The Citadel of Forgotten Myths by Michael Moorcock
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The first new Elric novel in more than 15 years, or perhaps longer, depending on how you feel about Elric's comparative absence from the Moonbeam Roads trilogy. This book is not a revelation, but fits more or less well into the traditional mold of Elric stories. Like its predecessors it's really a compilation several novellas, the first two of which are classic Elric stories that will delight fans of the franchise. They're almost too Elric, but still greatly enjoyable.
The third novella is longer, and unfortunately much more uneven. In places it captures the psychedelia, the weirdness, and feel of classic Elric stories, but it also gets incredibly woolly. It prattles on, looping back on itself, lapsing into long, barely coherent discourses, and then repeats itself for good measure. In short, it gives in to many of Moorcock's worst impulses and was badly in need of an editor.
This could have been a tightly written piece of fan service that enriched the canon, but instead it often felt like a sloppy mess that was confusingly written and ignored existing continuity. The disregard for continuity extends even to the dust jacket, which claims the book slots into the narrative between Elric of Melnibone and The Sailor on the Seas of Fate, early in Elric's sorcerous career. However, even a casual read of the book makes it clear that it takes place much later than that, perhaps near the end of the events in The Bane of the Black Sword?
I was on the fence between two and three stars, but overall the book was memorably weird enough to round up. Devoted fans of Elric will find things to love here, especially in the first two stories. Even the final novella has a few impressive set pieces that will reward a quick read for the enthusiast. Newcomers to the series (or to Moorcock) can safely ignore this book.