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The Elric Saga #2
Stormbringer
From World Fantasy Lifetime Achievement Award–winner Michael Moorcock comes the second installment in is famous Elric of Melnibone series, brought to vivid new life with stunning illustrations.
In one of the most well-known and well-loved fantasy epics of the 20th century, Elric is the brooding, albino emperor of the dying Kingdom of Melnibone. After defeating his nefarious cousin and gaining control over the epic sword, Stormbringer, Elric, prince of ruins, must decide what he’s willing to sacrifice in a fight against Armageddon.
Stormbringer is the second in Michael Moorcock’s incredible series, which has transformed the fantasy genre for generations. Perfect for fans new and old, this book is brought to life once more with stunning illustrations from the most lauded artists in fantasy.
Volume 2: Stormbringer
The Vanishing Tower
The Revenge of the Rose
The Bane of the Black Sword
Stormbringer
In one of the most well-known and well-loved fantasy epics of the 20th century, Elric is the brooding, albino emperor of the dying Kingdom of Melnibone. After defeating his nefarious cousin and gaining control over the epic sword, Stormbringer, Elric, prince of ruins, must decide what he’s willing to sacrifice in a fight against Armageddon.
Stormbringer is the second in Michael Moorcock’s incredible series, which has transformed the fantasy genre for generations. Perfect for fans new and old, this book is brought to life once more with stunning illustrations from the most lauded artists in fantasy.
Volume 2: Stormbringer
The Vanishing Tower
The Revenge of the Rose
The Bane of the Black Sword
Stormbringer
851 pages, Hardcover
First published December 28, 2021
248 people are currently reading
996 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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Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews
December 28, 2024
The Vanishing Tower - 2/5*
The Revenge of the Rose - 2/5*
The Bane of the Black Sword - 3/5*
Stormbringer - 2/5*
And thus Elric's saga is concluded. I don't think I know of any other series where I dislike the books but love the main character this much. Elric is awesome, mythological. And this series inspired many other legendary ones - Chaos of W40k (symbol of Chaos, Chaos in general), The Witcher (White Wolf), Malazan (Anomander, Dragnipur, probably also Icarium and Mappo, warren of Chaos...) and tons more I'm sure.
However, these books aged very poorly and I'm not sure if they were ever great to begin with. Back then people considered fantasy and science fiction genres as cheap ones, with low quality. And I have to say I'm starting to understand that perspective. After Elric, Chronicles of Amber, early Hainish Cycle, Olaf Stapledon's books I'm not getting the most flattering picture of the 50's and 60's fiction...
This is not even close to the best fantasy we're getting now (or rather used to get between 90's and mid 10's as I think the genre is going downhill).
The Revenge of the Rose - 2/5*
The Bane of the Black Sword - 3/5*
Stormbringer - 2/5*
And thus Elric's saga is concluded. I don't think I know of any other series where I dislike the books but love the main character this much. Elric is awesome, mythological. And this series inspired many other legendary ones - Chaos of W40k (symbol of Chaos, Chaos in general), The Witcher (White Wolf), Malazan (Anomander, Dragnipur, probably also Icarium and Mappo, warren of Chaos...) and tons more I'm sure.
However, these books aged very poorly and I'm not sure if they were ever great to begin with. Back then people considered fantasy and science fiction genres as cheap ones, with low quality. And I have to say I'm starting to understand that perspective. After Elric, Chronicles of Amber, early Hainish Cycle, Olaf Stapledon's books I'm not getting the most flattering picture of the 50's and 60's fiction...
This is not even close to the best fantasy we're getting now (or rather used to get between 90's and mid 10's as I think the genre is going downhill).
February 7, 2024
Thoughts:
1. I do not ever want to be Elric's horse or girlfriend.
2. Thighs.
3. These Saga omnibuses are the closest I will get to saying I've read all of Elric. Ain't nobody got time to hunt all that down.
4. Elric stories make me feel as if I am watching a show, rather than the usual fantasy immersion. I like it, but it's different from being in a world with new friends.
5. If you have a thing for sad bois with white hair, Elric is their prototype. You don't have to read it but you better respect it!
1. I do not ever want to be Elric's horse or girlfriend.
2. Thighs.
3. These Saga omnibuses are the closest I will get to saying I've read all of Elric. Ain't nobody got time to hunt all that down.
4. Elric stories make me feel as if I am watching a show, rather than the usual fantasy immersion. I like it, but it's different from being in a world with new friends.
5. If you have a thing for sad bois with white hair, Elric is their prototype. You don't have to read it but you better respect it!
December 31, 2023
I still love it, some parts in here start repeating big story elements and sure its being sold as one of the features "being a doomed character" but .. sometimes he writes it in such compelling detail, where the background of characters have double meaning. Then sometimes, it just feels like a copy and paste job.
But I figure this has more to do with how you read them in what time span. All at once it starts dragging. Still it's very entertaining despite the age.
4.0 out of 5.0 stars
But I figure this has more to do with how you read them in what time span. All at once it starts dragging. Still it's very entertaining despite the age.
4.0 out of 5.0 stars
November 29, 2022
This compilation puts on display both the strengths and weaknesses of Moorcock's signature character. His later works, such as Revenge of the Rose tend to present Elric as a more nuanced, shaded personality while simultaneously removing him from the more traditional sword and sorcery environment in which he originated. However, the narrative itself tends to be less focused, more navel-gazing. The earlier works such as Stormbringer portray a more sexist, melodramatically tortured version of Elric, consistently raising blood-drenched fists to the sky and cursing the powers that be. Yet the earlier stories are punchier, more atmospheric, more mythic.
Overall, a good collection that makes me want to jump directly to the next (and final) volume of the series. If you are looking for an option to replace older paperbacks of this material before they disintegrate entirely, this is well worth your money and time.
Overall, a good collection that makes me want to jump directly to the next (and final) volume of the series. If you are looking for an option to replace older paperbacks of this material before they disintegrate entirely, this is well worth your money and time.
July 30, 2024
This second volume is a lot more even than the last without any outright bad stories or books, it also helps that it has Stormbringer which is the best of all the Elric books, Moorcock truly knew what he wanted with the character and went with it. It is amongst the greatest pieces of fantasy fiction.
August 6, 2024
I still like some elements of the Elric saga. I like the character concept, of a king who destroyed his own empire and I like his complicated relationship with the sapient sword Stormbringer who he despises but is dependent on. There’s a lot of built in internal conflict.
Unfortunately, there’s just no way around the fact that the stories themselves can be hard to get through. These omnibus editions are arranged by internal chronology but the fact that they were written in pieces, at different times, in a different order, published in various magazines and places shows. There’s multiverse gobbledygook which is confusing on a plot level and opaque on a theme level and there’s not always a lot of connective tissue between the parts even within the stories. There are also elements that become repetitive (Elric calling some lord of the higher worlds to solve his problem over and over). The final story in the book ‘Stormbringer’ did manage to bring back and resolve a few different plot threads and I enjoyed it, but not enough to redeem the whole volume.
Throughout I found the prose inconsistent – sometimes succeeding in evoking a dark and moody atmosphere, but often feeling overwrought. I gave the first book 3 stars because by starting and ending with Melnibone, it’s bookended and if I squint it looks like… well, a story with a beginning, middle, and end. Stormbringer feels more like what it is, a collection of loosely related parts that on their own are only okay, and add up to a reading experience that is less than their sum, so I’m knocking it down to 2.
Unfortunately, there’s just no way around the fact that the stories themselves can be hard to get through. These omnibus editions are arranged by internal chronology but the fact that they were written in pieces, at different times, in a different order, published in various magazines and places shows. There’s multiverse gobbledygook which is confusing on a plot level and opaque on a theme level and there’s not always a lot of connective tissue between the parts even within the stories. There are also elements that become repetitive (Elric calling some lord of the higher worlds to solve his problem over and over). The final story in the book ‘Stormbringer’ did manage to bring back and resolve a few different plot threads and I enjoyed it, but not enough to redeem the whole volume.
Throughout I found the prose inconsistent – sometimes succeeding in evoking a dark and moody atmosphere, but often feeling overwrought. I gave the first book 3 stars because by starting and ending with Melnibone, it’s bookended and if I squint it looks like… well, a story with a beginning, middle, and end. Stormbringer feels more like what it is, a collection of loosely related parts that on their own are only okay, and add up to a reading experience that is less than their sum, so I’m knocking it down to 2.
