I'm slowly reading my way through The Chronciles of Conan, and what do I see when I open volume 3? A title of the first story: The Sword Called Stormbringer.
Really? Are they kidding?
Nope. I read in the back of the book that Michael Moorcock contrived the story, and it serves as Marvel Conan's first two-parter.
I was so prepared to roll my eyes and quickly skip through the story to get to the "good stuff" when, to my complete astonishment, I found myself engaged in the story.
There was a not-so-good, D&D-ish story in one of the earlier volumes, and characters from that tale also show up in this story--and, you know what? Even though the first story I found lacking, the same characters are actually quite interesting in this second appearance!
And, the merging of worlds? Melnibone and what the sorcerers call "Hyboria" is also...quite interesting. It's just enough to give the series "something different". I actually really like it (it helps that I love Conan and like the Elric tales).
If you're a Moorcock fan, you may find it interesting, also, to note that Prince Gaynor The Damned makes an appearance, too!
Melnibone is treated as another plane of existence--another world, long ago. The sorcerers and gods and jump planes. And, this isn't too unlike normal Conan stories if you consider Yag-kosha. Plus, Moorcock includes earth among the various planes where his stories of the Eternal Champion are set. So, in a whacked out way, it all sorta makes sense.
The basic plot is pretty interesting, too. In Elric's world, a terrible sorcererss lays dead in a tomb--Terhali, the Green Empress, lying dead in the tomb city of Yagala--but they're not happy with her tomb residing in that world. It is sent elswhere, ending up in the Hyborian Age on earth, disguised and hidden under water in a place called the Sighing Lake. This looks to be somewhere in Koth.
Other characters making an appearance are Xiomberg, Queen of the Chaos Swords whom Prince Gaynor serves, and one of Thoth-Amon's rivals, Kulan-Gath.
The fight between Elric and Conan was neat--not unlike Deniro and Pacino staring in a movie together for the first time.
Oh, and I love this line that Conan speaks: I've fought, this day, with a bewitched sword, beside a wizard-king, beneath an enchanted sky.
It's not a story for Conan pureists, but I find it quite refreshing and an enjoyable read.
Really? Are they kidding?
Nope. I read in the back of the book that Michael Moorcock contrived the story, and it serves as Marvel Conan's first two-parter.
I was so prepared to roll my eyes and quickly skip through the story to get to the "good stuff" when, to my complete astonishment, I found myself engaged in the story.
There was a not-so-good, D&D-ish story in one of the earlier volumes, and characters from that tale also show up in this story--and, you know what? Even though the first story I found lacking, the same characters are actually quite interesting in this second appearance!
And, the merging of worlds? Melnibone and what the sorcerers call "Hyboria" is also...quite interesting. It's just enough to give the series "something different". I actually really like it (it helps that I love Conan and like the Elric tales).
If you're a Moorcock fan, you may find it interesting, also, to note that Prince Gaynor The Damned makes an appearance, too!
Melnibone is treated as another plane of existence--another world, long ago. The sorcerers and gods and jump planes. And, this isn't too unlike normal Conan stories if you consider Yag-kosha. Plus, Moorcock includes earth among the various planes where his stories of the Eternal Champion are set. So, in a whacked out way, it all sorta makes sense.
The basic plot is pretty interesting, too. In Elric's world, a terrible sorcererss lays dead in a tomb--Terhali, the Green Empress, lying dead in the tomb city of Yagala--but they're not happy with her tomb residing in that world. It is sent elswhere, ending up in the Hyborian Age on earth, disguised and hidden under water in a place called the Sighing Lake. This looks to be somewhere in Koth.
Other characters making an appearance are Xiomberg, Queen of the Chaos Swords whom Prince Gaynor serves, and one of Thoth-Amon's rivals, Kulan-Gath.
The fight between Elric and Conan was neat--not unlike Deniro and Pacino staring in a movie together for the first time.
Oh, and I love this line that Conan speaks: I've fought, this day, with a bewitched sword, beside a wizard-king, beneath an enchanted sky.
It's not a story for Conan pureists, but I find it quite refreshing and an enjoyable read.
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