Publication History |
"The White Wolf's Son: The Albino Underground" is the last of Michael
Moorcock's recent Elric trilogy.
Much of the novel is narrated by Oonagh von Bek, the 12 year-old
granddaughter of Count Ulric von Bek (an incarnation of the Eternal
Champion) and Oona (the daughter of Elric and Oone, the dreamthief from
"The Fortress of the Pearl"). Oonagh quickly encounters an odd assortment of
characters. First, she comes upon a pair of sinister men haunting her family's
property. Then, a strange band claiming to be friends of her grandparents
suddenly appears. She quickly realizes that they (multiverse regulars Prince
Lobkowitz, Chevalier St. Odhran, and Constable Oswald Bastable along with the
mysterious albino Monsieur Zodiac) have come to protect her from the sinister
pair (multiverse regulars Gaynor von Minct and Klosterheim, who continue
their quest to find the Holy Grail and to become gods themselves).
Why Gaynor and Klosterheim should be a threat to Oonagh, she has no idea.
Before she can find out, she is sucked into the underground world of the Off-
Moo by a series of earthquakes. Thus begins a complicated game surrounding
Oonagh – pursued by would-be rescuers and would-be kidnappers and, like
Alice or Dorothy, trying to find her way home.
Elric, alternatively living as, among other things, stage-magician Monsieur
Zodiac, play-boy Count Zcabernac, and inspiration for vampire legends, sets
off in search of Oonagh throughout the multiverse. Focusing primarily on
versions of England and Germany, Elric traces Oonagh to the Mirenburg of
Dorian Hawkmoon and Count Brass's (other major Moorcock characters)
world.
Like "The Strayling Tree," "The White Wolf's Son" acts as a Unified Theory of
Everything – fitting given Moorcock's stated intention to stop writing heroic
fiction. It is, however, a bit less philosophical than the previous work, while
maintaining the commentary on modern and historical politics. More
characters from the multiverse are referenced or revisited. For example, in
addition to those already mentioned, Scholar Ree, the Warrior in Jet and Gold,
the Kakatanawa, John Daker, Erekosё, and various Lords of the Higher Worlds
all make appearances in these pages. In fact, much of this volume takes place in
Hawkmoon's world or other versions of Mirenburg, while Elric's own world and
Mu-Ooria are scarcely seen.
Also like "The Strayling Tree," this novel suffers from an over-abundance of
crimson-eyed albinos (making the reader wonder which albino the subtitles of
these works refer to) and characters (particularly with names beginning with
the "Oo" or "U" sound), shifting points of view (none of these recent works are
truly or even predominately Elric stories), unnecessary and confusing "plots
and counterplots" (p. 267), a misleading title (given the title, Onric is given
surprisingly little air-time, with Oonagh arguably the main character), and
underlying metaphysics that seem to weaken the more they are examined.
However, "The White Wolf's Son" also contains some of the best aspects of
these latest novels: strong imagery and clearer narration. Oonagh's narration,
in particular, is a change of pace and Moorcock handles it convincingly.
Moreover, Moorcock's ability to weave forty years worth of multiverse
characters into a single novel is astonishing. Yet this same feat makes this work
most accessible to readers with strong familiarity with Moorcock's huge body
of works and arguably weakens rather than strengthens the multiverse
mythology.
Moorcock's supplemental Elric works are more explorations of multiverse
theory than focused on Elric himself, with a writing style to match. Thus, fans
of the sword-slinging action of the original Elric Saga will not necessarily find
satisfaction here, but those curious about the greater theology and mechanics
behind it might.
Erratic but ambitious, I rate it a 6.
Moorcock's recent Elric trilogy.
Much of the novel is narrated by Oonagh von Bek, the 12 year-old
granddaughter of Count Ulric von Bek (an incarnation of the Eternal
Champion) and Oona (the daughter of Elric and Oone, the dreamthief from
"The Fortress of the Pearl"). Oonagh quickly encounters an odd assortment of
characters. First, she comes upon a pair of sinister men haunting her family's
property. Then, a strange band claiming to be friends of her grandparents
suddenly appears. She quickly realizes that they (multiverse regulars Prince
Lobkowitz, Chevalier St. Odhran, and Constable Oswald Bastable along with the
mysterious albino Monsieur Zodiac) have come to protect her from the sinister
pair (multiverse regulars Gaynor von Minct and Klosterheim, who continue
their quest to find the Holy Grail and to become gods themselves).
Why Gaynor and Klosterheim should be a threat to Oonagh, she has no idea.
Before she can find out, she is sucked into the underground world of the Off-
Moo by a series of earthquakes. Thus begins a complicated game surrounding
Oonagh – pursued by would-be rescuers and would-be kidnappers and, like
Alice or Dorothy, trying to find her way home.
Elric, alternatively living as, among other things, stage-magician Monsieur
Zodiac, play-boy Count Zcabernac, and inspiration for vampire legends, sets
off in search of Oonagh throughout the multiverse. Focusing primarily on
versions of England and Germany, Elric traces Oonagh to the Mirenburg of
Dorian Hawkmoon and Count Brass's (other major Moorcock characters)
world.
Like "The Strayling Tree," "The White Wolf's Son" acts as a Unified Theory of
Everything – fitting given Moorcock's stated intention to stop writing heroic
fiction. It is, however, a bit less philosophical than the previous work, while
maintaining the commentary on modern and historical politics. More
characters from the multiverse are referenced or revisited. For example, in
addition to those already mentioned, Scholar Ree, the Warrior in Jet and Gold,
the Kakatanawa, John Daker, Erekosё, and various Lords of the Higher Worlds
all make appearances in these pages. In fact, much of this volume takes place in
Hawkmoon's world or other versions of Mirenburg, while Elric's own world and
Mu-Ooria are scarcely seen.
Also like "The Strayling Tree," this novel suffers from an over-abundance of
crimson-eyed albinos (making the reader wonder which albino the subtitles of
these works refer to) and characters (particularly with names beginning with
the "Oo" or "U" sound), shifting points of view (none of these recent works are
truly or even predominately Elric stories), unnecessary and confusing "plots
and counterplots" (p. 267), a misleading title (given the title, Onric is given
surprisingly little air-time, with Oonagh arguably the main character), and
underlying metaphysics that seem to weaken the more they are examined.
However, "The White Wolf's Son" also contains some of the best aspects of
these latest novels: strong imagery and clearer narration. Oonagh's narration,
in particular, is a change of pace and Moorcock handles it convincingly.
Moreover, Moorcock's ability to weave forty years worth of multiverse
characters into a single novel is astonishing. Yet this same feat makes this work
most accessible to readers with strong familiarity with Moorcock's huge body
of works and arguably weakens rather than strengthens the multiverse
mythology.
Moorcock's supplemental Elric works are more explorations of multiverse
theory than focused on Elric himself, with a writing style to match. Thus, fans
of the sword-slinging action of the original Elric Saga will not necessarily find
satisfaction here, but those curious about the greater theology and mechanics
behind it might.
Erratic but ambitious, I rate it a 6.
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| The White Wolf's Son: The Albino Underground (Michael Moorcock) By SC Bryce |
First Printing:
FantasyBookSpot.com (Oct. 17, 2005).
FantasyBookSpot.com (Oct. 17, 2005).
Second Printing:
SCBryce.com (Dec. 22, 2006).
SCBryce.com (Dec. 22, 2006).
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