The Elric Saga by Michael Moorcock - Saga Press

[@Bot101101]

Oh, my precious! Those are some beautiful editions. My old paperbacks needs to be replaced right away.

[@grantwallace1882]

I read Elric when I was a teenager. It has stayed with me.

[@michaelk.vaughan8617]

Same here. He is a pretty powerful character to come across when you are young.

[@helenmurphy6692]

We're also getting a brand new Elric story in hardcover in December. It's called The Citidel of Forgotten Myths.

[@michaelk.vaughan8617]

I didn’t know that! Thanks!

[@DarthVenamis]

Is it out yet?

[@CinePhill]

Big fan of Moorcock, I must get this edition! I pick up any of his work I see out in the wild. Of his later works I think Mother London is a true masterpiece of literature.

[@michaelk.vaughan8617]

I’ve never read that one!

[@CinePhill]

@@michaelk.vaughan8617 ok I caved and bought it and it’s just arrived today! Pre-ordered the next two as well. Just finished the Gaiman introduction which is actually a short story of his that I’ve read before. Now onto the main course!

[@Paromita_M]

Great review. Rereading this volume now.

[@heidi6281]

I just bought all 3 omnibus editions by Saga press and they are all chocked full of artwork! I feel like a kid in a candy store, going to start them soon!

[@michaelk.vaughan8617]

These Elric volumes are fantastic.

[@astrodoug]

I'm sold!

[@michaelk.vaughan8617]

It’s great! Volume 2 is magnificent as well.

[@jeremyfee]

Great discussion, as always! Silly me, I sold off or gave away all of my old sci-fi book club printings. Younger me had no concept of how these books would just disappear from distribution and become extremely valuable.

[@michaelk.vaughan8617]

Yeah, younger me would have been surprised as well.

[@BookishChas]

Wow that’s a really cool edition! I’ve never read Elric, and it seems this is the perfect way to start. Thanks for the in depth review of this edition Michael.

[@michaelk.vaughan8617]

I think you will really like Elric.

[@Ahnor1989]

centipede press is doing limited editions of each book individually at the moment which are sold out in a matter of minutes usually

[@michaelk.vaughan8617]

Yeah, someday when I find The Count of Monte Cristo’s treasure I’ll get that set.

[@douglaswilliams6834]

I just ordered all three volumes of this. Thank you. These will replace my Sci-Fi book club editions.

[@electrichorseman7158]

Just found your channel.you and Brian lee durfee talk about Elric ..I just bought book you are showing and I ordered the second also ..thank you for your reviews

[@michaelk.vaughan8617]

Thank you for watching! Brian Lee Durfee has a great channel.

[@benriley6716]

I found Part 1, the Nelson Doubleday edition, at a used bookstore for a song. I'm not a huge Elric fan but the art on the book jacket was stunning. Bought it just for the book jacket art.

[@Shagamaw-100]

I have yet to read any Elric stories though I do definitely plan on diving into them at some point. Just got to get through some other books first.

[@kenward1310]

I've yet to read the Elric stories, but it's definitely on my TBR.

[@michaelk.vaughan8617]

It’s great stuff.

[@tonygriego6382]

Have you ever listened to Veteran of the Psychic Wars by Blue Oyster Cult? The lyrics were written by Moorcock and it was about the Eternal Champion, of which whom Elric was an incarnation.

[@paulmonahawk4921]

Check out his contributions to Hawkwind too including albums " chronicles of the black sword" and "warriors at the edge of time"

[@paulmonahawk4921]

Actually if you like Heavy metal, there's a great band called Eternal Champion, and the band Cirith Ungol has Elric on all their album sleeves despite the Tolkien name!...Deep purple has a classic album titled " Stormbringer"

[@michaelk.vaughan8617]

Yeah, I’ve heard that!

[@stews9]

Great stuff, and that volume looks wonderful. I think I've seen Future Michael discuss all three.

[@ellesse3862]

Volume 3 of the Elric Saga has stories I've never read, plus the new Elric novel The Citadel of Forgotten Myths in December, a great time for fans. Did you ever see The Tale of the Eternal Champion collection by Millennium in the early nineties, 14 huge hardback volumes in the UK collecting Elric, Hawkmoon, Corum, Jerry Cornelius, Von Bek, and Erkose?

[@dianagarland4907]

Elric is one of my favorite fantasy characters. If I come across a collection, I will let you know.

[@anotherbibliophilereads]

I just finished the audiobook version of this edition last week. The Elric stories work really well as a audiobook. I originally read them in the 80s as DAW paperbacks. I just might have to buy these hardcover too someday.

[@michaelk.vaughan8617]

Don’t wait too long. Elric hardcovers tend to become scarce. Fortunately your 100 book challenge will be over soon.

[@jonathansoko1085]

Yeah I loved the audio book so much I went and bought this, and vol 2 and then pre ordered vol 2 audiobook. Great stuff

[@paulsnell534]

I can imagine Elric books do well as audio books. They are very pulp fiction styled easy reading but very exciting. I am totally amazed that no one has tried to make a TV series of this character.

[@anotherbibliophilereads]

@@paulsnell534 The audiobook was excellent. It worked just fine. I’d probably skip any TV adaptation.

[@sleestack13]

The highest end version of these stories is absolutely the very limited Centipede Press editions, which are still being published. They are just about to release "Stormbringer". But IF you can find them, you will spend many hundreds of dollars per book.

[@michaelk.vaughan8617]

Yeah, I wasn’t aware of those until after I filmed this video. I really couldn’t justify the expense of buying them though.

[@sleestack13]

@@michaelk.vaughan8617 The expense, PLUS the fact that they are VERY hard to find out in the wild. Limited runs, and the case that most of the owners are the high end Moorcock collectors and just don't want or need to give them up.

[@wadejohnston4305]

Thanks for this review good sir! Couldn't decide what to read and this video decided for me. Thanks for all the hardwork you put into these videos.

[@Toracube]

Never read it, but have heard great things. Another one to find....

[@t_o_d]

I'm super tempted to pick up these new editions just for the map and illustrations even though it took me a while hunt down 3/4 book club editions.

[@LiamsLyceum]

I’m hoping to get to The Fortress of the Pearl this month, I need a copy of this new bind up. I have the old Whelan cover versions, which are gorgeous.

[@michaelk.vaughan8617]

Those covers are really nice!

[@tripp8833]

I’m about to buy this for the cover alone!!! Wow

[@michaelk.vaughan8617]

It does look great! And it lives up to the cover.

[@CriminOllyBlog]

This looks rather wonderful. Having just reread the first book and really enjoyed it I am sorely tempted!

[@michaelk.vaughan8617]

Well, that challenge of yours will be over soon! Get yourself a nice Elric Saga!

[@CriminOllyBlog]

@@michaelk.vaughan8617 I may well do that

[@darthenclave6946]

Definitely have to check out this series.

[@karlhaikara1629]

I have a hardcover 3 volume set of the Elric saga from the Sci Fi book club and it is done in actual order like when you read from beginning to end it makes sense. I got them many many years ago. Id like to get this new set though it looks great and it's be nice to retire my old very read copies

[@jerrycornelius2261]

It's missing 2 novels -- THE FORTRESS OF THE PEARL & THE REVENGE OF THE ROSE

[@Johanna_reads]

The 90’s hardback edition you mentioned is the one I read when I was a teenager! I borrowed it from a friend and loved it. I’m glad I returned the book because it was the right thing to do, but I was so sad not being able to find an edition like that ever again. I may have to purchase this new one. It’s gorgeous!

[@michaelk.vaughan8617]

It’s a great edition. I’m really happy with it.

