Corum: The Coming Chaos

Moorcock and Fritz Leiber have the same ironic vision which means they use language lightly to suggest rather than belabour their points and they almost never dwell too long on the emotions of their heroes, no matter how bad things get. That said there is a refreshing pace and clarity of writing to this book which, while not being one of Moorcock's finest, still gives more per page than almost anything else out there. Corum was the first of Moorcock's characters I read, so I guess I identify with him more than the gloomier Elric, and I also like this 'science fantasy' quality, which takes Corum through various incarnations of the multiverse in rapid succession as he tries to avoid the genocide planned for him by the Mabden (mankind) interlopers. As usual Moorcock defeats expectations and takes some odd twists to deliver a fine, nicely-flavored wine which is best drunk by the goblet-full and savoured when you're done with it. A soupcon of Paidraic Colum, maybe, a touch of Dunsany, perhaps, with a dash of Yeats echoing in the background, but none the worse for that. A great read for StPatrick's Day!

Michael Moorcock's books have always enthralled me and I number his works among the finest in my collections. Corum: The Coming of Chaos, which I have just finsihed, does much justice to Moorcocks other books and is easily on par with his Elric Saga. The book is written in Moorcock's graceful fast paced prose which moves the story along at breakneck pace and keeps you interested. Moorcock shows here he is a master of plots and story progression and Corum is a joy to read about. As always Moorcock's book transcends traditional fantasy to become more than just a heroic adventure. Much philosophy and mythology is tied in with the story and this makes for a read that is unlike anything else. Get this book if you have any like for good fiction, but start with The Eternal Champion book if you are not familiar with his works. Moorcock is easily in league with such greats as Tolkien and Lovecraft and he should not be overlooked.

Corum: the Coming of Chaos is truly a first-rate piece of work from one of the legendary masters of fantasy, Michael Moorcock. It kept me enthralled all the way through, and all three of the shorter novels included are, by themselves, impossible to put down (especially King of the Swords, which is also the most fun to read since Elric and Erekose join forces with Corum to form the Three Who Are One).I have not read all of the Eternal Champion novels, but of the ones I have read, this is my favorite. The exposition of this book does not conform at all to the Lord of the Rings formula that has been copied and recopied in epic fantasy novels ad nauseum. If all the fantasy books you've been reading are Lord of the Rings clones, do yourself a favor and get anything, and I mean anything, by Michael Moorcock.Corum's struggle is easy to support and get behind. He doesn't come across as a psycho with a death wish the way Elric does; his motives are nobler and more heroic. The story begins when Corum's race, the Vadhagh, is killed off by wild Mabden tribes. They capture Corum and give him his characteristic missing hand and eye before he miraculously escapes. He reaches a castle held by civil, peaceful Mabden who bring him back to health and give him a place to live. At first, Corum's struggle is against the Mabden who killed his family, but he quickly becomes involved in a battle on the side of Law against the Chaos lords known as the Sword Rulers, whose cause is behind the destruction of Corum's race. This is a great book to read even if you have never read another Eternal Champion novel and had no intention of doing so. This was the first Eternal Champion book I read, and I had no trouble understanding it, or the concept of the Eternal Champion, which is explained in detail in Queen of the Swords. You don't even need to read this book's sequel, Corum: the Prince With the Silver Hand, to fully enjoy it, though I would recommend it since it is also very good.

This is the first collection of Moorcock that I ever read, and without doubt it is my favorite. Elric seems to be the character fans like most, but for me Corum is the finest example of a heroic fantasy hero to come down the pike since Robert E. Howard's Solomon Kane. His motivations are realistic, he has personality and depth, he is a real and three dimensional character. The novels are fast-paced and fun, and I say without doubt that if all you know of fantasy comes from Tolkien or C.S. Lewis RUN do not walk to your nearest independant bookstore and order a copy of Corum: The Coming Of Chaos. This is prime stuff, and makes all that Unicorn-crazed, dragon-loving crap out there look like the Wright Brother's plane next to a phantom jet. I'm serious. Get it.

After reading the first six books in this series, it's a wonder how Moorcock can keep topping himself volume after volume and the Corum books are no exception. Moorcock introduces us to another fantasy warrior creation, but somehow keeps him separate from Elric, Hawkmoon, et al. Corum is just as good as any of these. Some general comments on the individual novels: The Knight of the Swords: Moorcock didn't use too much imagination this time when choosing a title, since except for one word all three are the same. This one is the first introduction to Corum, showing his maiming (ouch), and his ultimate fight against Arioch, who is the Chaos Lord Elric is serving. I don't know what effect this has on Elric, if any. Great start, though. The Queen of the Swords: Corum continues to blast his way through the ranks of the Chaos Lords, this time being joined by his Eternal companion, who's other names I don't quite remember. Nothing particularly distinguishes this one from the others, but it's still fun. The King of the Swords: All right! When I read the summary for Sailor on the Seas of Fate, I knew the other champions were going to show up. In fact, in that one Corum mentions a battle that he fought with Elric, though the albino doesn't remember it. That should have tipped me off. Here, without any fanfare, are the appearances of Elric and Erekose, and it's a very welcome diversion. This is the battle Corum mentions in the Elric books, and I hope Moorcock writes other meetings of the Eternal Champions, perhaps bringing in some others like Elric meeting Jerry Cornelius or Hawkmoon meeting Oswald Bastable. In fact, where was Hawkmoon in this one? The Runestaff appeared, but not him. What gives? Best of the trio.<P