From the legendary author of the Elric sagas, this definitive collection captures the incomparable short fiction of one of science fiction and literature's most important contemporary writers. These exceptional stories range effortlessly from the genre tales that continue to define heroic fantasy to the author's critically acclaimed mainstream works. Classic offerings include "The Visible Men", the trilogy "My Experiences in the Third World War", "A Portrait in Ivory" and the Nebula award-winning novella "Behold the Man". With all of his finest stories finally collected in one volume, this is a long-overdue tribute to an extraordinarily gifted, versatile, and much-beloved author.
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"Moorcock is a throwback to such outsized 19th-century novelistic talents as Dickens and Tolstoy." --"Locus"
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12 of 12 people found the following review helpful
By G Talboys
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
The very conceit of a Best Of of the works of Michael Moorcock is jaw dropping. Just where do you start? His output is prodigious and he has had more than a passing acquaintance with the careers of many notable authors of the latter part of the twentieth century.
Ranging from pulp sword and sorcery, through science fiction, to experimental writings and 'literary' work, the breadth is amazing. And there is a depth to do such work justice. Add to which the fact that Moorcock created two of the most enduring characters of popular fiction - Elric and Jerry Cornelius.
It is a tribute, then, to the editors to have put together such a stunning collection; and one that proves that even if you forgo those two great creations, Michael Moorcock has written some astounding pieces of work.
If you don't know Moorcock's work, this is a great place to start. If you are a fan (can you guess that I am?) this is worth getting for the way in which it provokes a re-evaluation of the author's work. A re-evaluation that does nothing but strengthen my belief that Moorcock is one of the trult great popular writers of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries.
Ranging from pulp sword and sorcery, through science fiction, to experimental writings and 'literary' work, the breadth is amazing. And there is a depth to do such work justice. Add to which the fact that Moorcock created two of the most enduring characters of popular fiction - Elric and Jerry Cornelius.
It is a tribute, then, to the editors to have put together such a stunning collection; and one that proves that even if you forgo those two great creations, Michael Moorcock has written some astounding pieces of work.
If you don't know Moorcock's work, this is a great place to start. If you are a fan (can you guess that I am?) this is worth getting for the way in which it provokes a re-evaluation of the author's work. A re-evaluation that does nothing but strengthen my belief that Moorcock is one of the trult great popular writers of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By Runmentionable
TOP 1000 REVIEWER
Format:Paperback
This is a handsomely-produced, well-selected and generous selection of Moorcock's short fiction, ranging from 1964's "The Deep Fix" to 2007's "A Portrait In Ivory". The familiar themes of Moorcock's work - the vicissitudes of history, his outrage at abuses of power large and small, the triumphs of human survival between the extremes of both chaos and order, and of course London - are all present, but the subject matter is hugely diverse, ranging from small-scale character studies to ambitious, elegaic stories like "The Cairene Purse" (probably the richest piece here) which uses a thoughtful SF framework to shine a resigned but humane light on the world and its people. Elsewhere you'll find, among other things, surreal comedy, exuberant SF and sombre meditations on the aftermath of the sixties counterculture.
Although Moorcock is known for his fantasy writing, some of the stories here don't include any elements of the fantastic, and the book overall leans towards the "serious" end of his work rather than the more obvious adventure entertainments. His most famous characters, Elric and Jerry Cornelius, both lurk herein, though both are only in very short tales (that said, Jerry and his world can be glimpsed in the shadows of other stories). The overall tone is determined by Moorcock's measured, eloquent and transparent prose, though that transparency is often tempered by irony, and always underscored with compassion.
The quality throughout is outstanding, though, as with all anthologies, readers will like some stories more than others. The most celebrated story is probably "Behold The Man", which still has the power to shock some 45 years after it first appeared, but it's far more than just a clever, audacious time-travel tale due to the rich characterisation.... Read more ›
Although Moorcock is known for his fantasy writing, some of the stories here don't include any elements of the fantastic, and the book overall leans towards the "serious" end of his work rather than the more obvious adventure entertainments. His most famous characters, Elric and Jerry Cornelius, both lurk herein, though both are only in very short tales (that said, Jerry and his world can be glimpsed in the shadows of other stories). The overall tone is determined by Moorcock's measured, eloquent and transparent prose, though that transparency is often tempered by irony, and always underscored with compassion.
The quality throughout is outstanding, though, as with all anthologies, readers will like some stories more than others. The most celebrated story is probably "Behold The Man", which still has the power to shock some 45 years after it first appeared, but it's far more than just a clever, audacious time-travel tale due to the rich characterisation.... Read more ›
By C. R. Cooper
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
I'd been aware of Moorcock since the early 70s thru his collaborations with Hawkwind, but only recently decided to sample him . I went for this collection as it looked a well packaged and thought-thru compilation. I wasn't disappointed. It's a beautifully produced and presented package, put together with love by enthusiasts. And the writing is superb. I know he's been at it over 40 years and covered several genres in his work, so this can only be a taster. As that it is brilliant. I'm hooked.
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