May 14, 2022
Not much needs to be said, this is a re-read after a good while thanks to the new reissues of which this is volume 2 of 3. Still among the very best fantasy literature. One of the books included in this volume was new to me, being a later publication, and while it felt a little different it added some great material and story to Elric's saga. Very enjoyable.
October 15, 2024
Ultimately pretty good, but some of the middle parts dragged on so much I considered a DNF. Also awfully written female characters
July 30, 2025
"But you, Elric, with your sword and our aid, could stop this. It must be done."
"Then let it be done," Elric said quietly, "And if it must be done, then let it be done well."
Reading this second set of 4 books, I once again caught familiar flashes of Conan the Barbarian—the brooding warrior, the arcane relics, the brutal world—but what stood out even more was how much influence Moorcock had on later fantasy. You can clearly see echoes of Elric in The Witcher: swap in Geralt and Jaskier for Elric and Wheldrake, and it’s a near-perfect fit. Both Geralt and Elric are pale-haired, soul-weary swordsmen known as “The White Wolf,” both with their respective swords, and fates larger than themselves.
Moorcock leans into this idea that Elric isn’t just a hero—he’s part of a cycle, an archetype, an echo across realities. The Eternal Champion concept almost makes Elric a stand-in for all heroes across myth and fiction. It’s kind of ingenious.
You also see Moorcock’s fingerprints all over other universes: the Old Valyrians with their dragons in Game of Thrones are basically Melnibonéans, and Warhammer 40K directly lifts his concept of “Chaos”—even using the same symbol Moorcock created for his gods.
What struck me most is how foundational Moorcock really is. He didn’t just write a cool anti-hero—he built a mythic structure that so many others have borrowed from. Sometimes directly, sometimes subconsciously. But it all leads back to Elric.
The Vanishing Tower
This book once again throws Elric into encounters with legendary figures across time—including Corum and Erekosë—as Moorcock's multiverse fully asserts itself. Between demon-summoning duels, cursed towers, and bitter betrayals, Elric inches closer to understanding his role in the cosmic balance.
The tone is elegiac and weird, with Stormbringer ever the lurking shadow. Fate tightens, choices narrow. A blend of high-stakes action and existential weight.
The Revenge of the Rose
This book is one of the most surreal and metaphysical Elric tales—less sword and sorcery, more symbolic dream-quest (kind of reminded me of Fortress of the Pearl). Elric hunts across realities to return a soul to his father, facing memory-eating cities, sentient machines, and warped reflections of himself.
The prose is denser, more poetic, and Moorcock plays freely with form and myth. It’s abstract, haunting, and full of cosmic melancholy. Not the most accessible, but deeply rewarding if you lean into the weird.
Bane of the Black Sword
This book finds Elric wandering through betrayal, doomed love, and bloody vengeance as Stormbringer’s curse deepens. These linked tales drive him further into tragedy, and the shattering of what little peace he might have claimed. (I also loved the Epilogue starring Rackhir in his own metaphysical quest through the gates of chaos to bring aid to a 'soon to be' besieged Tanelorn.) The stories are lean and brutal, with Moorcock balancing pulpy action against grim fatalism. Elric is never more compelling—or more cursed—than here. Dark, desperate, and unforgettable.
Stormbringer
This is the devastating finale of Elric’s saga, where every thread of fate tightens to a bloody conclusion. I was absolutely blown away. Nations fall, allies die, and Elric himself . It’s apocalyptic, bleak, and unrelenting—Moorcock at his most mythic. The Eternal Champion cycle finds one of its darkest expressions here, closing Elric’s tale with tragic grandeur. A brutal masterpiece of doomed heroism.
And that's it. These collections are the main storyline of Elric's tale and that has come to an end. Now, there are more stories that fit in throughout his journeys (I'd like to check out The White Wolf: The Elric Saga #3, Elric at the End of Time, and possibly the newer collection Citadel of Forgotten Myths, and any more that might exist, just to be in that world again,) but the 8 books of the main storyline were just...beyond what I ever expected, and it was a supreme pleasure to experience them one after another.
“Farewell, friend. I was a thousand times more evil than thou!”
"Then let it be done," Elric said quietly, "And if it must be done, then let it be done well."
Reading this second set of 4 books, I once again caught familiar flashes of Conan the Barbarian—the brooding warrior, the arcane relics, the brutal world—but what stood out even more was how much influence Moorcock had on later fantasy. You can clearly see echoes of Elric in The Witcher: swap in Geralt and Jaskier for Elric and Wheldrake, and it’s a near-perfect fit. Both Geralt and Elric are pale-haired, soul-weary swordsmen known as “The White Wolf,” both with their respective swords, and fates larger than themselves.
Moorcock leans into this idea that Elric isn’t just a hero—he’s part of a cycle, an archetype, an echo across realities. The Eternal Champion concept almost makes Elric a stand-in for all heroes across myth and fiction. It’s kind of ingenious.
You also see Moorcock’s fingerprints all over other universes: the Old Valyrians with their dragons in Game of Thrones are basically Melnibonéans, and Warhammer 40K directly lifts his concept of “Chaos”—even using the same symbol Moorcock created for his gods.
What struck me most is how foundational Moorcock really is. He didn’t just write a cool anti-hero—he built a mythic structure that so many others have borrowed from. Sometimes directly, sometimes subconsciously. But it all leads back to Elric.
The Vanishing Tower
This book once again throws Elric into encounters with legendary figures across time—including Corum and Erekosë—as Moorcock's multiverse fully asserts itself. Between demon-summoning duels, cursed towers, and bitter betrayals, Elric inches closer to understanding his role in the cosmic balance.
The tone is elegiac and weird, with Stormbringer ever the lurking shadow. Fate tightens, choices narrow. A blend of high-stakes action and existential weight.
The Revenge of the Rose
This book is one of the most surreal and metaphysical Elric tales—less sword and sorcery, more symbolic dream-quest (kind of reminded me of Fortress of the Pearl). Elric hunts across realities to return a soul to his father, facing memory-eating cities, sentient machines, and warped reflections of himself.
The prose is denser, more poetic, and Moorcock plays freely with form and myth. It’s abstract, haunting, and full of cosmic melancholy. Not the most accessible, but deeply rewarding if you lean into the weird.
Bane of the Black Sword
This book finds Elric wandering through betrayal, doomed love, and bloody vengeance as Stormbringer’s curse deepens. These linked tales drive him further into tragedy, and the shattering of what little peace he might have claimed. (I also loved the Epilogue starring Rackhir in his own metaphysical quest through the gates of chaos to bring aid to a 'soon to be' besieged Tanelorn.) The stories are lean and brutal, with Moorcock balancing pulpy action against grim fatalism. Elric is never more compelling—or more cursed—than here. Dark, desperate, and unforgettable.
Stormbringer
This is the devastating finale of Elric’s saga, where every thread of fate tightens to a bloody conclusion. I was absolutely blown away. Nations fall, allies die, and Elric himself . It’s apocalyptic, bleak, and unrelenting—Moorcock at his most mythic. The Eternal Champion cycle finds one of its darkest expressions here, closing Elric’s tale with tragic grandeur. A brutal masterpiece of doomed heroism.
And that's it. These collections are the main storyline of Elric's tale and that has come to an end. Now, there are more stories that fit in throughout his journeys (I'd like to check out The White Wolf: The Elric Saga #3, Elric at the End of Time, and possibly the newer collection Citadel of Forgotten Myths, and any more that might exist, just to be in that world again,) but the 8 books of the main storyline were just...beyond what I ever expected, and it was a supreme pleasure to experience them one after another.
“Farewell, friend. I was a thousand times more evil than thou!”
October 1, 2025
Pierwsze spotkanie z Elrykiem z Melniboné okazało się lekką, klasyczną przygodą fantasy z rycerskim bohaterem o nieco baśniowym sznycie. Dlatego z ciekawością sięgam po drugi tom cyklu Michaela Moorcocka – Zwiastun burz – by sprawdzić, czy tym razem czeka mnie więcej mroku, zaskoczeń i filozoficznych rozterek, czy raczej kolejna zabawa w towarzystwie smoków, demonów i innych czarodziejów.
Elryk to antybohater
Albinos, ostatni cesarz upadłego imperium, obdarzony nadnaturalną mocą i uzależniony od złowrogiego miecza zwanego Zwiastunem Burz, który pożera dusze swoich ofiar.
