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Eternal Champion #11
Elric: The Stealer of Souls
This 11th volume of The Eternal Champion Series is dedicated to the most popular incarnation of the Champion: the doomed emperor Elric of Melnibone. In order to achieve his destiny and begin a new age after the Armageddon that threatens to destroy the world, Elric must risk his very soul.
625 pages, Paperback
First published March 5, 1998
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540 people want to read
About the author
Michael Moorcock
1,209 books3,764 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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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
November 23, 2015
This, combined with Elric: The Song of the Black Sword, is just one of many ways to read the core books of the Elric saga. These two omnibuses were published by White Wolf, Inc. in the 1990's. "White Wolf" is actually named after Elric himself, as it turns out, that being one of his many nicknames.
This particular volume includes these Elric books:
#4, The Sleeping Sorceress, aka The Vanishing Tower
#9, The Revenge of the Rose
#5, The Bane of the Black Sword
#6, Stormbringer.
Books #1-3 and #8 are found in the first omnibus.
Honestly, the core books to me are the first six in the regular paperback series. The seventh was a collection of odds and ends, while the 8th and 9th were strange returns to Melniboné that Moorcock wrote years later. The Revenge of the Rose is included here, and is worth reading. Unfortunately, due to being written some 30ish years later, the flow is thrown off when one wedges that between books 4 and 5. It seems to be reset then when one gets back into 5. Ideally, the best way to read the series might be by going the SFBC way of the four volume The Elric Saga which puts them out in a more linear order. The first two volumes of that would then be the core series.
That said, this was a very enjoyable read. Elric isn't pretty, and he isn't always nice. He's something of a bastard at times, mostly by necessity. And his sword, Stormbringer, is as wicked evil as a weapon gets. It's one feisty bitch and even when Elric tries to do the right thing, sometimes this sword has a way of changing the game.
This particular volume includes these Elric books:
#4, The Sleeping Sorceress, aka The Vanishing Tower
#9, The Revenge of the Rose
#5, The Bane of the Black Sword
#6, Stormbringer.
Books #1-3 and #8 are found in the first omnibus.
Honestly, the core books to me are the first six in the regular paperback series. The seventh was a collection of odds and ends, while the 8th and 9th were strange returns to Melniboné that Moorcock wrote years later. The Revenge of the Rose is included here, and is worth reading. Unfortunately, due to being written some 30ish years later, the flow is thrown off when one wedges that between books 4 and 5. It seems to be reset then when one gets back into 5. Ideally, the best way to read the series might be by going the SFBC way of the four volume The Elric Saga which puts them out in a more linear order. The first two volumes of that would then be the core series.
That said, this was a very enjoyable read. Elric isn't pretty, and he isn't always nice. He's something of a bastard at times, mostly by necessity. And his sword, Stormbringer, is as wicked evil as a weapon gets. It's one feisty bitch and even when Elric tries to do the right thing, sometimes this sword has a way of changing the game.
February 22, 2021
I've been on a huge Moorcock kick during the past 18 months or so but ironically this is the first time I've tackled his Elric books, for which he is most well known. This omnibus edition features six of his Elric novels and not all of them work but The Revenge of the Rose and Stormbringer are standouts. Elric is definitely an antihero - moody, conflicted, not entirely likeable, but adds a complex dimension to what otherwise might be dismissed as genre fiction. Definitely recommend if you enjoy Swords and Sorcery/Fantasy but looking for a different take on it.
June 9, 2009
Parts of this book actually appeared in the volume entitled "The Weird of the White Wolf." This is, I believe, an earlier version of that material.
May 28, 2020
Obviously 5 stars. It's elric. The best pul fantasy hero around. While they don't really have to be ready in order, the first book is the best place to start. After that it really doesn't matter. 5 stars.
August 27, 2020
As with the other Elric Omnibus, I have reviewed the individual stories or books on their Goodreads pages.
Until I get my hands on this specific book I won't add it as done and dusted for my Reading Challenges.
Until I get my hands on this specific book I won't add it as done and dusted for my Reading Challenges.
March 30, 2021
Read as a late teen, loved the whole Eternal Champion series.
January 13, 2025
There are multiple editions of Michael Moorcock's "Elric of Melniboné" story cycle. This particular anthology is the continuation and conclusion of the cycle as begun in Elric: Song of the Black Sword (aka volumes 5 and 11 of the American version of the Tale of the Eternal Champion series). This volume features Elric dealing with the aftermath of his act of anger and vengeance at the heart of the previous volume (see first comment for what that act was if you don't mind a spoiler from the previous book).
Elric is an interesting, if rather unpleasant, character. He is the last sorcerer-emperor of a cruel, amoral race dedicated to chaos and the "dukes of hell." Unlike his countrymen, Elric has some shreds of a conscience/morality that drive him to try to be a better person. Conspiring against his better side are his continued reliance on black magic and his sickly albinism which leaves him dependent on drugs or his evil soul-sucking sword to keep up his strength. In his adventures, he is driven by vengeance and hatred as often as by nobler motivations.
