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The Elric Saga #9
The Revenge of the Rose
First edition bound in tan cloth. A Near Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. The usual mild tanning to the page margins else fine. Signed and inscribed and dated (1991)) on the front fly by Moorcock. An Elric novel.
First published May 9, 1991
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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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 122 reviews
June 21, 2019
Most readers suffer a particular poignancy when they finish a bad book by a good author, but here my reader’s grief in intensified:Elric series—of which The Revenge of the Rose is the final completed volume---is my favorite fantasy series.
Its hero Prince Elric, the Byronic albino addicted to his soul-drinking broadsword and filled with forebodings of a tragic destiny, came as a revelation to me. I had become bored with the macho posturing of Conan, weary of the light adventures of Leiber’s Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser, and had never really warmed to Tolkien’s Middle-Earth, which seemed to me little more than a late Victorian version “Merrie England.”
Elric, by contrast, had very little of sexism, superficiality, or sentimentality in his adventures. The action and the prose moved swiftly, and the nature of of Elric’s world (a universe where Law and Chaos forever warred for control) was manifested in the tale itself, not by a series of lectures but by the actions Elric chose to perform.
Alas, The Revenge of the Rose—an interpolation into the chronology of the ready completed “Elric” saga—has few of these admirable qualities. Here Elric, although he has an important quest (either find his dead father’s heart in a box or house within his own body the old man’s brooding soul) takes a backseat to the “Rose” of the title, a woman on a mission both of revenge and restoration. This Elric possess none of fire and unpredictability of the previous adventures, and many of his conversations and incidental adventures feature the sort of pseudo-Dickensian comedy and strained political allegory that the younger Moorcock—the disparager of Tolkien’s “epic Pooh”--would never have allowed in one of his earlier books.
Perhaps, worst of all, are the discussions the characters occasionally have of Moorcock’s world of Law and Chaos, and how it works. By this time in his life, our author had refined his exciting philosophical ideas into an excruciatingly explainable system, and he is determined to make his reader suffer for it. Here, for example, the reader shares Elric’s musing when he is caught up temporarily in an “intradimensional hurricane”:
Human love, thought the albino, as universe upon universe engulfed and expelled him, is our only constancy, the only quality with which we may conquer the inescapable logic of Entropy. And at that the sword trembled in his hand and seemed to be trying to twist free, almost as if it were disgusted by such sentimental altruism. And Elric clung to the blade as his only reality, his only security in this wildness of ruptured Time and Space...It was at this point that Elric grew to respect the extraordinary power which dwelled within the black blade, of a power which seemed born of Chaos yet which had a loyalty neither to Chaos nor to Law—yet neither did it serve the Balance—of a power so thoroughly a thing of itself that it required few outward manifestations and yet which might be able to be the profound opposite if everything Elric valued and fought to create—as if some warring force were symbolised by this ironic bond between yearning idealist and cynical solipsist, a force, perhaps, which might be discovered in most thinking creatures, and found over-dramatic resolution in the symbiosis between Stormbringer and the Last Lord of Melnibone...Now the albino flew behind the runesword as it carved a path for itself...almost as if it sought to correct some obscene malformation in the fabric of the cosmos, some event which even it refused to permit...At this point, I hoped Stormbringer would enter my small little corner of the multiverse and destroy every copy of the “obscene malformation” called The Revenge of the Rose. Alas, such a resolution was not to be. I still had seventy-five pages to go, and I still had to write a review.
November 23, 2015
This was my second time though this book, and I'm still not really sure how I felt about it. At times, I was mesmerized and awed by the scope of Moorcock's descriptive style, and at others I wanted to pitch it into an open flame.
If a good editor got ahold of this book and weeded out all the extra adjectives and rambling style of weaving philosophy into a narrative, we could have this thing cut down to about a third of its length and it would make a pretty damn good novella.
As it is, we have a philosophical discussion or twelve between the characters in a narrative that switches from past tense to present and back without any apparent rhyme or reason. And while I admit that Moorcock has used his fifty-plus years of being a published writer to neatly perfect his vocabulary and sentence building, is it completely necessary to hit the readers constantly with the Faulker effect? This being the ability to craft a sentence that winds on and on and fills up half a page, stating quite a bit of information, yet leaving the reader exhausted and going 'the hell?' well after coming up for air again. A period looks like this, Michael: "." It creates a pause in the narrative.
Whatever happened to the good old fashioned early pulp style mayhem and blood and guts Elric stories? Influenced heavily by Robert E. Howard, full of blood and dragonfire and a soul devouring runesword?
Well, those things are here, if you can weed through everything else. Moorcock does have some cool supporting characters in this. I enjoyed Wheldrake for awhile, but eventually wished Moonglum was back. I did like The Rose, Clarion Phatt, the three sisters, Ebsen Snare the werewolf, the big toad, Elric's father's lingering spirit, and Gaynor the Prince of the Damned.
Elric himself was pretty cool, in that we get a glimpse into his humanity. The thing is, he was too likable in this book. He's eternally damned, and needs to act like it. We don't get any scenes like in previous books where he holds back and allows innocents to be devoured by Chaos in order to keep on the task at hand. In here, he's the anti-anti-hero.
