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Eternal Champion #1
The Eternal Champion
Young and old, familiar fans and newcomers, will be captivated by Michael Moorcock's legendary Eternal Champion collection. Timeless, classic and beyond a doubt one of the foundations of modern Fantasy, the Eternal Champion is a series of stories that no Fantasy aficionado should pass up.Includes The Eternal Champion, Phoenix in Obsidian, To Rescue Tanelorn and The Sundered Worlds.
484 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1970
58 people are currently reading
3764 people want to read
About the author
Michael Moorcock
1,206 books3,741 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.
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April 19, 2015
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The Eternal Champion is the first volume fantasy eponymous cycle, written by Michael Moorcock and published on the UK market in 1962. The novel belongs to the subgenre of sword and sorcery, with some contamination clockpunk. The narrative proceeds in person through the point of view of John Daker, a man of our planet, catapulted into a world of ice in which embodies Erekose, the Eternal Champion; evoked by King Rigenos to defeat Eldren, a race of elves in war against the humans.
The Eternal Champion is a recurring figure in all the works of Michael Moorcock, probably derived from your Avatar Hindu. It is a supernatural entity destined to reincarnate incessantly in order to bring balance in the Multiverse. Erekose However, after an initial period of confusion and adapt to the new world, not passively accept to interpret the role assigned by humans, but begins to ask the questions on the actual meaning of his mission, which will lead him to opt for tragic choices.
There are many characters in the novel and in any case all the spotlight is on Erekose, protagonist of the story traits and hazy with a psychological complex. Although the plot may seem straightforward, there are a few twists that make it more interesting the story and allow significant points of reflection to the reader; over that bloody battles and clashes with cold.
Ultimately I believe that The Eternal Champion is a great fantasy book and I recommend it to all lovers of the genre.
The Eternal Champion is the first volume fantasy eponymous cycle, written by Michael Moorcock and published on the UK market in 1962. The novel belongs to the subgenre of sword and sorcery, with some contamination clockpunk. The narrative proceeds in person through the point of view of John Daker, a man of our planet, catapulted into a world of ice in which embodies Erekose, the Eternal Champion; evoked by King Rigenos to defeat Eldren, a race of elves in war against the humans.
The Eternal Champion is a recurring figure in all the works of Michael Moorcock, probably derived from your Avatar Hindu. It is a supernatural entity destined to reincarnate incessantly in order to bring balance in the Multiverse. Erekose However, after an initial period of confusion and adapt to the new world, not passively accept to interpret the role assigned by humans, but begins to ask the questions on the actual meaning of his mission, which will lead him to opt for tragic choices.
There are many characters in the novel and in any case all the spotlight is on Erekose, protagonist of the story traits and hazy with a psychological complex. Although the plot may seem straightforward, there are a few twists that make it more interesting the story and allow significant points of reflection to the reader; over that bloody battles and clashes with cold.
Ultimately I believe that The Eternal Champion is a great fantasy book and I recommend it to all lovers of the genre.
May 1, 2016
Why was I chosen? I still do not know…I shall always be here. And if, as wise men tell me, time is cyclic, then I shall one day return to part of the cycle I knew as the twentieth century, for (it was not a wish of mine) I am immortal.
I enjoyed my first introduction to Michael Moorcock’s fascinatingly complex multiverse, and even more fascinating character – the Eternal Champion. The stories of Erekose, The Eternal Champion and Phoenix in Obsidian, were my two favorites of the four in this volume. I loved the concept of this character, as he not only serves an eternal destiny, but vaguely remembers his former aspects, or those he will eventually become. While he has the benefit of perspective and knowledge to aid him in each of his current aspects, he is also tormented by what he’s lost, and a fate he can’t escape. He’s a very interesting character, and kind of a badass. Along with his aspects, he always possesses a weapon that changes with him and his eternal purpose, making him a very powerful opponent in battle. (Interestingly, in one of his aspects, the weapon reminded me of another I’ve recently seen in a modern fantasy. I would be curious to know if that author was inspired by this earlier version.)
Despite some pretty cool concepts, the writing was not always the best. John Daker’s initial incarnation as Erekose was a little weak, and I thought “if the whole book is this bad I won’t be getting far.” It was a little confusing and strange, but it got better as the story picked up. My only real complaint was the placement of The Sundered Worlds. It was right between the stories of Erekose. It didn’t fit in this volume, and I found it difficult to get into. But like To Rescue Tanelorn, it introduced characters important to other series within the multiverse, and the different aspects within the cycles of the eternal champion, so I may have reread it eventually. At this point though, it only gets 2 stars. Personally, I think The Dragon in the Sword should have been included, as it’s the final installment that follows Erekose’s aspects, but maybe there’s a good reason for it being separate. Guess I’ll find out soon enough.
Well, I enjoyed 3 of the 4 stories in this volume, and am eager to read more. If, like me, you’re a first-timer, I wouldn’t recommend this volume as a starting point, because it lacks cohesion, but otherwise he’s an author definitely worth checking out.
July 6, 2013
When White Wolf Publishing began anthologizing the Eternal Champion series in the 1990's, the three novels and one short story included here made up the first volume. Like most of Moorcock's EC series, this volume is out of print, unless another variation is part of the new editions currently in production by Gollancz in the UK. For anyone interested in the Moorcock multiverse world, this is a logical place to start but not the most engaging. As Moorcock says in the introduction
That almost sounds like damning with faint praise. Speaking as one who started reading Moorcock with the Elric novels, I found this omnibus volume entertaining if pretty thin. But you do feel that you are getting in on the first of things, and Moorcock has added enough new material to weave these tales more tightly into the overall saga. In the eponymous novel, one John Dakar is summoned by incantations into a far future earth to take on the role of Erekose. He remembers only that as John Dakar he lived in something known as the 20th century. I like to picture him as an auto mechanic in a small garage in Shropshire. As Erekose he must help the remnants of the human race defeat the alien Eldren. These are creatures, his new cohorts assure him, that are foul in every possible way. The moral quandary here is that Erekose begins to realize he may be fighting for the less reputable side.