W przeciwieństwie do typowych bohaterów fantasy, Elryk nie jest nieomylny ani wszechpotężny. Jego historia to opowieść o winie, samotności, miłości i zdradzie. Na każdym kroku zadaje sobie pytania o wolną wolę, moralność i sens walki w świecie, gdzie bogowie toczą odwieczną wojnę. Najpierw wyrusza w pogoń za złowrogim czarownikiem Thelebem K’aarną.
Po drodze spotyka dwóch innych herosów z multiwersum, z którymi stawia czoła potężnym siłom Chaosu. Wędrówka prowadzi go ku tajemniczej Znikającej Wieży – miejscu, gdzie przeszłość, przyszłość i alternatywne rzeczywistości splatają się w jedno.
Po podróży przez odmienne wymiary, by odnaleźć duszę swego ojca, uwięzioną w świecie snów i symboli, Elryk staje do walki z innymi potężnymi czarownikami – aż po ostateczne starcie, które może zakończyć się zagładą świata.
Zbiór zawiera:
1. Znikająca wieża;
2. Zemsta róży;
3. Klątwa czarnego miecza;
4. Zwiastun burz.
Miecz pożerający dusze.
Elryk wrócił w swoim jedynym, niepodrabialnym stylu.
Już od pierwszego opowiadania pakuje się w tarapaty, które zwykłego śmiertelnika wciągnęłyby pod wodę bez pytania, a on – blady jak ściana i melancholijny niczym panienka na wydaniu – macha sobie mieczem, który nie tyle ratuje, co pożera dusze. I jakoś próbuje ogarnąć świat, który dawno wymknął się spod jakiejkolwiek kontroli.
Najbardziej w tych opowieściach lubię to, że działają na dwóch poziomach. Z jednej strony klasyczna przygoda: smoki, demony, źli czarodzieje – pełen pakiet. A z drugiej Elryk włącza tryb filozofa i zaczyna dyskutować o przeznaczeniu, chaosie i cenie, jaką trzeba płacić za zwycięstwo. Brzmi patetycznie, ale Moorcock robi to tak, że zamiast przewracać oczami, ja tylko parskam śmiechem albo kiwam głową z uznaniem.
Nie będę ściemniać – czasem fabuła jest przewidywalna jak brazylijska telenowela. Ale i tak wciągałam kolejne strony, bo Elryk to ten typ bohatera (a raczej antybohatera), którego mimo wszystkich wad nie sposób nie lubić. Tragiczny, irytujący, a przy tym dziwnie ludzki w całej swojej nieludzkości.
Podsumowując – fantasy w czystej postaci. Proste, efektowne i z charakterem.
Polecam!
https://unserious.pl/2025/09/zwiastun...
Elryk to antybohater
Albinos, ostatni cesarz upadłego imperium, obdarzony nadnaturalną mocą i uzależniony od złowrogiego miecza zwanego Zwiastunem Burz, który pożera dusze swoich ofiar.
W przeciwieństwie do typowych bohaterów fantasy, Elryk nie jest nieomylny ani wszechpotężny. Jego historia to opowieść o winie, samotności, miłości i zdradzie. Na każdym kroku zadaje sobie pytania o wolną wolę, moralność i sens walki w świecie, gdzie bogowie toczą odwieczną wojnę. Najpierw wyrusza w pogoń za złowrogim czarownikiem Thelebem K’aarną.
Po drodze spotyka dwóch innych herosów z multiwersum, z którymi stawia czoła potężnym siłom Chaosu. Wędrówka prowadzi go ku tajemniczej Znikającej Wieży – miejscu, gdzie przeszłość, przyszłość i alternatywne rzeczywistości splatają się w jedno.
Po podróży przez odmienne wymiary, by odnaleźć duszę swego ojca, uwięzioną w świecie snów i symboli, Elryk staje do walki z innymi potężnymi czarownikami – aż po ostateczne starcie, które może zakończyć się zagładą świata.
Zbiór zawiera:
1. Znikająca wieża;
2. Zemsta róży;
3. Klątwa czarnego miecza;
4. Zwiastun burz.
Miecz pożerający dusze.
Elryk wrócił w swoim jedynym, niepodrabialnym stylu.
Już od pierwszego opowiadania pakuje się w tarapaty, które zwykłego śmiertelnika wciągnęłyby pod wodę bez pytania, a on – blady jak ściana i melancholijny niczym panienka na wydaniu – macha sobie mieczem, który nie tyle ratuje, co pożera dusze. I jakoś próbuje ogarnąć świat, który dawno wymknął się spod jakiejkolwiek kontroli.
Najbardziej w tych opowieściach lubię to, że działają na dwóch poziomach. Z jednej strony klasyczna przygoda: smoki, demony, źli czarodzieje – pełen pakiet. A z drugiej Elryk włącza tryb filozofa i zaczyna dyskutować o przeznaczeniu, chaosie i cenie, jaką trzeba płacić za zwycięstwo. Brzmi patetycznie, ale Moorcock robi to tak, że zamiast przewracać oczami, ja tylko parskam śmiechem albo kiwam głową z uznaniem.
Nie będę ściemniać – czasem fabuła jest przewidywalna jak brazylijska telenowela. Ale i tak wciągałam kolejne strony, bo Elryk to ten typ bohatera (a raczej antybohatera), którego mimo wszystkich wad nie sposób nie lubić. Tragiczny, irytujący, a przy tym dziwnie ludzki w całej swojej nieludzkości.
Podsumowując – fantasy w czystej postaci. Proste, efektowne i z charakterem.
Polecam!
https://unserious.pl/2025/09/zwiastun...
November 11, 2025
This second volume of Saga Press' Elric Saga was overall great. The only downside was "Revenge of the Rose," the only full novel here, which, while good, was far slower-paced than the other three books, which are effectively collections of faster-paced short stories. Of the four books in this novel, "Stormbringer" is the true highlight since it brings the Elric Saga to a satisfying end. I look forward to re-reading this and the first Saga Press volume again sometime in the future.
October 12, 2024
More pulpy good times with Moorcock's albino anti-hero and his cursed sword. \m/
January 7, 2023
This review originally published in Looking For a Good Book. Rated 4.0 of 5
Just as with the first volume in the Elric Saga, I'm quite pleased to have the entire Elric series being re-released and available digitally. The order of the books is slightly different from earlier releases, but this being the latest collection of Elric books, I would assume this is the current, definitive order in which to read the series.
This collection contains four Elric books: The Vanishing Tower, The Revenge of the Rose, The Bane of the Black Sword, and Stormbringer. I reviewed these books separately and have reposted those reviews here.
This collection features a preface by Michael Chabon and, what might be truly exciting for Moorcock fans or Elric fans ... a very detailed Reader's Guide to Elric, listing when and where the stories and the books came out, including the different editions, different publishers, etc. This was almost as complicated as an Elric story but very rewarding for the fan.
Reviews of the four books below.
Looking for a good book? The collection of Elric books, Stormbringer: The Elric Saga Book 2, by Michael Moorcock is a little weak in the beginning but ends on a very strong note.
I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Edelweiss, in exchange for an honest review.
4 stars
* * * * * *
Stormbringer
author: Michael Moorcock
series: The Elric Saga #2
publisher: Saga Press
ISBN: 9781534445710
hardcover, 851 pages
Individual book reviews:
The Vanishing Tower
Rated 2.5
It's Elric time again, as I am working my way through the entire series.
As with the four previous Elric books, there are three 'books' between the covers - likely novellas or novelettes.
In the first, "The Torment of the Last Lord," Elric and his faithful servant Sancho Moonglum head off to confront the evil wizard Theleb K'aarna but they are beset upon by strange and terrible monsters. They are ill prepared for this battle and Elric calls upon an ancient god to help them, but the god refuses and they are captured and his sword, Stormbringer, lost. When they are taken away Elric finds a woman in coma who speaks to him (this is Moorcock, remember) and tells him many things, including where to find an item that will help him defeat the wizard's army. But that item is on the other side of the world, so Elric has to take a magical bird that she somehow supplies, after some effort finds the jewel that will help him defeat Theleb K'aarna, but also finds a jewel that should awaken the woman.
Battle ensues, Stormbringer returns, Theleb K'aarna flees, woman awakes, love is made.
The second 'book' in this volume is "To Snare the Pale Prince." Elric and Moonglum are off in a quiet village recuperating from their recent adventure. They are nearly undefeatable when facing armies and evil wizards and maniacal kings, but the pair of them get hoodwinked by a couple of young ladies who steal the Ring of Actorios - the ring that Elric must use to summon supernatural assistance.