But I will say that I loved the whole part involving the Gypsy Nation. That was such a cool and sinister plot element, that I am giving this book a bump of a single star just for including it. No spoilers in the review, but it rocks.
So now it's back to the omnibus containing this book, where next up are the stories from The Bane of the Black Sword. First up: "The Stealer of Souls". Now, it's time for some good old fun!
If a good editor got ahold of this book and weeded out all the extra adjectives and rambling style of weaving philosophy into a narrative, we could have this thing cut down to about a third of its length and it would make a pretty damn good novella.
As it is, we have a philosophical discussion or twelve between the characters in a narrative that switches from past tense to present and back without any apparent rhyme or reason. And while I admit that Moorcock has used his fifty-plus years of being a published writer to neatly perfect his vocabulary and sentence building, is it completely necessary to hit the readers constantly with the Faulker effect? This being the ability to craft a sentence that winds on and on and fills up half a page, stating quite a bit of information, yet leaving the reader exhausted and going 'the hell?' well after coming up for air again. A period looks like this, Michael: "." It creates a pause in the narrative.
Whatever happened to the good old fashioned early pulp style mayhem and blood and guts Elric stories? Influenced heavily by Robert E. Howard, full of blood and dragonfire and a soul devouring runesword?
Well, those things are here, if you can weed through everything else. Moorcock does have some cool supporting characters in this. I enjoyed Wheldrake for awhile, but eventually wished Moonglum was back. I did like The Rose, Clarion Phatt, the three sisters, Ebsen Snare the werewolf, the big toad, Elric's father's lingering spirit, and Gaynor the Prince of the Damned.
Elric himself was pretty cool, in that we get a glimpse into his humanity. The thing is, he was too likable in this book. He's eternally damned, and needs to act like it. We don't get any scenes like in previous books where he holds back and allows innocents to be devoured by Chaos in order to keep on the task at hand. In here, he's the anti-anti-hero.
But I will say that I loved the whole part involving the Gypsy Nation. That was such a cool and sinister plot element, that I am giving this book a bump of a single star just for including it. No spoilers in the review, but it rocks.
So now it's back to the omnibus containing this book, where next up are the stories from The Bane of the Black Sword. First up: "The Stealer of Souls". Now, it's time for some good old fun!
October 8, 2016
Οι παλιές ιστορίες Elric είχαν περιπέτεια και escapism με μία επίφαση φιλοσοφίας.
Αυτό εδώ έχει μία γερή επίφαση φιλοσοφίας με μία μικρή δόση περιπέτειας και escapism. Μπορείτε να το προσπεράσετε άνετα και δε θα χάσετε κάτι
Αυτό εδώ έχει μία γερή επίφαση φιλοσοφίας με μία μικρή δόση περιπέτειας και escapism. Μπορείτε να το προσπεράσετε άνετα και δε θα χάσετε κάτι
then-again-maybe-not
June 4, 2020· Book 1: Elric of Melnilboné ★★★★★
· Book 2: The Fortress of the Pearl ★★★★★
· Book 3: The Sailor on the Seas of Fate ★★★★★
· Book 4: The Weird of the White Wolf ★★★
· Book 5: The Vanishing Tower (aka “The Sleeping Sorceress”) - to be read.
· Book 6: The Revenge of the Black Rose - to be read.
· Book 7: The Bane of the Black Sword - to be read.
· Book 8: Stormbringer - to be read.
· Book 9: Elric at the End of Time - to be read.
· Book 10: Daughter of Dreams - to be read.
· Book 11: Destiny’s Brother - to be read.
· Book 12: Son of the Wolf - to be read.
(Following the Tor reading order)
· Book 2: The Fortress of the Pearl ★★★★★
· Book 3: The Sailor on the Seas of Fate ★★★★★
· Book 4: The Weird of the White Wolf ★★★
· Book 5: The Vanishing Tower (aka “The Sleeping Sorceress”) - to be read.
· Book 6: The Revenge of the Black Rose - to be read.
· Book 7: The Bane of the Black Sword - to be read.
· Book 8: Stormbringer - to be read.
· Book 9: Elric at the End of Time - to be read.
· Book 10: Daughter of Dreams - to be read.
· Book 11: Destiny’s Brother - to be read.
· Book 12: Son of the Wolf - to be read.
(Following the Tor reading order)
April 9, 2020
This novel, like The Fortress of the Pearl, was written and published several years after the completion of the original "core-six" of the series, and doesn't fit comfortably in style or chronology with the previous books. I believe it would have been a much better idea to present the book with a different protagonist, but then again it probably would not have sold nearly as well that way. Part of the charm of the first books was the crazy break-neck pace, the idea that the author had no more idea of what lay in the next chapter than the reader or the hero or Jerry Cornelius did. Setting all of that aside, however, this is a good fantasy adventure in its own right, a nice blend of literary high fantasy with sword and sorcery fiction. The sword Stormbringer itself becomes a character of interest, The Dreaming City is very nicely depicted, and The Rose is surely one of Moorcock's best developed female characters.
November 28, 2024
Let me tell you a story of three sisters, one Rose,
And our cursed warrior running from his father's ghost.
Joined by a poet named Wheldrake and a seer,
Hunted by Gaynor the Damned, what a fiend.