In Phoenix in Obsidian, Erikose is pulled from his settled life with his bride Ermizhad into a dying earth where he takes on the role of Urlik Skarsol. But in this White Wolf publication, these two stories are separated by the novel The Sundered Worlds. This novel is the closest I have seen Moorcock come to writing space opera. Renark von Bek, who will have his own series of novels later, is exploring the rim of the galaxy searching for the "shifting universe," a phenomenon he hopes will save his own universe (ours) which is on the verge of collapse. This novel is the best introduction to the idea of the multiverse that fuels all of Moorcock's science fiction and fantasy novels. But it is not particularly interesting. The second half of the novel involves the remnants of humankind forced into playing a game with life or death stakes with the inhabitants of the new universe they hope to settle. (You can't really blame the natives of this universe for not taking kindly to the appearance of 250,000 alien ships.) Moorcock does his best to describe how this mind game is played but the descriptions range from dull to incoherent. And it's no real surprise that we win in the final round. Score one for the future of humanity.
Back to Ulrik. He is on a dying earth with only a small pocket of decadent humanity left to wait out the final days of the planet. But having just read the first novel in this series, it comes as no real surprise that there are nobler options for Ulrik's support.
It sounds oxymoronic to suggest that this first volume is for completists only.
The Eternal Champion was the first book I ever planned to write. It is the cornerstone of my heroic fantasy sequence and in some ways a key to my other, more ambitious, novels.
That almost sounds like damning with faint praise. Speaking as one who started reading Moorcock with the Elric novels, I found this omnibus volume entertaining if pretty thin. But you do feel that you are getting in on the first of things, and Moorcock has added enough new material to weave these tales more tightly into the overall saga. In the eponymous novel, one John Dakar is summoned by incantations into a far future earth to take on the role of Erekose. He remembers only that as John Dakar he lived in something known as the 20th century. I like to picture him as an auto mechanic in a small garage in Shropshire. As Erekose he must help the remnants of the human race defeat the alien Eldren. These are creatures, his new cohorts assure him, that are foul in every possible way. The moral quandary here is that Erekose begins to realize he may be fighting for the less reputable side.
In Phoenix in Obsidian, Erikose is pulled from his settled life with his bride Ermizhad into a dying earth where he takes on the role of Urlik Skarsol. But in this White Wolf publication, these two stories are separated by the novel The Sundered Worlds. This novel is the closest I have seen Moorcock come to writing space opera. Renark von Bek, who will have his own series of novels later, is exploring the rim of the galaxy searching for the "shifting universe," a phenomenon he hopes will save his own universe (ours) which is on the verge of collapse. This novel is the best introduction to the idea of the multiverse that fuels all of Moorcock's science fiction and fantasy novels. But it is not particularly interesting. The second half of the novel involves the remnants of humankind forced into playing a game with life or death stakes with the inhabitants of the new universe they hope to settle. (You can't really blame the natives of this universe for not taking kindly to the appearance of 250,000 alien ships.) Moorcock does his best to describe how this mind game is played but the descriptions range from dull to incoherent. And it's no real surprise that we win in the final round. Score one for the future of humanity.
Back to Ulrik. He is on a dying earth with only a small pocket of decadent humanity left to wait out the final days of the planet. But having just read the first novel in this series, it comes as no real surprise that there are nobler options for Ulrik's support.
It sounds oxymoronic to suggest that this first volume is for completists only.
May 13, 2015
This book under-delivered on all my expectations.
As a fan of the Elric of Melnibone series by Michael Moorcock I looked forward to a similar style of writing which would highlight the flaws of the hero while weaving an engaging tale with realistic surprises. The Elric series was engaging because it turned the common fantasy cliches on their head and created something just as engaging but different. Common to the Elric series is the theme of an Eternal Champion who lives throughout the ages in different forms.
This is context I went into regarding book 1 of the The Eternal Champion series.
*****SPOILERS******
While the book starts off promising with the 'resurrection' of Erekose, the Eternal Champion, the book quickly devolves into a simplistic humans-hate-other-race-and-are-therefore-the bad-guys story. Unlike the Elric series, this story telegraphs very early on the main point of the story: Humans, all humans including children, are terrible warlike and xenophobic. While Erekose is summoned by the humans to fight against the alien Eldren (read elves because that's what they are) he ends up switching sides and exterminating the human race....for no clear reason and to the contrary of what he has tried to do during the entire book.
This book fails on many levels. None of the characters are developed and end up being the very cliches Moorcock avoided in the Elric series. There is the weak king who at first seems nice but then is revealed to be a real jerk. There is the princes the Eternal Champion is 'supposed' to fall in love with who is just as equally one dimensional, shallow and wouldn't be dated by the most desperate of men. There are the 'bad guys' who are honorable and noble one of which Erekose falls in love with. And then there is Erekose himself....the hero out of time who doesn't know who to fight for.
The war between the humans and Eldren is never fully explained other than....'we fight alot' and the end of the war is equally anticlimactic as Erekose switches sides and convinces the Eldren to use their 'forbidden weapons' (pretty sure this is cliche). These new weapons are the equivalent of bringing a tank to a knife fight and quickly turns the tides.
