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Elric of Melniboné, Volume 1: Elric of Melniboné, the Fortress of the Pearl, the Sailor on the Seas of Fate, and the Weird of the White Wolf
From World Fantasy Lifetime Achievement Award winner Michael Moorcock comes the first volume in his Elric of Melniboné series.
It is one of the most well-known and well-loved fantasy epics of the twentieth century: the story of Elric, emperor of the dying kingdom of Melniboné. For a hundred centuries the Melnibonéans have ruled from the Dragon Isle of Imrryr. Now, after years of corruption and decadence, Elric's amoral cousin Prince Yyrkoon, the brother of his beloved Cymoril, sets his eyes on the Ruby Throne. Elric must face his treacherous cousin not as a warrior but as a sorcerer king once again in league with the ancient gods of Melniboné, the Chaos Lords, and thus sealing his inexorable fate.
Elric of Melniboné is the first volume in Michael Moorcock's incredible chronicle, which created fantasy archetypes that have echoed through the genre for generations.
Volume one of the Elric Saga contains the first novels in the series: Elric of Melniboné, The Fortress of the Pearl, The Sailor on the Seas of Fate, and The Weird of the White Wolf.
Runtime: 24. 20 hours. Unabridged, 19 library CDs.
It is one of the most well-known and well-loved fantasy epics of the twentieth century: the story of Elric, emperor of the dying kingdom of Melniboné. For a hundred centuries the Melnibonéans have ruled from the Dragon Isle of Imrryr. Now, after years of corruption and decadence, Elric's amoral cousin Prince Yyrkoon, the brother of his beloved Cymoril, sets his eyes on the Ruby Throne. Elric must face his treacherous cousin not as a warrior but as a sorcerer king once again in league with the ancient gods of Melniboné, the Chaos Lords, and thus sealing his inexorable fate.
Elric of Melniboné is the first volume in Michael Moorcock's incredible chronicle, which created fantasy archetypes that have echoed through the genre for generations.
Volume one of the Elric Saga contains the first novels in the series: Elric of Melniboné, The Fortress of the Pearl, The Sailor on the Seas of Fate, and The Weird of the White Wolf.
Runtime: 24. 20 hours. Unabridged, 19 library CDs.
25 pages, Audio CD
Published March 15, 2022
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26 people want to read
About the author
Michael Moorcock
1,205 books3,713 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 - 7 of 7 reviews
June 18, 2024
What a fabulous fantasy, dark, detailed, interesting, engaging! Elric of Melnibone is not your typical hero. He is neither handsome nor truly wholesome, even if he really is thoughtful and he tries, and he is awesome and tragic. This book is superb, high quality, and I highly recommend it to preteens and up. It's not a kids book by any measure, I loved it now, but I think it will absolutely fascinate an inquisitive child. Adding Moorcock to favorite authors.
July 25, 2025
Somehow, this audiobook was my first experience with Moorcock's Elric. As I traveled the lands of these four novels, it felt as though I was revisiting a thing that had been important to me as a young man, but was missing from my adult life due to a peculiar amnesia. It was good to be back.
There are many reviews about this series that do the words justice in a way that I am incapable of. As for the audiobook, my advice is to ignore any complaints or nitpicking you may read and give the audio version a shot. Samuel Roukin might have been the perfect voice to bring these words to life on my daily commute. Before beginning, I had read someone's review, which included a complaint that the narrator sometimes pronounces "Elric" as "Eric." I noticed this as well, but I choose to believe that Roukin's English and enunciation are just so fabulous that my North American ears don't properly interpret the sound.
Thanks to the author for the journey and insights and to the narrator for the elegant delivery.
There are many reviews about this series that do the words justice in a way that I am incapable of. As for the audiobook, my advice is to ignore any complaints or nitpicking you may read and give the audio version a shot. Samuel Roukin might have been the perfect voice to bring these words to life on my daily commute. Before beginning, I had read someone's review, which included a complaint that the narrator sometimes pronounces "Elric" as "Eric." I noticed this as well, but I choose to believe that Roukin's English and enunciation are just so fabulous that my North American ears don't properly interpret the sound.
Thanks to the author for the journey and insights and to the narrator for the elegant delivery.
December 17, 2022
Picked up this multi book just for The Fortress of the Pearl in audio format.
About the same pace, I believe, as the original book in the series. I believe this book is #7 in the written sequence but definitely #2 in the chronological storyline. Which I think is strange that the pace and style of writing is still similar.
I thought the quest dragged out, I would have been happy with 2 less portals to travel thru although each realm had its merit.
A nice wrap up and epilogue.
About the same pace, I believe, as the original book in the series. I believe this book is #7 in the written sequence but definitely #2 in the chronological storyline. Which I think is strange that the pace and style of writing is still similar.
I thought the quest dragged out, I would have been happy with 2 less portals to travel thru although each realm had its merit.
A nice wrap up and epilogue.
March 3, 2023
I waited years to read this and was kind of underwhelmed when I finally got around to it. I guess my biggest problem was that Elric never seemed to be in real danger. The elevated diction was kind of laughable sometimes, too. How many times did he use "insouciantly"?
December 18, 2023
Audiobook. Good narrator.
Elric is a classic of modern fantasy and pretty influential.
Personally I am not too much of a fan of the writing itself. The stories are still interesting enough, though.
Elric is a classic of modern fantasy and pretty influential.
Personally I am not too much of a fan of the writing itself. The stories are still interesting enough, though.
December 21, 2023
A cornerstone of my childhood; I decided to re-read. I was not disappointed.
January 24, 2024
As I mentioned in the Vol 2 review section:
It's great that the legendary DAW series is available to readers (listeners) again. And there's an extra story. Decent narrator too.
It's great that the legendary DAW series is available to readers (listeners) again. And there's an extra story. Decent narrator too.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews