Ah, the fantasy quest genre... not one of my favorites, truth be told. I'm one of few people on the planet, apparently, who didn't think Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings trilogy was something far less than the best thing since sliced bread. They were beautiful to look at, yes, but the storytelling in general left a lot to be desired. It should come as no surprise, then, that Michael Moorcock's latest Elric offering did little to grab my attention as well. This is all about plot over character, and in the process, the writer fails to give me a reason to care about what's going on. There's no way to connect with these characters.
The empire of Melnibone has reached a turning point. Leadership of the realm is about to be handed over to one of two potential leaders: the emperor's son, Elric, or his nephew, the Yyrkoon, who thirsts for power. Elric's mentor urges him to train for the tests and ordeals that lie ahead, but his more adventurous and carefree side leads him elsewhere. The time finally comes for Elric to embark upon a critical dream journey, in which he embarks upon a quest for a magical totem that will sustain peace between the empire and outlying lands... and the creatures who inhabit them.
Simonson certainly has the pedigree for this kind of story. He proved years ago on Thor he could bring a dynamic, otherworldly epic to life, and he does a good job of telling the story clearly here. And that's no small task, given the density of the storytelling here. Some of his figures appear to be a little on the sketchy side at times, though, and that robs the characters of what little humanity is to be found in them. Too often, a red and orange color motif dominates the book. It's not be to be found in every scene, but it looms over enough to get tiring.
Elric needs to return the Black Blade to its rightful, monstrous owner, but before he's allowed to do that, he must first retrieve the Dragon Stone (how inspired) and return it to his people. It's an impossible quest, made possible by ever so convenient magical powers that the title character summons when the plot reaches a dead end. It's formulaic, and it really doesn't cast Elric's own people in the most flattering light. It makes one wonder why the hero is working to prop up apparent villains.
There are a couple of elements here that I enjoyed. Elric's procrastination is surprising, given how human it is. That trait is soon cast aside in favor of the dream quest, though. I also found some of the spirituality of the character to be intriguing, especially those elements that remind me of North American aboriginal myths and beliefs.
