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The Eternal Champion Sequence #7.1 - 7.3
Corum: The Coming of Chaos
Includes the novels The Knight of the Swords, The Queen of the Swords, and The King of the Swords.
This volume in Michael Moorcock's acclaimed Eternal Champion series introduces Corum Jhaelen Irsei, the Prince in the Scarlet Robe, last of the noble race of the Vadhagh and avenger of his Chaos-ravaged world.
This volume in Michael Moorcock's acclaimed Eternal Champion series introduces Corum Jhaelen Irsei, the Prince in the Scarlet Robe, last of the noble race of the Vadhagh and avenger of his Chaos-ravaged world.
400 pages, Hardcover
Published February 1, 1997
About the author
Michael Moorcock
1,018 books3,373 followersMichael John Moorcock is an English writer primarily of science fiction and fantasy who has also published a number of literary novels.
Moorcock has mentioned The Gods of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs, The Apple Cart by George Bernard Shaw and The Constable of St. Nicholas by Edward Lester Arnold as the first three books which captured his imagination. He became editor of Tarzan Adventures in 1956, at the age of sixteen, and later moved on to edit Sexton Blake Library. As editor of the controversial British science fiction magazine New Worlds, from May 1964 until March 1971 and then again from 1976 to 1996, Moorcock fostered the development of the science fiction "New Wave" in the UK and indirectly in the United States. His serialization of Norman Spinrad's Bug Jack Barron was notorious for causing British MPs to condemn in Parliament the Arts Council's funding of the magazine.
During this time, he occasionally wrote under the pseudonym of "James Colvin," a "house pseudonym" used by other critics on New Worlds. A spoof obituary of Colvin appeared in New Worlds #197 (January 1970), written by "William Barclay" (another Moorcock pseudonym). Moorcock, indeed, makes much use of the initials "JC", and not entirely coincidentally these are also the initials of Jesus Christ, the subject of his 1967 Nebula award-winning novella Behold the Man, which tells the story of Karl Glogauer, a time-traveller who takes on the role of Christ. They are also the initials of various "Eternal Champion" Moorcock characters such as Jerry Cornelius, Jerry Cornell and Jherek Carnelian. In more recent years, Moorcock has taken to using "Warwick Colvin, Jr." as yet another pseudonym, particularly in his Second Ether fiction.
Moorcock has mentioned The Gods of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs, The Apple Cart by George Bernard Shaw and The Constable of St. Nicholas by Edward Lester Arnold as the first three books which captured his imagination. He became editor of Tarzan Adventures in 1956, at the age of sixteen, and later moved on to edit Sexton Blake Library. As editor of the controversial British science fiction magazine New Worlds, from May 1964 until March 1971 and then again from 1976 to 1996, Moorcock fostered the development of the science fiction "New Wave" in the UK and indirectly in the United States. His serialization of Norman Spinrad's Bug Jack Barron was notorious for causing British MPs to condemn in Parliament the Arts Council's funding of the magazine.
During this time, he occasionally wrote under the pseudonym of "James Colvin," a "house pseudonym" used by other critics on New Worlds. A spoof obituary of Colvin appeared in New Worlds #197 (January 1970), written by "William Barclay" (another Moorcock pseudonym). Moorcock, indeed, makes much use of the initials "JC", and not entirely coincidentally these are also the initials of Jesus Christ, the subject of his 1967 Nebula award-winning novella Behold the Man, which tells the story of Karl Glogauer, a time-traveller who takes on the role of Christ. They are also the initials of various "Eternal Champion" Moorcock characters such as Jerry Cornelius, Jerry Cornell and Jherek Carnelian. In more recent years, Moorcock has taken to using "Warwick Colvin, Jr." as yet another pseudonym, particularly in his Second Ether fiction.
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
July 12, 2012
June-July 2012 Re-read
The Knight of the Swords: Corum, Prince in the Scarlet Robe, leaves his home to visit others of his kind, the Vadagh. He is soon ambushed by the Mabden and maimed, losing his eye and hand. Corum finds allies and has his missing hand and eye replaced with the hand and eye of two dead gods. Even with his powerful weapons, can Corum hope to defeat the Knight of Swords?
The Elric Saga was one of my favorite fantasy tales around the turn of the century. The Knight of Swords, first in the Corum series, is a better written version of early parts of the Elric Saga.
Corum isn't Elric, however. He's from a gentle, peace-loving race, the Vadagh. The rise of men, or Mabden as they call themselves, parallels the rise of the Young Kingdoms in the Elric books.
Basically, Knight of Swords is the standard early Moorcock tale. You've got gods meddling in the affairs of mortals, an ancient but dying race, travel to exotic alien locales, and betrayal, sometimes at the hands of weaponry.
I actually found Corum to be a more well-rounded character than Elric, although the tale itself was a little weak. If I was rating the volume solely on this book, it would probably be a weak three.
The Queen of the Swords: Corum and Rhalina meet Jhary-A-Conel and go up against Xiombarg, Queen of Swords, with the fate of the world hanging in the balance...
Elric 2.0 continues as Corum and company go on a quest similar to some of the ones Elric has gone on. I have to say, though, I find Corum's abilities with his Eye and Hand to be a lot more interesting than Elric's and Corum to be a more likeable character.
The locales Corum visited in this one were pretty cool, like the River of White, the Plains of Blood, and the City in the Pyramid. Gaynor the Damned, enemy to many of the Eternal Champions, makes his first (to my knowledge) appearance and Jhary gives hints of Corum's true destiny.
