-breaking a lot of Moorcock's books are. What may seem standard fantasy fare in this day and age, was ground-breaking stuff in the 1960s/1970s.
The first volume of the Eternal Champion series is no different. Like a tragedy from Norse mythology, John Daker finds himself dragged through time to become a doomed champion - cursed by a black sword, cursed to lose his one true love, and cursed to destroy humanity.
Heady stuff, and not something Tolkien could ever aspire too, even though both he and Moorcock drunk from the same well of Norse myth.
Pulpy, fast paced, packed with ideas, and a damn good boot to read. Moorcock's place in fantasy literature's history is assured.
When one takes an objective look at Moorcock's work, one cannot help but be impressed by the verve and energy of his writing, the breadth of ideas, and the sheer imaginative power that goes into them.
True, it doesn't always work, but when he's good, there are none better.
To review the eternal champion in this day and age of fantasy being sanitised, homogenised, and commercialised, it's difficult to relate to how ground-breaking a lot of Moorcock's books are. What may seem standard fantasy fare in this day and age, was ground-breaking stuff in the 1960s/1970s.
The first volume of the Eternal Champion series is no different. Like a tragedy from Norse mythology, John Daker finds himself dragged through time to become a doomed champion - cursed by a black sword, cursed to lose his one true love, and cursed to destroy humanity.
Heady stuff, and not something Tolkien could ever aspire too, even though both he and Moorcock drunk from the same well of Norse myth.
Pulpy, fast paced, packed with ideas, and a damn good boot to read. Moorcock's place in fantasy literature's history is assured.
June 4, 2007
A nice tie-in to the Elric and Corum stories.
December 11, 2010
just didn't work for me
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews