The War Hound and the World's Pain
0-671-43708-9
The War Hound and the World's Pain is a 1981 fantasy novel by English writer Michael Moorcock, the first of the "von Bek" series of novels.
Plot summary
The book is set in Europe ravaged by the Thirty Years' War. Its hero Ulrich von Bek is a mercenary and freethinker, who finds himself a damned soul in a castle owned by Lucifer. Much to his surprise, von Bek is charged by Lucifer with doing God's work, by finding the Holy Grail, the "cure for the world's pain", that will also cure Lucifer's pain by reconciling him with God. Only through doing this can von Bek save his soul.
After many adventures, von Bek eventually finds the Holy Grail, and discovers that it will set mankind on the path to self-redemption through rationality, without the help of God or the hindrance of Lucifer.
The story has a sequel in The City in the Autumn Stars (1986).
Reception
Dave Pringle reviewed The War Hound and the World's Pain for Imagine magazine: "I am pleased to report that it makes a delightful read. It is much superior to the earlier quickies in, say, the 'Dorian Hawkmoon' series, Moorcock has honed his skills over the years, and they now show a fine gleaming edge".[1]
Reviews
- Review by Jeff Frane (1981) in Locus, #250 November 1981[2]
- Review by Charles Platt (1982) in The Patchin Review, Number Three
- Review by Darrell Schweitzer (1982) in Science Fiction Review, Spring 1982
- Review by Mary Gentle (1982) in Vector 106
- Review by Joan Gordon (1982) in Science Fiction & Fantasy Book Review, #2, March 1982
- Review by Debbie Notkin (1982) in Rigel Science Fiction, #4 Spring 1982
- Review by Baird Searles (1982) in Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine, May 1982
- Review by Thomas A. Easton [as by Tom Easton] (1982) in Analog Science Fiction/Science Fact, June 1982
- Review by Tom Staicar (1982) in Amazing Science Fiction Stories, June 1982
- Review by Roger C. Schlobin (1982) in Fantasy Newsletter, #49 July 1982
- Review by Joe Sanders (1982) in Starship, November 1982
- Review [French] by Isabelle Barbé (1984) in SFère, #12
- Review [French] by Stéphane Nicot? (1984) in Fiction, #349
- Review [French] by Jean-Pierre Andrevon (1984) in Fiction, #349
- Review [French] by André-François Ruaud? (1985) in Proxima [France], #8
- Review [French] by Jean-Yves Besnard (1986) in Fiction, #371
- Review by David Pringle (1988) in Modern Fantasy: The Hundred Best Novels
- Review by Bruce Gillespie (1989) in SF Commentary, #67
- Review [French] by Pascal Godbillon (1994) in Yellow Submarine, #107
References
- "Internet Speculative Fiction Database". Retrieved 20 December 2007.
- "Moorcock's Miscellany". Archived from the original on 1 November 2007. Retrieved 20 December 2007.
- Brown, Charles N.; William G. Contento. "The Locus Index to Science Fiction (1984-1998)". Retrieved 20 December 2007.
- v
- t
- e
- The Dreaming City (1961)
- The Fireclown (1965)
- The Jewel in the Skull (1967)
- The Final Programme (1968)
- The Mad God's Amulet (1968)
- The Sword of the Dawn (1968)
- The Runestaff (1969)
- The Black Corridor (1969)
- Behold the Man (1969)
- The Chinese Agent (1970)
- The Eternal Champion (1970)
- Phoenix in Obsidian (1970)
- Warlord of the Air (1971)
- A Cure for Cancer (1971)
- The English Assassin: A Romance of Entropy (1972)
- Elric of Melniboné (1972)
- Breakfast in the Ruins (1972)
- The Land Leviathan (1974)
- The Adventures of Una Persson and Catherine Cornelius in the 20th Century (1976)
- The Sailor on the Seas of Fate (1976)
- The Condition of Muzak (1977)
- Gloriana (1978)
- Byzantium Endures (1981)
- The War Hound and the World's Pain (1981)
- The Entropy Tango (1981)
- The Steel Tsar (1981)
- The Brothel in Rosenstrasse (1982)
- The Laughter of Carthage (1984)
- The Alchemist's Question (1984)
- The City in the Autumn Stars (1986)
- The Dragon in the Sword (1986)
- Mother London (1988)
- Jerusalem Commands (1992)
- King of the City (2000)
- Firing the Cathedral (2002)
- The Vengeance of Rome (2006)
- The Coming of the Terraphiles (2010)
- The Whispering Swarm (2015)
- The Time Dweller (1969)
- The Lives and Times of Jerry Cornelius (1976)
- The History of the Runestaff (1979)
- The Dancers at the End of Time (1981)
- A Nomad of the Time Streams (1982)
- The Opium General and other stories (1984)
- Elric: Song of the Black Sword (1995)
- The Metatemporal Detective (2007)
- Conan the Barbarian
- Michael Moorcock's Multiverse
- Tom Strong
- Corum Jhaelen Irsei
- Dorian Hawkmoon
- Elric of Melniboné
- Erekosë
- Eternal Champion
- Jerry Cornelius
- Multiverse
- Stormbringer
- Symbol of Chaos
- Ulrich von Bek
- Melniboné
- "Epic Pooh"
- "Kings in Darkness"
- The Land That Time Forgot
- New Worlds
- Airtight Garage
- The Chronicle of the Black Sword
- The Final Programme
- Elric: Battle at the End of Time
- Stormbringer RPG
This article about a 1980s fantasy novel is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. See guidelines for writing about novels. Further suggestions might be found on the article's talk page. |
- v
- t
- e