I'm working my way through Michael Moorcock's The Eternal Champion series and recently I read Corum. Elric is one of my favourite characters in literature and I enjoy the self-conscious/aware nature of the multiple worlds cycle that is the Eternal Champion. Although one might argue that Moorcock is simply telling the same story over and over again. Of course, there is an art in that. Multiple interpretations of the same story layer up into a deeper understanding of the themes that are explored.
Corum comprises The Knight of the Swords, The Queen of the Swords and The King of the Swords. The language is amazing; the descriptions are lush and full of depth. Characterisation is not so deep, because the characters are ciphers. They perform the function of metaphor. What is happening here is myth not story.
Moorcock is the literary end of science fiction and I think you either like it or you don't. Or at least, that's true for me. I usually don't have much time for literary fiction because it turns out I'm all about the story. However, Moorcock's worlds are so fantastic and the description so beautiful that I am completely engaged. I find Moorcock much easier to read than most literary fiction.
I also enjoy the links with the other works and in the last volume of Corum, Elric makes an appearance, so that's good. I enjoy the layer where the story is inviting the reader to compare it with its other versions in the Eternal Champion multiverse.
I enjoyed it. Corum's not as good as Elric though.
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