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Corum #3
The King of the Swords
A WRATH UNBOUND
Chaos prevailed over the fifteen planes of reality. The old races had decayed. Only Prince Corum had been able to strike a blow for the forces of Light. And the time had come for Corum to confront his fate - for the King of the Swords, Mabelrode the Faceless, was prepared to wreak his vengeance on the wielder of the sword that slew his queen...
Chaos prevailed over the fifteen planes of reality. The old races had decayed. Only Prince Corum had been able to strike a blow for the forces of Light. And the time had come for Corum to confront his fate - for the King of the Swords, Mabelrode the Faceless, was prepared to wreak his vengeance on the wielder of the sword that slew his queen...
158 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1971
About the author
Michael Moorcock
1,082 books3,489 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 - 30 of 94 reviews
June 5, 2019
In the last volume of the first Corum trilogy, Moorcock pulls out all the stops as Corum joins forces with two other incarnations of the Eternal Champion to restore the balance of a world bereft of Law and dominated by Chaos.
The ending is quite surprising, and I believe Voltaire would have liked it a lot. As always, Moorcock surpasses other fantasy writers in the originality and superfluity of his invention.
June 7, 2015
An interesting conclusion to the Trilogy of The Sword Rulers. Corum again wishing only to live in peace finds that he's not to be allowed that simple luxury.
This series opened up for me much more of the Eternal Champion Cycle. The first book in the Cycle I found was Jewel in the Skull, a Hawkmoon novel. After this, years later I found the Corum novels. In this novel we'll get a look (for me my introductory look) at more of the Cycle, other incarnations of The Champion, a "place" or "situation" we'll come across often later in other books and of course, the Eternal Champion's trademark fatalistic fate...
Again as in the earlier volumes of this trilogy I like and recommend the book. I think you'll find the conclusion interesting.
In my case I sort of came in contact with the Eternal Champion books out of order, even in the wrong or unintended order. I like many of them and think it's a good idea. At the time it was an original idea as it hadn't been done a lot. So again, no blanket endorsement on Mr. Moorcock's books, but I can recommend this book and this trilogy.
This series opened up for me much more of the Eternal Champion Cycle. The first book in the Cycle I found was Jewel in the Skull, a Hawkmoon novel. After this, years later I found the Corum novels. In this novel we'll get a look (for me my introductory look) at more of the Cycle, other incarnations of The Champion, a "place" or "situation" we'll come across often later in other books and of course, the Eternal Champion's trademark fatalistic fate...
Again as in the earlier volumes of this trilogy I like and recommend the book. I think you'll find the conclusion interesting.
In my case I sort of came in contact with the Eternal Champion books out of order, even in the wrong or unintended order. I like many of them and think it's a good idea. At the time it was an original idea as it hadn't been done a lot. So again, no blanket endorsement on Mr. Moorcock's books, but I can recommend this book and this trilogy.
July 1, 2019
The weakest book of the trilogy for me but still a very good story with several nice twists, surprise appearances, and a satisfying— though rushed — conclusion. For me personally I almost wish Corum’s tale had ended here as it would be nice to believe he had found the peace he so longed for, but then again legends generally don’t get a happily ever after ending, and they certainly aren’t promised such with Michael Moorcock penning their tale.
September 13, 2022
Contains a few spoilers for previous books in this series!
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.
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.
February 6, 2019
Fun ending to the original Corum trilogy. Also includes a few neat cameos that fans of Moorcock's work will get a kick out of.
November 15, 2010
4.0 to 4.5 stars. Very satisfying conclusion to the Swords Trilogy by Michael Moorcock. As with the first two books in the series, this is extremely well-done, action-orientated, sword and sorcery fantasy that is a pleasure to read due to Moorcock's descriptive writing and imaginative settings. What places this trilogy a cut above other well written books is the "epic fantasy" aspect of the story that places it within the context of a much larger battle between the Lords of War and Chaos being waged across multiple planes of existence (i.e., part of the Eternal Champion storyline).
Fast paced, fun to read, larger than life heroes and villians, imaginative settings, great world-building (times several) and a well thought out plot that never got convoluted despite the "plane" jumping nature of the story. Yeah, I guess I really liked it. Highly Recommended!!
Winner: British Fantasy Award for best novel.
Fast paced, fun to read, larger than life heroes and villians, imaginative settings, great world-building (times several) and a well thought out plot that never got convoluted despite the "plane" jumping nature of the story. Yeah, I guess I really liked it. Highly Recommended!!
Winner: British Fantasy Award for best novel.
April 22, 2017
7/10
In ‘The King of the Swords’ the adventures of Corum become tougher as he has to face an enemy like no other before, while also travel through the multiverse in a quest for the Eternal Champions.
The book here continues in the same style Moorcock had on ‘The Queen of the Swords’ but with the characters becoming a bit more interesting, and with the story and the exploration of the multi-verse becoming more epic as he brings in the play both Elric and the Erekosë who, along with Corum, will have face grander enemies; and with the gods of Law and Chaos being in great unrest.
From the first three books in this trilogy the ‘The King of the Swords’ has definitely the darkest story so far, as also a bit more epic, with Moorcock leaving a nice twist at the end that will change Corum's fate in the world.
I, certainly, liked it more than the ‘The Queen of the Swords’, but it still did cought me like ‘The Knight of the Swords’ did, even though the story here flows much better than its predecessors; perhaps because it was the first book and it had all the introduction in Moorcock’s multiverse. It’s a good, short story nonetheless full with action and suspense, and some nice twists at the end.
Overall, this was definitely a nice addition to the adventures of Corum, though yet far from great, but Moorcock still manages to pull an entertaining story.
In ‘The King of the Swords’ the adventures of Corum become tougher as he has to face an enemy like no other before, while also travel through the multiverse in a quest for the Eternal Champions.
The book here continues in the same style Moorcock had on ‘The Queen of the Swords’ but with the characters becoming a bit more interesting, and with the story and the exploration of the multi-verse becoming more epic as he brings in the play both Elric and the Erekosë who, along with Corum, will have face grander enemies; and with the gods of Law and Chaos being in great unrest.
From the first three books in this trilogy the ‘The King of the Swords’ has definitely the darkest story so far, as also a bit more epic, with Moorcock leaving a nice twist at the end that will change Corum's fate in the world.
I, certainly, liked it more than the ‘The Queen of the Swords’, but it still did cought me like ‘The Knight of the Swords’ did, even though the story here flows much better than its predecessors; perhaps because it was the first book and it had all the introduction in Moorcock’s multiverse. It’s a good, short story nonetheless full with action and suspense, and some nice twists at the end.
Overall, this was definitely a nice addition to the adventures of Corum, though yet far from great, but Moorcock still manages to pull an entertaining story.