I really wanted to like Erekose as the hero out of time, but he quickly becomes a one dimensional cliche...'the hero tired of war but forced to fight'. Throughout the series he tries to convince the human forces to fight for peace but as soon as he switches sides he becomes the very war monger he was trying to fight for the humans.
I think the purpose of the story was to turn the 'humans are good cliche' on its head but that is lost in the mess.
I will not read the sequel.
As a fan of the Elric of Melnibone series by Michael Moorcock I looked forward to a similar style of writing which would highlight the flaws of the hero while weaving an engaging tale with realistic surprises. The Elric series was engaging because it turned the common fantasy cliches on their head and created something just as engaging but different. Common to the Elric series is the theme of an Eternal Champion who lives throughout the ages in different forms.
This is context I went into regarding book 1 of the The Eternal Champion series.
*****SPOILERS******
While the book starts off promising with the 'resurrection' of Erekose, the Eternal Champion, the book quickly devolves into a simplistic humans-hate-other-race-and-are-therefore-the bad-guys story. Unlike the Elric series, this story telegraphs very early on the main point of the story: Humans, all humans including children, are terrible warlike and xenophobic. While Erekose is summoned by the humans to fight against the alien Eldren (read elves because that's what they are) he ends up switching sides and exterminating the human race....for no clear reason and to the contrary of what he has tried to do during the entire book.
This book fails on many levels. None of the characters are developed and end up being the very cliches Moorcock avoided in the Elric series. There is the weak king who at first seems nice but then is revealed to be a real jerk. There is the princes the Eternal Champion is 'supposed' to fall in love with who is just as equally one dimensional, shallow and wouldn't be dated by the most desperate of men. There are the 'bad guys' who are honorable and noble one of which Erekose falls in love with. And then there is Erekose himself....the hero out of time who doesn't know who to fight for.
The war between the humans and Eldren is never fully explained other than....'we fight alot' and the end of the war is equally anticlimactic as Erekose switches sides and convinces the Eldren to use their 'forbidden weapons' (pretty sure this is cliche). These new weapons are the equivalent of bringing a tank to a knife fight and quickly turns the tides.
I really wanted to like Erekose as the hero out of time, but he quickly becomes a one dimensional cliche...'the hero tired of war but forced to fight'. Throughout the series he tries to convince the human forces to fight for peace but as soon as he switches sides he becomes the very war monger he was trying to fight for the humans.
I think the purpose of the story was to turn the 'humans are good cliche' on its head but that is lost in the mess.
I will not read the sequel.
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.
May 10, 2018
Four stories each featuring the Eternal Champion. The first story is Moorcock's first written story and is okay. Even Moorcock admits it isn't great, but important in the whole milieu. The second story is very sci-fi and really didn't grab me at all. I felt it not only dragged but was over long. The third story moved along at a brisk pace and harkened back to the first story and I found it to be quite enjoyable due to the action sequences. The fourth story is the shortest and actually could have used more space to really flesh things out. It seems to set the Moorcock standard of overwhelming odds and the heroes journey to find aid or help against those odds at whatever cost.
A good read overall, but not a great read which is why I give it three stars. I suppose I would give it 2 1/2 if I had that choice. When compared to other Moorcock work I found it to be a little below the average.Especially when compared to superior works such as Elric and Corum.
A good read overall, but not a great read which is why I give it three stars. I suppose I would give it 2 1/2 if I had that choice. When compared to other Moorcock work I found it to be a little below the average.Especially when compared to superior works such as Elric and Corum.
March 3, 2010
• Michael Moorcock is recognized as one of the forefathers of modern science fiction. This book truly illustrates why. He was the first to use terms like inter-dimensional and multiverse. On top of the originality of his terms, his stories are also excellent. Each story left me with the right amount of question while answering enough questions to both be coherent and also keep me intrigued. This book also lets you into the passions and desires that drive Moorcock’s Eternal Champion enough so that there is really a connection with the character. I look forward to the next book.
Read
November 20, 2025The version I have is part of a larger collection and a novelette. From what I've listened of the Audiobook, it follows the same major events but is obviously condenced. One interesting aspect is that this is writtin in the first person.
April 3, 2025
Fantasy back when it was thoughtful and complex instead of simple and predictable. It's still a bit silly despite that, though, and doesn't leave me with any desire to seek out more of Moorcock's multiverse.
September 2, 2024
Michael Moorcock's 1970 The Eternal Champion, first in the Eternal Champion Cycle, chronicles the adventure of someone who once was something of a nobody. He remembers "a woman. A child. A city. An occupation. A name: John Daker. A sense of frustration. A need for fulfillment" (1979 Dell paperback, page 13). John Daker cannot really remember much more than that. All he knows is that "[t]hey called for [him] and [he] went to them. [He] could not do otherwise. The will of the whole of humanity was a strong thing. It smashed through the ties of time and the chains of space and dragged [him] to itself" (page 11).
And where is John Draker drawn?--or "manifested," perhaps I should say? Well, it is Earth, actually, though whether of the deep past or the far future he has "no idea" (page 42), for time might be circular rather than linear. In any event, it is an Earth of proud kings in walled cities with "[m]inarets, steeples, domes, and battlements [shining] in the sun" (page 25), of warriors "flamboyant in armour of lacquered gold" (page 15) and armed with lance or sword or bow, of ships driven by sail and oar and bristling with brass cannon, of silent slaves always read to serve their noble masters with food or wine or a fresh-drawn bath...and of the menace of the Eldren, "the unhuman folk...called the Hounds of Evil, mankind's age-old enemies, reckless and wild" (page 17).