Through lands of chaos they travel,
Each desiring trinkets most valued.
For these their lives they gamble,
And restore parts of the multiverse.
Even lord of chaos pales before their combined might,
Although his sinister nature can't help but fight.
Elric escapes a fate worse than death,
I only wish his motivation had more depth.
----
I have to say, good sirs and ladies, that this book was a chore worth of a work horse to get through. With prose as purple as eggplant and plot as weak as paper straw. Especially in the first half and so it is no big surprise I have struggled. If the story didn't improve and raised the tempo I would've given up.
Its third act was verily enjoyable but didn't save the rest of the book from being nearly as bad as Weird of the White Wolf. This book is its opposite in many ways, mainly in having a coherent story, but this Rose was as thorny as you can imagine with pages long, moralizing and philosophizing in metaphors and with endless sentences, whereupon the sentence is so long and complicated it leaves you exhausted by the end, this all but common throughout the book and you are probably now getting the idea of what I mean, as I had refused to end this sentence on several occasions.
Its old style of prose which I'm poorly imitating here was sometimes a curse, other times a gift that kept on giving. In the end it took me much longer to get through the book than I anticipated (I partly blame Herald which I read simultaneously) and already I'm feeling nostalgic for the good parts, once again in a way only Elric books manage. Were I to read this again, however, I would skip most of the first act which make up half of the book. The whole gipsy subplot was unnecessary and annoying.
Overall 2.5/5*
And our cursed warrior running from his father's ghost.
Joined by a poet named Wheldrake and a seer,
Hunted by Gaynor the Damned, what a fiend.
Through lands of chaos they travel,
Each desiring trinkets most valued.
For these their lives they gamble,
And restore parts of the multiverse.
Even lord of chaos pales before their combined might,
Although his sinister nature can't help but fight.
Elric escapes a fate worse than death,
I only wish his motivation had more depth.
----
I have to say, good sirs and ladies, that this book was a chore worth of a work horse to get through. With prose as purple as eggplant and plot as weak as paper straw. Especially in the first half and so it is no big surprise I have struggled. If the story didn't improve and raised the tempo I would've given up.
Its third act was verily enjoyable but didn't save the rest of the book from being nearly as bad as Weird of the White Wolf. This book is its opposite in many ways, mainly in having a coherent story, but this Rose was as thorny as you can imagine with pages long, moralizing and philosophizing in metaphors and with endless sentences, whereupon the sentence is so long and complicated it leaves you exhausted by the end, this all but common throughout the book and you are probably now getting the idea of what I mean, as I had refused to end this sentence on several occasions.
Its old style of prose which I'm poorly imitating here was sometimes a curse, other times a gift that kept on giving. In the end it took me much longer to get through the book than I anticipated (I partly blame Herald which I read simultaneously) and already I'm feeling nostalgic for the good parts, once again in a way only Elric books manage. Were I to read this again, however, I would skip most of the first act which make up half of the book. The whole gipsy subplot was unnecessary and annoying.
Overall 2.5/5*
January 16, 2014
It seems like a lot of Elric fans are kinda down on this installment of the eternal saga, but I can't really see why. Moorcock's voice here seems to have matured well, and I found it on the whole quite an enjoyable ride. If I were to complain about anything, just to have something negative to say, I'm a bit surprised that his editor let him get away with quite so many monstrously long run-on sentences, but that's a quibble. Highly recommended for fans who do not resemble Comic Shop Guy.
June 22, 2021
2,5/5
La venganza de la Rosa para mí supone la peor experiencia de Elric. De lejos. La relectura no ha hecho más que confirmarlo. A pesar de que la trama resulta interesante, emprendiendo el albino una misión por liberar el alma de su padre, no lo hace su desarrollo. El libro tiene pasajes bastante buenos, como el de las ciudades gitanas que se desplazan constantemente o los momentos finales de la novela, pero lamentablemente no son suficientes para mantener un buen ritmo, y su lectura acaba dejando que desear. En este libro encontramos a un Moorcock que ha madurado su prosa, como ya pudiéramos observar en La fortaleza de la Perla, pero que, paradójicamente, le afecta en su contra. Las caóticas historias de Elric funcionan, en mi opinión, mucho mejor con un lenguaje acorde a esa anarquía. Aquí encontramos continuas discusiones filosóficas que no llevan a nada y cuya presencia es evidentemente forzada. No sólo no conducen a ningún sitio, sino que además despitan sobre la verdadera trama, que sí existe.
Me parece un libro un tanto decepcionante dentro de la saga del Emperador Albino. Mantiene ideas muy originales, pero falla en su ejecución, al querer apartarse de un estilo que sin duda funcionaba.
La venganza de la Rosa para mí supone la peor experiencia de Elric. De lejos. La relectura no ha hecho más que confirmarlo. A pesar de que la trama resulta interesante, emprendiendo el albino una misión por liberar el alma de su padre, no lo hace su desarrollo. El libro tiene pasajes bastante buenos, como el de las ciudades gitanas que se desplazan constantemente o los momentos finales de la novela, pero lamentablemente no son suficientes para mantener un buen ritmo, y su lectura acaba dejando que desear. En este libro encontramos a un Moorcock que ha madurado su prosa, como ya pudiéramos observar en La fortaleza de la Perla, pero que, paradójicamente, le afecta en su contra. Las caóticas historias de Elric funcionan, en mi opinión, mucho mejor con un lenguaje acorde a esa anarquía. Aquí encontramos continuas discusiones filosóficas que no llevan a nada y cuya presencia es evidentemente forzada. No sólo no conducen a ningún sitio, sino que además despitan sobre la verdadera trama, que sí existe.