May 27, 2020
The King of the Swords is the third book in the first of two Corum trilogies; I read it a long time ago, but remember it fondly. Corum is overshadowed by Dorian Hawkmoon and Elric (and Jerry Cornelius, of course) among Moorcock's characters, and the six books featuring him are frequently overlooked in discussions of the Eternal Champion multiverse tapestry. The first trilogy, particularly, establishes and explains a lot of the infrastructure of Moorcock's interlocked work, and the section where the four aspects of champion, echoed and mirrored in the books featuring the others' viewpoints, is especially evocative. The Knight, Queen, and King of the Swords tell the story of Prince Corum Jhaelen Irsei of the Vadhagh Folk, the Prince in thee Scarlet Robe, who accepts the Eye of Rhynn and the Hand of Kwll from the evil sorcerer Shool in order to seek vengeance for the horrors visited upon him by the Lords of Chaos. It's more elegant and poetic than much of Moorcock's heroic fantasy, with what feels to me to be something of a Welsh flavor, and features some of the best and most thoughtful conflict between Law and Chaos and Balance for which Moorcock is best known. The trilogies were combined in a pair of single volumes in later years.
April 9, 2018
I read this when I was considerably younger and infinitely more impressionable. I had originally awarded this a five based on memory and whilst it is still monumental in its design, it hasn’t survived the test of time so much as the first two in this series.
As an ending to the tale, it is a little ‘convenient’ but ties things up nicely.
Now onto the next three part Corum series and to see if that will enthral me as much as it did all those years ago.
As an ending to the tale, it is a little ‘convenient’ but ties things up nicely.
Now onto the next three part Corum series and to see if that will enthral me as much as it did all those years ago.
July 28, 2019
Not as strong as the first two, but an enjoyable read. It gets deeper in the weeds of the Eternal Champion cycle. There is even an odd Voltron moment when Corum, Elric and Erikose join into He Who is One.
Like all Moorcock’s books, it moves swiftly and maintains the planes hopping zaniness of the first two. I found the conclusion satisfying, if rushed.
Long live Whiskers!
Like all Moorcock’s books, it moves swiftly and maintains the planes hopping zaniness of the first two. I found the conclusion satisfying, if rushed.
Long live Whiskers!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 12, 2022
As per usual with Moorcocks fantasy offerings, his lore surrounding the many aspects of the eternal champion continue to be its strongest points. I wish we got more time exploring both Erekose and Elric and their similarities with Corum but I enjoyed their inclusions nonetheless.
A strong ending to the trilogy overall. I was hoping for stronger character work but early Moorcock leaves much to be desired in that department. Dark pulpy fantasy in a nutshell 👌
A strong ending to the trilogy overall. I was hoping for stronger character work but early Moorcock leaves much to be desired in that department. Dark pulpy fantasy in a nutshell 👌
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 12, 2015
Corum's Finale
3 May 2013
Well, here I am sitting in my room on the 14th floor of the Park Regis hotel in Sydney killing some time before my play (Henry IV) begins. It's funny, sitting here and hearing all of the sounds of the city drift up from below, particularly since I live in a city and I am sure the same sounds can be heard there (with the addition of the ding, ding of the trams – no trams in Sydney, well, okay, there is one tram, but that goes from the railway station to Darling Harbour).
As for this book, well, I noted that somebody commented that science-fiction is like rock music in that all the the best was written about three decades ago and all we have now are pathetic imitations that are going nowhere. Well, I sort of agree and sort of disagree. With regards to rock music, well I must say that rock music stopped evolving around the mid-ninetees, but that was because it had morphed into what we can call electronica. As for science-fiction, well, I must agree that the genre really stopped evolving around the 1970s and all we seem to get these days are books based on television shows and people trying to outdo Tolkien.
Well, King of Swords was written back in the last decade of the decent era, before everything went all commercial, and while it is not the best of Moorcock's books, it is still, well, quite a reasonable read. This is the last of the Corum books, who is an incarnation of the eternal champion (of which Elric is also an incarnation). The funny thing is that the champions seemed to jump sides depending on the incarnation. You see, in Moorcock's world there is an endless struggle between Law and Chaos (which is probably better than a struggle between vague concepts like good and evil) and the eternal champion plays a role in this war.
It is interesting to consider the idea of a struggle between law and chaos because, well, it is somewhat more realistic to consider. It is a struggle that is all around us, though one might consider that those who back the side of law are not actually interested in order themselves, but rather having control so that they do not have to worry about losing control. Then again, as we in liberal democracies know, we want to be safe, we want our lives to be predictable. We don't want bombs going off everywhere, and we want to be able to go down to the local shopping centre without fear of being shot down by some madman with a machine gun. That, my friend, is law.
However we also want freedom. We want freedom to be able to commit adultery, to be able to eat what we want, and to be able to exploit who we want. Okay, we may not be consciously exploiting anybody, but we want our coffee to be cheap, and we don't particularly care how the guy who grows it lives, as long as it is hot, and as long as it tastes the way we want it to taste. In a sense, the desire for freedom is in effect chaos, because what law does is that it restricts our ability to be free. Law is good, as long as everybody else obeys it and nobody comes and stops us from doing what we want to do. As for a war between good and evil, well, as I have suggested, that is just purely ambiguous, because good is basically what we like and evil is what we don't like, meaning that anybody that disagrees with us, and attacks us because of that disagreement is, well, evil.
3 May 2013
Well, here I am sitting in my room on the 14th floor of the Park Regis hotel in Sydney killing some time before my play (Henry IV) begins. It's funny, sitting here and hearing all of the sounds of the city drift up from below, particularly since I live in a city and I am sure the same sounds can be heard there (with the addition of the ding, ding of the trams – no trams in Sydney, well, okay, there is one tram, but that goes from the railway station to Darling Harbour).
As for this book, well, I noted that somebody commented that science-fiction is like rock music in that all the the best was written about three decades ago and all we have now are pathetic imitations that are going nowhere. Well, I sort of agree and sort of disagree. With regards to rock music, well I must say that rock music stopped evolving around the mid-ninetees, but that was because it had morphed into what we can call electronica. As for science-fiction, well, I must agree that the genre really stopped evolving around the 1970s and all we seem to get these days are books based on television shows and people trying to outdo Tolkien.
Well, King of Swords was written back in the last decade of the decent era, before everything went all commercial, and while it is not the best of Moorcock's books, it is still, well, quite a reasonable read. This is the last of the Corum books, who is an incarnation of the eternal champion (of which Elric is also an incarnation). The funny thing is that the champions seemed to jump sides depending on the incarnation. You see, in Moorcock's world there is an endless struggle between Law and Chaos (which is probably better than a struggle between vague concepts like good and evil) and the eternal champion plays a role in this war.
It is interesting to consider the idea of a struggle between law and chaos because, well, it is somewhat more realistic to consider. It is a struggle that is all around us, though one might consider that those who back the side of law are not actually interested in order themselves, but rather having control so that they do not have to worry about losing control. Then again, as we in liberal democracies know, we want to be safe, we want our lives to be predictable. We don't want bombs going off everywhere, and we want to be able to go down to the local shopping centre without fear of being shot down by some madman with a machine gun. That, my friend, is law.