The Eldren have humanity on the run once more. Or, actually, now that, according to the incantational plea of King Rigenos, they "rule one third of the world," perhaps it is more precise to say, as he does, that it is "fear[ed] they will advance yet farther into [human] territories" (page 15). This fear is axiomatic, really--it needs no special proof. And so humanity must call upon Erikose, its godlike but long-dead Champion.
Daker is Erikose, naturally. He considers the possibility that he is "experiencing classic paranoid-schizophrenic symptoms" (page 27), but of course we may discard the idea, since this is a fantasy novel, after all--why, there's even a Boris Vallejo painting on the cover! Vaguely Erikose also remembers many other names as well--"[m]any names--many names--many names" (page 148)--for his incarnations or iterations whose only goal is "To fight. .... To fight. Fight" (pages 178-79). He is a little dazzled by this world, but he has been here before, too, and he settles in to the role of god, of Champion, swiftly, with the arts of war coming back to him like forgotten memories.
There is barbaric splendor, from Erekose's robe of "deep blue, with complicated designed stitched into it in gold, silver and scarlet thread" and his "wide belt of light brown leather with an iron buckle in which there [are] set rubies and sapphires" (page 23), through camel-top howdahs "of ebony, ivory and mother-of-pearl, curtained in scintillating silks" (page 24), to castles whose "furnishings...would have delighted even the most jaded sybarite" (page 31). There is stern King Rigenos with his "tall, spiked crown of iron and diamonds" (page 15). There is "[m]oody Katorn, Captain of the Imperial Guard" (pages 31-32), who, despite the legends, cannot help distrusting the newcomer. There is the King's daughter, Iolinda, "an amazingly beautiful woman, with blonde hair piled beneath a diadem of precious stones which [seem] to light the sweetness of her oval face" (page 18). And of course there is the mystery of exactly what the Eldren really are, and what is the true nature of their threat.
As Erekose girds himself for the war that will save humanity, he falls in love with the fair princess for whom he would do anything--anything. But war is hell, and even a godlike warrior may grow uneasy, even disenchanted, when, after all the men of an enemy city's fighting force have been "slain...at sea" (page 121), even the women and children, against his "plead[ing]," are to be put to death (page 122). A trusted comrade assures Erekose that they are not "bloody-handed butchers" but simply men who "are at war with those who would destroy" humanity (page 131). It is easier to say, perhaps, than to believe. Suffice it to say that Erekose, after committing himself to one awful decision, ultimately must make another judgment that will be even more agonizing.
Michael Moorcock's The Eternal Champion is heavy in the predictable fairy-tale-like trappings of fantasy writing, and sometimes characterization of those we will come to dislike is a tad wooden. For what it is, though, the book nevertheless is an enjoyable 4.5- to 5-star read with an ending well worth the journey.
And where is John Draker drawn?--or "manifested," perhaps I should say? Well, it is Earth, actually, though whether of the deep past or the far future he has "no idea" (page 42), for time might be circular rather than linear. In any event, it is an Earth of proud kings in walled cities with "[m]inarets, steeples, domes, and battlements [shining] in the sun" (page 25), of warriors "flamboyant in armour of lacquered gold" (page 15) and armed with lance or sword or bow, of ships driven by sail and oar and bristling with brass cannon, of silent slaves always read to serve their noble masters with food or wine or a fresh-drawn bath...and of the menace of the Eldren, "the unhuman folk...called the Hounds of Evil, mankind's age-old enemies, reckless and wild" (page 17).
The Eldren have humanity on the run once more. Or, actually, now that, according to the incantational plea of King Rigenos, they "rule one third of the world," perhaps it is more precise to say, as he does, that it is "fear[ed] they will advance yet farther into [human] territories" (page 15). This fear is axiomatic, really--it needs no special proof. And so humanity must call upon Erikose, its godlike but long-dead Champion.
Daker is Erikose, naturally. He considers the possibility that he is "experiencing classic paranoid-schizophrenic symptoms" (page 27), but of course we may discard the idea, since this is a fantasy novel, after all--why, there's even a Boris Vallejo painting on the cover! Vaguely Erikose also remembers many other names as well--"[m]any names--many names--many names" (page 148)--for his incarnations or iterations whose only goal is "To fight. .... To fight. Fight" (pages 178-79). He is a little dazzled by this world, but he has been here before, too, and he settles in to the role of god, of Champion, swiftly, with the arts of war coming back to him like forgotten memories.
There is barbaric splendor, from Erekose's robe of "deep blue, with complicated designed stitched into it in gold, silver and scarlet thread" and his "wide belt of light brown leather with an iron buckle in which there [are] set rubies and sapphires" (page 23), through camel-top howdahs "of ebony, ivory and mother-of-pearl, curtained in scintillating silks" (page 24), to castles whose "furnishings...would have delighted even the most jaded sybarite" (page 31). There is stern King Rigenos with his "tall, spiked crown of iron and diamonds" (page 15). There is "[m]oody Katorn, Captain of the Imperial Guard" (pages 31-32), who, despite the legends, cannot help distrusting the newcomer. There is the King's daughter, Iolinda, "an amazingly beautiful woman, with blonde hair piled beneath a diadem of precious stones which [seem] to light the sweetness of her oval face" (page 18). And of course there is the mystery of exactly what the Eldren really are, and what is the true nature of their threat.