Queen of Swords is a much stronger tale than Knight of Swords, upping this volume in my esteem. The "the end of the world is nigh" feel that's present in the later Elric tales is well represented here.
The King of the Swords:
The forces of Chaos have unleashed a rage plague on Corum and the forces of Law. Corum, Jhary, and Rhalina use a sky ship to search for Tanelorn and allies. But will they find them in time?
This one is for all the marbles. Corum and Jhary meet Elric and Erekose at the Vanishing Tower, much as they did in the Elric story of the same name, find Tanelorn, bad things happen, and the first saga of Corum has an ending of sorts.
So, how was Corum on my second reading? Both for nostalgia reasons and for the fact that I thought it aged better than the original Elric saga, I'm giving it a four. I still prefer the Elric Saga overall but Corum definitely has some marks in its favor.
The Knight of the Swords: Corum, Prince in the Scarlet Robe, leaves his home to visit others of his kind, the Vadagh. He is soon ambushed by the Mabden and maimed, losing his eye and hand. Corum finds allies and has his missing hand and eye replaced with the hand and eye of two dead gods. Even with his powerful weapons, can Corum hope to defeat the Knight of Swords?
The Elric Saga was one of my favorite fantasy tales around the turn of the century. The Knight of Swords, first in the Corum series, is a better written version of early parts of the Elric Saga.
Corum isn't Elric, however. He's from a gentle, peace-loving race, the Vadagh. The rise of men, or Mabden as they call themselves, parallels the rise of the Young Kingdoms in the Elric books.
Basically, Knight of Swords is the standard early Moorcock tale. You've got gods meddling in the affairs of mortals, an ancient but dying race, travel to exotic alien locales, and betrayal, sometimes at the hands of weaponry.
I actually found Corum to be a more well-rounded character than Elric, although the tale itself was a little weak. If I was rating the volume solely on this book, it would probably be a weak three.
The Queen of the Swords: Corum and Rhalina meet Jhary-A-Conel and go up against Xiombarg, Queen of Swords, with the fate of the world hanging in the balance...
Elric 2.0 continues as Corum and company go on a quest similar to some of the ones Elric has gone on. I have to say, though, I find Corum's abilities with his Eye and Hand to be a lot more interesting than Elric's and Corum to be a more likeable character.
The locales Corum visited in this one were pretty cool, like the River of White, the Plains of Blood, and the City in the Pyramid. Gaynor the Damned, enemy to many of the Eternal Champions, makes his first (to my knowledge) appearance and Jhary gives hints of Corum's true destiny.
Queen of Swords is a much stronger tale than Knight of Swords, upping this volume in my esteem. The "the end of the world is nigh" feel that's present in the later Elric tales is well represented here.
The King of the Swords:
The forces of Chaos have unleashed a rage plague on Corum and the forces of Law. Corum, Jhary, and Rhalina use a sky ship to search for Tanelorn and allies. But will they find them in time?
This one is for all the marbles. Corum and Jhary meet Elric and Erekose at the Vanishing Tower, much as they did in the Elric story of the same name, find Tanelorn, bad things happen, and the first saga of Corum has an ending of sorts.
So, how was Corum on my second reading? Both for nostalgia reasons and for the fact that I thought it aged better than the original Elric saga, I'm giving it a four. I still prefer the Elric Saga overall but Corum definitely has some marks in its favor.
August 13, 2017
I find Corum a weaker character than either Hawkmoon or Elric but the books are worth reading. This is the 7th book in the Corum cycle or collection. I like the first three or first trilogy better than the the second trilogy of which this is a part.
August 24, 2007
This is Moorcock at his best - invoking Fritz Leiber and mocking the unfortunate effects that Tolkien had on the genre of Sword and Sorcery. It was 1971, the drugs were good, and Moorcock was still lucid.
I inherited the original paperbacks of the three novels included here from my dad, but they are in sad shape, so this single volume is pretty handy. It's a damned shame they didn't retain the original artwork for these omnibus editions, especially for the Elric books.
Otherwise this is purely episodic, pulpy Sword and Sorcery, enhanced by the Multiverse mythos and endowed with just enough literary bite to make it respectable.
I inherited the original paperbacks of the three novels included here from my dad, but they are in sad shape, so this single volume is pretty handy. It's a damned shame they didn't retain the original artwork for these omnibus editions, especially for the Elric books.
Otherwise this is purely episodic, pulpy Sword and Sorcery, enhanced by the Multiverse mythos and endowed with just enough literary bite to make it respectable.
September 13, 2022
Knight of the Swords - 3.5/5
The feuds between the old races known as the Vadhagh and the Nadragh are dying as each of their races are close to extinction. With the deaths of the old age at hand, the new era of humans known as the Mabden are quick to take over the world by aiding in the slaughter and destruction of the world's old life. Prince Corum was a loving and honorable Vadragh who sought nothing more than to spend his time in the company of his dear family, writing symphonies and appreciating the arts. That changes after the Mabden invade his land and he's driven mad with a lust for revenge. The old races are dying, but the last of them will not die standing down. Corum's vendetta against the Mabden draws him into a reality-warping battle that defies time, space and the gods of chaos.
Another fantastical, acid trip adventure by Moorcock. This is the third iteration of the Eternal Champion that I've read so far and I'm really catching on to the formula and themes that keep every series tied together. It offers more of the same and that's not such a bad thing. There are some things I don't like here such as insta-romance and some wooden dialogue devoid of emotion, but the joy of reading comes from the fascinating lore and immersion of the multiverse itself.