It is, of course, a ploy on the part of Theleb K'aarna and Elric and Moonglum will fight more monsters.
The final piece is "Three Heroes with a Single Aim." Elric connects once again with other incarnations of the Eternal Champion to visit Tanelorn - the refuge for tormented souls. The three-in-one eternal champion must enter the Vanishing Tower together to defeat an evil wizard (but this time it's not Theleb K'aarna).
While the 1977 edition of this book still sits on my shelf, I don't remember if I read it or not. There were times when the story seemed familiar, but I recognize that all three of these stories seem similar to stories in the previous volumes as well.
While I like the Eternal Champion theme, I recognize that it isn't explained particularly well in the Elric books. In a nutshell - all the heroes (at least all of Moorcock's heroes) are incarnations of the same person but in different realities and from time to time, they meet to fight together. And as time runs differently in different realities they sometimes know each other and sometimes don't. Sometimes they remember shared battles that haven't happened yet. Yes, it's all a bit metaphysical and the Elric books are often quite philosophical and existential.
This particular volume didn't excite me too tremendously. There was either a lot of senseless fighting or a lot of brooding. Sometimes at the same time.
For a short time I enjoyed the middle story, which, although a little ridiculous to have Elric and Moonglum taken in by your average prostitutes, was a little more on the relaxing side after all the heavy battling and brooding from the previous story, but then it, too, turned darker.
This is part of the Elric saga so I'm glad to have read it, but if I wasn't a little OCD about book series, I'd probably have skipped it.
Looking for a good book? The Vanishing Tower is part of the Elric series by Michael Moorcock, and in that regard it is worth reading, but it's not a particularly strong addition to the series.
I received a digital copy, as Volume 2 in The Elric Saga, from the publisher, through Edelweiss, in exchange for an honest review.
The Revenge of the Rose
Rated 2.5
Three novellas in one title, as seems to be the pattern with the Elric books. "Concerning the Fate of Empires," "Esbern Snare; The Northern Werewolf," and "A Rose Redeemed; A Rose Revived."
Elric, the albino prince of the doomed city of Melniboné still cavorts with his friend Moonglum when Elric is visited by a dragon who brings the prince to the ghost of Sadric his father. Sadric needs Elric to find his soul which is currently being kept in a wooden box in a land far away, and reunite spirit and soul. If Elric fails, he will be paired with Sadric's ghost, at which time bad things will happen.
On his journey to find the lost soul, Elric will gain an ally - the warrior princess Rose. Elric and Rose have a mutual enemy, Charion, a high valued, undead agent of Chaos. They need to deal with Charion or Chaos will rule without check. But a couple of demons make it more challenging.
Just before completing his mission to restore Sadric with his soul, Elric learns that Rose's involvement in the fight against Charion was all about revenge for what Charion had done, destroying her people.
I bought this book when it first came out but I'd not read it because I had fallen behind in reading the series at the time. It was, I believe, the 8th book in the series then. Now in this new definitive (?) collection, this becomes the 6th book in the Elric saga.
Elric has always been philosophical but I think there's more talk and waxing philosophic in this volume than there is swordplay - and that's not why we read these kinds of books. There is a little bit of high stakes conflict with Charion, but that almost feels secondary to Elric being able to reflect and get morose about the world.
This is not a strong addition to the series and I'm curious why it's being moved up in the order of the books.
Looking for a good book? The Revenge of the Rose by Michael Moorcock is a late addition to the Elric saga, low on action but high on existential philosophy.
I received a digital copy of this book, as part of a collection, from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.
The Bane of the Black Sword
Rated 3.0
The saga of the damned albino prince of Melniboné continues in another novel composed of three novellas in The Bane of the Black Sword. As the title might suggest, Elric's cursed sword, the soul-drinking runeblade known as Stormbringer plays a larger part in this collection.
We have the 'usual' three novellas making up this book, with a short extra. The first of these novellas is "The Stealer of Souls" in which the albino king has his final (?) battle with Theleb Ka’arna, the evil wizard who has plagued Elric. Elric is helped by his old friend Dyvim Tvar and a small horde of dragons.
In "Kings in Darkness" Elric and Moonglum are on a hurried retreat from what must surely be a misunderstanding. Elric, who can slay wizards and demons with his soul-drinking sword, runs away from common soldiers. They find themselves in the dark Forest of Troos and Elric falls in love with the beautiful 17 year old Zarozinia.
"The Flamebringers" sees Elric looking to enjoy his time with his beautiful bride, Zarozinia, to whom he has promised he will not put his hands on his soul-drinking sword, but when you are a fated hero, life intervenes. Elric must face a million mad nomads raping their way toward him while also helping a sorcerer friend whose soul is trapped in the body of a black cat. (Yeah, isn't fantasy great?)
There is also the "Epilogue: To Rescue Tanelorn" which might be the best part of the book even though Elric isn't in the story. Instead we get Rackhir the Red Archer who must protect Tanelorn (think of Tanelorn like Switzerland - it's neutral territory for all sorts of mercenaries and rebels. But it's under threat from a wizard and the beggars he's gathered as an army.
I am now in unchartered territory for me in the Elric series and I understand why. These stories are beginning to feel quite the same.
There is some appeal to this - consistency and knowing what you're going to get. It's the reason chain stores all look the same. And as a young reader, when these books were still being released new (I was 16 when this first came out), we didn't have that immediacy of being able to read them all in a row (unless we waited for them all or re-read all the previous books) so knowing, in general, what we would get with the next book, was appealing. But now, reading seven books - essentially in a row - it doesn't hold the same appeal.
This book does seem to be more straight-forward. In the Sword & Sorcery category, we have both - sword (that is magicked) and wizards and sorcerers aplenty and Elric does much less ruminating or brooding or philosophizing and I almost rather miss it - I mean that's part of what really defines the brooding albino.
I think that this stands as a decent S&S story, and a decent addition to the Elric saga, but not outstanding, and for the hardcore Elric reader, reading all the books in a row, this might be a less-than-exciting, repetitive volume.
Looking for a good book? The Bane of the Black Sword by Michael Moorcock is a volume of the Elric saga - where it falls in the saga depends on which collection you adhere to, but it does fall just a bit short of being truly unique and interesting.
I received a digital version of this book, as part of a larger collection, from the publisher, through Edelweiss, in exchange for an honest review.
Stormbringer
Rated 4.5
In this collection of Elric novellas we have "Dead God's Homecoming," "Black Sword's Brothers," "Sad Giant's Shield," and "Doomed Lord's Passing."
In the first story, Elric's wife, Zarozinia, is kidnapped by some beings out of chaos, on the behest of a resurrected god named Darnizhaan. Darnizhaan was killed by a soul-drinking Black Sword. Not Elric's Stormbringer, but its twin, Mournblade. Darnizhaan wants both swords so that he doesn't have to fear being killed again, and so that he can begin taking over the world. Elric, his companion Moonglum, and Mournblade's owner, Dyvim Slorm, deliver the swords to Darnizhaan ... but they have a little trick up their sleeves.
In "Black Sword's Brothers" Elric learns that Stormbringer has the power to call upon its brothers (like Mournblade) to fight for it. Elric learns the secrets to make this happen, sending some of his opponents to an eternal death, but Elric loses his sword in the process and he'll need to get it back as the sword feeds Elric, providing him with the sustenance he needs to survive. He succeeds in getting Stormbringer once again, and he heads off to rescue Moonglum.
Elric and Moonglum head off to fight Jagreen Lern, who is amassing an army to take control of large swaths of land. They learn of a giant who own s a Chaos Shield, which would come in real handy in the battle against Jagreen Lern so they go to get it. Along the way, while aboard a ship, a storm nearly has them drown when tossed from the ship, but they are saved by Straasha, Lord of the Sea. They get the shield, go off to battle and Elric is ready to confront his foes when he discovers Zarozinia who has been transformed into a giant worm. Distraught, she kills herself on Elric's sword.
And finally, a strange end with "Doomed Lord's Passing." Elric and his band of friends and fighters head back to Melnibone. To put a stop to Chaos, Elric will need to blow the Horn of Fate. Blowing it once will awaken dragons. Blowing it twice will bring the White Lords. And blowing three times will end the world. But as Fate would have it, Elric is completely exhausted and drained and is unable to muster the strength to blow the horn three times and there no one near enough for him to kill in order for Stormbringer to give him energy ... except for Moonglum. What will Elric do?