However we also want freedom. We want freedom to be able to commit adultery, to be able to eat what we want, and to be able to exploit who we want. Okay, we may not be consciously exploiting anybody, but we want our coffee to be cheap, and we don't particularly care how the guy who grows it lives, as long as it is hot, and as long as it tastes the way we want it to taste. In a sense, the desire for freedom is in effect chaos, because what law does is that it restricts our ability to be free. Law is good, as long as everybody else obeys it and nobody comes and stops us from doing what we want to do. As for a war between good and evil, well, as I have suggested, that is just purely ambiguous, because good is basically what we like and evil is what we don't like, meaning that anybody that disagrees with us, and attacks us because of that disagreement is, well, evil.
August 26, 2020
More of a summary - probably spoilery - so be careful. Or just pass on this review, read others less spoilery, or just go read the book without any more information.
Last book of the first trilogy, in The King of the Swords we find Prince Corum joining forces with two other iterations of the Eternal Champion - Elric and the Erekosë - to fight The King of the Swords, Mabelode. Corum seeks some level of internal balance, peace, if even just for himself and Rhalina. And knowing Glandyth-a-Krae and his Denledhyssi had survived the battle that killed so many - including Xiombarg, The Queen of Swords - he knows his destiny is somehow tied to the Earl, his Murderers, and the last Sword Ruler of them all.
Enjoying their victory, if not total at least quite memorable, Corum and his men sense danger lurking outside the castle walls. A languorous feeling or wrongness sweeps the people, and violence, uncalled for violence, sweeps the castle. Many die and Corum must leave with Jhary and Rhalina to seek the cause before those they cannot afford to lose are killed. Meanwhile, Whiskers seeks information at Glandyth’s lair and finds what is behind the sickness. Corum then discovers the truth of things, Law and Chaos are battling on several planes, and with his Lord Arkyn too weak to send aid Corum must find Tanelorn to acquire the assistance he requires.
Jhary disappears them into the time stream, nowhere and everywhere at once, kind of, and the group witnesses great battles throughout the times of Law and Chaos. They also see Elric, Erekose, and Hawkmoon, three other iterations of the Eternal Champion, which is a rare phenomenon itself. Eventually they meet Duke Teer, servant of Mabelode, in his Castle of Blood. Ick. Managing to escape through trickery, Corum, Jhary, and Rhalina become separated. Corum and Jhary meet Lady Jane of the Pentallyon. Safe here for the time being, they wonder what has become of Rhalina while Jane regales them with tales, eventually providing a blade to Corum which will aid his future endeavors. How, he has no idea. More travelling, more walking, and Corum and Jhary - still sans Rhalina - learn the witch knife can be used to call Elric and form The Three That Are One. Having no idea what that means, they continue towards the Vanishing Tower, knowing the evil that awaits is horrifying. Jhary is soon captured, and Corum uses the witch blade fearing he has nothing left to utilize in his quest. And the confusing craziness of the Multiverse ensues, as Elric, Corum, and Erekose are (re)united to fight Voiloidion. Things are killed, gained, lost and learned… with a tiny stop in Tanelorn and a bit of things read before mixed in, Multiverse!!!, and then we are off to (sort of, well, here, now, anyway) end things with The King of the Swords. The end of this book is amazing, so much happens, so much is brought to light, and so much is left undecided. Impressive, quite.
I loved this book, and the previous two, quite a lot. Hearkens back to the Elric Saga (#1-#6) with its style and writing, and those were amazing. I am wondering what can possibly await me in the next three Corum books...
Last book of the first trilogy, in The King of the Swords we find Prince Corum joining forces with two other iterations of the Eternal Champion - Elric and the Erekosë - to fight The King of the Swords, Mabelode. Corum seeks some level of internal balance, peace, if even just for himself and Rhalina. And knowing Glandyth-a-Krae and his Denledhyssi had survived the battle that killed so many - including Xiombarg, The Queen of Swords - he knows his destiny is somehow tied to the Earl, his Murderers, and the last Sword Ruler of them all.
Enjoying their victory, if not total at least quite memorable, Corum and his men sense danger lurking outside the castle walls. A languorous feeling or wrongness sweeps the people, and violence, uncalled for violence, sweeps the castle. Many die and Corum must leave with Jhary and Rhalina to seek the cause before those they cannot afford to lose are killed. Meanwhile, Whiskers seeks information at Glandyth’s lair and finds what is behind the sickness. Corum then discovers the truth of things, Law and Chaos are battling on several planes, and with his Lord Arkyn too weak to send aid Corum must find Tanelorn to acquire the assistance he requires.
Jhary disappears them into the time stream, nowhere and everywhere at once, kind of, and the group witnesses great battles throughout the times of Law and Chaos. They also see Elric, Erekose, and Hawkmoon, three other iterations of the Eternal Champion, which is a rare phenomenon itself. Eventually they meet Duke Teer, servant of Mabelode, in his Castle of Blood. Ick. Managing to escape through trickery, Corum, Jhary, and Rhalina become separated. Corum and Jhary meet Lady Jane of the Pentallyon. Safe here for the time being, they wonder what has become of Rhalina while Jane regales them with tales, eventually providing a blade to Corum which will aid his future endeavors. How, he has no idea. More travelling, more walking, and Corum and Jhary - still sans Rhalina - learn the witch knife can be used to call Elric and form The Three That Are One. Having no idea what that means, they continue towards the Vanishing Tower, knowing the evil that awaits is horrifying. Jhary is soon captured, and Corum uses the witch blade fearing he has nothing left to utilize in his quest. And the confusing craziness of the Multiverse ensues, as Elric, Corum, and Erekose are (re)united to fight Voiloidion. Things are killed, gained, lost and learned… with a tiny stop in Tanelorn and a bit of things read before mixed in, Multiverse!!!, and then we are off to (sort of, well, here, now, anyway) end things with The King of the Swords. The end of this book is amazing, so much happens, so much is brought to light, and so much is left undecided. Impressive, quite.
I loved this book, and the previous two, quite a lot. Hearkens back to the Elric Saga (#1-#6) with its style and writing, and those were amazing. I am wondering what can possibly await me in the next three Corum books...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 26, 2014
-Fanfarria final.-
Género. Narrativa Fantástica.
Lo que nos cuenta. Corum está viendo como la antigua fortaleza de su familia, el castillo Erorn, está siendo reconstruido y las cosas parecen ir bien, la gente es feliz y las cosechas son buenas, pero sentimientos de rabia, rencor y agresividad empiezan a manifestarse entre amigos, aliados e incluso entre los más cercanos a Corum. Y es que el Rey de las Espadas, Mabelode, está buscando una aproximación más indirecta a la victoria, por lo que Corum tendrá que viajar buscando una solución al mal que les está atacando desde dentro y contra el que Arkyn, muy débil, no parece que pueda ofrecer solución más allá de indicar que deben buscar Tanelorn. Tercer y último volumen de la Trilogía de las Espadas.