The stories themselves are dark, trippy swords-and-sorcery fare with some sci-fi-like traveling to various alternate planes in "the multiverse." Some parts of the stories become repetitive and predictable (Elric summoning supernatural aid, Elric going into superhuman berserker fury with his sword, Elric wallowing in self pity and self-loathing, etc.), but the overall story arc was satisfying in a grim sort of way.
Elric is an interesting, if rather unpleasant, character. He is the last sorcerer-emperor of a cruel, amoral race dedicated to chaos and the "dukes of hell." Unlike his countrymen, Elric has some shreds of a conscience/morality that drive him to try to be a better person. Conspiring against his better side are his continued reliance on black magic and his sickly albinism which leaves him dependent on drugs or his evil soul-sucking sword to keep up his strength. In his adventures, he is driven by vengeance and hatred as often as by nobler motivations.
The stories themselves are dark, trippy swords-and-sorcery fare with some sci-fi-like traveling to various alternate planes in "the multiverse." Some parts of the stories become repetitive and predictable (Elric summoning supernatural aid, Elric going into superhuman berserker fury with his sword, Elric wallowing in self pity and self-loathing, etc.), but the overall story arc was satisfying in a grim sort of way.
May 25, 2009
Mostly re-read this because it was a freebie ebook.
As I recollected, but it reinforced, many of the tragic-anti-hero aspects of the stories (and their anarchist bent) remained but what I had thought was merely average writing seemed much poorer here.
The Elric/fantasy novels were always wildly signposted and somewhat transparent (in this book, which is a compendium of magazine shorts and letters-to-skim-through, it is even more obvious, if explainable).
There is little feeling of suspense, there is little feeling of excitement, and any insight into Elric's tortured character is WRITTEN IN VERY LARGE LETTERS rather than inferred or implied.
There is a always the chance some great literary subtlety is occurring that I am completely missing of course.
Somehow, however, these are still fine to read, and are pulp fantasy with an obsessive cult anti-hero and a soul-sucking demon for a sword. If you read fantasy then somewhere along the line, you should at least read the stereotypes, and it might be quite fun (the Hawkmoon saga is the better of the Moorcock's IMHO).
As I recollected, but it reinforced, many of the tragic-anti-hero aspects of the stories (and their anarchist bent) remained but what I had thought was merely average writing seemed much poorer here.
The Elric/fantasy novels were always wildly signposted and somewhat transparent (in this book, which is a compendium of magazine shorts and letters-to-skim-through, it is even more obvious, if explainable).
There is little feeling of suspense, there is little feeling of excitement, and any insight into Elric's tortured character is WRITTEN IN VERY LARGE LETTERS rather than inferred or implied.
There is a always the chance some great literary subtlety is occurring that I am completely missing of course.
Somehow, however, these are still fine to read, and are pulp fantasy with an obsessive cult anti-hero and a soul-sucking demon for a sword. If you read fantasy then somewhere along the line, you should at least read the stereotypes, and it might be quite fun (the Hawkmoon saga is the better of the Moorcock's IMHO).
September 29, 2009
I obtained this book for free on my Amazon Kindle. The format was slightly confusing on the Kindle, as the book was interspersed with history from the publishing of the original Elric saga in the Fantasy zines back in the 60's.
As a story, I see it as a sark and harsh version of the reluctant universal hero who must sacrifice himself for the good of all. It is hard to truly identify with the hero, or any of the characters, it reads more like a heroic saga with names and places and little emotion.
i was more intrigued by its place in the history of fantasy writing, and a new darker approach to fantasy that did not follow the Tolkien formulation. I can see where Moorcock may have been one of the progressive fantasy writers that have influenced other writers.
in the end I was able to muddle through the story, but have no lasting connection with the sotry or it's albino hero.
As a story, I see it as a sark and harsh version of the reluctant universal hero who must sacrifice himself for the good of all. It is hard to truly identify with the hero, or any of the characters, it reads more like a heroic saga with names and places and little emotion.
i was more intrigued by its place in the history of fantasy writing, and a new darker approach to fantasy that did not follow the Tolkien formulation. I can see where Moorcock may have been one of the progressive fantasy writers that have influenced other writers.
in the end I was able to muddle through the story, but have no lasting connection with the sotry or it's albino hero.
March 3, 2010
• Overall, I feel this was a good summary of the Elric character. I was a little irritated that there were some stories in this book that had been in the previous Elric book, but I understand why he put them in. Some of the extras like the letters and the review of Stormbringer were somewhat interesting. When I was reading those I got the feeling that this is something that Moorcock is incredibly proud of. He should be proud of it as Elric is a great character. It does seem that Moorcock believes that Elric is the greatest Science Fiction character to ever live. He’s not. He is interesting and I look forward to reading the last Elric book, but let’s not go overboard. This book is a good read, though.
