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Hello/Привет.
I am a Russian guy some 14 years away from home; and as such, my Russian
is fading as my English skills improve. I discovered Mr. Moorcock by
what I am sure a pirated and very poor translation of The Singing Citadel,
in then Leningrad 1980 - it was typed on cigarette paper and humbly bound
in unmarked card-stock, these are not the usual methods of printing and
binding of the old state publishing house. I read and re-read the book
until it disintegrated. Now with the English versions of Mr Moorcock's
works - the complex Eternal Champion and the doom upon him and those he
loves finally has opened before me and, at last, I see the larger picture.
I have been reading Mr. Moorcock's books for over 20 years, and though I
doubt I am his "biggest fan" - I dare say I am one of the most devoted.
I shall endeavour to avoid making this an panegyric.
I have read and re-read the various Eternal Champion books and have been
enthralled by different aspects of them as I age. The fevered devotion to
the books even inspired me to minor in Cultural Anthropology so I might
better understand the world in which Elric's Melnibonéans and Corum's
Vadhagh lived before the tumultuous times which are the focus of the books.
If one is going to get a "would you like fries with that" degree, at least
one should get some personal benefit from it, no?
I doubt MM recalls a very sincere letter from a young fan asking for him to
elaborate on the theogeny and history of the Melnibonéans in 1982, but I did
send the letter and still have his rather amused reply that reduces to "your
guess is as good as mine". Though, at 10 years of age, this was an enormous
disappointment, at 34, I now understand the humour, candour, and sincerity
of the response.
Prof. Tolkien set a rather high bar for fantasicists in the -- what now seems
to be -- endless histories, back-stories, and appendices; and I realise more
each year, that the joy of the reader and the joy of the author are vastly
different. So, with a more mature perspective, I hope to find much here to
enrich my understanding and enjoyment of the larger cosmos of the EC, rather
that fill in the gaps of the specific worlds of the individual champions.
I am a bit too scholarly by nature and I dare say my English, albeit adequate,
will tend to be bookish. I hope you shall forgive this, and understand my
intention rather than the nature of my language.
Specifically to Mr. Moorcock: I cannot adequately thank you for the many
hours of joy and enthralled reading, wherein I -- with Elric -- sent blood
and souls to Arioch, Lord of the Seven Darks, or -- with Corum -- gasped in
dismay at the treachery of the Hand of Kwll, or -- with Dorian Hawkmoon --
discovered the mysterious nature of the Runestaff, etc etc etc.
Most especially, thank you for not preaching morality in your works, but
instead the visceral reality of a world that makes little sense and seems
bent on destroying us! I would have done better over all had I discovered
your works before those of other authors!
As a teen, I relished these stories for different reasons than I do as an
adult, but though this enjoyment has changed in direction, it has never
faltered in intensity. I know you receive many thank-yous and panegyric
epistles, e-mails, and PMs; I only hope to say thank you, bravo, and hope
for your continued joy, health, success, and good fortune.
Миша, большое спасибо !
I am a Russian guy some 14 years away from home; and as such, my Russian
is fading as my English skills improve. I discovered Mr. Moorcock by
what I am sure a pirated and very poor translation of The Singing Citadel,
in then Leningrad 1980 - it was typed on cigarette paper and humbly bound
in unmarked card-stock, these are not the usual methods of printing and
binding of the old state publishing house. I read and re-read the book
until it disintegrated. Now with the English versions of Mr Moorcock's
works - the complex Eternal Champion and the doom upon him and those he
loves finally has opened before me and, at last, I see the larger picture.
I have been reading Mr. Moorcock's books for over 20 years, and though I
doubt I am his "biggest fan" - I dare say I am one of the most devoted.
I shall endeavour to avoid making this an panegyric.
I have read and re-read the various Eternal Champion books and have been
enthralled by different aspects of them as I age. The fevered devotion to
the books even inspired me to minor in Cultural Anthropology so I might
better understand the world in which Elric's Melnibonéans and Corum's
Vadhagh lived before the tumultuous times which are the focus of the books.
If one is going to get a "would you like fries with that" degree, at least
one should get some personal benefit from it, no?
I doubt MM recalls a very sincere letter from a young fan asking for him to
elaborate on the theogeny and history of the Melnibonéans in 1982, but I did
send the letter and still have his rather amused reply that reduces to "your
guess is as good as mine". Though, at 10 years of age, this was an enormous
disappointment, at 34, I now understand the humour, candour, and sincerity
of the response.
Prof. Tolkien set a rather high bar for fantasicists in the -- what now seems
to be -- endless histories, back-stories, and appendices; and I realise more
each year, that the joy of the reader and the joy of the author are vastly
different. So, with a more mature perspective, I hope to find much here to
enrich my understanding and enjoyment of the larger cosmos of the EC, rather
that fill in the gaps of the specific worlds of the individual champions.
I am a bit too scholarly by nature and I dare say my English, albeit adequate,
will tend to be bookish. I hope you shall forgive this, and understand my
intention rather than the nature of my language.
Specifically to Mr. Moorcock: I cannot adequately thank you for the many
hours of joy and enthralled reading, wherein I -- with Elric -- sent blood
and souls to Arioch, Lord of the Seven Darks, or -- with Corum -- gasped in
dismay at the treachery of the Hand of Kwll, or -- with Dorian Hawkmoon --
discovered the mysterious nature of the Runestaff, etc etc etc.
Most especially, thank you for not preaching morality in your works, but
instead the visceral reality of a world that makes little sense and seems
bent on destroying us! I would have done better over all had I discovered
your works before those of other authors!
As a teen, I relished these stories for different reasons than I do as an
adult, but though this enjoyment has changed in direction, it has never
faltered in intensity. I know you receive many thank-yous and panegyric
epistles, e-mails, and PMs; I only hope to say thank you, bravo, and hope
for your continued joy, health, success, and good fortune.
Миша, большое спасибо !
) 
I can't BELIEVE you said that about his MOTHER!!!
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