¿Quiere saber más de este libro, sin spoilers? Visite:
http://librosdeolethros.blogspot.com/...
Género. Narrativa Fantástica.
Lo que nos cuenta. Corum está viendo como la antigua fortaleza de su familia, el castillo Erorn, está siendo reconstruido y las cosas parecen ir bien, la gente es feliz y las cosechas son buenas, pero sentimientos de rabia, rencor y agresividad empiezan a manifestarse entre amigos, aliados e incluso entre los más cercanos a Corum. Y es que el Rey de las Espadas, Mabelode, está buscando una aproximación más indirecta a la victoria, por lo que Corum tendrá que viajar buscando una solución al mal que les está atacando desde dentro y contra el que Arkyn, muy débil, no parece que pueda ofrecer solución más allá de indicar que deben buscar Tanelorn. Tercer y último volumen de la Trilogía de las Espadas.
¿Quiere saber más de este libro, sin spoilers? Visite:
http://librosdeolethros.blogspot.com/...
October 8, 2019
This was a great end to a great trilogy, although there's another trilogy to come. I was really surprised at how much I enjoyed this series because I'm not a huge fantasy reader, but this series changed my mind. Moorcock has managed to take some really outlandish "hard" fantasy and keep it just grounded enough even non-fantasy readers will probably enjoy it. While not quite LOTR level, this is one of the better fantasy series I've ever read.
July 14, 2015
Corum's quest against the gods of Chaos continues! And this time, Corum encounters some of his other selves (as the Eternal Champion), and we actually get a glimpse of Tanelorn!
August 28, 2021
2,5/5
Un poco mejor que el segundo libro, pero notablemente peor que el primero. Me ha decepcionado esta trilogía, a la que siempre tuve ganas. Hace más de cinco años que me compré los libros, aunque nunca había terminado de decidirme. Tras la relectura de la saga del Elric que hice este año, consideré que era el mejor momento para conocer al resto de Campeones Eternos. El inicio de la trilogía me pareció muy atractivo, con esa ambientación reminiscente del medievo europeo. Pero el posterior se alejó tanto de ella, que mi encanto se desinfló. Con esta tercera entrega, consiguió recuperarse ligeramente, pero no del todo.
En este libro aparece el último de los tres hermanos antagonistas de la trilogía, Mabelode, el Sin Rostro. A mí parecer, está mejor desarrollado que Xiombarg, pero no tanto como Arioch. De todas formas, su papel en la trama no deja de ser casi anecdótico y su presencia, al igual que ocurriera con sus hermanos, es esporádica. En las últimas cinco páginas se resuelve el conflicto que se inició en el libro inicial, de forma medio convincente. Quizá la parte más interesante sea la reflexión final del epílogo. No obstante, el desánimo que ha supuesto en mí esta pequeña decepción no impedirá que lea la segunda trilogía de este personaje.
Un poco mejor que el segundo libro, pero notablemente peor que el primero. Me ha decepcionado esta trilogía, a la que siempre tuve ganas. Hace más de cinco años que me compré los libros, aunque nunca había terminado de decidirme. Tras la relectura de la saga del Elric que hice este año, consideré que era el mejor momento para conocer al resto de Campeones Eternos. El inicio de la trilogía me pareció muy atractivo, con esa ambientación reminiscente del medievo europeo. Pero el posterior se alejó tanto de ella, que mi encanto se desinfló. Con esta tercera entrega, consiguió recuperarse ligeramente, pero no del todo.
En este libro aparece el último de los tres hermanos antagonistas de la trilogía, Mabelode, el Sin Rostro. A mí parecer, está mejor desarrollado que Xiombarg, pero no tanto como Arioch. De todas formas, su papel en la trama no deja de ser casi anecdótico y su presencia, al igual que ocurriera con sus hermanos, es esporádica. En las últimas cinco páginas se resuelve el conflicto que se inició en el libro inicial, de forma medio convincente. Quizá la parte más interesante sea la reflexión final del epílogo. No obstante, el desánimo que ha supuesto en mí esta pequeña decepción no impedirá que lea la segunda trilogía de este personaje.
September 21, 2022
Thus ends this romp with Corum. It was fun, dragged in some places, but still fun and still cool.
Moorcock is a master of imagery, so much brain melting stuff happened in the back half of this book. Elric and Erekose showing up was a nice surprise and also bringing in Tanelorn as well. Moorcock was connecting worlds and characters before it was a thing.
All in all, a fun time.
Moorcock is a master of imagery, so much brain melting stuff happened in the back half of this book. Elric and Erekose showing up was a nice surprise and also bringing in Tanelorn as well. Moorcock was connecting worlds and characters before it was a thing.
All in all, a fun time.
November 12, 2021
Το καλύτερο από τη πρώτη τριλογία. 3 καθαρό τα άλλα ήταν για 2,5
October 29, 2017
Note: Below, my review is split into two parts. The first is an overview of the novel and, seeing how this is part of a series, the series itself. The second is a spoiler, in-depth review of the entire work.
Part One: Overview
This series got progressively stranger and stranger with every book, nay, chapter. While the first book was fairly dark and serious, difficult to read at times, even, the other two are far more pulpy in their delivery. This isn't exactly a bad thing. Far from it. I had a blast reading this series, which is actually my fist dive into Moorcock's multiverse. This whole Corum trilogy reminded me very much of Burroughs's Tarzan and John Carter books, with strange, outlandish settings and super-powerful, larger-than-life heroes. Of course, Corum is far more tragic than these other two...at least until the second book. I'll discuss that in detail below.
As far as this one book is concerned, I enjoyed it. I liked Corum's travels. The Hand of Kwll and the Eye of Rhynn are still entertaining, almost as if they were some sort of magical artifact straight out of a videogame. The plot is more or less the same as the previous two books: find the title character and kill it in the name of Law or Balance (it varies slightly between books 1 and 2). But what really had me hooked was the setting. This series is considered to be a sword and sorcery story, and in many respects, it is. It's all about the action, the adventure, the crazy plots, etc. But I would go so far as to call it a science-fantasy work. During some points of the novel, there were almost steampunk-like elements. The plane-jumping sounds more like something Frank Herbert would write. But none of this is a bad thing. I bring it up solely to say that this is a very original piece of work. To some extent.
In all, if you're a fan of Michael Moorcock, you have to read this Corum series. If not, I felt that this trilogy is a good introduction to his multiverse. From what I've heard, Elric and Hawkmoon are far more involved in the Eternal Champion sequence. Corum had tie-ins, certainly, and references, because the multiverse is supposed to be happening simultaneously. But there's enough explanation to keep you engaged.