As Erekose girds himself for the war that will save humanity, he falls in love with the fair princess for whom he would do anything--anything. But war is hell, and even a godlike warrior may grow uneasy, even disenchanted, when, after all the men of an enemy city's fighting force have been "slain...at sea" (page 121), even the women and children, against his "plead[ing]," are to be put to death (page 122). A trusted comrade assures Erekose that they are not "bloody-handed butchers" but simply men who "are at war with those who would destroy" humanity (page 131). It is easier to say, perhaps, than to believe. Suffice it to say that Erekose, after committing himself to one awful decision, ultimately must make another judgment that will be even more agonizing.
Michael Moorcock's The Eternal Champion is heavy in the predictable fairy-tale-like trappings of fantasy writing, and sometimes characterization of those we will come to dislike is a tad wooden. For what it is, though, the book nevertheless is an enjoyable 4.5- to 5-star read with an ending well worth the journey.
November 8, 2021
Moorcock's works always strike me as the footsoldiers of the fantasy fiction world. Generally they are a decent read, but nothing outstanding. There is, of course, an exception to be found in the case of Elric.
May 9, 2021
I read this book because it is mentioned as a direct inspiration for Attack on Titan. As such, I was expecting a grim story concerned with a besieged and desperate human race. While this book eventually got around to being somewhat grim, it lacks any resemblance to AoT. The creator for AoT seems to have been inspired by the vague concept of this story, and little more.
Funny enough, The Stormlight Archives uses the entirety of this story as its premise. As such, this book is essentially a Stormlight Spoiler. Sanderson did a direct rip of the world building, I kid you not. I wont go into detail about that here, because Moorcock did it first and I am not critiquing Sanderson here. It is the plot that makes this novel bad.
Massive plot holes are the ultimate undoing to this tale. The core motivations of the characters do not match the realities portrayed by the author. Major characters with literally a million years of history make decisions that go against that established set of values. For example, the human race is apparently desperate to defeat the demons. They are so desperate that they call upon the myth of a champion. And yet, throughout the entire story, humans do nothing but win, and the eternal champion has no direct influence on these "decisive" battles. If you were to remove the eternal champion from the story, humanity would have brutally stomped the Eldren, no question. The champion is along for the ride and kills basically no one for the first three battles. Thus, the stakes do not exist. Why do we care whether the humans win or not if they are steamrolling on easy mode?
It gets stupider. The Eldren are a pacifist race who possess nuclear sci-fi weapons that would destroy humanity in an instant. They owned these for a million years, and chose not to use them, even during this book when 90% of their race is decimated. Then, at the end, the eternal champion switches sides to the Eldren, and THE ELDREN JUST GIVE THIS RANDOM WHITE DUDE WHO IS THE FIGURE HEAD OF THEIR ENTIRE RACE'S DECIMATION CONTROL OF THE NUCLEAR WEAPONRY. AND HE MURDERS THE ENTIRE HUMAN RACE. AND THE ELDREN DONT FEEL REMORSE OR ANGER ABOUT IT. THEY WANT THE RANDOM WHITE DUDE TO BANG THEIR QUEEN AFTERWARDS.
It just makes no sense. This story is supported by complete logical falsity. What a waste of time.
Along the way the author makes the tired sexist remarks that are common in pre 2000's media, and he has no understanding of love. He interprets infatuation and lust as love, and the main character falls in love with literally every cute girl he sees. I am not kidding. Any girl the main character interacts with, he explicitly states that he both loves her as a daughter and as a lover. Its just the cherry on top of this stupid sundae.
Funny enough, The Stormlight Archives uses the entirety of this story as its premise. As such, this book is essentially a Stormlight Spoiler. Sanderson did a direct rip of the world building, I kid you not. I wont go into detail about that here, because Moorcock did it first and I am not critiquing Sanderson here. It is the plot that makes this novel bad.
Massive plot holes are the ultimate undoing to this tale. The core motivations of the characters do not match the realities portrayed by the author. Major characters with literally a million years of history make decisions that go against that established set of values. For example, the human race is apparently desperate to defeat the demons. They are so desperate that they call upon the myth of a champion. And yet, throughout the entire story, humans do nothing but win, and the eternal champion has no direct influence on these "decisive" battles. If you were to remove the eternal champion from the story, humanity would have brutally stomped the Eldren, no question. The champion is along for the ride and kills basically no one for the first three battles. Thus, the stakes do not exist. Why do we care whether the humans win or not if they are steamrolling on easy mode?
It gets stupider. The Eldren are a pacifist race who possess nuclear sci-fi weapons that would destroy humanity in an instant. They owned these for a million years, and chose not to use them, even during this book when 90% of their race is decimated. Then, at the end, the eternal champion switches sides to the Eldren, and THE ELDREN JUST GIVE THIS RANDOM WHITE DUDE WHO IS THE FIGURE HEAD OF THEIR ENTIRE RACE'S DECIMATION CONTROL OF THE NUCLEAR WEAPONRY. AND HE MURDERS THE ENTIRE HUMAN RACE. AND THE ELDREN DONT FEEL REMORSE OR ANGER ABOUT IT. THEY WANT THE RANDOM WHITE DUDE TO BANG THEIR QUEEN AFTERWARDS.
It just makes no sense. This story is supported by complete logical falsity. What a waste of time.
Along the way the author makes the tired sexist remarks that are common in pre 2000's media, and he has no understanding of love. He interprets infatuation and lust as love, and the main character falls in love with literally every cute girl he sees. I am not kidding. Any girl the main character interacts with, he explicitly states that he both loves her as a daughter and as a lover. Its just the cherry on top of this stupid sundae.
