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Message: <blockquote data-quote="scadgrad" data-source="post: 363504" data-attributes="member: 766">Pulp vs LiteratureI had to vote for Stormbringer since I'm such a fanboy of MM, though I was surprised to see both Cat's Claw & Scalpel absent from the list.  Showing my age I guess...Tolkien is w/out question CURRENTLY viewed as being more important in the literary field than either Moorcock, Howard or Lieber because his work is less episodic in nature, and follows the grand epic tradition of Gilgamesh, Beowulf, Homer, etc more so than other early fantasy writers.  Additionally he is w/out question the most imitated & influential author in the fantasy genre, due in large part to his being the chief progenitor of the genre itself (obviously there are others who came before, but none had the success nor spawned the legions of admirers that JRRT did). At some point it is quite possible, even likely, that the literary field will take a more serious look at those in the latter group.  Certainly Dickens, Poe and many others were accused of similar shortcomings before being elevated into the Canon.ColonelH,Your comments about MM vs REH are dead on, even though MM does admit that his creation of Elric was in response to both JRRT & REH.  And agreed about the much overlooked Corum series.  Still I prefer Elric because of the cast of characters & villains(including Stormbringer) that surround the Prince of Ruins.For those looking to explore the Elric series, you've probably 2 options.The best would be to snag one of White Wolf's omnibus hardbacks which reprint the originals.  Elric: the Stealer of Souls is the one that I would recommend.Barring that, the small silver paperback versions produced by Ace can still be found at most bookstores.  Used bookstores occasionally have them in great supply also.Looking in my copy of Stormbringer (Ace pb version) they go as follows:Elric of MelniboneThe Sailor on the Seas of FateThe Weird of the White WolfThe Vanishing TowerThe Bane of the Black SwordStormbringerI think The Fortress of the Pearl was added later as a 7th book.  The series itself is very episodic & like Brust's Vlad Taltos or Lieber's Fafrd & the Grey Mouser you can jump in anywhere.  I would advice skipping Elric of Melnibone (a prequel) until later.  The series concludes (or at least comes to a close) w/ Stormbringer.Happy reading...</blockquote>

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