Part Two: Spoiler In-Depth Discussion
Alright. I gave this book a lower rating than the previous two because, in my opinion, it's the weakest in the trilogy. I felt that the first one was good, with Corum's final confrontation with Arioch handled very well. The final showdown was epic and grand, with imagery that I could definitely associate with Chaos. The second book was in a similar vein, though the shock-factor of the setting was a little lowered. The first felt like a strange, surreal type of Odyssey, and the second was a decent follow-up which, personally, I enjoyed reading a bit more. But the third, while it has the highest stakes, was fairly unexciting.
The settings are nothing particularly special, and the villain is hardy even seen. There are more references to the Eternal Champion and Corum himself is revealed to be the Eternal Champion of his universe. Erekose and Elric make appearances as well, and all three do battle in order to save Corum's love interest...yet again.
While I liked this book, it felt like another iteration of the previous two. There were few changes, and even the final battle falls flat though it's clearly trying to be on a scale to match the multiple dimensions in which it takes place. Most of the book is, it saddens me to say, forgettable. There were very few scenes or sequences in this that I still remember, some were good, others not so much.
I'll begin with what I really did like, which is the fact that we finally get to see Kwll, the owner of Corum's hand. He, or it, appears to be trapped inside Tanelorn. Because his body is incomplete, so is his power and he cannot escape. Corum forces him into an agreement that if he releases Kwll, the Lost God will help Corum and his cause. But the insectoid creature seemingly betrays Corum and simply states that he, or it, is far too powerful to be concerned with even the grand battle between Order and Chaos. But, on to the bad, he proceeds to pull a literal deus ex machina as he faces off against all the forces of Chaos and wins. Yes, just like that. Corum had little to do with anything. He was pivotal in releasing the first five planes from Arioch, and he helped trick Xiombarg into leaving her own planes, resulting in her destruction. But while he does make a decision, Corum is ultimately useless in the final fight. Kwll, a god, comes in and makes everything alright. The end.
While I did enjoy meeting this super-god who can take on Chaos itself one-handed (or rather, missing one hand) and finding out that Rhynn is the Wading God who, this whole time, has been looking for his eye, it all seemed too convenient. Yes, Rhynn, the Wading God, was one of my favorite parts of the first book. He was intriguing and mysterious, kept in shadows and it mere size was enough to pique the interest of my inner child. I dare say that I found Rhynn (and his brother Kwll to a lesser degree) nearly as interesting as Cthulu and all those other Lovecraftian hellspawn.
My biggest problem was the repetitiveness of it all. It feels more like three levels of the same vidogame than the progression of a story. Level One: kill the Knight of the Swords. Level Two: kill the Queen. Level Three: the King. But it all is erased and rendered meaningless when Kwll comes out of nowhere and eliminates the conflict in the blink of an eye. And he not only destroys Chaos, but Arkyn and all the other "good" or at least Lawful characters.
A decent book, but a weak conclusion to the series. I know there is another trilogy with Corum as the main character that, from what I've researched ties in more strongly with the Eternal Champion story, and I just might read that as well. After all, Moorcock is certainly not bad, he just lacks the proper delivery some of the time. It's fun to read, but in the end, The King of the Swords was just, in one word, okay.
Part One: Overview
This series got progressively stranger and stranger with every book, nay, chapter. While the first book was fairly dark and serious, difficult to read at times, even, the other two are far more pulpy in their delivery. This isn't exactly a bad thing. Far from it. I had a blast reading this series, which is actually my fist dive into Moorcock's multiverse. This whole Corum trilogy reminded me very much of Burroughs's Tarzan and John Carter books, with strange, outlandish settings and super-powerful, larger-than-life heroes. Of course, Corum is far more tragic than these other two...at least until the second book. I'll discuss that in detail below.
As far as this one book is concerned, I enjoyed it. I liked Corum's travels. The Hand of Kwll and the Eye of Rhynn are still entertaining, almost as if they were some sort of magical artifact straight out of a videogame. The plot is more or less the same as the previous two books: find the title character and kill it in the name of Law or Balance (it varies slightly between books 1 and 2). But what really had me hooked was the setting. This series is considered to be a sword and sorcery story, and in many respects, it is. It's all about the action, the adventure, the crazy plots, etc. But I would go so far as to call it a science-fantasy work. During some points of the novel, there were almost steampunk-like elements. The plane-jumping sounds more like something Frank Herbert would write. But none of this is a bad thing. I bring it up solely to say that this is a very original piece of work. To some extent.
In all, if you're a fan of Michael Moorcock, you have to read this Corum series. If not, I felt that this trilogy is a good introduction to his multiverse. From what I've heard, Elric and Hawkmoon are far more involved in the Eternal Champion sequence. Corum had tie-ins, certainly, and references, because the multiverse is supposed to be happening simultaneously. But there's enough explanation to keep you engaged.
Part Two: Spoiler In-Depth Discussion
Alright. I gave this book a lower rating than the previous two because, in my opinion, it's the weakest in the trilogy. I felt that the first one was good, with Corum's final confrontation with Arioch handled very well. The final showdown was epic and grand, with imagery that I could definitely associate with Chaos. The second book was in a similar vein, though the shock-factor of the setting was a little lowered. The first felt like a strange, surreal type of Odyssey, and the second was a decent follow-up which, personally, I enjoyed reading a bit more. But the third, while it has the highest stakes, was fairly unexciting.
The settings are nothing particularly special, and the villain is hardy even seen. There are more references to the Eternal Champion and Corum himself is revealed to be the Eternal Champion of his universe. Erekose and Elric make appearances as well, and all three do battle in order to save Corum's love interest...yet again.
While I liked this book, it felt like another iteration of the previous two. There were few changes, and even the final battle falls flat though it's clearly trying to be on a scale to match the multiple dimensions in which it takes place. Most of the book is, it saddens me to say, forgettable. There were very few scenes or sequences in this that I still remember, some were good, others not so much.
I'll begin with what I really did like, which is the fact that we finally get to see Kwll, the owner of Corum's hand. He, or it, appears to be trapped inside Tanelorn. Because his body is incomplete, so is his power and he cannot escape. Corum forces him into an agreement that if he releases Kwll, the Lost God will help Corum and his cause. But the insectoid creature seemingly betrays Corum and simply states that he, or it, is far too powerful to be concerned with even the grand battle between Order and Chaos. But, on to the bad, he proceeds to pull a literal deus ex machina as he faces off against all the forces of Chaos and wins. Yes, just like that. Corum had little to do with anything. He was pivotal in releasing the first five planes from Arioch, and he helped trick Xiombarg into leaving her own planes, resulting in her destruction. But while he does make a decision, Corum is ultimately useless in the final fight. Kwll, a god, comes in and makes everything alright. The end.
While I did enjoy meeting this super-god who can take on Chaos itself one-handed (or rather, missing one hand) and finding out that Rhynn is the Wading God who, this whole time, has been looking for his eye, it all seemed too convenient. Yes, Rhynn, the Wading God, was one of my favorite parts of the first book. He was intriguing and mysterious, kept in shadows and it mere size was enough to pique the interest of my inner child. I dare say that I found Rhynn (and his brother Kwll to a lesser degree) nearly as interesting as Cthulu and all those other Lovecraftian hellspawn.