August 7, 2020
The Eternal Champion is the story of a man called Erekose whose consciousness is cast across vast eons of time in order to serve humanity in times of great peril. Unfortunately, the man chosen for this unique role is an uncreative fatalist. He is bestowed with great power and respect, but he seems uninterested in exercising those to his advantage. Despite being, as he self-describes, the most powerful man on the planet, Erekose is unwilling to do much except make war plans and slay enemies in battle. He mourns for the people that he kills and feels bad about the war crimes committed in his name, but he doesn't actually do much to stop them. Rather than building a new coalition of allies, or illuminating humanity of its ignorances, or negotiating, Erekose prefers to wage genocide again and again. Then he returns home with a case of the "feel bads" and through sheer arrogance he incites another genocide.
Erekose seems genuinely conflicted by his actions, but as one of his friends points out: a man is judged by his actions not his ruminations. And as a reader, judging Erekose's actions, it is impossible to have any sympathy. He plunges headlong into a war that he does not understand, pledging murder against a foe that he has not even seen nor spoken with. Unsurprisingly he is surprised by his foe's humanity, but that doesn't stop him from allowing genocide, nor from stopping him from waging a genocidal death march. And then, when he's done all the damage that he could do, he marches right back in the other direction murdering every human being he finds. If he spent a fraction as much effort into diplomacy (Erekose seems to give up on diplomacy at the slightest pushback), then maybe he wouldn't have to murder an entire planet and feel bad.
It's a decent pulpy sort of fantasy novel, the writing is fine but the author tends to wave away entire military campaigns and years with a few sentences. The protagonist's morality is psychotic, claiming great guilt but enabling unspeakable atrocities, which is the main reason why I wouldn't recommend this book. I would instead recommend Altered Carbon as a novel with similar themes but better writing and more interesting morality.
Erekose seems genuinely conflicted by his actions, but as one of his friends points out: a man is judged by his actions not his ruminations. And as a reader, judging Erekose's actions, it is impossible to have any sympathy. He plunges headlong into a war that he does not understand, pledging murder against a foe that he has not even seen nor spoken with. Unsurprisingly he is surprised by his foe's humanity, but that doesn't stop him from allowing genocide, nor from stopping him from waging a genocidal death march. And then, when he's done all the damage that he could do, he marches right back in the other direction murdering every human being he finds. If he spent a fraction as much effort into diplomacy (Erekose seems to give up on diplomacy at the slightest pushback), then maybe he wouldn't have to murder an entire planet and feel bad.
It's a decent pulpy sort of fantasy novel, the writing is fine but the author tends to wave away entire military campaigns and years with a few sentences. The protagonist's morality is psychotic, claiming great guilt but enabling unspeakable atrocities, which is the main reason why I wouldn't recommend this book. I would instead recommend Altered Carbon as a novel with similar themes but better writing and more interesting morality.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 18, 2011
This omnimbus was great! The first book wasn't the greatest, it had some really great ideas, but the writing was a little hackish, and it sorta skipped quickly over certain things. It was a sort of typical fantasy action novel. The second novel changes gears completely, and is a very trippy scifi book that seems very drug inspired (and not normal drugs either, stuff like salvia, DMT, and DXM.) It was quite a page turner, and I was very surprised that the third novel picks up where the second left off, although I felt it had much better writing, and was more interesting. The last short story only indirectly ties in with the rest of the stories, and I'm fairly sure The Eternal Champion isn't in it at all (perhaps the Red Archer was a manifestation, but I don't think so.) The short story was ok, but its the 2nd and 3rd novels in this collection that really shine, and leave me hungering for more Eternal Champion stuff. Thankfully I have managed to pick up quite a lot of the omnimbuses, and I'm sure I'll be reading the Von Bek one soon.
January 19, 2016
I have always had a hard time with Moorcock and Vance as writers. I love the premise of Elric, Erekose, Ulric, Rakhir and the many other multiversal champions. But its when moorcock goes off on his mind bending tangents that I have a hard time "Wanting" to keep with the story. Now I blame this entirely on my own warped mind, but I prefer Lovecraftian verbosity when it lends itself to setting a scene, not so much when it applies to trying to make something even more chaotic then it is. A 2 paragraph tangent on myriad chaotic forms writhing within a cloud with a brief allusion but to the main plot of the story just ends up losing me.
Again, I must restate that I do like the crux of what Moorcock brings to the table. I am more then comfortable going along with his storylines, though I do find the morbid nature of most of his tales makes it something that I have to take in doses. Thus why I will take a break before I move to the second book in the Moorcock Eternal Champion series, Von Bek.
Again, I must restate that I do like the crux of what Moorcock brings to the table. I am more then comfortable going along with his storylines, though I do find the morbid nature of most of his tales makes it something that I have to take in doses. Thus why I will take a break before I move to the second book in the Moorcock Eternal Champion series, Von Bek.
June 16, 2022
A really really bad book.
As I read more works of Michael Moorcock, I can't help but wonder if some of his good work were accidental, or did he really plan them. The reason for my such aggressive remark is that this book was absolutly ghastly.
It was a pathetic rip-off of John Carter, and so lazy that he named his character John Daker. The paper thin plot then commences on and on, neither having the pace nor the depth of a good story. This all is interspread with Moorcock's brand of - I'm-on-pot-so-saying-anything-but-making-it-feel-like-I-am-philosophizing.
The characters are lame and too predictable, there is hardly any world building, conversations between the characters make you feel like you want to puke. This isn't a book, this is a very naive and failing attempt of a man trying to imbibe all the political and religious struggles in the World, at the time he was contemplating a book, and make a story out of it. Necessarily exactly the reason I hate people who call themselves writers like N.K.Jemisin and the likes.