There are rich and imaginative landscapes, epic magical battles and dangerous adventures across gloomy, apocalyptic landscapes. The mind twisting moments of metaphysical wackiness are a joy to experience. Not quite as intriguing as the Elric series so far, but a very close second in my opinion. It was also nice to see more of Arioch who was featured quite a bit in the Elric series. The sassy Duke of Hell who creates world-destroying phenomena for the sake of appeasing his own boredom is always pleasant.
***
Queen of the Swords - 3/5
Prince Corum sought to slay the Prince of Swords known as the Chaos Lord Arioch for orchestrating the events that led to the deaths of his beloved family, the creation of the wicked Mabden race and the destruction of his beautiful home. Armed with cursed weapons that defied the laws of mortal powers, Corum managed to defeat the dark harbinger of doom, but his quest for revenge was far from over. The destruction of Arioch provoked the anger of Xiombarg, sister of the Chaos Lord and Queen of Swords. The Mabden that took the lives of Corum's family is also still on the loose. So, armed once more with cursed weapons and a lust for vengeance, Corum challenges Xiombarg to a battle of law against chaos along with his beloved Rhalina and a new mysterious companion named Jhary who has worn many names over countless centuries.
The second book of the Corum saga reminds me much of the second book in the Elric Saga, Sailor on the Seas of Fate. The reason for this is because it begins to go deep into the metaphysical elements of the multiverse, acknowledging all alternate forms of the Eternal Champion and reintroducing the eternal sidekick of heroes Jhary who will be a familiar face to those who have read other tales set in this universe. While Moorcock often falls short when it comes to solid prose and deep characters with realistic emotions, his imagination, philosophical musings and the wondrous lore of the bizarre and fascinating universe he's created is what always keeps me coming back. Especially being the fan of Dark Souls and other games of the sort I am.
His plots often feel like simple D&D adventures with lots of monster fights and side questing adventures, but the things going on in the background is what truly makes this universe feel captivating. Though I don't think the story in this one is quite as good as the first, I really enjoyed seeing Jhary back because he always adds a lot of much-needed humor and fun to an otherwise bleak and nihilistic universe. The battles, magic, dimension-hopping and monsters are always a treat as well.
***
King of the Swords - 4/5
After striking down the Prince of Swords Arioch and the Queen of Swords Xiombarg, Corum has severed 10 of the 15 planes of reality that make up his universe from the chains of chaos. All is not well, however. The gods of chaos are growing weaker, but the gods of law have a few nasty tricks up their sleeves as well. Corum's old feud with his arch-nemesis Glandyth incites the wrath of the strongest of the chaos gods Mabelrode, revives old legends about the lawless gods Kwyll and Rhynn, inflicts a plague of the mind on the last inhabitants of his world, and summons multiple incarnations of the Eternal Champion to aid Corum in a climactic cosmic battle that defies the laws of time, order and space.
An epic finish to the original Corum trilogy. As is tradition, I normally enjoy the final books in all of his multiverse stories the most. I loved the Stormbringer finale of Elric's tale and I loved The Dragon in the Sword finale of Erekose's tale. King of the Swords ties things up nicely in a crazy reality-warping journey with tons of insane imagery, flashy battles and mind-breaking philosophical musings of nihilism.
Speaking of Elric and Erekose, there were quite a few connections to their stories that were introduced into this book as characters from both of their series enter Corum's battle through the planes of reality. Jhary is also a likable reoccurring character in nearly every series in the Eternal Champion multiverse, so there was a hell of a lot going on here. I'm glad I read Elric and Erekose before this one, or else I would've found myself a bit overwhelmed.
I enjoyed the roles Kwyll and Rhynn ended up playing here, they're by far my favorite gods introduced in this universe. I liked seeing some of my favorites characters interact with each other and fight alongside each other. The final battle in this trilogy was pretty damn awesome.
I'm definitely curious to see where the sequel trilogy takes things from here as this book tied up all loose ends and had a very satisfying finale. I'll make sure to read the next trilogy at a later date.
The feuds between the old races known as the Vadhagh and the Nadragh are dying as each of their races are close to extinction. With the deaths of the old age at hand, the new era of humans known as the Mabden are quick to take over the world by aiding in the slaughter and destruction of the world's old life. Prince Corum was a loving and honorable Vadragh who sought nothing more than to spend his time in the company of his dear family, writing symphonies and appreciating the arts. That changes after the Mabden invade his land and he's driven mad with a lust for revenge. The old races are dying, but the last of them will not die standing down. Corum's vendetta against the Mabden draws him into a reality-warping battle that defies time, space and the gods of chaos.
Another fantastical, acid trip adventure by Moorcock. This is the third iteration of the Eternal Champion that I've read so far and I'm really catching on to the formula and themes that keep every series tied together. It offers more of the same and that's not such a bad thing. There are some things I don't like here such as insta-romance and some wooden dialogue devoid of emotion, but the joy of reading comes from the fascinating lore and immersion of the multiverse itself.
There are rich and imaginative landscapes, epic magical battles and dangerous adventures across gloomy, apocalyptic landscapes. The mind twisting moments of metaphysical wackiness are a joy to experience. Not quite as intriguing as the Elric series so far, but a very close second in my opinion. It was also nice to see more of Arioch who was featured quite a bit in the Elric series. The sassy Duke of Hell who creates world-destroying phenomena for the sake of appeasing his own boredom is always pleasant.
