THE ELRIC SAGA by Michael Moorcock | Book Review

In this video, Jordan discusses the first volume of Michael Moorcock’s sword and sorcery classic The Elric Saga.

~*TIME STAMPS*~
Intro: 0:00
Synopsis: 0:56
Context: 4:40
Is Elric for you?: 11:00
What I liked: 12:42
The Big Idea: 14:16
What I didn’t like: 36:23

~*FOLLOW JORDAN & NIKKI*~

~*MUSIC*~
Rescue Mission - Lupus Nocte (via Epidemic Sound)
Midnight Safari - Unknown Artist (via Epidemic Sound)
Hidden Planet - Bonn Fields (via Epidemic Sound)

#iWizard #Elric #MichaelMoorcock

[djdoc]

39:20 book explicitly states that the herbs he has to gather to maintain his strength, lose their potency over time. Even if they did, he can’t just carry a limitless supply of such magical preparations. They don’t necessarily consist of aspirin sized pills so he can put 500 in a bottle. It’s not like every local apothecary will have some of the herbs he needs, to purchase. Might as well ask why he runs out of food or water sometimes, “why doesn’t he carry enough food and water to last forever?”

[Johanna_reads]

I thought I would make a dedicated Elric video, but I probably wouldn't have much to add to the discussion! What an excellent overview and analysis of the Elric Saga Volume 1! Your critiques are very sound though I enjoyed some things more than you, such as The Fortress of the Pearl and the unwise mercy choice. I've embraced the disjunct nature of the Elric Saga as on trend with some other fantasy short stories during that period. It would be amazing to read Elric as a fully developed epic fantasy story. Lastly, I'll just mention that I loved The Big Idea section and its connection to the Wordsworth poem.

[OliverBrackenbury]

I've had the good fortune to edit and publish a brand new Elric story, so I can say from personal experience that Mike is as wonderful a person as you could hope for.

[djdoc]

Dream thieves, multiverses, so much ahead of his time.

[KelsaRavenlock]

Sailor on the seas of fate is actually book 2, fortress of the pearl was only recently inserted into the timelime and had previously existed outside it as it was written decades later as a standalone Elric story.

[benquirobiequiratman]

this was who Skeletor was base on base on Elric Stormebringer Was his sword Of power black sword of Chaos. was the Dragon’s name Chaos spirit poses storm bringer Eternal champion sword StormBringer

[choblastr]

I want the physical edition you're holding real bad. I've read like 250 or so pages from the Elric Saga and would prefer to finish reading it in a nice hardcover form. But I can only find it with a week or two delivery. By that time I will have finished the first book

[djdoc]

Fortress of the Pearl actually made me think that it influenced Inception.

[GrinningAries]

Started listening to the audio books a few weeks ago, and one thing I'm not sure of is why people group The Elric Saga in with sword and sorcery. I mean S&S in the way that some define it as a gritty subgenre of fantasy, like Conan or Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser. It's gritty and the magic is strange, but it seems far too high fantasy in terms of spectacular extra dimensions and a main character motivated by empathy, that can use powerful magic.

Then again I'm relatively new to that subgenre as well and as a whole, so maybe I need to keep reading.

[nicholasbielik]

By the later part of the forth book, he no longer sees himself as a good person. He sees himself as an evil person, but one who seeks to live in his own way by his code, supremely aware that the world hates him, fears him, but is still fascinated by him. Curious to see your response to the second volume.

[nicholasbielik]

To speak to your final criticism about it not feeling as though the saga doesn’t carefully build narrative weight and characterization as it moves along and instead focuses more on images, ideas, and plot, I think that is fair to observe, but it does ignores the way these stories were written. They were not a carefully built series that the author wrote in chronological order carrying themes and ideas through from one book to the other. These were explosions of imagination occasionally launched into the world over several decades. Each time picking up the riffs and themes and just jamming. They were written entirely out of order in a variety of formats. There was no way to build the sort of characterization that modern fantasy readers look for nor did readers of the time even expect that. They were just looking for a ripping good yarn, and Moorcock certainly knows how to deliver that. It’s a different sensibility. Anyway, enjoyed your thoughtful review of this extraordinary series.

[benquirobiequiratman]

Love Hawkmoon & Duke Avery or Dave

[KelsaRavenlock]

The DnD drow elf character is directly based on Elric while Elric is built to be the complete opposite of Conan.
Not sure how the 4 who are one fight agaisnt the 2 "wizards" is "standard sword and sorcery".
Considering the "wizards" are pan-dimensional cosmic beings from outside reality whose very existence can not be translated into a multiversal form.
And those are just the underdogs in the fight.

[scottbruckner]

Y'rkoon is very unfortunately named because ever since I started reading various versions of the Elric Omnibus, we've been memeing on his name so fucking hard.
Remove the Y'r and you'll probably get the Butt of most of the jokes.
Also another thing.
In the old versions of the comics they made him a Ginger that looks like a Who from Whoville. I need to shake that artists hand because I hate Y'rkoon so fucking much and making him a Ginger was a stroke of genius.

[benquirobiequiratman]

i like this story Of How his Body is decaying finding the cure But He destroyed those flowers Because he kill some his Oen raise because his people was very evil & darker but He to the e tread destroying his home Land

[LiamsLyceum]

I liked Fortress of the Pearl more on a reread. Sailor on the Seas of Fate was my favorite when I read through them.

[benquirobiequiratman]

where wood Matel go with out Moorcock stories to come out with so Many HeMan. Toys or if there was no Conan MATEL wood loose potential if there was no stories based on Eric and Conan

[benquirobiequiratman]

I Half to keep in mind these. books are for adults & dark even though we have HeMan Action figur idea we’re all from. these books Conan & Elric Tarzan are books That started. The HeMan & Big Jim toy S only kid friendly

[benquirobiequiratman]

StormBringer was S dragon that later became forge in the sword after being slain Chaose another Dragon Mourne blade Black Sword Was Forge into one Zseord. of chaose What was Hawkmoons sword He was another Eternal Champion i forgot What sword He use