Me parece un libro un tanto decepcionante dentro de la saga del Emperador Albino. Mantiene ideas muy originales, pero falla en su ejecución, al querer apartarse de un estilo que sin duda funcionaba.
June 26, 2022
Some good bits, some boring bits.
June 15, 2023
It was OK.
October 23, 2025
3.5
Trošku jiný Elrik, psaný později než předchozí díly, ale dějově zapadá tak někam mezi.
Pulpová fantastika ustoupila symbolice, filozofii, jakémusi lyričnu, věčnému koloběhu a identitě. Elrik se tentokrát staví do pozice unaveného společníka, který spíše reflektuje. Dost se cestuje multiversem a realitami, něco je zastřené snovostí a akčnost dává jednoznačnou přednost obraznosti.
Nebylo to špatný, ale ráda se vrátím ke staršímu Elrikovi :)
Trošku jiný Elrik, psaný později než předchozí díly, ale dějově zapadá tak někam mezi.
Pulpová fantastika ustoupila symbolice, filozofii, jakémusi lyričnu, věčnému koloběhu a identitě. Elrik se tentokrát staví do pozice unaveného společníka, který spíše reflektuje. Dost se cestuje multiversem a realitami, něco je zastřené snovostí a akčnost dává jednoznačnou přednost obraznosti.
Nebylo to špatný, ale ráda se vrátím ke staršímu Elrikovi :)
November 9, 2018
Easily the best plotted and written book in the series. Run on sentences included. Don't get me wrong, I like all of the books but wow, you can really see a huge change in narrative quality, character building, and world depth when you read this book in proper chrono order after Sleeping Sorceress/Vanishing Tower which I think was still published serially first then collected into a book. In this, Elric is a player in an ensemble where we're limited to his perspective - there are other really interesting and fun characters propelling the plot. Thinking on it some more this read like a second draft of Weird of the White Wolf with all its dreamlike locations and qualities but with more of everything.
I'm pretty sure I previously read these in original publish order but for my re-read I went through in chrono order per this blog (credit where credit is due ;) https://rossonl.wordpress.com/2016/04...
Book 1: Elric of Melnibone (1972)
Book 2: The Fortress of the Pearl (1989)
Book 3: The Sailor on the Seas of Fate (1976)
Book 4: The Weird of the White Wolf (1961)
Book 5: The Sleeping Sorceress (1970)
Book 6: The Revenge of the Rose (1991)
Book 7: The Bane of the Black Sword (1962)
Book 8: Stormbringer (1963)
I'm pretty sure I previously read these in original publish order but for my re-read I went through in chrono order per this blog (credit where credit is due ;) https://rossonl.wordpress.com/2016/04...
Book 1: Elric of Melnibone (1972)
Book 2: The Fortress of the Pearl (1989)
Book 3: The Sailor on the Seas of Fate (1976)
Book 4: The Weird of the White Wolf (1961)
Book 5: The Sleeping Sorceress (1970)
Book 6: The Revenge of the Rose (1991)
Book 7: The Bane of the Black Sword (1962)
Book 8: Stormbringer (1963)
April 10, 2015
So baroque and decadent in places, this book felt more like a sequel or sidequel to Gloriana than an Elric book, and indeed a character from Gloriana is a major part of the story; Ernest Wheldrake may even get more "screen" time than Elric. Ditto the book's many awesome female characters, especially the titular The Rose (she is never referred to as simply "Rose"). In the climactic battle (mild spoiler here) (very mild), Elric is the only male among the good guys who ride out, to give you some idea.
August 13, 2023
3.75/5 rounded up.
I liked many things about this book, mainly the side characters of Wheldrake and Charion, well the whole Phatt family, actually. I like the world building and getting to know more about Arioch and the power dynamics between the lords of Chaos. I still think that Elric as a character feels flat and uninteresting, though, which pulls down the rating.
I liked many things about this book, mainly the side characters of Wheldrake and Charion, well the whole Phatt family, actually. I like the world building and getting to know more about Arioch and the power dynamics between the lords of Chaos. I still think that Elric as a character feels flat and uninteresting, though, which pulls down the rating.
October 18, 2023
"The Revenge of the Rose" by Michael Moorcock is a thought-provoking, complex, and engaging novel that seamlessly blends elements of fantasy, science fiction, and philosophy. This book explores the concept of eternal recurrence, drawing inspiration from Nietzsche's philosophical ideas.
Moorcock's narrative style is both intricate and vivid, immersing the reader in a world that challenges conventional notions of time and reality. The protagonist, Ulrich von Bek, embarks on a timeless journey through alternate universes, each reflecting a different era of history and accompanied by an assortment of memorable characters.
