http://panopticonitalia.blogspot.it/2...The rune magic is the fourth book (and therefore the final) of the saga of Rune Magic Michael Moorcock, published on the British market in 1969 by Lancer Books under the title "The Secret of the Runestaff"; while it is high in Italy only in 1978, thanks to the publisher Longanesi.This last novel in the series (as well as others) can be cataloged fantasy / sword and sorcery / fantasy science / clockpunk, though presents unique elements that make it difficult to harness it into a single genre. Commentators today would not hesitate to call grimdark fantasy.The Black Empire that now has conquered all of Europe and the Middle East, subjugating all the populations of these states and imposing the rule of terror. In spite of this, Britain can not benefit from a period of calm since the Baron Meladius, consumed by a desire to kill Dorian Hawkmoon and win absolute power, weaves a plan to overthrow the Emperor Huon, since it considers it crazy and unable to govern.Meanwhile Hwkmoon intent is to make a long journey across the ocean to return from his beloved Yisselda, but his ship is attacked by some sea monsters that lead him to take refuge in Dnark, who learns to be manned by the spirit of Rune Magic.The choice of Michael Moorcock is to tell us the story in the third person, through the point of view of Dorian Hawkmoon and that of Baron Meladius. As in the previous volume, the author dwells in highlighting the psychological profile of this character, highlighting his perfidy and his unbridled ambition. And this pov allows us to have more information on the socio-political situation of the Empire Black.First of all this state is ruled with an iron dictatorial regime and the population has a subdivision in Orders (castes). Everyone must wear masks of animals, which indicate both the level reached by a person within the social scale, is a particular military unit. There are many: mantis, heron, wolf, snake, dog, pig, fly, vulture, falcon, etc ... Only without caste (considered pariahs) have the right to show up without them.At the top of the social pyramid of Britain has the Emperor Huon, an immortal being like a withered fetus that has reigned for nearly two thousand years and that lives inside of a sphere containing the milky liquid. He has absolute power, he lives in the throne room and is defended by thousands of soldiers of the order of the mantis (to whom also belongs).Britain, as I said just now, has succeeded in a few years to win throughout Europe and the Middle East, thanks to the advanced technologies developed by its scientists, led by Kalan Order of the Serpent, that no one has been able to counter. Among them I remember: the thopters flying, flamethrowers, machine intelligence and a cannon exploding green spheres corrosive.Another element of great value is given by the architectural description of the palaces of London in which power is exercised by the hierarchs of the Empire Black. Reading the pages relating to such buildings can be projected in these dark and bizarre places, where they committed acts most execrable and home to the most abject debauched.Nevertheless, the economy of the history plays a fundamental role the magic, as in situations of greatest danger the Rune Magic intervenes to change the events, in order to conduct Hawkmoon to fulfill his destiny. The story also take part horrifying monsters like giant reptiles and elemental spirits.After having outlined all the strengths of the novel, I still have to observe that the plot is pretty straightforward and it becomes quite easy to understand what will be the conclusion of the saga. Furthermore, the author seems to have lost some of the enamel that had characterized the first two volumes of the series.In any case, I would warmly recommend the reading of The rune magic and anyway the whole saga, given that for the elements of originality that is proposed to be a unique work of its kind.
Originally published on my blog here in June 1999.It is appropriate for the final volume of Moorcock's series to share its title with the series as a whole, and with the mysterious object that lies at the heart of the story, the Runestaff. For it is here that the influence of the Runestaff becomes apparent and here we also get to see the object itself for the first time.Though this is clear, there are many questions about the Runestaff that are left almost completely unexplained. We are told its purpose, which is not to ensure that the forces of good triumph, but to ensure a balance between good and evil, chaos and order. Balance being more important than virtue is one of the themes running though most of Moorcock's work. His heroes generally represent order in a chaotic world or chaos in an ordered world. I can't think of anyone who used this idea in a fantasy novel before Moorcock; few writers have felt the need to go beyond the simplistic good vs. evil formulation and use morally ambivalent characters. Since Moorcock, others have used it, and it is particularly well developed in the Recluce novels of L.R. Modesitt Jr. and the Deverry novels of Katherine Kerr.We know that the Runestaff acts to bring balance, and that it has great power. However, the form taken by that power is never clearly seen; all that is clear is that Hawkmoon begins to win victories over the Dark Empire once the Runestaff places itself within his hands. (It has been influencing events to bring Hawkmoon to its side since the beginning of the series.) It contains a consciousness of some sort, and is able to physically manifest itself as a child, in some mysterious way the son of one of its servants.Moorcock clearly prefers to present a fantastic world with deliberate gaps like the precise mechanism by which the Runestaff influences events. The gaps are larger in this early series than they tend to be in later works - it is probably most effectively used in the stories set at the end of time - and it forms the key method by which his worlds take hold of the imagination.One sign of his stylistic immaturity is the occasional use of the sort of ideas fashionable in the late sixties and early seventies which tend to jar a little on a reader in the nineties. An example of this is the identification of the "most terrible" of the gods of pagan Granbretan by names clearly derived from those of the Beatles. In the absence of any general satiric intent - at least of any obvious one - it has nothing much to say, even if intended as a little joke.
Do You like book The Runestaff (1974)?
Michael Moorcock, The Runestaff (DAW, 1969)Ah, you may think the adventures of good old Dorian Hawkmoon come to an end with the fourth and final novel of the Runestaff. Likely, so did Moorcock (the fifth book in the series, the start of a new trilogy, wasn't released for another four years, while these four were released over a period of a little more than twelve months). Now, with everything in place, it's time for Hawkmoon and his friend Huillam d'Averc to seek out the Runestaff itself. Problem is, Hawkmoon isn't fond of the idea; he'd rather go back to Castle Brass for a spell and see the rest of his friends. In the course of his erratic journey, we meet a new main character, Orland Fank (the brother of Hawkmoon's longtime advisor The Warrior in Jet and Gold), a few brand-new monstrosities, and the like. The series comes to a conclusion that is surprisingly, in retrospect, satisfying; had Moorcock never taken up the pen and applied it to Hawkmoon again, readers of the series would likely have been satisfied with what's here. Well, perhaps "satisfied" is not the correct word; longtime fans of the Eternal Champion books will understand what I mean. In either case, a good conclusion to the series, and one of the more worthwhile books in Moorcock's vast (and expanding) repertoire. ****
—Robert Beveridge
A pretty darned satisfying conclusion to the runestaff series, with Dorian Hawkmoon trying to battle against his fate and return home to castle Brass and his wife, but ending up taking down the Dark Empire.I love that these 4 short novels tell a more epic tale than many modern doorstop series. Hawkmoon is a true hero who constantly rises to the occasion and overcomes terrible foes at the risk of terrible personal losses.I'm still a bit miffed that we never know exactly what the runestaff is/does, and there are a lot of 'things behind the curtain' helping out Hawkmoon for reasons that are never quite clear - but it does add a nice sense of mystery.I'm certainly going to consider more books by moorcock in the future.
—Kenny
So nice to read a story where the author isn't afraid to kill off major characters on both sides of the conflict. So nice to see female characters, like Éowyn in LotR, taking part in battles rather than sitting spinning at home. Oh, and pregnant too (how many authors have the bravery to do that, even now?). So, well done Mr Moorcock. Rollicking end to a rollicking story, more plots than a municipal allotment, more twists than a coiled rope. Also nice to see where different authors got inspiration from, so will be looking out for more of Moorcock in second hand book shops later.
—Graham