My biggest problem was the repetitiveness of it all. It feels more like three levels of the same vidogame than the progression of a story. Level One: kill the Knight of the Swords. Level Two: kill the Queen. Level Three: the King. But it all is erased and rendered meaningless when Kwll comes out of nowhere and eliminates the conflict in the blink of an eye. And he not only destroys Chaos, but Arkyn and all the other "good" or at least Lawful characters.
A decent book, but a weak conclusion to the series. I know there is another trilogy with Corum as the main character that, from what I've researched ties in more strongly with the Eternal Champion story, and I just might read that as well. After all, Moorcock is certainly not bad, he just lacks the proper delivery some of the time. It's fun to read, but in the end, The King of the Swords was just, in one word, okay.
January 11, 2023
A satisfying conclusion to the swords trilogy. Apparently all three were written in a week which helps to keep the same spirit throughout. The King of the Swords plays out a little differently compared to the first two. Corum sails this way and that on the seas of time throughout the multiverse and even stops off at Earth for a spell.
Ultimately the balance between chaos and law is thrown away by two beings who operate outside the confines of balance. Their message is to do away with God's and make your own Destiny.
Ultimately the balance between chaos and law is thrown away by two beings who operate outside the confines of balance. Their message is to do away with God's and make your own Destiny.
April 12, 2022
«Aye, some do. There is a legend that once there was only one world -one planet like ours- which was tranquil and perfect. But something evil invaded it and it learnt strife and in learning strife it created other examples of itself where strife could flourish the better. But there are many legends which say the past was perfect or that the future will be perfect. I have seen many pasts and many futures. None of them were perfect, my friend».
July 18, 2024
*** 3.7 STARS *** words 47,568
The Swords Trilogy 3.7 STARS
This was a frustrating series of books. They are absolutely packed full of incredible creativity, and some of the scenes are great. But, it goes at a break neck speed and seemingly jumps whole scenes (of which I would've loved to have read) to trim-the-fat and keep the accelerator pressed firmly to the floor. I just wished Moorcock could've spent time fleshing out each scene, and built them up accordingly. This series could've easily been three times as long.
Another criticism I have is the dialogue; it just doesn't sound right. It kinda feels a little like classic literature, which is not always a bad thing. However, if you were to read the dialogue out loud it sounds like, bad acting in a B movie, from a bad script.
Despite my problems with the book, and the series as a whole, I loved the imagery on show. And it really had some excellent parts of the book.
Micheal Moorcock has an incredible imagination and I know he can write good dialogue. Hopefully his other series don't feel too rushed.
The Swords Trilogy 3.7 STARS
This was a frustrating series of books. They are absolutely packed full of incredible creativity, and some of the scenes are great. But, it goes at a break neck speed and seemingly jumps whole scenes (of which I would've loved to have read) to trim-the-fat and keep the accelerator pressed firmly to the floor. I just wished Moorcock could've spent time fleshing out each scene, and built them up accordingly. This series could've easily been three times as long.
Another criticism I have is the dialogue; it just doesn't sound right. It kinda feels a little like classic literature, which is not always a bad thing. However, if you were to read the dialogue out loud it sounds like, bad acting in a B movie, from a bad script.
Despite my problems with the book, and the series as a whole, I loved the imagery on show. And it really had some excellent parts of the book.
Micheal Moorcock has an incredible imagination and I know he can write good dialogue. Hopefully his other series don't feel too rushed.
March 5, 2021
9/10 A whirlwind climax of old-school epic fantasy
After enjoying the peace won by slaying Xiombarg, Corum and his allies are thrust into new uncertainty when a strange madness of anger and hate sweeps through the castle. Are other lands under the same effects? Does it signal the return of chaos? It’s time for Corum to hunt and defeat the last of the Sword Rulers, Mabelode.
Story
Book 3 in the Corum series, the end of the first of two trilogies, starts with a rather horrific premise. Everyone Corum knows and loves is turning violently against one another, and he is joining them. Corum, Rhalina, and Jhary, the traveling poet and fountain of multiverse knowledge introduced in The Queen of the Swords, set out to discover if the rest of the world is falling to the same madness and where might it come from. The three soon enter into the twisting planes of the multiverse where all sorts of strange new threats await them. For the first time in this series, Moorcock takes us into the multiverse of the Eternal Champion setting, showing us what lies beyond the fifteen planes Corum is familiar with (and some very special guests to team up with). But unlike the previous book, our heroes have more direct goals; the adventure doesn’t feel aimless, and we learn a great deal.
While the creativity on display with the planes and multiverse is impressive, the way Moorcock starts stringing together elements that have been in all of the books is is doubly so. Things you didn’t even know to pay attention to come back in huge ways. As often happens in classic heroic fantasy, though, the climax might feel short-lived and we don’t get a check-in with other places to tie-up loose ends, but it comes with the territory.
Characters
Like the story, the characters seemed more fleshed out this time around. We’re no longer spending a single chapter in one place before being thrust forward, we have time to spend with our characters. And both Jhary and Corum see more detail and development. This was a more character-driven story than book 2 which was much more concerned with the adventure and what kind of crazy realm Xiombarg dwells in. Many of our new characters are also presented with greater clarity and detail than secondary characters in the previous two books.
However, Rhalina continues to be left behind, literally this time. Partway through the book, in a move I assume was meant to raise the stakes, Rhalina is plucked from the story when our heroes crash their skyship while traveling between planes. But it felt as if even Moorcock couldn’t figure out what to do with her and just removed her from the story to be plopped in at the end. Again, characters like her and the “romance” between Corum and Rhalina are typical of old fantasy, but it doesn’t make it any less disappointing. More than anything else in the series, it’s the part that has aged the worst.
Writing
Moorcock, in the old style of story-telling he employs, is not overly concerned with describing everything. At times, scenes may even feel rushed without a moment to breathe. And yet, at other times, he’ll stop to over-describe something else (which may not even be important, such as what a character is wearing) while still skimming over things that could use more description. It just seems to be his thing. As noted in previous reviews, you can also expect a lot of emotional telling. At least with the madness that afflicts them, it can be largely forgiven. There’s a lot of style to his writing, just not subtlety.
Conclusion
Though the book is old and is told in an even older style of heroic adventure, it was an excellent finish to the first trilogy. There are downsides with this style of story-telling but many things to enjoy as well. You’ll never be rolling your eyes at the umpteenth time a character spends another page or two of introspection. It’s all action and adventure, full of character, and endlessly creative.
This review and others can be found on my website: https://thomaspking.com/
After enjoying the peace won by slaying Xiombarg, Corum and his allies are thrust into new uncertainty when a strange madness of anger and hate sweeps through the castle. Are other lands under the same effects? Does it signal the return of chaos? It’s time for Corum to hunt and defeat the last of the Sword Rulers, Mabelode.