***
Queen of the Swords - 3/5
Prince Corum sought to slay the Prince of Swords known as the Chaos Lord Arioch for orchestrating the events that led to the deaths of his beloved family, the creation of the wicked Mabden race and the destruction of his beautiful home. Armed with cursed weapons that defied the laws of mortal powers, Corum managed to defeat the dark harbinger of doom, but his quest for revenge was far from over. The destruction of Arioch provoked the anger of Xiombarg, sister of the Chaos Lord and Queen of Swords. The Mabden that took the lives of Corum's family is also still on the loose. So, armed once more with cursed weapons and a lust for vengeance, Corum challenges Xiombarg to a battle of law against chaos along with his beloved Rhalina and a new mysterious companion named Jhary who has worn many names over countless centuries.
The second book of the Corum saga reminds me much of the second book in the Elric Saga, Sailor on the Seas of Fate. The reason for this is because it begins to go deep into the metaphysical elements of the multiverse, acknowledging all alternate forms of the Eternal Champion and reintroducing the eternal sidekick of heroes Jhary who will be a familiar face to those who have read other tales set in this universe. While Moorcock often falls short when it comes to solid prose and deep characters with realistic emotions, his imagination, philosophical musings and the wondrous lore of the bizarre and fascinating universe he's created is what always keeps me coming back. Especially being the fan of Dark Souls and other games of the sort I am.
His plots often feel like simple D&D adventures with lots of monster fights and side questing adventures, but the things going on in the background is what truly makes this universe feel captivating. Though I don't think the story in this one is quite as good as the first, I really enjoyed seeing Jhary back because he always adds a lot of much-needed humor and fun to an otherwise bleak and nihilistic universe. The battles, magic, dimension-hopping and monsters are always a treat as well.
***
King of the Swords - 4/5
After striking down the Prince of Swords Arioch and the Queen of Swords Xiombarg, Corum has severed 10 of the 15 planes of reality that make up his universe from the chains of chaos. All is not well, however. The gods of chaos are growing weaker, but the gods of law have a few nasty tricks up their sleeves as well. Corum's old feud with his arch-nemesis Glandyth incites the wrath of the strongest of the chaos gods Mabelrode, revives old legends about the lawless gods Kwyll and Rhynn, inflicts a plague of the mind on the last inhabitants of his world, and summons multiple incarnations of the Eternal Champion to aid Corum in a climactic cosmic battle that defies the laws of time, order and space.
An epic finish to the original Corum trilogy. As is tradition, I normally enjoy the final books in all of his multiverse stories the most. I loved the Stormbringer finale of Elric's tale and I loved The Dragon in the Sword finale of Erekose's tale. King of the Swords ties things up nicely in a crazy reality-warping journey with tons of insane imagery, flashy battles and mind-breaking philosophical musings of nihilism.
Speaking of Elric and Erekose, there were quite a few connections to their stories that were introduced into this book as characters from both of their series enter Corum's battle through the planes of reality. Jhary is also a likable reoccurring character in nearly every series in the Eternal Champion multiverse, so there was a hell of a lot going on here. I'm glad I read Elric and Erekose before this one, or else I would've found myself a bit overwhelmed.
I enjoyed the roles Kwyll and Rhynn ended up playing here, they're by far my favorite gods introduced in this universe. I liked seeing some of my favorites characters interact with each other and fight alongside each other. The final battle in this trilogy was pretty damn awesome.
I'm definitely curious to see where the sequel trilogy takes things from here as this book tied up all loose ends and had a very satisfying finale. I'll make sure to read the next trilogy at a later date.
August 20, 2019
Fantastic volume in the Eternal Champion story line featuring the Prince in the Scarlet Robe, Corum. Moorcock weaves an amazing story about a man who ends up being the last of his race disfigured by the main antagonist, a barbarian chief with hatred running through his veins. This book covers the first three books of the Corum story and in my opinion the best of twin Corum books in this White Wolf collection of Moorcock's books.
To say too much more would give a lot away, but I always like to come back to this particular book filled with action, adventure, odd creatures and color, and even other planes of existence. Highly recommended!
To say too much more would give a lot away, but I always like to come back to this particular book filled with action, adventure, odd creatures and color, and even other planes of existence. Highly recommended!
July 25, 2021
Finally Got Around To: Corum!
Way back in high school, when me and all my friends were eating up every fantasy series on the drug store book rack, I tore through Moorcock's Elric stories, just like everyone else. My friends read all the Corum novels too, but for some reason I never did until now. Perhaps I was wasting too much time on Piers Anthony. It was the 80s and I was stupid, I guess.
Corum is in many ways a mirror of Elric. Both are princes, the last members of a dead race, living in a world overrun by humankind. Both are infirm, Elric from congenital illness and Corum from the loss of a hand and an eye. Both possess powerful magical artifacts with minds and will of their own. Both are the playthings of gods in the game of Order vs. Chaos. However, in Corum, the image is reversed. Corum's race, the Vadhagh, are wiped out not because of decadence (as in Elric's case) but by complacency. Whereas Elric was the instrument of his people's demise, Corum is driven (at first) by revenge. And most notably: Elric is an instrument of Chaos in the struggle, while Corum is an agent of Law.
Looking at the timeline of when these books were written, I see that the Elric short stories came from the early 60s, followed by the Hawkmoon novels and the first Erekosë books. Perhaps Corum was Moorcock's attempt to do something Elric-ish in a novel length format. Whatever the intent, it's a sword and sorcery masterpiece.
The Knight of the Swords
Good grief, does Moorcock pack a lot into this book. There's enough plot in 150 pages to fill several Brandon-Sanderson-length doorstops, and yet through the miracle of Moorcock's prose, the story never feels too rushed or too dense. Corum's dying father sends him on a quest to contact their family's distant kin and find out what's going on with all these savage "Mabden" (humans) roaming the landscape. While Corum's gone, his whole civilization comes to an end. And that's just the first three chapters. The tone of the book goes from "fairy tale" to "Mad Max" to Full Cosmic Weird with the seamless logic of a dream. Corum's saga is off to a great start.
The Queen of the Swords
Having exterminated Corum's people, the Vadhagh, in the first book, the Mabden turn on their own kind in a war against the peaceful human kingdom of Lywm-an-Esh. (How to pronounce these names is left as an exercise for the reader.) Corum and Rhalina rush back to her homeland to warn the king of the coming invasion, and end up on a side-quest through another Chaos realm in order to find aid to turn the tide of the war. Along the way, the Eternal Champion Corum encounters Jhary-a-Conel (an aspect of the Eternal Sidekick), Prince Gaynor the Damned (a recurring villain in Moorcock's Multiverse), and Xiombarg herself, a Chaos Lord more powerful than the one Corum faced in the first book. In Queen of the Swords, Moorcock manages the neat trick of making a war feel both epic in scope, from the point of view of its participants, and utterly insignificant in the cosmic sweep of things. Once again, he pulls off in a smattering of pages what other authors would accomplish in a ten-volume epic. By the end, things start to get personal.
The King of the Swords
So how do you conclude a trilogy where the massive battle of armies happened in book 2? By having the final boss, King Mabelode of Chaos, attack Corum and his people psychologically rather than physically, turning them against one another so that they destroy themselves. Against this attack, Corum is truly helpless. In fact, it strikes me that of all Moorcock's heroes, Corum is consistently outclassed and overpowered by the enemies he faces. As in Queen of the Swords, Corum ends up leaving his world to quest through other realms for aid, this time passing through what I believe is our world, as well as intersecting Elric and Erekosë in the Elric story "The Vanishing Tower," told here from Corum's perspective.
The difference between the quests in Queen and King is that here, at times, Corum seems to have lost all agency, and instead is led from locale to locale by cryptic hints and breadcrumbs laid out by others before him. At first, this struck me as a weakness in the novel, but when the time comes for Corum to act and not react, Moorcock's point becomes clear. Without trying to spoil things, I'll just say that there are themes of giving into fate, overcoming fate, and saying "Who needs all this fate nonsense, anyway?"
I'm glad I finally got around to reading Corum. These books highlight Moorcock at the peak of his game.
Way back in high school, when me and all my friends were eating up every fantasy series on the drug store book rack, I tore through Moorcock's Elric stories, just like everyone else. My friends read all the Corum novels too, but for some reason I never did until now. Perhaps I was wasting too much time on Piers Anthony. It was the 80s and I was stupid, I guess.
Corum is in many ways a mirror of Elric. Both are princes, the last members of a dead race, living in a world overrun by humankind. Both are infirm, Elric from congenital illness and Corum from the loss of a hand and an eye. Both possess powerful magical artifacts with minds and will of their own. Both are the playthings of gods in the game of Order vs. Chaos. However, in Corum, the image is reversed. Corum's race, the Vadhagh, are wiped out not because of decadence (as in Elric's case) but by complacency. Whereas Elric was the instrument of his people's demise, Corum is driven (at first) by revenge. And most notably: Elric is an instrument of Chaos in the struggle, while Corum is an agent of Law.
Looking at the timeline of when these books were written, I see that the Elric short stories came from the early 60s, followed by the Hawkmoon novels and the first Erekosë books. Perhaps Corum was Moorcock's attempt to do something Elric-ish in a novel length format. Whatever the intent, it's a sword and sorcery masterpiece.
The Knight of the Swords
Good grief, does Moorcock pack a lot into this book. There's enough plot in 150 pages to fill several Brandon-Sanderson-length doorstops, and yet through the miracle of Moorcock's prose, the story never feels too rushed or too dense. Corum's dying father sends him on a quest to contact their family's distant kin and find out what's going on with all these savage "Mabden" (humans) roaming the landscape. While Corum's gone, his whole civilization comes to an end. And that's just the first three chapters. The tone of the book goes from "fairy tale" to "Mad Max" to Full Cosmic Weird with the seamless logic of a dream. Corum's saga is off to a great start.
The Queen of the Swords
Having exterminated Corum's people, the Vadhagh, in the first book, the Mabden turn on their own kind in a war against the peaceful human kingdom of Lywm-an-Esh. (How to pronounce these names is left as an exercise for the reader.) Corum and Rhalina rush back to her homeland to warn the king of the coming invasion, and end up on a side-quest through another Chaos realm in order to find aid to turn the tide of the war. Along the way, the Eternal Champion Corum encounters Jhary-a-Conel (an aspect of the Eternal Sidekick), Prince Gaynor the Damned (a recurring villain in Moorcock's Multiverse), and Xiombarg herself, a Chaos Lord more powerful than the one Corum faced in the first book. In Queen of the Swords, Moorcock manages the neat trick of making a war feel both epic in scope, from the point of view of its participants, and utterly insignificant in the cosmic sweep of things. Once again, he pulls off in a smattering of pages what other authors would accomplish in a ten-volume epic. By the end, things start to get personal.
The King of the Swords
So how do you conclude a trilogy where the massive battle of armies happened in book 2? By having the final boss, King Mabelode of Chaos, attack Corum and his people psychologically rather than physically, turning them against one another so that they destroy themselves. Against this attack, Corum is truly helpless. In fact, it strikes me that of all Moorcock's heroes, Corum is consistently outclassed and overpowered by the enemies he faces. As in Queen of the Swords, Corum ends up leaving his world to quest through other realms for aid, this time passing through what I believe is our world, as well as intersecting Elric and Erekosë in the Elric story "The Vanishing Tower," told here from Corum's perspective.
The difference between the quests in Queen and King is that here, at times, Corum seems to have lost all agency, and instead is led from locale to locale by cryptic hints and breadcrumbs laid out by others before him. At first, this struck me as a weakness in the novel, but when the time comes for Corum to act and not react, Moorcock's point becomes clear. Without trying to spoil things, I'll just say that there are themes of giving into fate, overcoming fate, and saying "Who needs all this fate nonsense, anyway?"
I'm glad I finally got around to reading Corum. These books highlight Moorcock at the peak of his game.
July 3, 2017
While Corum is no Elric, he is a great incarnation of the Eternal Camp. While less brooding, less conflicted, and less powerful than the other versions, Corum has a nice little charm all his own. In short, Corum is too nice. He is nicely in love with his human female, he is dutifully protective and attentively listens to his eternal companion, he expects honor and loyalty, and he shrugs a lot.
Seriously, the best parts of these stories is all the shrugging that happens at pivotal times of crisis or danger. It is not a weary resignation. These shrugs are the shrugs of comedians confronting their fates. Its a brilliant touch.
Corum is a proto-video game quest hero. And by that I mean, he is sent off by wizards, demigods, and weakened beings of Law to accomplish simple tasks via the quest formula. Even Corum's power lends itself to a video game device - he is able through the use of a cursed eye and hand, to summon dead chaos beings. The trick is that these beings are held in a sort of limbo, replacing the chaos creatures that slew them. Again, this seems ripped out of the game designers handbook and speaks volumes to the success and influence Moorcock wields over nerd culture.
These three books represent a true triology story arch, which I appreciated. I am coming to the conclusion that Moorcock is one of the best of my favorite authors. I admit I was nearly giddy when Elric showed up in the last book. Giddy!
Seriously, the best parts of these stories is all the shrugging that happens at pivotal times of crisis or danger. It is not a weary resignation. These shrugs are the shrugs of comedians confronting their fates. Its a brilliant touch.
Corum is a proto-video game quest hero. And by that I mean, he is sent off by wizards, demigods, and weakened beings of Law to accomplish simple tasks via the quest formula. Even Corum's power lends itself to a video game device - he is able through the use of a cursed eye and hand, to summon dead chaos beings. The trick is that these beings are held in a sort of limbo, replacing the chaos creatures that slew them. Again, this seems ripped out of the game designers handbook and speaks volumes to the success and influence Moorcock wields over nerd culture.
These three books represent a true triology story arch, which I appreciated. I am coming to the conclusion that Moorcock is one of the best of my favorite authors. I admit I was nearly giddy when Elric showed up in the last book. Giddy!
October 2, 2012
Very good addition to the Eternal Champion series. This is the omnibus collection I've read and the fourth book overall, after Eternal Champion, Hawkmoon, and Sailor on the Seas of Fate, and it adds a number of very interesting elements to the overall mythology.
If you have not read any of Moorcock's books, this is one section on the story of the Eternal Champion, a hero doomed to fight for all eternity for the balance between order and chaos in a multiverse of mostly similar universes. Different planes in the multiverse have their own versions of the Eternal Champion, and the champion himself is not usually aware of his existence in multiple universes, or even of his role. This provides for an interesting twist on the regular sword and sorcery theme, as you notice the parallels and differences in each character, and as moorcock applies the same idea to not only sword and sorcery but also sci-fi, steampunk, and other genres. This particular collection is of the sword and sorcery variety, and is specially interesting as Corum becomes aware of his role, travels multiple planes of the multiverse, and even interacts with other version of himself.
I thoroughly enjoyed the reading, although it did feel a little long at times, and recommend it to any fantasy fans.
If you have not read any of Moorcock's books, this is one section on the story of the Eternal Champion, a hero doomed to fight for all eternity for the balance between order and chaos in a multiverse of mostly similar universes. Different planes in the multiverse have their own versions of the Eternal Champion, and the champion himself is not usually aware of his existence in multiple universes, or even of his role. This provides for an interesting twist on the regular sword and sorcery theme, as you notice the parallels and differences in each character, and as moorcock applies the same idea to not only sword and sorcery but also sci-fi, steampunk, and other genres. This particular collection is of the sword and sorcery variety, and is specially interesting as Corum becomes aware of his role, travels multiple planes of the multiverse, and even interacts with other version of himself.
I thoroughly enjoyed the reading, although it did feel a little long at times, and recommend it to any fantasy fans.
August 10, 2011
Unlike several of the volumes in this collection, the Corum novels are three linear, sequential adventures covering the aforementioned hero's struggle against a Chaos invasion of his home world. It's good old-fashioned sword and sorcery, complete with magic limb replacements, gods good, evil, and capricious, a wisecracking sidekick with a flying cat, a cardboard cutout love interest, etc. All the basics.
