I finally found Corum

[Shazane Koronova]

...and it is AWESOME!

I still find it inferior to Elric, like everything, but this trilogy so far is excellent.

I've wanted to find this ever since reading about him in the Elric Saga. After this I will continue my search for Hawkmoon and Erekose.

[Governor of Rowe Island]

You've got some great stories ahead of you when you get onto the other two, Shazane. That's not to take anything away from Corum (or Elric.) The Corum stories were some of the first of Mike's work that I read, and I have a soft spot for them because of that. I thought the stories were great, too. It's especially good to start seeing things in the Multiverse from a different perspective, and then trying to work out how/where/when they all fit together.

I envy you your chance to read them all for the first time.

[tvissoc]

...and it is AWESOME!

I still find it inferior to Elric, like everything, but this trilogy so far is excellent.

I've wanted to find this ever since reading about him in the Elric Saga. After this I will continue my search for Hawkmoon and Erekose.

I don't think I'm meant to read Corum. I've twice purchased and lost a Corum book before it could be read. And, I never left my house with the books.. interesting....

[The Mythanian]

Huzah for you Shazane

[Doc]

It may be worth noting that the Berkley paperback omnibus editions of the Corum novels are fairly easy to find second hand in the US. The White Wolf omnibus editions are far harder to come by, but I see them in used bookstores from time to time.

[Perssonicus]

Congratulations, Shazane.

Corum was the first incarnation of the Eternal Champion that I experienced. It was that Berkley trilogy-in-one-book mentioned above, and I bought it at a K&B in Sulphur, Louisiana, in 1978 [well, my Mom bought it for me, that is]. I had read my first swords-and-sorcery-flavored book [The something-or-else Stone of Brisingamen] just prior, a book obviously intended for a teenage audience, just a few months before, and had finished The Lord of the Rings for the first time when I saw the Corum book on the bookracks.

I was immediately drawn to the Eternal Champion, and as I read of the scene at the Vanishing Tower, I met the character of Elric, to whose tale I was instantaneously drawn. Something about that black sword...

The tales of Elric, Corum and Dorian Hawkmoon are written in such different styles, and are so different from each other, but drawn together in so many sagas. Hawkmoon also leapt into my curiosity, and it took many years afterwards to find the books to walk through the worlds of the two other heroes.

I just bought the DAW paperback series of Hawkmoon through Ebay, and have just finished re-reading those, while re-reading the Swords Trilogy intermittently over the same time period. I'll speak more of the other books in other threads, but for me, Corum's original tale was the perfect lead-in to the incarnations of the Eternal Champion, and I am glad I met the Prince in the Scarlet Robe first.

[johneffay]

I had read my first swords-and-sorcery-flavored book [The something-or-else Stone of Brisingamen]

Weirdstone..., by Alan Garner. That is a top book.

[Demiurge]

I prefer Corum to Elric actually, though I understand Elric is far more iconic now. But something about the setting of the 15 planes and the tale of the rise of the Mabden and the doom of the Vadhagh still appeals to me, and of course the might of the Old Gods is awesome to behold.

And I loved the antagonists in the second series, the Fhoi Myore and their assorted servants. I find the dying Lords of Limbo to be far more interesting than the meddling lords of chaos as the primary opponents of this version of the Eteranl Champion.

I think Corum's fate was unnecessary and a slight detraction from an otherwise incredible series, but there were so many strengths that it's easy to forgive. And heck, what book is ever perfect? :)

The eternal champion series across the board is one of fantasy's greatest creations. Happy to have found these forums, looking forward to expanding my knowledge of Mr. Moorcock's unique vision.

[Chaz]

Enjoy the Corum books. They are my favorites of MM's work. It's funny that I picked up The Swords Trilogy when I was a teenager. I was waiting for the next Dragon Lance book to come out and needed something to read.

As it turns out I thought it was the best book I had ever read. I didn't find out about Elric, Hawkmoon and the others until I was older.

I found my Swords book in parents attic and decided to read it again. I'm glad I did. I've read most of the other characters books and Corum remains my favorite.