Welcome to Litsy!

(1977, original edition 1967)

First in Moorcock's series featuring Hawkmoon, a warrior in a post-apocalyptic pseudo-medieval Germany, fighting the evil empire of Granbretan. Loved this -- it's pulpy fantasy adventure that knows exactly what it's about. Looking forward to the next.

This was my #DoubleSpin read for March

Count Brass, Lord Guardian of the Kamarg, rode out on a horned horse one morning to inspect his territories.

#FirstLineFridays
@ShyBookOwl

I've found several nice bookshops while on holiday in North Yorkshire, but weirdly have found nothing in any of them I wanted to buy.
Last time we were in Pickering was 2007, the town had flooded a couple of weeks earlier and at its arse end was a still-damp second-hand bookshop piled higgledy-piggledy with treasures. Well, as we're here again, I thought I'd see if, unlikely though it seemed, it was still trading and... Bingpot!! 😃🏆📚🏆
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Look what showed up for a buddy read. This looks like a fun book! 🤞🏻

Presents a disturbing vision of the future beneath Switzerland. Science fiction, so job done!

#sciencefiction

(1972) First (in the sense of series chronology, not the first written) in the author's series about Elric, the world-weary reluctant emperor of a dying civilization who would rather brood over his books than lead a nation. (Mm, one sympathizes.) In this one, Elric deals with a usurper, rescues his love, and acquires the cursed sword Stormbringer. I tried this series when I was in high school, but bounced off. This time, no bounce: more please.

It is the color of a bleached skull, his flesh; and the long hair which flows below his shoulders is milk-white.

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@ShyBookOwl

Although it's mildly amusing that Moorcock has "The terrifying ancient gods of Granbretan - Jhone, Jhorg, Phowl, Rhunga," together with "Chirshil, the Howling God" & "Aral Vilsn, the Roaring God", when listed alongside the gods of Doom & Chaos, "Skvese and Blansacredid" (credit squeeze and balance of credit), he's really grounding the story to the time of writing, 1969, and I was pulled out of the narrative, set thousands of years in the future.

Thought I might as well round off the History of the Runestaff with the fourth and final volume.
With 47.5% more #CatsOfLitsy than my previous photo.

I'm enjoying the Hawkmoon series better than I remembered from the first time of reading in the '80s. In many respects, they're fairly formulaic science-fantasy fare: Hawkmoon must go on a quest to recover a mystic object in order to stave off disaster, railing against the destiny wrought for him by that most mystical object, the Runestaff, reluctantly slaughtering anyone who gets in his way. But sometimes atmospheric mayhem is what you want! ⚔ 4⭐