'The Sword and the Stallion' – Michael Moorcock (Granada)


Mark this moment well as moments like this don't come along too often for me... I've actually finished another Moorcock 'Eternal Champion' series! ;o) The blog is what...? Only just under three years old now and this is the second trilogy of his that I've managed to get through... It's no surprise that both of them feature Corum, quite possibly (and by possibly, I think I mean definitely) my favourite of the Eternal Champions. Here's a man who has lost everything (including his family, his human love and a couple of body parts but still fights valiantly to protect humankind from threats including it's own kind. Corum has been through a fair bit, over the last five books, but it's almost time for his journey to end with one final fight and a reckoning.

The time for the final fight, against the Fhoi Myore, has come but the Mabden people are sorely outnumbered by their foes. Prince Corum's latest quest then, takes him to Ynys Scaith, hazardous Isle of Shadows, to enlist supernatural aid. But the wizard Calatin has made a bargain with the Emperor there, and a treacherous changeling has been made in Corum's own image. Before he can even face the Fhoi Myore, Corum must face his two most deadly enemies.

And when the final battle is done, what next? For love of the beautiful Queen Medbh, Corum is reluctant to leave that plane. Yet always he is mindful of the prophecy – that he must fear beauty, fear a harp and fear a brother...

This isn't the first time that I've read 'The Sword and the Stallion' so the ending was no surprise this time round (or for several reads before that to be honest). The rest of the book though, that takes on a new light as if you've read it before, you will know what Corum's struggles ultimately amount to. Is that a bad thing though? Moorcock is always keen to emphasize that humanity has it in itself to thrive away from the influence of gods and the like. This is a neat reminder then that Corum is effectively a demi-god, in these less enlightened times, and that humanity must cast him down in order to fulfil its own potential. It also serves as a final line under Moorcock's exploration of what it means to be a hero. We've spoken about the 'hero with no purpose' along with the 'hero absolutely loving having a purpose', there's one more question though...

What does a hero do when there's nothing left to fight?

Well, first of all, Corum has to make it through the final battles to get to that point and that's covered here as well as it is in the preceding books.. I don't need to go into it in too much detail other than to say it's a joy to get into and experience; Sword & Sorcery the way it should be done really, massive battles and loads of magic ;o) What I had somehow never managed to pick up on (or maybe I did and just forgot, either way...), until now, though was the Malibann and their connection to another Eternal Champion. If you haven't guessed it by now... You'll still get there quicker than me ;o) I liked that connection to the wider multi-verse though, little moments like these are great for those who have travelled the Moonbeam Roads more often than others. And I love the way that Moorcock makes these connections like it's no big thing. Others might revel in their world building, Moorcock just gets on with it.

But back to that question, raised by Moorcock in the last pages. It seems like a hero is a dangerous thing to leave lying around as if they don't have a purpose, they might just end making one for themselves. And how can humanity better itself if they're looking to a hero to do that for them? The Dagdagh knows what needs to happen and sets those wheels in motion. The ending is a sad one but you can't escape from the feeling that it is somehow necessary if the real conclusion to the tale is to happen. It is a shame though and maybe that's why it had to happen? Corum couldn't be trusted to make the right decision, who knows what else he may have got wrong in the future?

'The Sword and the Stallion' is a fitting end to Corum's tale in that it really was the only way it could end. I'm glad I picked it up again, now to see if I can make any more headway with Elric...

Read my reviews for,

'The Bull and the Spear'

'The Oak and the Ram'

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