[@sleestack13]

The CONTENTS of this new Saga Press book are fantastic, but you may have to be careful of the actual QUALITY of the physical book itself. I was sent one on day of release, and when I was carefully flipping pages on initial inspection, I could hear cracking. By the time I got halfway through, the spine cracked right up the middle, all the way through. Since this book is fairly heavy in the book block and glued but NOT sewn, this can happen. I sent it back and my second one seems fine, but just make sure to give your copy an initial thumb thru before calling it a win and putting it on your shelf. Love your videos, man. Thanks for saving me the trouble of doing my own video. LOL.

[@michaelk.vaughan8617]

Jeez! My copy seems okay. Folio really needs to do this series.

[@stevengentry9396]

That's a nice looking edition of these stories. I used to have the SFBC hardcover editions of these, but I think they went in a cull through my library years ago. It's good to know that well-made editions are still being put out.

[@michaelk.vaughan8617]

Yeah, this edition is really nice.

[@paulmonahawk4921]

Love Elric these were massively popular when I was at school in the eighties, If you had longhair and listened to rock music you definitely owned a few of these too!! In The Elric Saga, Moorcock was writing his version of Conan, as a complete antithesis! It is a shame these books aren't as well respected as they should be. The Witcher ought to acknowledge the obvious influence which sails pretty close to plagerism in my opinion...Souls and Blood for Arioch!!!

[@michaelk.vaughan8617]

Yes! You are certainly right! I was a long haired Elric fan in the 80s.

[@paulmonahawk4921]

@@michaelk.vaughan8617 haha awesome 🤘

[@nathansteinfromarkham7109]

Looking forward to getting my hands on it. From what I've read of the 80s comic and heard from RazorFist the Elric Saga sounds like something that stands out among fantasy epics which has had a influence I can only guess at.

[@BookBlather]

That does look like a pretty nice edition. Never read any Elric… will take a look at this! Also, I need one of those swords.

[@michaelk.vaughan8617]

I also need a sword 🗡 like that.

[@juansstein]

You really don't want a sword like that.

[@BookBlather]

@@juansstein 😂

[@someobserver844]

Centipede Press has the only "real" vintage Elric edition I'm aware of. I should reread the Elric stuff I own at some point. The Fantasy Masterworks volume by Gollancz, which does contain the original run from the early sixties, happened to be the first book I voluntarily read in English. Now that I don't have to look up every fourth word, it would be very interesting to revisit those stories. I remember "Stormbringer" in particular to be really good pulp fantasy.

[@michaelk.vaughan8617]

I would get those Centipede Press books but I would have to sell The Manor.

[@abhilashmaddali7158]

The elric stories are great. I have the kindle editions of the UK versions ( Gollancz). I think Vol2 is coming in April.

[@wburris2007]

I want that book in paperback. The hard cover edition is about double what I want to pay, and it takes more shelf space.

[@michaelk.vaughan8617]

It does take up shelf space. Don’t you just have towering piles of books in every corner like I do?

[@wburris2007]

@@michaelk.vaughan8617 Yes I have books in piles. I have moved my textbook and computer programming books into plastic boxes and floor piles to make room for novels on the shelves. The paperbacks which were hidden in the backs of shelves are now on carts. We live in an condo apartment. I have taken over what was suppose to be the dining room for my office and book piles. There are more books in the bedroom.

[@ryanb3665]

I hope you make a second video about the Volume 2 that just released this week! Also, there's gonna be a BRAND NEW Elric novel released later this year in December that'll match perfectly with the three volume set, and that is very exciting!

[@michaelk.vaughan8617]

I’m really looking forward to the new Elric book!

[@sgriffin9960]

I’m very interested in reading this series but don’t own a copy of the first story. Still going on the book buying ban and I’m at 13/50.

[@michaelk.vaughan8617]

You should shorten that ban to 15. It worked for me!

[@Hyperguyver2]

I have all 4 volumes of the Saga Press editions and they are definitely worth having. Just make sure you know that Citadel of Forgotten Myths takes place between volumes 1 and 2 of these new editions per Moorcock himself

[@astrodoug]

thank you!

[@michaelk.vaughan8617]

You are welcome!

