A Book Review: The Sleeping Sorceress by Michael Moorcock (Elric of Melnibone #3)

The human nature is inquisitive and curious. We reflect our surroundings and ask questions. Among all questions we ask ourselves, the question of origin fascinates us the most, holding an undying appeal. Who are we? Where do we come from? Why are we here? Most of the time, we ask these questions and find no real answers. So what do people do? We make up stories with our imaginations. These stories satisfy our question about origin through analogies. From these stories came mythologies, legends of great beings and heroes who are bigger than life. From these stories, we find inspirations. From these stories, we seek meaning and purpose in a universe that gives us no definitive answer to the question of existence.

This is probably why we love origin stories. These stories tell us how and why our favorite characters came to be who they are at the present, and we connect with them. In the 3^rd volume of Del Rey's republication for Michel Moorcock's Elric saga, titled The Sleeping Sorceress, it collects 2 novellas telling the origin story for Elric of Melnibone, one of the most iconic characters to embrace the history of fantasy fictions. I think this book is a lot better than the previous volume in the saga of Elric. Today, I will share my opinions about this book in a review.

Synopsis:

“ It is the colour of a bleached skull, his flesh; and the long hair which flows below his shoulders is milk-white. From the tapering, beautiful head stare two slanting eyes, crimson and moody, and from the loose sleeves of his yellow gown emerge two slender hands, also the colour of bone”

                                                                                        - Michael Moorcock, Elric of Melnibone

With this striking description, we are introduced to Elric VIII, 428^th emperor of Melnibone, who rules his dying empire from the seat of Ruby Throne.

Elric is an albino, born with a natural deficiency. He is physically weak and sustains his vitality with herbs. As a descendant of the royal bloodline, Elric was trained since birth as a powerful sorcerer after the culture of Melnibone. A culture whose cruelty is only surpassed by its aesthetic beauty in arts and architecture.

Unlike his fellow Melniboneans, Elric has a conscience. He reflects on the decadent Melnibone traditions and detests it. As a result, his subjects found him a strange and unfathomable emperor. While his cousin, Yyrkoon, deemed Elric's behavior as a sign of weakness and seek to usurp his throne. Yyrkoon's treachery ultimately led Elric to find Stormbringer, a vampiric, giant black sword gifting him with unhuman vitality and unparalleled battle prowess, by feeding Elric the souls of his enemies.

With Stormbringer in hand, Elric is invincible. However, little did Elric know, despite his best intentions, he doomed everything he held dear with a fateful curse, at the moment he claimed ownership to the dreadful black sword...

My thoughts about this book:

The Sleeping Sorceress is the best book in this Del Rey's Elric collection so far. This volume collects 2 novellas, The Sleeping Sorceress and Elric of Melnibone. Each novella consists of three short stories, connected by an overarching plot. The writing is average, and the book's pace runs unevenly at certain places. However, these shortcomings are compensated by good storytelling and interesting plots.

An attractive feature for Del Rey's republication of Elric saga, is every book is illustrated. Personally, I particularly like the illustrations in this book. I think the illustrations in this book accurately captured the melancholic, gloomy atmosphere in Elric mythos and it added flavor to the text.

The Sleeping Sorceress is the first novella in this book. It is a traditional Sword and Sorcery yarn with a twist. Chronologically speaking, this story took place in the middle of Elric's saga, and plays an important role at expanding the theme of Eternal Champion and multiverse. i.e. the concept of many who are one. The Sleeping Sorceress followed the traditions of a Sword and Sorcery tale, where the story focused on Elric's personal struggle. In this case, the story centred on Elric's struggle to grasp the purpose of his tormented existence in a universal conflict between order and chaos, but found no real answer. Overall, The Sleeping Sorceress is a good addition to Elric's saga.

The 2^nd novella is this book is titled Elric of Melnibone. In my opinion, this is where this book shines with brilliance. Elric of Melnibone, is the origin story for Elric. This novella tells the story of how Elric became cursed to a fate where despite having the best intention, he would ultimately bring doom upon not only his enemies but also those dearest to him, including himself. The narratives in this story are gripping and striking, hinting at darker things to come in Elric's tragic future. Every character in this novella is lively depicted, and they possess memorable qualities that made me think about them long after I finished the book.

Elric's dark, tragic tale connects with a reader in a profound way. This is why Elric of Melnibone remains an enduring and iconic character in fantasy fictions. The stories in this volume represent some of the best in Elric mythos, and this character made an undeniable impact on fantasy fictions today. So if you are a serious fantasy fan, then make sure to check out this book. In fact, if you have an interest in Elric books but never read one before, then this book is an excellent starting point.