THE REVENGE OF THE ROSE - Michael Moorcock


 Three novellas in one title, as seems to be the pattern with the Elric books. "Concerning the Fate of Empires," "Esbern Snare; The Northern Werewolf," and "A Rose Redeemed; A Rose Revived."

Elric, the albino prince of the doomed city of Melniboné still cavorts with his friend Moonglum when Elric is visited by a dragon who brings the prince to the ghost of Sadric his father. Sadric needs Elric to find his soul which is currently being kept in a wooden box in a land far away, and reunite spirit and soul. If Elric fails, he will be paired with Sadric's ghost, at which time bad things will happen.

On his journey to find the lost soul, Elric will gain an ally - the warrior princess Rose. Elric and Rose have a mutual enemy, Charion, a high valued, undead agent of Chaos. They need to deal with Charion or Chaos will rule without check. But a couple of demons make it more challenging.

Just before completing his mission to restore Sadric with his soul, Elric learns that Rose's involvement in the fight against Charion was all about revenge for what Charion had done, destroying her people.

I bought this book when it first came out but I'd not read it because I had fallen behind in reading the series at the time.  It was, I believe, the 8th book in the series then.  Now in this new definitive (?) collection, this becomes the 6th book in the Elric saga.

Elric has always been philosophical but I think there's more talk and waxing philosophic in this volume than there is swordplay - and that's not why we read these kinds of books. There is a little bit of high stakes conflict with Charion, but that almost feels secondary to Elric being able to reflect and get morose about the world.

This is not a strong addition to the series and I'm curious why it's being moved up in the order of the books.

Looking for a good book? The Revenge of the Rose by Michael Moorcock is a late addition to the Elric saga, low on action but high on existential philosophy.

I received a digital copy of this book, as part of a collection, from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

2-1/2 stars

* * * * * *

The Revenge of the Rose

author: Michael Moorcock

series: The Elric Saga #9, The Elric Saga #6

publisher: Saga Press (2022 collection); Ace (1991 edition)

ISBN: 9781534445710 (2022 edition);  9780441718443 (1991 edition)

hardcover, 851 pages (2022); 244 pages (1991)

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