As I read more works of Michael Moorcock, I can't help but wonder if some of his good work were accidental, or did he really plan them. The reason for my such aggressive remark is that this book was absolutly ghastly.
It was a pathetic rip-off of John Carter, and so lazy that he named his character John Daker. The paper thin plot then commences on and on, neither having the pace nor the depth of a good story. This all is interspread with Moorcock's brand of - I'm-on-pot-so-saying-anything-but-making-it-feel-like-I-am-philosophizing.
The characters are lame and too predictable, there is hardly any world building, conversations between the characters make you feel like you want to puke. This isn't a book, this is a very naive and failing attempt of a man trying to imbibe all the political and religious struggles in the World, at the time he was contemplating a book, and make a story out of it. Necessarily exactly the reason I hate people who call themselves writers like N.K.Jemisin and the likes.
August 15, 2021
To me, the style was too distracting. Way too much focus on details. Pacing problems. The battle and action scenes were not exciting or engaging. I skimmed through the middle part. The main character was very introspective, but suddenly and without warning would change his mind and start a new course of action which was totally inconsistent with his previous ruminations.
Still, there were interesting observations on human beings, war and violence, although (obviously) no conclusion. This book was bizarre. I liked the descriptions, but it was distracting and unnecessary. The book was a bit boring. Even the big events that happened were narrated in a way that they were not very interesting, although you would think a war of the human race against another would be at least a little bit interesting.
I finished it just to finish it. Fantasy elements were there. Eldren were an interesting species, stuff about Ghost Worlds. I just couldn't get very much into it.
Still, there were interesting observations on human beings, war and violence, although (obviously) no conclusion. This book was bizarre. I liked the descriptions, but it was distracting and unnecessary. The book was a bit boring. Even the big events that happened were narrated in a way that they were not very interesting, although you would think a war of the human race against another would be at least a little bit interesting.
I finished it just to finish it. Fantasy elements were there. Eldren were an interesting species, stuff about Ghost Worlds. I just couldn't get very much into it.
May 12, 2011
Just re-read this book for my Moorcock binge.
The first novel in the volume, _The Eternal Champion_, is one of Moorcock's best. This is the story in which Moorcock introduced the concept of the warrior fighting for destiny with multiple incarnations across time and the multiverse. The exploration of innocence, self-deceit, and the betrayal of that trust is an intriguing and powerful one. Very good.
The second, _Sundered Worlds_, reminds me conceptually of Olaf Stapleton and his themes of evolution and change. That sort of macro-perspective isn't Moorcock's strength, and this story wasn't nearly as compelling as must of his work.
_The third _Phoenix in Obsidian_ is very atmospheric, very moody. Continuing the story of John Daker from _The Eternal Champion_, it reintroduces the idea of the cursed sword of the Champion. I enjoyed it.
The first novel in the volume, _The Eternal Champion_, is one of Moorcock's best. This is the story in which Moorcock introduced the concept of the warrior fighting for destiny with multiple incarnations across time and the multiverse. The exploration of innocence, self-deceit, and the betrayal of that trust is an intriguing and powerful one. Very good.
The second, _Sundered Worlds_, reminds me conceptually of Olaf Stapleton and his themes of evolution and change. That sort of macro-perspective isn't Moorcock's strength, and this story wasn't nearly as compelling as must of his work.
_The third _Phoenix in Obsidian_ is very atmospheric, very moody. Continuing the story of John Daker from _The Eternal Champion_, it reintroduces the idea of the cursed sword of the Champion. I enjoyed it.
September 23, 2016
Fantasy with a different twist.
I tend to be skeptical when it comes to primary fantasy settings having elements of Sci-fi in them, because after watching a few episodes of that Shannara Chronicles stuff it just feels to me like finding a ball of hair in ones soup. It is still soup and it is still "edible", but you'd rather not.
This however was a quite different animal, the way it was mixed here seemed almost natural, at least to someone who has played the RPG Exalted for 10-15 years.
Erekose is immortal, of sorts. He appears when needed to fight. The eternal champion. He is the decider. So he decides stuff and fights. Also, he is a hero. >_>
In the end, it has a great end.
Im bored, i should go do something. I sort of want to rewatch Babylon 5, but once a year should be enough... right? Eh, i guess ill go for a little walk instead.
I tend to be skeptical when it comes to primary fantasy settings having elements of Sci-fi in them, because after watching a few episodes of that Shannara Chronicles stuff it just feels to me like finding a ball of hair in ones soup. It is still soup and it is still "edible", but you'd rather not.
This however was a quite different animal, the way it was mixed here seemed almost natural, at least to someone who has played the RPG Exalted for 10-15 years.
Erekose is immortal, of sorts. He appears when needed to fight. The eternal champion. He is the decider. So he decides stuff and fights. Also, he is a hero. >_>
In the end, it has a great end.
Im bored, i should go do something. I sort of want to rewatch Babylon 5, but once a year should be enough... right? Eh, i guess ill go for a little walk instead.
December 2, 2013
I haven't read Michael Moorcock previously. How that came about is a wonder as I've read Fantasy since before the Silmarillion. Anyway I finally got around to it. I suspect this is not a typical Moorcock - but what do I know?
It started off kind of bush, a spirit called from our age to ... somewhen else; to fight for humanity. Hmmmm. Wonderfully beautiful cities, castles, armour and a woman, hmmm. But pretty soon I began to sense that there was more to this story than a hero bashing elves. And I was right. That the hero is pretty thick - and telling his story in the first person - detracts. But I liked how MM jumped the gap from entertainment to art. Kind of a bad taste in my mouth when I finished...