This was a really strong collection, and everything we've liked about Elric and Stormbringer and Moonglum are present along with some moments we've seen before that are quite moving (the inability to save a loved one and having Elric's precious sword being the cause of their death).
I'm quite certain I read this back in the 70's (buying it just as much for Michael Whelan's beautiful cover as for the story within) but I didn't remember most of the specifics.
Stormbringer has more and more a curiosity throughout the books, and it makes sense to have these four stories together which feature Stormbringer most prominently.
This book definitely feels like the end of the series, and in that sense I'm missing one element ... the Eternal Champion. We've touched on this theme in earlier books and I would have liked to have had that a little bit more here, but I do recognize that this likely comes from the fact that I've now read eight of the books almost one right after another, so this is a little more prominent to me.
This is probably one of my more favorite books in the series, but I'd highly recommend reading some of the other books first, to get a feel for Elric and his compatriots, before jumping into this.
Looking for a good book? Stormbringer, by Michael Moorcock, sees the albino king of Melnibone in a Ragnarok-like battle to save the world from Chaos.
Just as with the first volume in the Elric Saga, I'm quite pleased to have the entire Elric series being re-released and available digitally. The order of the books is slightly different from earlier releases, but this being the latest collection of Elric books, I would assume this is the current, definitive order in which to read the series.
This collection contains four Elric books: The Vanishing Tower, The Revenge of the Rose, The Bane of the Black Sword, and Stormbringer. I reviewed these books separately and have reposted those reviews here.
This collection features a preface by Michael Chabon and, what might be truly exciting for Moorcock fans or Elric fans ... a very detailed Reader's Guide to Elric, listing when and where the stories and the books came out, including the different editions, different publishers, etc. This was almost as complicated as an Elric story but very rewarding for the fan.
Reviews of the four books below.
Looking for a good book? The collection of Elric books, Stormbringer: The Elric Saga Book 2, by Michael Moorcock is a little weak in the beginning but ends on a very strong note.
I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Edelweiss, in exchange for an honest review.
4 stars
* * * * * *
Stormbringer
author: Michael Moorcock
series: The Elric Saga #2
publisher: Saga Press
ISBN: 9781534445710
hardcover, 851 pages
Individual book reviews:
The Vanishing Tower
Rated 2.5
It's Elric time again, as I am working my way through the entire series.
As with the four previous Elric books, there are three 'books' between the covers - likely novellas or novelettes.
In the first, "The Torment of the Last Lord," Elric and his faithful servant Sancho Moonglum head off to confront the evil wizard Theleb K'aarna but they are beset upon by strange and terrible monsters. They are ill prepared for this battle and Elric calls upon an ancient god to help them, but the god refuses and they are captured and his sword, Stormbringer, lost. When they are taken away Elric finds a woman in coma who speaks to him (this is Moorcock, remember) and tells him many things, including where to find an item that will help him defeat the wizard's army. But that item is on the other side of the world, so Elric has to take a magical bird that she somehow supplies, after some effort finds the jewel that will help him defeat Theleb K'aarna, but also finds a jewel that should awaken the woman.
Battle ensues, Stormbringer returns, Theleb K'aarna flees, woman awakes, love is made.
The second 'book' in this volume is "To Snare the Pale Prince." Elric and Moonglum are off in a quiet village recuperating from their recent adventure. They are nearly undefeatable when facing armies and evil wizards and maniacal kings, but the pair of them get hoodwinked by a couple of young ladies who steal the Ring of Actorios - the ring that Elric must use to summon supernatural assistance.
It is, of course, a ploy on the part of Theleb K'aarna and Elric and Moonglum will fight more monsters.
The final piece is "Three Heroes with a Single Aim." Elric connects once again with other incarnations of the Eternal Champion to visit Tanelorn - the refuge for tormented souls. The three-in-one eternal champion must enter the Vanishing Tower together to defeat an evil wizard (but this time it's not Theleb K'aarna).
While the 1977 edition of this book still sits on my shelf, I don't remember if I read it or not. There were times when the story seemed familiar, but I recognize that all three of these stories seem similar to stories in the previous volumes as well.
While I like the Eternal Champion theme, I recognize that it isn't explained particularly well in the Elric books. In a nutshell - all the heroes (at least all of Moorcock's heroes) are incarnations of the same person but in different realities and from time to time, they meet to fight together. And as time runs differently in different realities they sometimes know each other and sometimes don't. Sometimes they remember shared battles that haven't happened yet. Yes, it's all a bit metaphysical and the Elric books are often quite philosophical and existential.
This particular volume didn't excite me too tremendously. There was either a lot of senseless fighting or a lot of brooding. Sometimes at the same time.
For a short time I enjoyed the middle story, which, although a little ridiculous to have Elric and Moonglum taken in by your average prostitutes, was a little more on the relaxing side after all the heavy battling and brooding from the previous story, but then it, too, turned darker.
This is part of the Elric saga so I'm glad to have read it, but if I wasn't a little OCD about book series, I'd probably have skipped it.
Looking for a good book? The Vanishing Tower is part of the Elric series by Michael Moorcock, and in that regard it is worth reading, but it's not a particularly strong addition to the series.
I received a digital copy, as Volume 2 in The Elric Saga, from the publisher, through Edelweiss, in exchange for an honest review.
The Revenge of the Rose
Rated 2.5
Three novellas in one title, as seems to be the pattern with the Elric books. "Concerning the Fate of Empires," "Esbern Snare; The Northern Werewolf," and "A Rose Redeemed; A Rose Revived."
Elric, the albino prince of the doomed city of Melniboné still cavorts with his friend Moonglum when Elric is visited by a dragon who brings the prince to the ghost of Sadric his father. Sadric needs Elric to find his soul which is currently being kept in a wooden box in a land far away, and reunite spirit and soul. If Elric fails, he will be paired with Sadric's ghost, at which time bad things will happen.
On his journey to find the lost soul, Elric will gain an ally - the warrior princess Rose. Elric and Rose have a mutual enemy, Charion, a high valued, undead agent of Chaos. They need to deal with Charion or Chaos will rule without check. But a couple of demons make it more challenging.
Just before completing his mission to restore Sadric with his soul, Elric learns that Rose's involvement in the fight against Charion was all about revenge for what Charion had done, destroying her people.
I bought this book when it first came out but I'd not read it because I had fallen behind in reading the series at the time. It was, I believe, the 8th book in the series then. Now in this new definitive (?) collection, this becomes the 6th book in the Elric saga.
Elric has always been philosophical but I think there's more talk and waxing philosophic in this volume than there is swordplay - and that's not why we read these kinds of books. There is a little bit of high stakes conflict with Charion, but that almost feels secondary to Elric being able to reflect and get morose about the world.
This is not a strong addition to the series and I'm curious why it's being moved up in the order of the books.
Looking for a good book? The Revenge of the Rose by Michael Moorcock is a late addition to the Elric saga, low on action but high on existential philosophy.
I received a digital copy of this book, as part of a collection, from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.
The Bane of the Black Sword
Rated 3.0
The saga of the damned albino prince of Melniboné continues in another novel composed of three novellas in The Bane of the Black Sword. As the title might suggest, Elric's cursed sword, the soul-drinking runeblade known as Stormbringer plays a larger part in this collection.
We have the 'usual' three novellas making up this book, with a short extra. The first of these novellas is "The Stealer of Souls" in which the albino king has his final (?) battle with Theleb Ka’arna, the evil wizard who has plagued Elric. Elric is helped by his old friend Dyvim Tvar and a small horde of dragons.
In "Kings in Darkness" Elric and Moonglum are on a hurried retreat from what must surely be a misunderstanding. Elric, who can slay wizards and demons with his soul-drinking sword, runs away from common soldiers. They find themselves in the dark Forest of Troos and Elric falls in love with the beautiful 17 year old Zarozinia.
"The Flamebringers" sees Elric looking to enjoy his time with his beautiful bride, Zarozinia, to whom he has promised he will not put his hands on his soul-drinking sword, but when you are a fated hero, life intervenes. Elric must face a million mad nomads raping their way toward him while also helping a sorcerer friend whose soul is trapped in the body of a black cat. (Yeah, isn't fantasy great?)