August 2, 2011
The stories in this collection are mostly very good, some of them classics of the fantasy genre. The collection as a whole, however, is a bit awkward as it is arranged "chronologically" in order the full history of Elric as opposed to order of publication. There are wild shifts in style and tone from story to story and it doesn't have the cohesiveness that the editors were probably hoping for. In fact, the White Wolf editions have been out of print for some years. Del Rey currently has the rights and has recently been reprinting the Elric stories in order of original publication with a whole lot of extra material that may or may not be worth reading. The original stories themselves are still essential and highly influential. Worth seeking out in whatever form you can find them.
January 25, 2012
The first of four volumes republishing the stories of Elric in the order of their publication rather than a chronilogical order - which I think is what was attempted in the novelizations from the '70s that I read the first time (starting with Elric of Melnibone and ending with Stormbringer).
Most interesting, I thought, about this edition is the additional materials that were included. Two of them are explanitory letters written at the same time as the stories, roughly. Seeing them in the published context chronilogically is also very interesting as this shows how Moorcock's ideas evolved over time and as he fleshed out the material.
Recommended if you like classic Sword and Sorcery novels in the vein of Fritz Leiber.
Most interesting, I thought, about this edition is the additional materials that were included. Two of them are explanitory letters written at the same time as the stories, roughly. Seeing them in the published context chronilogically is also very interesting as this shows how Moorcock's ideas evolved over time and as he fleshed out the material.
Recommended if you like classic Sword and Sorcery novels in the vein of Fritz Leiber.
November 25, 2009
Did not finish. I got to page 79 out of 493 (so my e-book reader tells me). Clunky prose that I just could not handle. A large part of those 79 pages were Michael Moorcock talking about how Elric had affected so many people's lives. Perhaps this is a book that requires one actually read the other books first (official fanfiction?) because I just couldn't bring myself to continue with this book after those 79 pages.
February 17, 2009
I'm re-reading the Elric stories for the 1st time since my teenage years. The stories to my surprise hold up nicely. Plus, for me, they are bringing back a lot of pleasant memories.
I love these stories. They are in a class by themselves.
If you have any love at all for "sword and sorcery" fiction & haven't read these, you have to add them to your list.
I love these stories. They are in a class by themselves.
If you have any love at all for "sword and sorcery" fiction & haven't read these, you have to add them to your list.
November 13, 2009
This compendieum of truly pulp fantasy fiction stories was a Kindle freebie, so I decided to read what is considered by some to be one of the original works of modern sword and sorcery (from the 60's or so). Very interesting to get a little historical perspective on the genre, and I enjoyed the stories for what they were - nothing very substantial, but a fun read.
December 25, 2011
Actually didn't read this all the way through. Dropped it about halfway in.
It was easy to see the Elric stories as D&D style adventures, but if so, then the campaign arc never became clear to me, and the stories just became a series of self-contained narratives, with no larger arc and sometimes no clear flow from one to another. Too much Deus ex machina involved as well.
It was easy to see the Elric stories as D&D style adventures, but if so, then the campaign arc never became clear to me, and the stories just became a series of self-contained narratives, with no larger arc and sometimes no clear flow from one to another. Too much Deus ex machina involved as well.
June 7, 2013
Re-read this and its White Wolf published companion omnibus. Little more to say in this review, but as the second part of the Elric saga, Moorcock's writing tends to get stronger as his style developed and he pieced together his mythos. There are still the heavy (and enjoyable) whiffs of pulp fiction, but it never becomes cloying or overdone.
January 14, 2011
What The Hell???? Prepubescent boy books for those who's b**** are on the verge of dropping, but havent's yet.Too far from me in gender, generation, and style for me to even be close to understanding, let alone liking. Like reading olde english, as far as I am concerned. At least I gave it a go.
Read
August 22, 2008The Stealer of Souls by Michael Moorcock (1973)
September 22, 2008
I read this after Dancers at the End of Time, thank goodness. Dancers is amazing. Elric not so much. Mildly entertaining and a little sexist, at best.
July 21, 2009
Another ebook offered free by Harper-Collins as the start of a series. This book was so bad, I just couldn't finish it. Needless to say, I was disappointed in this novel.
June 26, 2010
Could not finish this book - it surprises me that it was even published.
Read
May 17, 2011Marked as read to get it off my "currently reading" list - may finish one day.
September 25, 2011
This is my "no one will talk to me at the pub" book to read on my iPhone while I enjoy a beer on the patio.
January 8, 2013
The Elric Saga part 2.
Read
May 24, 2016Elric still dies. Every time I read it he dies. WHY? WHY? WHY? Oh right. Big bad evil black sword
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews