[drw]

O.k I know by searching that this subject has been killed already but.. I haven't read anything by MM yet and I'm definately interested in starting... where the hell should I begin? Sites like amazon/bn.com etc confuse the hell out of me concerning MM's books.

Somebody point me to the link that states which MM book to purchase first or give me a clue here please? Thanks..


DRW

[Llama]

Moorcock's quite prolific. My favorites, any of which would make a good starting point, are (1) GLORIANA, (2) WAR HOUND AND THE WORLD'S PAIN, and (3) the LEGENDS AT THE END OF TIME series. Also Elric's stories, which if I recall correctly begin with STORMBRINGER.

Mind you, they're all quite different -- Elric is sword and sorcery, Gloriana is something of a British Renaissance alternate history fantasia, Legends is a very funny fantasy homage to the fin-de-siecle writers of the British decadence, like Wilde and Beardsley....

[ChrisW]

I'd start with the Corum books. Much better than Elric imo.

[toriphile]

The Dancers at the End of Time books are really fascinating... Behold The Man! is another favourite of mine.

[Hobbit]

This is not an easy one, drw!

The complicated publication of Mike's work has merited books in itself.

However the best recent series is probably the ones published by Millennium (UK)/White Wolf (USA) omnibuses. Though all books in the multiverse have connections, they can usually be read in any order (with perhaps the exception of the Elric' Hawkmoon & Corum stories - see below).

Therefore, you may want to start with the books in the order as given in this series -

Von Bek; then The Eternal Champion; Hawkmoon; Corum; Sailing to Utopia; A Nomad of the Time Streams; The Dancers at the End of Time; Elric of Melnibone; The New Nature of the Catastrophe; The Prince with the Silver Hand; Legends from the end of Time; Stormbringer (Elric: The Stealer of Souls); Earl Aubec; Count Brass.

However the White Wolf US versions have some rearrangement (even more confusing!) There is a book called The Roads between the Worlds which is not part of the UK series, but is perhaps better left after you've tried some of the other work.

See here for a breakdown of what is included in each omnibus:

Moorcock's books (http://www.multiverse.org./end/biblio/omnibus.html)

Gloriana, Behold the Man, Kane of Old Mars and the Cornelius series are not included in this UK order, but all have their own merits. Personally I find the Jerry Cornelius stories amusing as a sort of 'anti-Avengers' style 60's development, though you will perhaps be better leaving them till later. If you want, try the Cornelius Quartet. His new Elric series - The Dreamthief's Daughter, the Skrayling Tree & (the yet to be published Mournblade/Silverskin - unclear which is next!) are better read after the other Elric books.

Personal Faves:

Elric (Elric of Melnibone & Stormbringer)
Corum (Corum & The Prince with the Silver Hand)
Hawkmoon (Hawkmoon & Count Brass)
Eternal Champion
The Nomad of the time Streams - Oswald Bastable

Might be good for starters. As others have said here though, the range is complex and diverse - if you don't like one, try another!

Hobbit

[drw]

Excellent! Thanks all. Hobbit you provided exactly the information I needed, can start ordering them tonight (finally!).


Thanks again!


DRW

[Hobbit]

Pleasure - hope you enjoy! :D

Hobbit