There is also the "Epilogue: To Rescue Tanelorn" which might be the best part of the book even though Elric isn't in the story. Instead we get Rackhir the Red Archer who must protect Tanelorn (think of Tanelorn like Switzerland - it's neutral territory for all sorts of mercenaries and rebels. But it's under threat from a wizard and the beggars he's gathered as an army.
I am now in unchartered territory for me in the Elric series and I understand why. These stories are beginning to feel quite the same.
There is some appeal to this - consistency and knowing what you're going to get. It's the reason chain stores all look the same. And as a young reader, when these books were still being released new (I was 16 when this first came out), we didn't have that immediacy of being able to read them all in a row (unless we waited for them all or re-read all the previous books) so knowing, in general, what we would get with the next book, was appealing. But now, reading seven books - essentially in a row - it doesn't hold the same appeal.
This book does seem to be more straight-forward. In the Sword & Sorcery category, we have both - sword (that is magicked) and wizards and sorcerers aplenty and Elric does much less ruminating or brooding or philosophizing and I almost rather miss it - I mean that's part of what really defines the brooding albino.
I think that this stands as a decent S&S story, and a decent addition to the Elric saga, but not outstanding, and for the hardcore Elric reader, reading all the books in a row, this might be a less-than-exciting, repetitive volume.
Looking for a good book? The Bane of the Black Sword by Michael Moorcock is a volume of the Elric saga - where it falls in the saga depends on which collection you adhere to, but it does fall just a bit short of being truly unique and interesting.
I received a digital version of this book, as part of a larger collection, from the publisher, through Edelweiss, in exchange for an honest review.
Stormbringer
Rated 4.5
In this collection of Elric novellas we have "Dead God's Homecoming," "Black Sword's Brothers," "Sad Giant's Shield," and "Doomed Lord's Passing."
In the first story, Elric's wife, Zarozinia, is kidnapped by some beings out of chaos, on the behest of a resurrected god named Darnizhaan. Darnizhaan was killed by a soul-drinking Black Sword. Not Elric's Stormbringer, but its twin, Mournblade. Darnizhaan wants both swords so that he doesn't have to fear being killed again, and so that he can begin taking over the world. Elric, his companion Moonglum, and Mournblade's owner, Dyvim Slorm, deliver the swords to Darnizhaan ... but they have a little trick up their sleeves.
In "Black Sword's Brothers" Elric learns that Stormbringer has the power to call upon its brothers (like Mournblade) to fight for it. Elric learns the secrets to make this happen, sending some of his opponents to an eternal death, but Elric loses his sword in the process and he'll need to get it back as the sword feeds Elric, providing him with the sustenance he needs to survive. He succeeds in getting Stormbringer once again, and he heads off to rescue Moonglum.
Elric and Moonglum head off to fight Jagreen Lern, who is amassing an army to take control of large swaths of land. They learn of a giant who own s a Chaos Shield, which would come in real handy in the battle against Jagreen Lern so they go to get it. Along the way, while aboard a ship, a storm nearly has them drown when tossed from the ship, but they are saved by Straasha, Lord of the Sea. They get the shield, go off to battle and Elric is ready to confront his foes when he discovers Zarozinia who has been transformed into a giant worm. Distraught, she kills herself on Elric's sword.
And finally, a strange end with "Doomed Lord's Passing." Elric and his band of friends and fighters head back to Melnibone. To put a stop to Chaos, Elric will need to blow the Horn of Fate. Blowing it once will awaken dragons. Blowing it twice will bring the White Lords. And blowing three times will end the world. But as Fate would have it, Elric is completely exhausted and drained and is unable to muster the strength to blow the horn three times and there no one near enough for him to kill in order for Stormbringer to give him energy ... except for Moonglum. What will Elric do?
This was a really strong collection, and everything we've liked about Elric and Stormbringer and Moonglum are present along with some moments we've seen before that are quite moving (the inability to save a loved one and having Elric's precious sword being the cause of their death).
I'm quite certain I read this back in the 70's (buying it just as much for Michael Whelan's beautiful cover as for the story within) but I didn't remember most of the specifics.
Stormbringer has more and more a curiosity throughout the books, and it makes sense to have these four stories together which feature Stormbringer most prominently.
This book definitely feels like the end of the series, and in that sense I'm missing one element ... the Eternal Champion. We've touched on this theme in earlier books and I would have liked to have had that a little bit more here, but I do recognize that this likely comes from the fact that I've now read eight of the books almost one right after another, so this is a little more prominent to me.
This is probably one of my more favorite books in the series, but I'd highly recommend reading some of the other books first, to get a feel for Elric and his compatriots, before jumping into this.
Looking for a good book? Stormbringer, by Michael Moorcock, sees the albino king of Melnibone in a Ragnarok-like battle to save the world from Chaos.
June 3, 2023
A collection of Elric tales, the moody, not quite human sword and sorcery protagonist (hero is definitely not the word for him). Easy to see the influence these stories had on the fantasy genre.
July 9, 2024
You know when you read a book from several decades ago, and you're hit with the realization that something wasn't considered racist at the time? Yeah, that's the first part of Revenge of the Rose. Both extensive use of an anti-Romani slur, as well as negative stereotypes surrounding that group. The rest of the entire omnibus, though? Continues with its positive treatment of non-western coded characters and cultures, female characters, and characters of color.
January 7, 2025
I quite liked the last story Stormbringer, which is nice, because it makes the book end on the high note. The stuff before it, thought, I didn’t think was very good.
Out of the first three other stories, I disliked the most The Bane of the Black Sword. It’s parts were the one of the first stories of Elric ever written (those I generally dislike the most) and it shows. In these stories, even if the concepts are interesting, they are usually presented in a rather flat, basic and uninteresting way. And the whole of Zarozina’s character is just so. How she is presented, the constant mentions that she is so young (17), and innocent, and inexperienced and childlike but still, and even because of it, Elric (who, by my calculations, is around his late twenties at best) gets it on with her instantly is just plain weird and super uncomfortable. Sometimes she is even described by the narration as his “girl-wife” – might as well call her a child bride while you’re at it. I understand of course that she is meant to be in contrast to Elric, all the things that he is not, but there were infinite ways to make a character like that and not make her as she ended up being.
The Vanishing Tower was fine, but I think that Theleb K’aarna is a weak villain, who as a character overstates is welcome greatly.
I enjoyed The Revenge of the Rose the most out of the three. The storyline concerning Elric’s father’s soul, the preparation for and the last battle were great and the character of the Rose herself were cool (a woman who doesn’t fall for Elric immediately or near immediately? no way). That’s one of the markers for the newer stories – that women are present and they actually do something, besides, I don’t know, seducing men. Still, it doesn’t mean they are free from them, as the uncomfortable plot line of the very young clairvoyant Charion Phatt and middle aged poet Wheldrake, who falls in love with her, shows (lord take these grown ass men from these girls). Also, the whole of “Gypsy Nation” is rather questionable, the beginning-middle part of the story is kind of slow and not very gipping and I didn’t care much for the Phatt family and Wheldrake.
Weak, one dimensional characters are one of the biggest and most constant flaws of the stories of the Elric Saga. There are of course some exceptions to this, Elric himself being the case, but still, most of the other interesting characters disappear very quickly. A lot of even the worse stories would be greatly improved if the people in them had some depth at least.
Out of the first three other stories, I disliked the most The Bane of the Black Sword. It’s parts were the one of the first stories of Elric ever written (those I generally dislike the most) and it shows. In these stories, even if the concepts are interesting, they are usually presented in a rather flat, basic and uninteresting way. And the whole of Zarozina’s character is just so. How she is presented, the constant mentions that she is so young (17), and innocent, and inexperienced and childlike but still, and even because of it, Elric (who, by my calculations, is around his late twenties at best) gets it on with her instantly is just plain weird and super uncomfortable. Sometimes she is even described by the narration as his “girl-wife” – might as well call her a child bride while you’re at it. I understand of course that she is meant to be in contrast to Elric, all the things that he is not, but there were infinite ways to make a character like that and not make her as she ended up being.
The Vanishing Tower was fine, but I think that Theleb K’aarna is a weak villain, who as a character overstates is welcome greatly.
