Questions/comments from an interested fantasy fan and newb.

[Brannon]

I decided to join up for the forum because, from what little I’ve learned from external sources, I’ve become very interested in the themes of Mr. Moorcock’s stories. The reading list helps a lot and I was thinking of starting my journey into his Multiverse with the Elric cycle (the one that jumps out at me the most and seems to be the most popular). Is this a good strategy?

I've been slowly working my way through the pillars of fantasy and sci-fi over the last five years or so and I’m always looking to broaden my horizons. Being that I can appreciate different philosophies (from Tolkien, to Howard, to Lovecraft etc.) and because of my eclectic tastes, I want to read the best of the entire genre, not necessarily the best works under one “cult of personality�. If that makes any sense at all…

I’ve been browsing and everyone, particularly Mr. Moorcock, seems to be polite, intelligent, and very interesting. Glad to be a member.

[HawkLord]

Welcome to the site! Elric is a good series to start with. I think it was either that or Corum that I read first.

[steeltsar]

Elric is good. It's the one I gave my son to start with. The first MM I read was Von Bek.

[xidrep]

Welcome, Brannon! And may I say what a fine Avatar you have chosen! Mr Brett, isn't it? Sadly-missed genius. I've got the whole Granada series on DVD: only watched it half a dozen times...

I have to recommend the Dancers at the End of Time trilogy (and extras); my personal favourites and very tasty if you are, as I suspect, an afficionado of the Nineteenth Century. And the Jerry Cornelius canon, 'course.

And everything else.

[Governor of Rowe Island]

Aha, there's another one snared. :twisted:
Little do they know by the time they read their third Moorcock book there's no going back!
After that you you have to get the rest and keep reading them, over and over and over and over and over and over...

Sorry, I have to go take a quick fix. I think the 'Elric at the End of Time' graphic novel should do it. Sorry again, I'll go and lie down in a darkened room afterwards.

[Brannon]

Welcome, Brannon! And may I say what a fine Avatar you have chosen! Mr Brett, isn't it? Sadly-missed genius. I've got the whole Granada series on DVD: only watched it half a dozen times...

I have to recommend the Dancers at the End of Time trilogy (and extras); my personal favourites and very tasty if you are, as I suspect, an afficionado of the Nineteenth Century. And the Jerry Cornelius canon, 'course.

And everything else.

Oh yes, I think Jeremy Brett is the single most gifted actor I've ever seen. I also have the first DVD box set of the Granada series with all the others in my wish list at Amazon. As much as I admire other British actors like Jeremy Irons, Ian McKellen, and Anthony Hopkins, I think he dwarfs them all in range and talent. The guy deserves every posthumous acting award in the universe in my book.

The early ones before his health started deteriorating where magical, even then, the rest of what I've seen on Biography of the later episodes are fantastic regardless.

And I might take your suggestion and get that omnibus as well as the Elric one. I’ve been able to find all of them thanks to the Abebooks site. Thanks.

[PsychicWarVeteran]

Welcome to MWM, Brannon!

Elric! Yes! It's all good stuff, of course, but I started with Elric and he remains my favorite.

[Ant]

Mmm... For something different from Elric (a good start, nonetheless), how about, the Jerry Cornelius quartet? ... or Gloriana?

Yes, I'd definitely recommend G... I think that's the one book that really got me hooked on Moorcock when I was at school, many, many years ago. (I read it when the first UK pb edition came out... [steps over to bookshelf, returns] 1978. Crikey, I was only 17.)

Cordialement,
Ant