It's solid stuff, although I found Corum himself a little flat - Moorcock hit a home run with the Eternal Champion concept, because it means he can put the same broody hero into any possible situation and have a ready-made conflict, but the heroes themselves, with the notable exception of Elric, tend to all blur together. But that multifaced hero has definitely grown on me.
It's solid stuff, although I found Corum himself a little flat - Moorcock hit a home run with the Eternal Champion concept, because it means he can put the same broody hero into any possible situation and have a ready-made conflict, but the heroes themselves, with the notable exception of Elric, tend to all blur together. But that multifaced hero has definitely grown on me.
March 2, 2017
I don't know how someone coming at this work in a contemporary way versus someone who has a long history of reading fantasy and science fiction from the '70s and '80s, as I do, would rate this work. Part of my enjoyment was definitely nostalgia, since this is the kind of stuff I read as a teen. The evil people/beings in the story are super bad, without any shading, and the woman in this is basically just the girlfriend, but the descriptions of Chaos are psychedelic and really filled with horror and madness. The ending wasn't that great, sudden and laden with deus ex machina, but at least it had a twist in it.
March 3, 2010
• Finally, Moorcock gets back to what made me enjoy his books in the first place. This story was about the Champion Eternal in his form of Corum. There were three stories in this book, and all of them were excellent. Each story had elements of the best of Moorcock’s work. There was the hero who doubts himself, the faithful sidekick, the women he fights for, and even a cameo of Elric. (That was cool.) Overall, this is one of the best books of his I’ve read. Hopefully, the last few that weren’t very good were just a rough patch, and now he’s out of it.
October 6, 2014
This was the first Moorcock Michael I ever read. Still a fun, quick fantasy read with the basic elements of the Champion Eternal laid out for the reader. This book also includes one of the rare points where Moorcock tells the same story (The Vanishing Tower) from two different points of view (Corum and Elric in The Vanishing Tower).
October 6, 2015
Brilliant book though Moorcock does go a bit overboard with the metaphysics towards the end
July 21, 2021
Another Eternal Champion story! This time, with a somewhat melancholic hero.
VOLUME 1 - The Knight of the Swords: Two older (wiser?) races than the Mabden (men) trying to survive as enemies in a world soon to be devastated by the real one... Prince Corum (a Vadhagh) must take on a quest to find answers for strange occurrences, and learn how to kill; but he also finds love, even though together with horrors, mutilation, dark sorcery, and another evil quest/bargain for a petty sorcerer/god, against one who they know only as The Knight of the Swords, on that plane of existence, but familiar to Elric of Melniboné...
"I think there's a doom upon me."
VOLUME 2 - The Queen of the Swords: It's been said that Moorcock like to play with initials J.C. (such as that one, yes!): Could Jhary-a-Conel, companion to heroes, be Jerry Cornelius? Corum, his wife Rhalina and Jhary riding to help rid the land of a war Chaos has been plotting since Arioch's "defeat". For that, they journey into Queen Xiombarg's realm to find a Sky City. Corum cannot believe his eyes when they find a people thought to be extinct ... He must attempt to defeat another Damned Chaos Warrior, but his new Eye and Hand/gauntlet might come in handy...
"We must use mortals for ends we cannot ourselves achieve." (Lord Arkyn of Law)
VOLUME 3 - The King of the Swords: A fury-disease spreading throughout the land, perhaps from Chaos? Yyrkoon (from Elric stories) aiding Chaos followers on that plane, but as a different creature... Even Corum's gifts - Hand and Eye - refuse to aid him battle Chaos minions. Thus, the companions are left with one choice: seek Tanelorn, yes, the Eternal City of tranquility on all planes. Other aspects Corum - Erekosë, Elric - might help them understand how to fight Chaos on their plane. But who can fight the King of the Swords, Mabelode? And then, the time for Corum to fight he who maimed him has come at last.
"We fight, we suffer agonies of mind and soul, but we are never sure that our suffering is worthwhile." (Corum to Elric of Melniboné)
VOLUME 1 - The Knight of the Swords: Two older (wiser?) races than the Mabden (men) trying to survive as enemies in a world soon to be devastated by the real one... Prince Corum (a Vadhagh) must take on a quest to find answers for strange occurrences, and learn how to kill; but he also finds love, even though together with horrors, mutilation, dark sorcery, and another evil quest/bargain for a petty sorcerer/god, against one who they know only as The Knight of the Swords, on that plane of existence, but familiar to Elric of Melniboné...
"I think there's a doom upon me."
VOLUME 2 - The Queen of the Swords: It's been said that Moorcock like to play with initials J.C. (such as that one, yes!): Could Jhary-a-Conel, companion to heroes, be Jerry Cornelius? Corum, his wife Rhalina and Jhary riding to help rid the land of a war Chaos has been plotting since Arioch's "defeat". For that, they journey into Queen Xiombarg's realm to find a Sky City. Corum cannot believe his eyes when they find a people thought to be extinct ... He must attempt to defeat another Damned Chaos Warrior, but his new Eye and Hand/gauntlet might come in handy...