Story
Book 3 in the Corum series, the end of the first of two trilogies, starts with a rather horrific premise. Everyone Corum knows and loves is turning violently against one another, and he is joining them. Corum, Rhalina, and Jhary, the traveling poet and fountain of multiverse knowledge introduced in The Queen of the Swords, set out to discover if the rest of the world is falling to the same madness and where might it come from. The three soon enter into the twisting planes of the multiverse where all sorts of strange new threats await them. For the first time in this series, Moorcock takes us into the multiverse of the Eternal Champion setting, showing us what lies beyond the fifteen planes Corum is familiar with (and some very special guests to team up with). But unlike the previous book, our heroes have more direct goals; the adventure doesn’t feel aimless, and we learn a great deal.
While the creativity on display with the planes and multiverse is impressive, the way Moorcock starts stringing together elements that have been in all of the books is is doubly so. Things you didn’t even know to pay attention to come back in huge ways. As often happens in classic heroic fantasy, though, the climax might feel short-lived and we don’t get a check-in with other places to tie-up loose ends, but it comes with the territory.
Characters
Like the story, the characters seemed more fleshed out this time around. We’re no longer spending a single chapter in one place before being thrust forward, we have time to spend with our characters. And both Jhary and Corum see more detail and development. This was a more character-driven story than book 2 which was much more concerned with the adventure and what kind of crazy realm Xiombarg dwells in. Many of our new characters are also presented with greater clarity and detail than secondary characters in the previous two books.
However, Rhalina continues to be left behind, literally this time. Partway through the book, in a move I assume was meant to raise the stakes, Rhalina is plucked from the story when our heroes crash their skyship while traveling between planes. But it felt as if even Moorcock couldn’t figure out what to do with her and just removed her from the story to be plopped in at the end. Again, characters like her and the “romance” between Corum and Rhalina are typical of old fantasy, but it doesn’t make it any less disappointing. More than anything else in the series, it’s the part that has aged the worst.
Writing
Moorcock, in the old style of story-telling he employs, is not overly concerned with describing everything. At times, scenes may even feel rushed without a moment to breathe. And yet, at other times, he’ll stop to over-describe something else (which may not even be important, such as what a character is wearing) while still skimming over things that could use more description. It just seems to be his thing. As noted in previous reviews, you can also expect a lot of emotional telling. At least with the madness that afflicts them, it can be largely forgiven. There’s a lot of style to his writing, just not subtlety.
Conclusion
Though the book is old and is told in an even older style of heroic adventure, it was an excellent finish to the first trilogy. There are downsides with this style of story-telling but many things to enjoy as well. You’ll never be rolling your eyes at the umpteenth time a character spends another page or two of introspection. It’s all action and adventure, full of character, and endlessly creative.
This review and others can be found on my website: https://thomaspking.com/
April 1, 2023
He disfrutado mucho esta saga, y todo el concepto del multiverso de Moorcock. Ya había leído a Elric en su momento, y ver cómo se entrelazan las historias es una gozada. Me quedo con ganas de leerme las historias del resto de los aspectos del campeón eterno.
November 18, 2017
نهاية الثلاثية الأولى من ملحمة كورم، وهي نهاية مرضية، ولكنها جائت سريعة خاطفة، أشعر الآن أنني قد أحببت عالم إيلرك أكثر، ربما لأن موركوك قد أخذ وقته في صقل هذا العالم، أما كورم فإنه ينتقل بين العوالم كثيرًا، ولكن الحقيقة أن العديد من العوالم مثيرة للاهتمام، وخاصةً عندما وصف عالم يشبه أرضنا المعروفة، فعل هذا من قبل في إيلرك ولكنها كانت لمحة خاطفة، أما هذه المرة فقد بقي كورم في أرضنا لفترة كي نستطيع رؤيتها من منظور المالتيفيرس الذي خلقه موركوك.
January 4, 2023
Moorcock is the king of action-driven pulp fantasy for a reason. He pulled out all the stops for King of Swords making it the best Corum novel I've read so far. It has a perfect ending, and I am anxious to start the second series. Hail Kwll.
April 4, 2015
http://panopticonitalia.blogspot.it/2...
The gods lost is the third volume of the First Trilogy The Chronicles of Corum, published on the British market in 1971 with the title "The King of the Swords", while it is high in Italy in 1974, thanks to Sugar Publisher. This novel, which won the British Fantasy Award in 1973, can be considered rightfully one sword and sorcery, with some contamination clockpunk, although I note that today's commentators and authors (especially Anglo-Saxon ones) tend to include many books this literary genre in grimdark.
The story is told in the third person and from the point of view of Corum Jhaelen Irsei, the Prince in the Scarlet Robe, last survivor of Vadhagh race (elves), exterminated by bestial Mabden (humans).
In this third book, so we have to understand some of the mysteries that alleggiano in this cycle.
As for the world building, we learn that the Fifteen Planes which had mentioned the author in previous volumes are only part of the infinite dimensions in the Multiverse Moorcockiano. What's more, some people particularly versed in the magical arts (deities, wizards, necromancers) can make time travel. For example Corum moves of these different worlds by a ship of the sky, through the walls dimensional. We can not know what the nature of this aircraft, although it is clear that this is an anachronistic technology in the context in which the story takes place.
In the second place it is specified that Corum is nothing more than an embodiment the Eternal Champion, a hero in the service of Cosmic Balance whose purpose is to bring balance to the Multiverse. In this regard, during the story, Elric of Melnibone and Erekose will go to help our, understanding that we are all the incarnation of the same warrior in ages and sizes.
The descriptions of the worlds through which the protagonist are so detailed that reading this book you will be able to target them perfectly, appreciating the amazing capacity of imagination of the author. Similarly, the creatures that inhabit these planets are dreamlike and frightening: demons, dragons, flying serpents that drive chariots, elves, dwarves, men beast, winged gorilla with the face of the tiger, and the giants.
In relation to the characters, as well as Corum, is given greater depth to Jhary, wandering traveler dimensional and companion of heroes. These plays a fundamental role in the affair Their choice of the protagonist with valuable information. Whereas for the villain, deserves to be remembered Count Glandyth, who continues his personal battle against Corum, but also Voilodion, nano and magician, Lord of the Vanishing Tower.
Finally, I tell you that this is an amazing novel, essential for any lover of fantasy!
The gods lost is the third volume of the First Trilogy The Chronicles of Corum, published on the British market in 1971 with the title "The King of the Swords", while it is high in Italy in 1974, thanks to Sugar Publisher. This novel, which won the British Fantasy Award in 1973, can be considered rightfully one sword and sorcery, with some contamination clockpunk, although I note that today's commentators and authors (especially Anglo-Saxon ones) tend to include many books this literary genre in grimdark.