What sets this novel apart is its ability to combine intellectual depth with thrilling storytelling. Moorcock explores profound questions about the cyclical nature of history, the eternal struggle between good and evil, and the human condition. He delves into these philosophical themes without sacrificing the quality of the narrative or the development of the characters.
The book's pacing is deliberate, allowing readers to absorb the intricate details and philosophical concepts presented. While some might find this approach a bit slow, it serves the purpose of immersing readers in the profound ideas that underpin the narrative.
One aspect that could be improved is the clarity of the narrative, as Moorcock occasionally blurs the lines between different realities and timelines. However, for those who enjoy a challenging read that demands close attention, this complexity adds depth to the story.
In summary, "The Revenge of the Rose" is a book that caters to readers with a penchant for philosophical and metaphysical exploration within the framework of a fantasy novel. It's a captivating journey through time and reality, and while it may not be everyone's cup of tea, for those who appreciate intricate, thought-provoking narratives, this book is a rewarding experience.
Moorcock's narrative style is both intricate and vivid, immersing the reader in a world that challenges conventional notions of time and reality. The protagonist, Ulrich von Bek, embarks on a timeless journey through alternate universes, each reflecting a different era of history and accompanied by an assortment of memorable characters.
What sets this novel apart is its ability to combine intellectual depth with thrilling storytelling. Moorcock explores profound questions about the cyclical nature of history, the eternal struggle between good and evil, and the human condition. He delves into these philosophical themes without sacrificing the quality of the narrative or the development of the characters.
The book's pacing is deliberate, allowing readers to absorb the intricate details and philosophical concepts presented. While some might find this approach a bit slow, it serves the purpose of immersing readers in the profound ideas that underpin the narrative.
One aspect that could be improved is the clarity of the narrative, as Moorcock occasionally blurs the lines between different realities and timelines. However, for those who enjoy a challenging read that demands close attention, this complexity adds depth to the story.
In summary, "The Revenge of the Rose" is a book that caters to readers with a penchant for philosophical and metaphysical exploration within the framework of a fantasy novel. It's a captivating journey through time and reality, and while it may not be everyone's cup of tea, for those who appreciate intricate, thought-provoking narratives, this book is a rewarding experience.
October 11, 2015
Elric's Returns are Diminishing
21 June 2013
Back in the days when I was going out of my way to get as many Elric books as possible, I had little idea that there were the classic (or original) Elric books and then there were the ones that Morcock ended up writing later because of the popularity of the originals. As is generally the case, when one revisits a classic series to attempt to capitalise on it (though in many cases there is usually some form of reader demand as well) the quality of the story tends to drop. It is what I call the Law of Diminishing Returns – the more you do something the less enjoyable it becomes.
Take dating sites for instance. I know this has nothing to do with this book, and really, there is little that I can actually write about this book with the exception of having read it and that it was, well, pretty ordinary (it simply did not have the zest of the earlier Elric books) so I feel I should outline my Law of Diminishing Returns a bit more. Okay, the Law of Diminishing Returns is an law of economics (and one sometimes wonders if such a speculative 'science' can really have any laws, but then again economics is based upon the concept of scarcity of resources) and yes, my interpretation of the law does have connections with the economic law, but then I tend to bring it out into the social sphere as well because I believe that it also applies here.
Anyway dating sites: I have used dating sites, and in a sense I like them (depending on the site that is, and I am not talking about the ones where you simply go on line to get sex, you know, like Adult Friend Finder – I will not actually write the web address because Goodreads has a habit of actually creating a link, and if you really want to find it I am sure you can find it without me having to create a link) because it is actually a lot easier to approach somebody on the internet than at, say, a pub. However, what I have also discovered is that when you first put your profile up there you get lots of hits (or at least I do) but as time moves on the hits get less and less. The same with the responses (and yes, I have got responses) – at first you get a few, but over time they get less. Further, when I first start playing around with it it is a lot of fun, but after a while it simply gets boring and tedious.
However, that is when my second law comes in: the Law of Averages (not that there is any hierarchy to these laws, and if there was, I would put the Law of Averages first) and that is that the more you do something, the more likely you are to get the result that you want. The difference is that the Law of Averages requires persistence, and that is something that not may of us have. That means that when the Law of Diminishing Returns starts to take effect, one will then need to take into account the Law of Averages and start putting more effort into achieving your goal, because what is happening is that the honeymoon is now over and the period of work is about to begin. As they say (I don't know who exactly, and I am not sure if 'they', whoever they are, actually said it) it is a much better feeling to achieve something after you have worked for it than to have it handed to you on a silver plater (or something like that).
21 June 2013
Back in the days when I was going out of my way to get as many Elric books as possible, I had little idea that there were the classic (or original) Elric books and then there were the ones that Morcock ended up writing later because of the popularity of the originals. As is generally the case, when one revisits a classic series to attempt to capitalise on it (though in many cases there is usually some form of reader demand as well) the quality of the story tends to drop. It is what I call the Law of Diminishing Returns – the more you do something the less enjoyable it becomes.
