THE WOODS OF ARCADY - Michael Moorcock

Michael Moorcock is back (finally) with the second volume in his Sanctuary of the White Friars series (the first volume was released in 2014). These books have a real Moorcock vibe (much more evident to me now having recently read the entire Elric series) which is in some ways difficult to describe. This reads like part biography, part fantasy and throughout I wonder - where does the biography end and the fiction begin? Sometimes it seems obvious, sometimes that line is very murky.

The story is about a man named Michael Moorcock ... a writer who, in the 1970's, wrote speculative fiction/fantasy and edited a genre specific magazine. His marriage is on the rocks and with hopes of restoring his family relationships, takes his wife and daughters to Paris. 

One night, while having a drink in a bar, he is surprised to learn that he's drinking with heroes from history and, after maybe drinking a bit too much, he wakes up the next day on an old ship, kidnapped by the Four Musketeers who believe they know Moorcock - though it becomes obvious to him that it is a different Moorcock, from another realm or reality that has fought alongside the Musketeers.

They travel to and through Africa (as well as though different realities) simultaneously pursuing friends (Lord and Lady Blackstone) and being pursued (Jacob Nixer).

This is Moorcock doing what Moorcock does best - traipsing ... no, stomping ... through multiple realities and bringing together familiar individuals who might otherwise never meet. But it's the inclusion of a Michael Moorcock that teases and titillates the readers. This almost becomes a pulp adventure in which the original reader (a young Moorcock) now finds himself living the adventures he grew up with. It's kind of the ultimate biography if you're a bibliophile - to tell your story through the books that you grew up with.

But in Moorcock fashion, nothing just 'is'. Moorcock doesn't ever seem satisfied in spending time in one place and whether it's his 'Eternal Champion' (every hero he's ever written is actually one and the same, just working in different bodies in different realities) or himself, we readers need to be prepared to make sense of things that shouldn't otherwise go together.

It's been nearly a decade since I read the first book in this series, but my memory (and looking back at my review) of the story was that it was a bit more direct and energetic.  This book feels much more like an homage to the author's youth and the book he grew up with.

I wouldn't encourage this to readers not already familiar with Michael Moorcock, but for those who have read some of this Grandmaster of fantasy's work, this is a book to be enjoyed.

Looking for a good book? The Woods of Arcady by Michael Moorcock is the second book in the Sanctuary of White Friars series in which the central figure is a writer of fantasy by the name of Michael Moorcock. The blending of biography and fantasy creates a clever romp.

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

4 stars

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The Woods of Arcady

author: Michael Moorcock

series: Sanctuary of the White Friars #2

publisher: Tor Books

ISBN: 9780765324788

hardcover, 496 pages