Wendy Pini, of Elfquest fame, published her artwork from an unfinished animated movie project that she did based on the Elric books. It was called "Law and Chaos", and it might be hard to find. It's fascinating. Also, Moorcock's later entries into the Elric world (starting with "The Fortress of the Pearl"), have a much less...inhuman...Elric. He seems more explicitly a "good guy" and to have a distinct moral viewpoint.
I've heard about the Pini book, never seen it. You can even see Moorcock trying to edge Elric towards being "good" here once or twice--when he gets back from getting Stormbringer, not only does he very stupidly decide to trust Yyrkoon as a regent, but his explicit motivation for wanting to go out into the world is learning how to remake Melnibone as a "force for good" in the Young Kingdoms (which causes even Cymoril to feel a bit of disdain for him). I think that goes along with Elric's essentially romantic, impulsive, Byronic nature--whipping between kindness, cruelty and swearing passionate vengeance sometimes within a single scene or episode. He almost never makes plans (except in the final book in the series) in any sort of considered way--and he says as much at times, essentially observing that there's not much point to planning if your destiny is being determined by forces beyond your control.
These books meant a lot to me as a young adult, but I haven’t read them in many years. I do remember Elric (and his sword) as the best of Moorcock’s motley crew, though. I’d be interested in seeing how they translate to the screen, as well. Now if only somebody would do the same for Tanith Lee, who was (in my mind) Moorcock’s young companion in those days.
I read a couple of these back in grad school, but I expect I came to them too late to really be captivated by them. Or possibly too early; Moorcock seems to have a kind of moodiness that might be better suited to older readers than twentysomething me. I liked the one about the mercenary hired to find the Holy Grail a little better, but not enough to seek more out.
Wendy Pini, of Elfquest fame, published her artwork from an unfinished animated movie project that she did based on the Elric books. It was called "Law and Chaos", and it might be hard to find. It's fascinating. Also, Moorcock's later entries into the Elric world (starting with "The Fortress of the Pearl"), have a much less...inhuman...Elric. He seems more explicitly a "good guy" and to have a distinct moral viewpoint.
I've heard about the Pini book, never seen it. You can even see Moorcock trying to edge Elric towards being "good" here once or twice--when he gets back from getting Stormbringer, not only does he very stupidly decide to trust Yyrkoon as a regent, but his explicit motivation for wanting to go out into the world is learning how to remake Melnibone as a "force for good" in the Young Kingdoms (which causes even Cymoril to feel a bit of disdain for him). I think that goes along with Elric's essentially romantic, impulsive, Byronic nature--whipping between kindness, cruelty and swearing passionate vengeance sometimes within a single scene or episode. He almost never makes plans (except in the final book in the series) in any sort of considered way--and he says as much at times, essentially observing that there's not much point to planning if your destiny is being determined by forces beyond your control.
These books meant a lot to me as a young adult, but I haven’t read them in many years. I do remember Elric (and his sword) as the best of Moorcock’s motley crew, though. I’d be interested in seeing how they translate to the screen, as well. Now if only somebody would do the same for Tanith Lee, who was (in my mind) Moorcock’s young companion in those days.
Wow, yes. There's a future re-read for me.
I read a couple of these back in grad school, but I expect I came to them too late to really be captivated by them. Or possibly too early; Moorcock seems to have a kind of moodiness that might be better suited to older readers than twentysomething me. I liked the one about the mercenary hired to find the Holy Grail a little better, but not enough to seek more out.
Yeah, I find that a lot of his writing hasn't aged that well--he often reads as a transition to something that came after him.