Take dating sites for instance. I know this has nothing to do with this book, and really, there is little that I can actually write about this book with the exception of having read it and that it was, well, pretty ordinary (it simply did not have the zest of the earlier Elric books) so I feel I should outline my Law of Diminishing Returns a bit more. Okay, the Law of Diminishing Returns is an law of economics (and one sometimes wonders if such a speculative 'science' can really have any laws, but then again economics is based upon the concept of scarcity of resources) and yes, my interpretation of the law does have connections with the economic law, but then I tend to bring it out into the social sphere as well because I believe that it also applies here.
Anyway dating sites: I have used dating sites, and in a sense I like them (depending on the site that is, and I am not talking about the ones where you simply go on line to get sex, you know, like Adult Friend Finder – I will not actually write the web address because Goodreads has a habit of actually creating a link, and if you really want to find it I am sure you can find it without me having to create a link) because it is actually a lot easier to approach somebody on the internet than at, say, a pub. However, what I have also discovered is that when you first put your profile up there you get lots of hits (or at least I do) but as time moves on the hits get less and less. The same with the responses (and yes, I have got responses) – at first you get a few, but over time they get less. Further, when I first start playing around with it it is a lot of fun, but after a while it simply gets boring and tedious.
However, that is when my second law comes in: the Law of Averages (not that there is any hierarchy to these laws, and if there was, I would put the Law of Averages first) and that is that the more you do something, the more likely you are to get the result that you want. The difference is that the Law of Averages requires persistence, and that is something that not may of us have. That means that when the Law of Diminishing Returns starts to take effect, one will then need to take into account the Law of Averages and start putting more effort into achieving your goal, because what is happening is that the honeymoon is now over and the period of work is about to begin. As they say (I don't know who exactly, and I am not sure if 'they', whoever they are, actually said it) it is a much better feeling to achieve something after you have worked for it than to have it handed to you on a silver plater (or something like that).
January 16, 2021
Of all the Elric novels I've read so far, this was the most difficult to rate. On the one hand, it boasted some of my favorite fantastical creations, most notably the Gypsy Nation. Truly a unique an captivating civilization that I could spend several narratives in. Gaynor was also an interesting and somewhat divisive character. Wheldrake was a fantastic character, I thought: entertaining without being annoying. I really found him to be a perfect sidekick, and I surprised myself in perhaps preferring him to Moonglum.
The Rose felt a bit cookie cutter to me (sorry).
On the other hand, it meandered often and distractingly, and Moorcock had a baffling habit in this piece of switching between first- and third-person perspectives with no logical transition or divide. It felt random and jarring. That, and the language was often more flowery than it needed to be, and to that end it felt a little try hard at times.
It had some of my favorite elements from the Elric novels, but was far from my favorite Elric novel. I might have to revisit it after finishing the series.
(I'm reading in chronological order if that helps put my review into perspective).
The Rose felt a bit cookie cutter to me (sorry).
On the other hand, it meandered often and distractingly, and Moorcock had a baffling habit in this piece of switching between first- and third-person perspectives with no logical transition or divide. It felt random and jarring. That, and the language was often more flowery than it needed to be, and to that end it felt a little try hard at times.
It had some of my favorite elements from the Elric novels, but was far from my favorite Elric novel. I might have to revisit it after finishing the series.
(I'm reading in chronological order if that helps put my review into perspective).
August 24, 2019
This book just didn't capture my attention. While there were a few interesting aspects, most of the time I found myself drifting in and out and just wishing it was over.
August 31, 2022
First Elric book with a happy ending.
August 11, 2023
While the writing has improved the book just feels awkward. I can't exactly put my finger on it but it doesn't feel like the usual Elric adventure.
June 2, 2025
4.25/5 stars
Revenge of the Rose seems to be considered by some readers as one of Moorcock's weaker Elric books. Personally, I did not find that to be the case! I thoroughly enjoyed this and found it shared some strengths with Fortress of the Pearl. I think the extent to which you find enjoyment in Revenge of the Rose perhaps depends on why you like Elric.
Personally I enjoy Elric for everything the series has to offer, from the imaginative, fantastical creatures, the weird psychedelic clashes between Chaos/Law/the Balance, Elric's unique moral predicaments, the unique nature of his character, to the world building, to the more reflective and "philosophical" aspects of Elric's journeys and dialogues.
In this book, all of the above were great but that more reflective side really shone, along with some very cool background lore. I was fascinated by the brief elaborations on the history of the Melniboneans and Vedhagh. Similarly, I really appreciated the role of Wheldrake's poems in continuing to built that ancient lore, as well as the hints around the Rose's history. The Phatt family and their quest mapping pathways through all the Spheres was really cool too.
And speaking of the Spheres, I think this book's focus on Spheres, dimensions etc really highlighted some of the big influences on the Witcher books and the direction they developed post-Blood of Elves. Just interesting to see those very obvious influences.
Revenge of the Rose seems to be considered by some readers as one of Moorcock's weaker Elric books. Personally, I did not find that to be the case! I thoroughly enjoyed this and found it shared some strengths with Fortress of the Pearl. I think the extent to which you find enjoyment in Revenge of the Rose perhaps depends on why you like Elric.
Personally I enjoy Elric for everything the series has to offer, from the imaginative, fantastical creatures, the weird psychedelic clashes between Chaos/Law/the Balance, Elric's unique moral predicaments, the unique nature of his character, to the world building, to the more reflective and "philosophical" aspects of Elric's journeys and dialogues.
