Land Leviathan - - Michael Moorcock
TITLE: Land Leviathan
AUTHOR: Michael Moorcock 1939-
TYPE: novel paperback
EDITION: 1st DAW, prior UK editions in 1974
PUBLISHER: DW No 178 UY1214
COVER PRICE: $1.25
ISBN:
PAGES: 174
PUB DATE: Jan 1976
COPYRIGHT: 1974 by author
COVER ARTIST: Michael Whelan
ISFDB: No
RATING: 3
INDEX: 0286 - Land Leviathan - 06 - MM - DAW 178 - Jan 1976
comments by CR:
"The Land Leviathan"(1974) by Michael Moorcock is books 2 in the trilogy "Oswald Bastable" the other two books are "Warlord of the Air" (1971) book 1 and "The Steel Tsar"(1981) book 3. Just to be accurate the series is also referred to as "Nomad of the Time Streams" a title which I prefer.
In "The Land Leviathan" author Moorcock, a character in the novel no less, go to great lengths to create the background of how he acquired the manuscript that is the Land Leviathan - first a 3 page introduction and then a 37 page prologue and this in a 175 page book (DAW paperback No 178 published January 1976) - then an epilogue and a editor's note. Candidly this makes for an intriguing reading experience especially if you have read book 1"Warlord of the Air". Oswald Barnstable revisits the early 20th Century for the 2nd time to find Gandhi as the ruler of South Africa and the United States a devastated country with a crackpot racist President. Oswald reluctantly joins forced with the notorious despot Cicero Hood the Black Attila.
This science-fiction novel by acclaimed British author Michael Moorcock (b1939 -) falls into the category of "alternate histories" a popular if somewhat overuse SF trope particularly during the last 15 years or so. Moorcock's protagonist in all three novels is Oswald Bastable who has the problematic talent or better yet curse of uncontrolled reentering of the Timestream and reliving alternate political-military histories of the first half of the Twentieth Century.
In these three related novels Moorcock refrains from super science extrapolations of war weapons. In fact dirigibles are the weapon of choice in the assorted hostilities and play a critical role throughout all three books. For that reason Steampunk fans hold these books in high esteem.
Of great interest to this reader the author integrates himself as a character-narrator in these novels. Utilizing journals, letters and diaries from his grandfather, also named Michael Moorcock, he presents to us readers the adventures of Oswald Bastable. Insofar as there is considerable philosophical-political ruminations by Oswald Bastable one must conclude the author his turned aside from the narrative and is sharing his own closely held beliefs. Moorcock's themes include but are not limited too the madness of war, the ability of messianic madmen to manipulate otherwise sane people to perform horrendous deeds and the destructive force of blind adherence to isms.
Michael Moorcock is know and much admired for his talent to integrate characters and themes in his vast body of works spanning over 50 years and 70 plus novels. These three novels written early in his career contain themes, concept and characters that show up in many later works. I am referring to specifically Count von Beck, Mrs. Una Persson, and the Multiverse to name a few.
As an introduction to Moorcock's body of works this is a good place to start although I am partial to the Elric and Corum book series.
CULPABILITY: All images posted are from publications owned by RC/\Weazel. RC/\Weazel performed image scanning, editing and the compiling of bibliographic data.
ISFDB: Internet Speculative Fiction Data Base.
RATING: On a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being great and 1 don’t read.
No entries indicate specific information not available for the book.
QUOTE….“ It is the color of a bleached skull, his flesh; and the long hair, which flows below his shoulders, is milk-white. From the tapering, beautiful head stare two slanting eyes, crimson and moody, and from the loose sleeves of his yellow gown emerge two slender hands, also the color of bone”. Thus described by author Michael Moorcock in the first book, Elric of Melniboné
Land Leviathan - - Michael Moorcock
TITLE: Land Leviathan
AUTHOR: Michael Moorcock 1939-
TYPE: novel paperback
EDITION: 1st DAW, prior UK editions in 1974
PUBLISHER: DW No 178 UY1214
COVER PRICE: $1.25
ISBN:
PAGES: 174
PUB DATE: Jan 1976
COPYRIGHT: 1974 by author
COVER ARTIST: Michael Whelan
ISFDB: No
RATING: 3
INDEX: 0286 - Land Leviathan - 06 - MM - DAW 178 - Jan 1976
comments by CR:
"The Land Leviathan"(1974) by Michael Moorcock is books 2 in the trilogy "Oswald Bastable" the other two books are "Warlord of the Air" (1971) book 1 and "The Steel Tsar"(1981) book 3. Just to be accurate the series is also referred to as "Nomad of the Time Streams" a title which I prefer.
In "The Land Leviathan" author Moorcock, a character in the novel no less, go to great lengths to create the background of how he acquired the manuscript that is the Land Leviathan - first a 3 page introduction and then a 37 page prologue and this in a 175 page book (DAW paperback No 178 published January 1976) - then an epilogue and a editor's note. Candidly this makes for an intriguing reading experience especially if you have read book 1"Warlord of the Air". Oswald Barnstable revisits the early 20th Century for the 2nd time to find Gandhi as the ruler of South Africa and the United States a devastated country with a crackpot racist President. Oswald reluctantly joins forced with the notorious despot Cicero Hood the Black Attila.
This science-fiction novel by acclaimed British author Michael Moorcock (b1939 -) falls into the category of "alternate histories" a popular if somewhat overuse SF trope particularly during the last 15 years or so. Moorcock's protagonist in all three novels is Oswald Bastable who has the problematic talent or better yet curse of uncontrolled reentering of the Timestream and reliving alternate political-military histories of the first half of the Twentieth Century.
In these three related novels Moorcock refrains from super science extrapolations of war weapons. In fact dirigibles are the weapon of choice in the assorted hostilities and play a critical role throughout all three books. For that reason Steampunk fans hold these books in high esteem.
Of great interest to this reader the author integrates himself as a character-narrator in these novels. Utilizing journals, letters and diaries from his grandfather, also named Michael Moorcock, he presents to us readers the adventures of Oswald Bastable. Insofar as there is considerable philosophical-political ruminations by Oswald Bastable one must conclude the author his turned aside from the narrative and is sharing his own closely held beliefs. Moorcock's themes include but are not limited too the madness of war, the ability of messianic madmen to manipulate otherwise sane people to perform horrendous deeds and the destructive force of blind adherence to isms.
Michael Moorcock is know and much admired for his talent to integrate characters and themes in his vast body of works spanning over 50 years and 70 plus novels. These three novels written early in his career contain themes, concept and characters that show up in many later works. I am referring to specifically Count von Beck, Mrs. Una Persson, and the Multiverse to name a few.
As an introduction to Moorcock's body of works this is a good place to start although I am partial to the Elric and Corum book series.
CULPABILITY: All images posted are from publications owned by RC/\Weazel. RC/\Weazel performed image scanning, editing and the compiling of bibliographic data.
ISFDB: Internet Speculative Fiction Data Base.
RATING: On a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being great and 1 don’t read.
No entries indicate specific information not available for the book.
QUOTE….“ It is the color of a bleached skull, his flesh; and the long hair, which flows below his shoulders, is milk-white. From the tapering, beautiful head stare two slanting eyes, crimson and moody, and from the loose sleeves of his yellow gown emerge two slender hands, also the color of bone”. Thus described by author Michael Moorcock in the first book, Elric of Melniboné