It started off kind of bush, a spirit called from our age to ... somewhen else; to fight for humanity. Hmmmm. Wonderfully beautiful cities, castles, armour and a woman, hmmm. But pretty soon I began to sense that there was more to this story than a hero bashing elves. And I was right. That the hero is pretty thick - and telling his story in the first person - detracts. But I liked how MM jumped the gap from entertainment to art. Kind of a bad taste in my mouth when I finished...
December 31, 2018
The eponymous book. 3 stars. Pretty decent for an early work, although I guessed the plot twist about three chapters in.
The Sundered Worlds. 1 star. I kind of hated that. There were some great ideas, including the first popular use of the term Multiverse, but there's also a lot of unnecessary running around interspersed with vague descriptions of the characters getting their minds bent. It has not aged well.
Phoenix in Obsidian. 4 stars. Now there’s the weird, poetic, brooding fantasy I remember from Elric that I read so long ago.
To Rescue Tanelorn. 3. Short story. Good for what it was, but either I missed something or it was missing something.
The Sundered Worlds. 1 star. I kind of hated that. There were some great ideas, including the first popular use of the term Multiverse, but there's also a lot of unnecessary running around interspersed with vague descriptions of the characters getting their minds bent. It has not aged well.
Phoenix in Obsidian. 4 stars. Now there’s the weird, poetic, brooding fantasy I remember from Elric that I read so long ago.
To Rescue Tanelorn. 3. Short story. Good for what it was, but either I missed something or it was missing something.
February 9, 2015
Mixed feelings.
On the one hand Moorcock surpasses lyrical level on several occasions. The contradictions of the main character, common feature in his novels, are the hallmark of this one.
However, I missed the fluid narrative, developments, and finally, the great splurge that in other of his works grabs you like a whirlwind. The plot in "Eternal Champion" is much slower and sometimes almost stagnant.
I recommend reading to understand more about Moorcocks universe, but for those who want to begin to delve into it, better read the sagas of Elric or Corum, two of his masterpieces.
On the one hand Moorcock surpasses lyrical level on several occasions. The contradictions of the main character, common feature in his novels, are the hallmark of this one.
However, I missed the fluid narrative, developments, and finally, the great splurge that in other of his works grabs you like a whirlwind. The plot in "Eternal Champion" is much slower and sometimes almost stagnant.
I recommend reading to understand more about Moorcocks universe, but for those who want to begin to delve into it, better read the sagas of Elric or Corum, two of his masterpieces.
January 26, 2021
A sobering story of human nature and its half animalistic, half godlike nature. John daker is called to by the King and John suddenly transitions to his new form into the world that he has been reached out to from. In his materialization, he is born into Erekose, a champion respected by all. Then sent forward to take command and to become the savior of humanity. Called to fight the Eldren and restore peace to earth for all humans. Story deals with heavy themes of morals, justice, human nature, and immortality. A very fun read with an ending that wants you to read more.
March 30, 2008
My first attempt at Moorcock provided some very cool moments mixed in with some very lackluster moments. Of course, this collection of stories is taken from several different eras in Moorcock's career, so the uneven styling is to be expected.
Overall, if you want to be introduced to the basics of the eternal champion premise and the multiverse concept, this is a very good volume to read, I think. But it is not the best of Moorcock's writing in terms of story and character.
Overall, if you want to be introduced to the basics of the eternal champion premise and the multiverse concept, this is a very good volume to read, I think. But it is not the best of Moorcock's writing in terms of story and character.
June 6, 2010
This is is great start to the epic Eternal Champion series. This book introduces readers to the key elements in the series: the Eternal Champion, the Multiverse, and the eternal city of Tanelorn.
I'm excited that the stories have been updated by the author to better fit together and really enjoyed his insights shared in the new introduction to the stories. I can't wait to get into the next book.
I'm excited that the stories have been updated by the author to better fit together and really enjoyed his insights shared in the new introduction to the stories. I can't wait to get into the next book.
December 10, 2010
I do not know why Sundered Worlds appears where it does in this collection. It should have been the first story or the last. The last story in the book, the novella, is not as good as the other material. Eternal Champion and The Phoenix in Obsidian are more than worth the price of admission. And Sundered Worlds is also fantastic, if a little out of place. It was chosen for the first volume for thematic and chronological reasons, I think.
February 17, 2011
Fantastic book, it was consistently riveting from start to finish and conveyed well its moral message. The Eternal Champion prompts us to consider who it is we side with and advocates a personal development of our own moral perspectives instead of blindly following the masses, even if they're people we've lived with our whole lives desperate times can expose the darker, perhaps realer side of ourselves. It also had cool fight scenes.
April 16, 2020
A peculiar book. I really enjoyed it. Rough in a lot of places but it captures a strange cosmic aesthetic that is rare in fantasy. It also hearkens back to the days of pulp when fantasy and sci-fi weren't so easily delineated, where what is ultimately a simple plot can be worked into something unfamiliar and mysterious.
July 23, 2020
I've been on a big Moorcock kick of late but ironically this is the first of his Fantasy books I've read. Really enjoyed this one as it provides a much different take on a typical "swords and sorcery" tale, positioning the protagonist as flawed and morally ambiguous. Will likely read others in the series.
January 21, 2013
An introduction of sorts to the Eternal Champion concept that populates most of Moorcock's fiction. I could do without the second of the three books in this volume. I skipped it. I'm not ashamed to admit it. It was pretty terrible. The other two (especially the first) were so much better.
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