In this book, all of the above were great but that more reflective side really shone, along with some very cool background lore. I was fascinated by the brief elaborations on the history of the Melniboneans and Vedhagh. Similarly, I really appreciated the role of Wheldrake's poems in continuing to built that ancient lore, as well as the hints around the Rose's history. The Phatt family and their quest mapping pathways through all the Spheres was really cool too.
And speaking of the Spheres, I think this book's focus on Spheres, dimensions etc really highlighted some of the big influences on the Witcher books and the direction they developed post-Blood of Elves. Just interesting to see those very obvious influences.
February 23, 2025
Daddy Issues.
Moorcock's "The Revenge of the Rose" is chronologically the fifth volume in the Elric saga but ninth in publication order. That latter position probably explains it's length as this the longest of the Elric books so far. It is the better for it as Moorcock has more time and space to develop his story (as opposed to the entertainingly bizarre, if largely disconnected set-pieces of previous novellas).
The story follows albino sorcerer Elric of Melniboné, the albino sorcerer, on a quest to retrieve the soul of his father, Sadric, which is trapped in a rosewood box. Elric is accompanied by a mysterious warrior princess named Rose, who seeks revenge against Charion, an undead agent of Chaos responsible for destroying her people. Throughout their journey, we get werewolves, Chaos Lords, and the treacherous Princes that crave death but can't achieve it and we get a LOT weirder with an expanded multiverse.
The strained relationship between Elric and his spectral father, who resents Elric for causing his wife's (Elric's mother's) death during childbirth, is a central theme woven throughout the tale. Elric's sense of duty to a father who resents him adds a layer of maturity and emotional depth to the story.
Moorcock's "The Revenge of the Rose" is chronologically the fifth volume in the Elric saga but ninth in publication order. That latter position probably explains it's length as this the longest of the Elric books so far. It is the better for it as Moorcock has more time and space to develop his story (as opposed to the entertainingly bizarre, if largely disconnected set-pieces of previous novellas).
The story follows albino sorcerer Elric of Melniboné, the albino sorcerer, on a quest to retrieve the soul of his father, Sadric, which is trapped in a rosewood box. Elric is accompanied by a mysterious warrior princess named Rose, who seeks revenge against Charion, an undead agent of Chaos responsible for destroying her people. Throughout their journey, we get werewolves, Chaos Lords, and the treacherous Princes that crave death but can't achieve it and we get a LOT weirder with an expanded multiverse.
The strained relationship between Elric and his spectral father, who resents Elric for causing his wife's (Elric's mother's) death during childbirth, is a central theme woven throughout the tale. Elric's sense of duty to a father who resents him adds a layer of maturity and emotional depth to the story.
October 18, 2022
Elric resumes his trippy metaphysical adventures alongside his soul-eating blade. He becomes enmeshed in the battle between Law, Chaos, and the Balance. There is plenty of weirdness in this book, including an odd choice of the author to occasionally slip in and out of present tense. It drags a bit in the middle during a long philosophical discussion but then picks up the pace as Elric goes up against his own patron, the god of Chaos, Arioch.
April 13, 2023
Otro gran libro con las desventuras del enigmático y poético Elric, ahora temiendo por algo más que solo su pellejo: su propia libertad. Excelente jugada la de "Rosa".
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 31, 2022
Elric is traveling with a fellow named Wheldrake-a poet from Earth- when he is confronted by a dragon that kills his horse. The dragon recognizes Elric and takes him back to the gleaming isle.
He hears his father’s voice, the ghost of his father witches to be join re-join, his mother, used to be a magic to send a dragon for Elric. Sadric asks his son to find his soul, which is in a rosewood box, which was stolen and transported to other worlds.
The dragon carries Elric to the world of Wheldrake. The two of them begin to travel together. They meet The Rose and she joins them. She is the last of her kind is alsoi on a quest. One night they encounter a 2000-year-old knight, who was once a Prince of the Balance. His name is Gaynor and he is on a quest to find three sisters. They are on a quest themselves, looking for a lost countryman, and the Gypsy Nation. Gaynor abruptly leaves them.
Elric admits to Wheldrake that he is afraid of Gaynor.
They travel down the road until they reach the Gypsy Nations which are gigantic cities on wheels which must always keep moving otherwise the grind to a halt and never move again. This is a not so blatant allegory for the West in the 1980s I would imagine. They meet the Phatts-father, grandmother, young daughter, and son – who are a poor impoverished, family living in the Gypsy Nation, but who have the remarkable power of seeing through the Multiverse.
Gaynor in searching for the three sisters, rips a hole in time in space and causes the Gypsy Nation to fall into it . Both the Rose and Wheldrake are lost.
In the new realm Elric eventually meets up with Wheldrake again. Charion Phatt is now a grown woman. They begin to travel with Gaynor on the heavy seas. Esbern Snare is their navigator. Wheldrake and Charion go off on their own while Gaynor and Elric climb a mountain range. They come upon a city where everyone is occupied maintaining a clock built by Arioch. The Chaos Lord Mashabak is in a magical cage at the top. Esbern Snare attacks Arioch, who then flings Elric across the multi-verse. Stormbringer fights back and deposits him near Charion and Wheldrake. Gaynor is nowhere to be found.
