twentythree_sunrise's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
A quartet of short stories in the Elric Saga. Some good things, but a disappointing entry in the series.
The Dream of Earl Aubec is an introductory story not featuring Elric as its protagonist and is quite fun.
The Dreaming City tells the story of Elric's return to Imrryr. It is a passionate story of fury and tragedy, with a good portion of melodrama. Definitely my favorite of the stories in this book, but suffers from being so brief. I want 300 pages of this, not 30.
I did not at all care for the third story, While the Gods Laugh. The ending has a nice, tragic turn, but the rest felt frivolous.
The final story, The Singing Citadel, is good. Some really fun ideas and characters, with a good sense of adventure, and a humorous amount of sex.
Overall, a lackluster volume compared to the others so far. Some good elements in each of these, but they lack any sense of being grounded and feel altogether whimsical. Although, these are perhaps a reflection of how the protagonist himself feels as well.
The Dream of Earl Aubec is an introductory story not featuring Elric as its protagonist and is quite fun.
The Dreaming City tells the story of Elric's return to Imrryr. It is a passionate story of fury and tragedy, with a good portion of melodrama. Definitely my favorite of the stories in this book, but suffers from being so brief. I want 300 pages of this, not 30.
I did not at all care for the third story, While the Gods Laugh. The ending has a nice, tragic turn, but the rest felt frivolous.
The final story, The Singing Citadel, is good. Some really fun ideas and characters, with a good sense of adventure, and a humorous amount of sex.
Overall, a lackluster volume compared to the others so far. Some good elements in each of these, but they lack any sense of being grounded and feel altogether whimsical. Although, these are perhaps a reflection of how the protagonist himself feels as well.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence
Minor: Infidelity and Sexual content
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