I enjoyed The Revenge of the Rose the most out of the three. The storyline concerning Elric’s father’s soul, the preparation for and the last battle were great and the character of the Rose herself were cool (a woman who doesn’t fall for Elric immediately or near immediately? no way). That’s one of the markers for the newer stories – that women are present and they actually do something, besides, I don’t know, seducing men. Still, it doesn’t mean they are free from them, as the uncomfortable plot line of the very young clairvoyant Charion Phatt and middle aged poet Wheldrake, who falls in love with her, shows (lord take these grown ass men from these girls). Also, the whole of “Gypsy Nation” is rather questionable, the beginning-middle part of the story is kind of slow and not very gipping and I didn’t care much for the Phatt family and Wheldrake.
Weak, one dimensional characters are one of the biggest and most constant flaws of the stories of the Elric Saga. There are of course some exceptions to this, Elric himself being the case, but still, most of the other interesting characters disappear very quickly. A lot of even the worse stories would be greatly improved if the people in them had some depth at least.
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September 28, 2025Wreszcie doczekałam się drugiego tomu wspaniałej fantastyki o Elryku z Melniboné ZWIASTUN BURZ! Przyznaję, że musiałam sięgnąć po tom pierwszy i sobie troszeczkę przypomnieć jego fabułę... jednak trochę wody upłynęło... wody i innych książek. Michael Mooecock oczywiście nie zwiódł! Jego pióro i świat - to jest po prostu piękne! Opowieść o Elryku, to jednak z moich ulubionych fantasy. Jest tu mrok i tajemnica, jest melancholia i bohater, który przyciąga jak magnes.
Elryk to postać nieoczywista, z którą czytelnik nie wie, czy powinien sympatyzować, ale nie da się za nim nie podążać. Jest uosobieniem mistycznej, trochę szalonej męskości i rycerskości. Charakter tej postaci, to labirynt pełen pułapek, ale przez to mamy doi czynienia z kimś prawdziwym w swej magicznej rzeczywistości.
Od pierwszych zdań wiadomo, że Moorcock ma to coś. Styl jest wspaniały, przez zdania się płynie, są skonstruowane z dokładnością, tak by trafiały w sedno klimatu świata fantastycznego, do którego chce się wracać, w którym chce się być. Magiczny system faktycznie czaruje, postaci "nie z tej ziemi" porywają, są atrakcyjne i ciągle czytelnik chce więcej.
Jednak ta opowieść to nie tylko walka Elryka z siłami niezrozumiale okrutnymi, ale i jego osobiste dramaty. Wielowymiarowość tej i innych postaci sprawia, że nie mamy do czynienia wyłącznie w piękną fantastyką, ale i głęboko ludzką opowieścią o walkach, które każdy toczy - w sercu... dzień po dniu.
Niezapomnianym bohaterem jest oczywiście sam miecz ZWIASTUN BURZ. Pisarz wykreował jego historię - i dał mu życie, o jakim można tylko usłyszeć na kartach powieści. To diament i wspaniała klamra całości a ja już nie mogę się doczekać tomu trzeciego. Prawdziwy klasyk! Warto!
ZWIASTUN BURZ dodatkowo pięknie wydano. Okładka twarda z groźną, drapieżną i tajemniczą ilustracją doskonale współgrającą z tą z tomu pierwszego. Cacko! Zaś przekład Danuty Górskiej - majstersztyk! Gratulacje!
kim on jest? jawą, czy snem?
Elryk z Melniboné
tom 2
Wydawnictwo Zysk i S-ka
egzemplarz recenzencki
Elryk to postać nieoczywista, z którą czytelnik nie wie, czy powinien sympatyzować, ale nie da się za nim nie podążać. Jest uosobieniem mistycznej, trochę szalonej męskości i rycerskości. Charakter tej postaci, to labirynt pełen pułapek, ale przez to mamy doi czynienia z kimś prawdziwym w swej magicznej rzeczywistości.
Od pierwszych zdań wiadomo, że Moorcock ma to coś. Styl jest wspaniały, przez zdania się płynie, są skonstruowane z dokładnością, tak by trafiały w sedno klimatu świata fantastycznego, do którego chce się wracać, w którym chce się być. Magiczny system faktycznie czaruje, postaci "nie z tej ziemi" porywają, są atrakcyjne i ciągle czytelnik chce więcej.
Jednak ta opowieść to nie tylko walka Elryka z siłami niezrozumiale okrutnymi, ale i jego osobiste dramaty. Wielowymiarowość tej i innych postaci sprawia, że nie mamy do czynienia wyłącznie w piękną fantastyką, ale i głęboko ludzką opowieścią o walkach, które każdy toczy - w sercu... dzień po dniu.
Niezapomnianym bohaterem jest oczywiście sam miecz ZWIASTUN BURZ. Pisarz wykreował jego historię - i dał mu życie, o jakim można tylko usłyszeć na kartach powieści. To diament i wspaniała klamra całości a ja już nie mogę się doczekać tomu trzeciego. Prawdziwy klasyk! Warto!
ZWIASTUN BURZ dodatkowo pięknie wydano. Okładka twarda z groźną, drapieżną i tajemniczą ilustracją doskonale współgrającą z tą z tomu pierwszego. Cacko! Zaś przekład Danuty Górskiej - majstersztyk! Gratulacje!
kim on jest? jawą, czy snem?
Elryk z Melniboné
tom 2
Wydawnictwo Zysk i S-ka
egzemplarz recenzencki
September 21, 2023
I'm done with Elric and Moorcock after this book. I'm bumping the review from 2 to 3 stars for the influence that he has had on other fantasy writers, but in terms of the writing in these books - 2 stars.
In other places, Moorcock has cast aspersions on fantasy writers who copied Tolkein too closely and in the attempt wrote prose that felt like badly Google-translated text. In this volume, Moorcock has continued in the same vein as in the previous volume - more poorly worded sentences, more cringe-worthy dialogue, more flat characters, more spoon-fed exposition, etc. More, in short, text that seems generated by a retarded AI in a foreign language, then badly translated into English.
I don't see how or why reviewers are giving him a free pass just because Tad Williams, Glen Cook, Steven Erikson, Adrzej Sapkowski, and others have copied elements of his work or themes. Just look at how he cannot punctuate sentences with relative clauses - 95% of them are missing a comma where one is needed. Just look at how he chooses his words - "...one of our men was done to death a year ago in a most foul and horrible manner." (p. 451) "Done to death?" What the fuck does that mean? "A most foul and horrible manner?" Why not describe the manner, and let us decide if it is foul and horrible? If it truly is horrible and foul, then that will make a much stronger impression than the words "foul and horrible" themselves.
Only read this if you are a masochist. It is not bad enough to enjoy rubber-necking the mediocre prose.
In other places, Moorcock has cast aspersions on fantasy writers who copied Tolkein too closely and in the attempt wrote prose that felt like badly Google-translated text. In this volume, Moorcock has continued in the same vein as in the previous volume - more poorly worded sentences, more cringe-worthy dialogue, more flat characters, more spoon-fed exposition, etc. More, in short, text that seems generated by a retarded AI in a foreign language, then badly translated into English.
I don't see how or why reviewers are giving him a free pass just because Tad Williams, Glen Cook, Steven Erikson, Adrzej Sapkowski, and others have copied elements of his work or themes. Just look at how he cannot punctuate sentences with relative clauses - 95% of them are missing a comma where one is needed. Just look at how he chooses his words - "...one of our men was done to death a year ago in a most foul and horrible manner." (p. 451) "Done to death?" What the fuck does that mean? "A most foul and horrible manner?" Why not describe the manner, and let us decide if it is foul and horrible? If it truly is horrible and foul, then that will make a much stronger impression than the words "foul and horrible" themselves.
Only read this if you are a masochist. It is not bad enough to enjoy rubber-necking the mediocre prose.
February 24, 2023
Stormbringer, the second collection of stories recounting the tale of Elric of Melnibone, is a bit of a weird one to read. The formula of contrivance and deus ex machina is just as strong as ever, but at least the story has a throughline that binds together all of the books in the collection. That is, Elric is played up to be the man who will vanquish the Dukes of Hell and bring about the end of the world, and then he does it. All rather anticlimactically - especially Arioch. Some rando Duke of Hell gets more screentime, and that was rather strange. Stormbringer's role in the story increases with importance, and there are several retcons connected to it that seem fine in the moment, but annoy in retrospect. In an early story, Stormbringer was associated with Arioch. Now it is a fated tool of chaos to fight chaos. Later on, when Stormbringer transformed, I thought I would be pleasantly surprised if Arioch appeared, but that doesn't appear to be what happened. A lot of character work is a bit of a mess too. Elric is an interesting and compelling character, sure, but his world and the logic underneath it seemed to lose the plot. After the ending, I have no idea how the story is supposed to progress, but we'll see... I guess.
