The Best of Michael Moorcock

Readers new to the work of Grand Master Moorcock may be a bit put off by this wandering collection of short stories, grouped neither chronologically nor by style and acknowledged in the introduction as an “almost random” selection. Those seeking links to the renowned fantasy saga of Elric will find only the enigmatic eight-page “A Portrait in Ivory,” which, while evocative and well-written, will have much less impact for those who have not previously encountered the mercenary antihero. Similarly, only three of Moorcock's four Reminiscences of the Third World War stories are included, and the other selections range from hard science fiction to the brief and “wholly non-fantastical” tale “A Winter Admiral.” Moorcock's writing is top-notch, but only completists will be able to fully appreciate its exemplars here. (June)