Elric, Wheldrake and Charion travel to find the three sisters. They come to a castle. They find the Rose, who has been defeated in battle, but not before doing magic to hide the three sisters. With the help of Stormbringer, they forge three more swords. Gaynor arrives. Elric, the three sisters, the Rose and Charion go out to fight them. Gaynor has a leeching sword. Their swords lose energy each time they strike it. Elric remembers a story from his childhood. Gaynor loses and flees the field.
They chase him to his ship. He now has Mashabak. They bargain. Gaynor flees.
And more things happen that involve the title of the book.
I don’t think this is an Elric novel. I think it is Jerry Cornelius story. It has a zany quality to it. It is very long. Elric rarely raises his sword. He broods. Esbern Snare broods.
He hears his father’s voice, the ghost of his father witches to be join re-join, his mother, used to be a magic to send a dragon for Elric. Sadric asks his son to find his soul, which is in a rosewood box, which was stolen and transported to other worlds.
The dragon carries Elric to the world of Wheldrake. The two of them begin to travel together. They meet The Rose and she joins them. She is the last of her kind is alsoi on a quest. One night they encounter a 2000-year-old knight, who was once a Prince of the Balance. His name is Gaynor and he is on a quest to find three sisters. They are on a quest themselves, looking for a lost countryman, and the Gypsy Nation. Gaynor abruptly leaves them.
Elric admits to Wheldrake that he is afraid of Gaynor.
They travel down the road until they reach the Gypsy Nations which are gigantic cities on wheels which must always keep moving otherwise the grind to a halt and never move again. This is a not so blatant allegory for the West in the 1980s I would imagine. They meet the Phatts-father, grandmother, young daughter, and son – who are a poor impoverished, family living in the Gypsy Nation, but who have the remarkable power of seeing through the Multiverse.
Gaynor in searching for the three sisters, rips a hole in time in space and causes the Gypsy Nation to fall into it . Both the Rose and Wheldrake are lost.
In the new realm Elric eventually meets up with Wheldrake again. Charion Phatt is now a grown woman. They begin to travel with Gaynor on the heavy seas. Esbern Snare is their navigator. Wheldrake and Charion go off on their own while Gaynor and Elric climb a mountain range. They come upon a city where everyone is occupied maintaining a clock built by Arioch. The Chaos Lord Mashabak is in a magical cage at the top. Esbern Snare attacks Arioch, who then flings Elric across the multi-verse. Stormbringer fights back and deposits him near Charion and Wheldrake. Gaynor is nowhere to be found.
Elric, Wheldrake and Charion travel to find the three sisters. They come to a castle. They find the Rose, who has been defeated in battle, but not before doing magic to hide the three sisters. With the help of Stormbringer, they forge three more swords. Gaynor arrives. Elric, the three sisters, the Rose and Charion go out to fight them. Gaynor has a leeching sword. Their swords lose energy each time they strike it. Elric remembers a story from his childhood. Gaynor loses and flees the field.
They chase him to his ship. He now has Mashabak. They bargain. Gaynor flees.
And more things happen that involve the title of the book.
I don’t think this is an Elric novel. I think it is Jerry Cornelius story. It has a zany quality to it. It is very long. Elric rarely raises his sword. He broods. Esbern Snare broods.
June 25, 2022
Moorcock's style matured over the many years between ELRIC OF MELNIBONE and THE REVENGE OF THE ROSE. His prose is much richer, if a little bit... flowery (pardon the pun). The pacing and action still move very quickly, but he takes a little extra time at appropriate points to world build (expand) and character develop. Elric isn't always front and center in this one. Instead there is a cast of entertaining sidekicks and nemeses that provide additional layers to the plot, as well as, some excellent dialog. Many of these are very strong female characters. It's still the same fantasy epic with our brooding anti-hero on a quest for damnation, but he and his multiverse have aged like a fine wine.
May 22, 2015
The writing style for this has been the worst of the Elric series. There are a few bits of plot and character which were fantastic, and answered so many burning questions about Elric and the changes within his personality. I am so glad to understand the experiences and moments in Elric's life that lead him to his beliefs towards the end of the saga, and this book answers many of these questions.
As usual for the Elric saga the last 1% of the story is by far the best part.
All of the prose, philosophy, and meaningless descriptions of wood and metal got very old. I might rate this book a 3 on another day, but today I feel it is a 2 star.
As usual for the Elric saga the last 1% of the story is by far the best part.
All of the prose, philosophy, and meaningless descriptions of wood and metal got very old. I might rate this book a 3 on another day, but today I feel it is a 2 star.
November 6, 2023
A good story idea with a great ending that had numerous flaws. The biggest flaw with this book was how it felt like a grand "multiverse" story instead of an Elric story. The multiverse references in previous installments were small, and in this book, it seemed every character (including Elric all of a sudden) were experts in all things multiverse. I wonder if this is a result of it being written 9th but being placed 6th in the omnibus editions. Still a decent book, but an extremely disjunct bit of storytelling in general.
August 10, 2022
Absolute drivel. If it didn't have Elric in it and Moorcock's name on the cover, nobody would give this nonsense the time of day. Full review: https://fakegeekboy.wordpress.com/201...
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