Viriconium Series by M. John Harrison, Neil Gaiman

This is Elric-like in its presentation. It wouldn't be surprising if the author (at the time of publication, still in his twenties) was strongly influenced by Moorcock's style of writing & subject matter. In a far-future world where technology is on the decline & swords & sorcery on the rise, a civil war in Earth's last great kingdom threatens to destroy civilization. The aggressor kingdom has unearthed ancient relics of the past it cannot control... moreThis is Elric-like in its presentation. It wouldn't be surprising if the author (at the time of publication, still in his twenties) was strongly influenced by Moorcock's style of writing & subject matter. In a far-future world where technology is on the decline & swords & sorcery on the rise, a civil war in Earth's last great kingdom threatens to destroy civilization. The aggressor kingdom has unearthed ancient relics of the past it cannot control. Overall the story moves pretty quickly, with some relatively memorable characters with forgettable names. The ending is cliched. Earth has evidently gone through several cycles of decline & rebirth (Midsummer Century, anyone?). Even the ancient artifacts & places don't bear any recognizable resemblance to things known today. That lends things a bit too much unreality. Others may find the far future vista refreshing.--Caleb N. Diffell (edited) less

IN THE WASTELANDS OF A FUTURE WORLD, THE PASTEL CITY STRUGGLES IN THE GRIP OF THE SIGN OF THE LOCUST...Viriconium: The Pastel City was the last bastion of the civilized world where Queen Methvet Nian ruled supreme. Now she watched, helpless, as the Time of the Locust became a monstrous reality, turning the inhabitants into hideous, mindless insects.Cellur, the Bird Lord, emerged from his underground exile, the first to respond to the call... moreIN THE WASTELANDS OF A FUTURE WORLD, THE PASTEL CITY STRUGGLES IN THE GRIP OF THE SIGN OF THE LOCUST...Viriconium: The Pastel City was the last bastion of the civilized world where Queen Methvet Nian ruled supreme. Now she watched, helpless, as the Time of the Locust became a monstrous reality, turning the inhabitants into hideous, mindless insects.Cellur, the Bird Lord, emerged from his underground exile, the first to respond to the call. Soon he was joined by Tomb, the Iron Dwarf, and the first of the Reborn Men, Alstath Fulthor. They journeyed to the desolate plains of the North in search of the evil's sources, only to encounter a paralysing menace that threatened to destroy their very minds...A STORM OF WINGS is the new novel in the 'Viriconium' sequence - a brilliant tour-de-force of fantasy fiction by one of the most strikingly original talents on the contemporary scene.cover image painted by Christos Achilleos less

Third book in the Viriconium sequence. The city is beset by a mysterious plague that affects the artists quarter and drains their vitality and hope. As artist Audsley King slowly dies from the plague, her friend Ashlyme tries to save her, and the result is at turns comic, tragic, and absurd. Much less fantastic in tone, it could be set in an alternate London.

(An omnibus volume contains all the Viriconium stories, originally published in four books: The Pastel City, A Storm of Wings, In Viriconium, and Viriconium Nights, this landmark collection gathers four groundbreaking fantasy classics from the acclaimed author of Light)

Contents:The Lamia and Lord Cromis (1971)Lamia Mutable (1972)Viriconium Knights (1981)Events Witnessed from a City (1975)The Luck in the Head (1984)The Lords of Misrule (1984)In Viriconium (1984)Strange Great Sins (1983)

This landmark collection gathers four groundbreaking fantasy classics from the acclaimed author of Light.Set in the imagined city of Viriconium, here are the masterworks that revolutionized a genre and enthralled a generation of readers: The Pastel City, A Storm of Wings, In Viriconium, and Viriconium Knights... moreThis landmark collection gathers four groundbreaking fantasy classics from the acclaimed author of Light.Set in the imagined city of Viriconium, here are the masterworks that revolutionized a genre and enthralled a generation of readers: The Pastel City, A Storm of Wings, In Viriconium, and Viriconium Knights.Contents:The Pastel City, 1971 (novel)A Storm of Wings, 1980 (novel)In Viriconium, 1982 (novel)The Lamia & Lord Cromis, 1971 (short story)Viriconium Knights, 1981 (short story)The Luck in the Head, 1984 (novelette)Strange Great Sins, 1983 (short story)The Lords of Misrule, 1984 (short story)The Dancer from the Dance, 1985 (short story)A Young Man’s Journey to Viriconium, 1985 (short story) less