The story is told in the third person and from the point of view of Corum Jhaelen Irsei, the Prince in the Scarlet Robe, last survivor of Vadhagh race (elves), exterminated by bestial Mabden (humans).
In this third book, so we have to understand some of the mysteries that alleggiano in this cycle.
As for the world building, we learn that the Fifteen Planes which had mentioned the author in previous volumes are only part of the infinite dimensions in the Multiverse Moorcockiano. What's more, some people particularly versed in the magical arts (deities, wizards, necromancers) can make time travel. For example Corum moves of these different worlds by a ship of the sky, through the walls dimensional. We can not know what the nature of this aircraft, although it is clear that this is an anachronistic technology in the context in which the story takes place.
In the second place it is specified that Corum is nothing more than an embodiment the Eternal Champion, a hero in the service of Cosmic Balance whose purpose is to bring balance to the Multiverse. In this regard, during the story, Elric of Melnibone and Erekose will go to help our, understanding that we are all the incarnation of the same warrior in ages and sizes.
The descriptions of the worlds through which the protagonist are so detailed that reading this book you will be able to target them perfectly, appreciating the amazing capacity of imagination of the author. Similarly, the creatures that inhabit these planets are dreamlike and frightening: demons, dragons, flying serpents that drive chariots, elves, dwarves, men beast, winged gorilla with the face of the tiger, and the giants.
In relation to the characters, as well as Corum, is given greater depth to Jhary, wandering traveler dimensional and companion of heroes. These plays a fundamental role in the affair Their choice of the protagonist with valuable information. Whereas for the villain, deserves to be remembered Count Glandyth, who continues his personal battle against Corum, but also Voilodion, nano and magician, Lord of the Vanishing Tower.
Finally, I tell you that this is an amazing novel, essential for any lover of fantasy!
August 8, 2016
5 stars from Brad, read the full review at FANTASY LITERATURE
The King of the Swords (1971) wraps up the first of the two trilogies that make up the CORUM series. Between the end of this book and the start of the second trilogy in The Bull and the Spear, eighty years will pass. But The King of the Swords is a culmination of all the events set in motion in the first two books. The main event of The King of the Swords, of course, is Corum’s quest to defeat the King of the Swords, a Lord of Chaos who rules over the last five of the fifteen planes in this universe. Along the way, however, Corum must overcome other challenges, most of which seem more difficult than those he faced in his quests to defeat first the Knight and then the Queen of the Swords.
One challenge has to do with Corum’s quest for revenge against Man, the new race of beings known as Mabden. He has one man in particular with whom he wants to settle a score. At the beginning of the first book, The Knight of Swords, after they slaughter all of Corum’s race, the Mabden capture Corum. The leader of these violent Mabden, Glandyth-a-Krae, tortures our Eternal Champion by cutting off one hand and plucking out one eye. Luckily, Corum escapes before he is further tortured and finally killed. Corum, Moorcock tells us, is first taught the nature of revenge through Glandyth’s slaughter of his people, so other than his battle against the three Lords of Chaos in this trilogy, Corum has another quest: to seek out and defeat Glandyth. In each book, therefore, Corum faces Glandyth, but only in this final book is the story of their enmity brought to a definite close. ...read the full review at FANTASY LITERATURE
The King of the Swords (1971) wraps up the first of the two trilogies that make up the CORUM series. Between the end of this book and the start of the second trilogy in The Bull and the Spear, eighty years will pass. But The King of the Swords is a culmination of all the events set in motion in the first two books. The main event of The King of the Swords, of course, is Corum’s quest to defeat the King of the Swords, a Lord of Chaos who rules over the last five of the fifteen planes in this universe. Along the way, however, Corum must overcome other challenges, most of which seem more difficult than those he faced in his quests to defeat first the Knight and then the Queen of the Swords.
One challenge has to do with Corum’s quest for revenge against Man, the new race of beings known as Mabden. He has one man in particular with whom he wants to settle a score. At the beginning of the first book, The Knight of Swords, after they slaughter all of Corum’s race, the Mabden capture Corum. The leader of these violent Mabden, Glandyth-a-Krae, tortures our Eternal Champion by cutting off one hand and plucking out one eye. Luckily, Corum escapes before he is further tortured and finally killed. Corum, Moorcock tells us, is first taught the nature of revenge through Glandyth’s slaughter of his people, so other than his battle against the three Lords of Chaos in this trilogy, Corum has another quest: to seek out and defeat Glandyth. In each book, therefore, Corum faces Glandyth, but only in this final book is the story of their enmity brought to a definite close. ...read the full review at FANTASY LITERATURE
July 21, 2012
Originally published on my blog here in May 2000.
The last of the Swords of Corum trilogy is very similar to the last of Hawkmoon's adventures in The Quest for Tanelorn. Corum, last of the Vadagh race, faces a renewed attack by the Chaos gods, led by Mabelode, King of the Swords, brother of the less powerful gods destroyed by Corum in the earlier books of the trilogy. This time the attack, again mediated by the barbaric Earl Glandyth, is more subtle, involving sorcery rather than military force. His minions have created a potion which causes distrust and dissension, so that those affected by it destroy each other.
Battling the tensions this psychoactive gas causes within their party, Corum, his wife Rhalina and their friend Jhary set out on a quest to destroy Mabelode, which they soon discover is only possible after Corum travels to Tanelorn with two other aspects of the Eternal Champion to perform a task at the Conjunction of a Million Spheres, an event which can affect every one of the infinite number of parallel worlds.
The joining together of different versions of the Eternal Champion in a quest for Tanelorn is exactly the same as the Dorian Hawkmoon plot. The atmosphere of The King of the Swords is as strong as in any of Moorcock's novels, it just has a re-used plot. (This is, of course, part of the point of the idea of the Eternal Champion; it does, however, rather reduce the interest of this novel.)
The last of the Swords of Corum trilogy is very similar to the last of Hawkmoon's adventures in The Quest for Tanelorn. Corum, last of the Vadagh race, faces a renewed attack by the Chaos gods, led by Mabelode, King of the Swords, brother of the less powerful gods destroyed by Corum in the earlier books of the trilogy. This time the attack, again mediated by the barbaric Earl Glandyth, is more subtle, involving sorcery rather than military force. His minions have created a potion which causes distrust and dissension, so that those affected by it destroy each other.
Battling the tensions this psychoactive gas causes within their party, Corum, his wife Rhalina and their friend Jhary set out on a quest to destroy Mabelode, which they soon discover is only possible after Corum travels to Tanelorn with two other aspects of the Eternal Champion to perform a task at the Conjunction of a Million Spheres, an event which can affect every one of the infinite number of parallel worlds.
The joining together of different versions of the Eternal Champion in a quest for Tanelorn is exactly the same as the Dorian Hawkmoon plot. The atmosphere of The King of the Swords is as strong as in any of Moorcock's novels, it just has a re-used plot. (This is, of course, part of the point of the idea of the Eternal Champion; it does, however, rather reduce the interest of this novel.)
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