"We must use mortals for ends we cannot ourselves achieve." (Lord Arkyn of Law)
VOLUME 3 - The King of the Swords: A fury-disease spreading throughout the land, perhaps from Chaos? Yyrkoon (from Elric stories) aiding Chaos followers on that plane, but as a different creature... Even Corum's gifts - Hand and Eye - refuse to aid him battle Chaos minions. Thus, the companions are left with one choice: seek Tanelorn, yes, the Eternal City of tranquility on all planes. Other aspects Corum - Erekosë, Elric - might help them understand how to fight Chaos on their plane. But who can fight the King of the Swords, Mabelode? And then, the time for Corum to fight he who maimed him has come at last.
"We fight, we suffer agonies of mind and soul, but we are never sure that our suffering is worthwhile." (Corum to Elric of Melniboné)
September 13, 2019
Michael Moorcock’s Eternal Champion books can serve as decent escapist SF&F when they don’t get too bogged down in preachiness and/or moping. Don’t ever expect a cheery read since themes of genocide, lost love, and divine manipulation echo across the multiverse in practically every incarnation (aspect? version? whatever…) of the Champion. This was my favorite volume in the (loosely connected) series up to this point.
Corum may now be my favorite version of the Champion. He is (maybe) the last of his race, the Vadhagh (basically decadent elves), driven by the desire for vengeance against the man who destroyed his people but swept up into conflicts spanning multiple planes (alternate worlds? dimensions? whatever…). As with other incarnations, he is a reluctant pawn of the Cosmic Balance fighting for Law against Chaos with a chaos-tainted overpowered weapon. While he goes through the usual “fighting against being manipulated” angst, he isn’t as unremittingly whiney as some of the other versions (I’m looking at you, Elric!).
Apparently Moorcock drew his inspiration from Welsh folklore and history. How close the connection is I can’t say, because the Mabinogion is still languishing on my TBR list. What I can say is that the three short novels that make up this volume are solid swords & sorcery with some trippy interdimensional stuff thrown in as Corum faces off against three increasingly powerful chaos lords. There’s none of the usual preachiness about the joys of anarcho-syndicalism (or whatever form of government Moorcock is usually on about), but the end does devolve a bit into a slightly ranty version of John Lennon’s Imagine.
Overall: enjoyable escapist dark fantasy in which Moorcock keeps his obnoxious side under control for the most part.
Corum may now be my favorite version of the Champion. He is (maybe) the last of his race, the Vadhagh (basically decadent elves), driven by the desire for vengeance against the man who destroyed his people but swept up into conflicts spanning multiple planes (alternate worlds? dimensions? whatever…). As with other incarnations, he is a reluctant pawn of the Cosmic Balance fighting for Law against Chaos with a chaos-tainted overpowered weapon. While he goes through the usual “fighting against being manipulated” angst, he isn’t as unremittingly whiney as some of the other versions (I’m looking at you, Elric!).
Apparently Moorcock drew his inspiration from Welsh folklore and history. How close the connection is I can’t say, because the Mabinogion is still languishing on my TBR list. What I can say is that the three short novels that make up this volume are solid swords & sorcery with some trippy interdimensional stuff thrown in as Corum faces off against three increasingly powerful chaos lords. There’s none of the usual preachiness about the joys of anarcho-syndicalism (or whatever form of government Moorcock is usually on about), but the end does devolve a bit into a slightly ranty version of John Lennon’s Imagine.
Overall: enjoyable escapist dark fantasy in which Moorcock keeps his obnoxious side under control for the most part.
October 25, 2020
Corum is, so far as I've read, my favorite of Michael Moorcock's Eternal Champion incarnations. Though bad things happen to him, he's nowhere near as glum as Elric. Also, Moorcock's writing is on-point with these books. They're fast reads, filled with wild characters and crazy, fantastical events and locations. And this is a nicely contained trilogy. Of course, as these stories typically do, it bleeds over into other spheres of the Multiverse, but the three books tell a story and finish things at the end. I haven't read the follow-up trilogy, so I don't know if it's ill conceived, good, or what. One day I'll get to it.
If you're willing to take a ride into some strange territory, this wouldn't be a bad jumping off point for exploring the weird world Moorcock created.
If you're willing to take a ride into some strange territory, this wouldn't be a bad jumping off point for exploring the weird world Moorcock created.
August 27, 2020
Another great trilogy in the Eternal Champions series. I did a review of each of the three books on their Goodreads pages.
I won't be counting this in my Reading Challenge as I haven't got my hands on this version, and the White Wolf Publishers usually add some fun extras.
I won't be counting this in my Reading Challenge as I haven't got my hands on this version, and the White Wolf Publishers usually add some fun extras.
October 11, 2018
My absolute favorite book! I've read it about 10 times (which for me, is a lot) and it's one of the very small number of books that i've enjoyed reading from start to finish.
October 16, 2017
This is the kind of fantasy I can reread and get something new from it.
February 15, 2023
Okay wow it gave me exactly what I wanted on these books. A cohesive arc spanning three books, consistent characterization, and it's given me a new appreciation for Elric in hindsight. Like, because Corum gave me what I wanted Elric to be, I can go back and read that second Elric trilogy and just embrace the whiny grimdark gremlin as he is. 10/10 highly recommend reading the first (and maybe the second, for context) elric book and then the Corum trilogy.
November 5, 2020
I can't even get past page 58. Right around the most chick-flick romance moment that takes all of one day for love to happen. This book probably would have been better if it was an anime instead. The writing and speech are incredibly pretentious. I have tried to give this book a chance a few times and I just cannot do it.
December 6, 2021
Fascinating characters.
July 8, 2022
Better than Hawkmoon, not better than Elric. Dives harder into the whole Chaos versus Law thing.
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