[@danielmarlett1421]

Just got this in fear it will go out of print.

[@michaelk.vaughan8617]

Yes, definitely get these while you can.

[@jasongeis679]

To your question of editions: Centipede Press is working their way through the entirety of Elric in a 9 or10 volume hardcover series. Five have already been published and volumes 6 and 7 are due in 2022. They are beautiful books but quite expensive on the secondary market.

[@Elricsedric]

Whats the chronological order for this saga. The original moorcock story

[@williamramskill5488]

I'm having a hard time finding this in H/B in the UK. Amazon has the e-book only for volume 1 and you can pre-order volume 2 in H/B but no volume 1 which is weird.

[@michaelk.vaughan8617]

Wow! Can the first volume have sold out already?!

[@williamramskill5488]

@@michaelk.vaughan8617 The issue seems to be with Amazon, I found a copy on Ebay thankfully.

[@michaelfeeney6108]

I recently found the old Michael Whelan DAW editions. Do you suggest a particular order for a first time reader? I’ve already read Elric and Sailor on the Seas of Fate.

[@michaelk.vaughan8617]

Elric of Melniboné (1972) The Fortress of the Pearl (1989) The Sailor on the Seas of Fate (1976) The Weird of the White Wolf (1977) The Vanishing Tower (1971) The Revenge of the Rose (1991) The Bane of the Black Sword (1977) Stormbringer (rev. 1978)

[@michaelfeeney6108]

@@michaelk.vaughan8617 Thank you! I see there’s another trilogy published from 2001-2005. Would they come after? I’ve searched this myself, but Moorcock’s bibliography throws me off often!

[@michaelfeeney6108]

@@michaelk.vaughan8617 Nevermind! I found an article from Tor regarding these new editions. That trilogy makes up volume 3.

[@jerrycornelius2261]

THE DAW editions are numbered, I think, but don't publish two of the novels.

[@Wabin22]

Hey thanks for showing us this and talking about it. I've seen them but almost nowhere can I find what they actually collect, so I haven't been hesitate to buy them due to that. There is a Orion version of the Elric saga published but those editions are ass in my opinion. The cover is just a waste and they seldom have information on which stories they contain. But the actual content I have no complaints about, even the Neil Gaiman indroduction AND even a short Elric story written by him ;) However, now I know I must replace my Elric books with these :)

[@terrysullins9218]

I'll have to dd the Elric books on my reading list. Elric reminds me of the guy with long white hair in Hellboy 2

[@michaelk.vaughan8617]

They based that guy’s look on Elric.

[@genemcn3579]

Boy, I used to have the DAW mass market version in the 80s. Now they are worth money. Mine are long gone. Sigh.

[@disshelvedwithadamwhite8731]

Aaagh! I just recorded a video on this that was eerily similar to yours. I’ll hold off on it a bit cause yours was better. Oh well, great minds think alike and all that…

[@michaelk.vaughan8617]

Don’t hold off on my account!

[@arlenemullally8056]

Where’s Roger?

[@michaelk.vaughan8617]

Doubtless out murdering some innocent person somewhere.

[@Shagamaw-100]

Here.

[@CriminOllyBlog]

Psst - typo in your title

[@michaelk.vaughan8617]

That’s what I get for putting up videos at five in the morning without my glasses. Thanks Olly!

[@CriminOllyBlog]

@@michaelk.vaughan8617 just trying out not being evil for a day to see what it feels like

[@DDB168]

Hmmm you've made a compelling case for it. I just wish Elric wasnt so creepy looking. 🙄🙄

[@gregorynichols4103]

Read the Daw editions as a youth - they left an impression. I often think of Elric and his malignant sword, and just how dark his world truly was compared to the Burroughs, Howard, and Robeson material i was just coming off of. Michael, had you also read the Dorian Hawkmoon stories by Moorcock? Also pretty cool

[@michaelk.vaughan8617]

I have read all the Eternal Champion stories.

[@michaelk.vaughan8617]

I like Elric’s creepy look.