Which is a shame because some of the earlier books were quite interesting. I remembering thinking the Rose book was perhaps the best one about Elric that I came across, but too many of the later stories were unsatisfying.
Which is a shame because some of the earlier books were quite interesting. I remembering thinking the Rose book was perhaps the best one about Elric that I came across, but too many of the later stories were unsatisfying.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 9, 2023
The ordained one's last great task :
"The Horn of Fate must be blown thrice.
The first blast will wake the Dragons of Imrryr.
The second will allow the White Lords entrance to the earthly plane.
The third will herald the death of our world!" (781).
At last, Elric of Melnibone's main plot comes to an end.
My heartfelt grief is intense.
Despite some cheesy declaration lines, sexual encounters despite the albino's frail disposition, and at times tacky deliverance of dei ex machina, Moorcock's "Stormbringer: Elric Saga Vol.2" is a must-read for all epic fantasy enthusiasts who are inclined towards the supernatural entities, the bizarre and fantastical, cosmic balance, multiverse, questioning fate and purpose and higher powers.
Moorcock's glorious depictions of a tragic eternal champion and his incongruous quests (especially the gypsy nation), the unfathomable multiverse and fate/destiny, the elusive elementals, and the malevolent and mysterious sentient sword Stormbringer, and the magnificence of Imrryr are unrivaled.
The ending of the main plot is fair but heartbreaking yet unforgettable.
As the end approached, I saw an exalted and ennobled Elric, and I love him for it.
I see evidence aplenty of Moorcock's influence on current writers.
"The Horn of Fate must be blown thrice.
The first blast will wake the Dragons of Imrryr.
The second will allow the White Lords entrance to the earthly plane.
The third will herald the death of our world!" (781).
At last, Elric of Melnibone's main plot comes to an end.
My heartfelt grief is intense.
Despite some cheesy declaration lines, sexual encounters despite the albino's frail disposition, and at times tacky deliverance of dei ex machina, Moorcock's "Stormbringer: Elric Saga Vol.2" is a must-read for all epic fantasy enthusiasts who are inclined towards the supernatural entities, the bizarre and fantastical, cosmic balance, multiverse, questioning fate and purpose and higher powers.
Moorcock's glorious depictions of a tragic eternal champion and his incongruous quests (especially the gypsy nation), the unfathomable multiverse and fate/destiny, the elusive elementals, and the malevolent and mysterious sentient sword Stormbringer, and the magnificence of Imrryr are unrivaled.
The ending of the main plot is fair but heartbreaking yet unforgettable.
As the end approached, I saw an exalted and ennobled Elric, and I love him for it.
I see evidence aplenty of Moorcock's influence on current writers.
July 21, 2025
What a ride this volume was.
I really don't think I can express how much I took my time with series to just get so absorbed in it.
It has taken me well over a year to read the first 2 volumes of the Elric saga - this world has consumes so much of my thoughts. Elric is such a rich and deep character - not to mention the world.
I feel it will be the same as the Realm of the Elderlings to me where it is always somewhere in the back of my mind. I will always be thinking about Fitz and Elric.
The thing in this volume that got me the most is where the Phroon returns Elric to Melniboné. Like I was UGLY crying:
"The dragon has carried him back to the ruins of his dreams, his past, his love, his ambitions, his hope.
She has bought him back to Melniboné.
She has bough him home."
The ending as well. Just so well done. I can't describe it. Everyone deserves a ride or die like Moonglum. Him and Elric don't agree on lots of things on their adventures but they are still so very loyal to each other.
I don't really know what more to say other than this is monumental series that every high-fantasy lover should read.
I really don't think I can express how much I took my time with series to just get so absorbed in it.
It has taken me well over a year to read the first 2 volumes of the Elric saga - this world has consumes so much of my thoughts. Elric is such a rich and deep character - not to mention the world.
I feel it will be the same as the Realm of the Elderlings to me where it is always somewhere in the back of my mind. I will always be thinking about Fitz and Elric.
The thing in this volume that got me the most is where the Phroon returns Elric to Melniboné. Like I was UGLY crying:
"The dragon has carried him back to the ruins of his dreams, his past, his love, his ambitions, his hope.
She has bought him back to Melniboné.
She has bough him home."
The ending as well. Just so well done. I can't describe it. Everyone deserves a ride or die like Moonglum. Him and Elric don't agree on lots of things on their adventures but they are still so very loyal to each other.
I don't really know what more to say other than this is monumental series that every high-fantasy lover should read.
December 1, 2024
I discovered Michael Moorcock about five years ago and have been steadily devouring his daunting catalog. And these new volumes that include the series of novellas featuring Elric - likely Moorcock's most well-known character, are a great way to sample his work. Moorcock does something special in that he lends some significant literary chops and depth to the "Sword & Sorcery" genre which isn't exactly known for either attribute. But what's most impressive is how the Elric stories, written in the late 1960's and early 1970's, are eerily prescient. The battle between order and chaos is an ever-present theme and one can't help but see parallels with today's current political climate, especially in the United States.
February 25, 2025
And so the story of Elric is concluded at last. There were some parts that dragged in this book but the pacing overall didn't seem to be slow. The stories were even better than in the first collection, and the characters (though their fate quite predictable) were perfectly written to fit in the story. With the main theme being destiny, I was not disappointed and it met all my expectations by the end. It is the best fantasy series I've read so far, but there will probably be something that I'll like more in the end. Anyways, it's a cult classic, it's worth your time, get your hands on it asap if you love fantasy
April 10, 2023
Can't believe it took me so long to find and read this
I love reading. I love sci-fi and fantasy. Conan and mythology is what got me into fantasy and sci-fi. I have read a ton of both... but never heard of Michael Moorcock and Elric. Now, I love it. This is something which should be made into a TV series... but doubtful anyone will have the courage to do it and remain faithful to the source material. Fantastical fantasy with crazy magic, a tragic hero murdering those closest to him?
I love reading. I love sci-fi and fantasy. Conan and mythology is what got me into fantasy and sci-fi. I have read a ton of both... but never heard of Michael Moorcock and Elric. Now, I love it. This is something which should be made into a TV series... but doubtful anyone will have the courage to do it and remain faithful to the source material. Fantastical fantasy with crazy magic, a tragic hero murdering those closest to him?
June 7, 2025
Having read this volume, it gives me a lot of clarity into the world of Michael Moorcock and the world building he creates. I enjoyed it for what it is, sword and sorcery, action and adventure, with sad moments in between them. Volume 2 is where the author shines here, Revenge of The Rose is my favorite as well and the Vanishing Tower. Stormbringer, the final book in its volume is a hit or a miss for readers. Lastly, I will say that if you see a character in any media that is pale, have white hair, and cast spells and wields a sword, it all starts with Elric.
November 19, 2022
Truly a fantastical collection in all respects. The world and its characters all reflect some sort of quality that is profoundly human. Our hero Elric, who is not human himself, and his dealing with humans and other non-humans sort of highlight this very well. And in this collection it is the human element that is reacting or interacting with the fantastical in an almost poetic fashion. Hard to compare with other works of fantasy, really.
July 25, 2022
2nd in the new omnibus edition of the Michael Moorcock "Elric" stories, the classics of sword & sorcery fiction foundational to the Appendix N of Gary Gygax (the list of authors and writings that directly inspired the creation of Dungeons & Dragons and thus fantasy roleplaying games in general). This is a GREAT edition, and I cannot rec0mmend it highly enough!
June 9, 2023
I fun collection of Elric stories. I'm glad I waited to read these as an adult because I, personally, wouldn't have accepted or liked them when I was young. Compared to much 'high' fantasy, these stories are messy and quick, with the hero not always behaving as the standard hero. Kudos to Mr Moorcock for such an amazing character and such fun tales.
January 8, 2024
fantastic
I really appreciated that there were four books in this collection. Each one was its own set of journeys and adventures. The story was so good. The characters were amazing. This will definitely be one that I reread probably yearly. I recommend this book to anybody who likes, dark hero stories, a very moody atmosphere, and fantastical medieval vibes.
I really appreciated that there were four books in this collection. Each one was its own set of journeys and adventures. The story was so good. The characters were amazing. This will definitely be one that I reread probably yearly. I recommend this book to anybody who likes, dark hero stories, a very moody atmosphere, and fantastical medieval vibes.
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