With a body of work that runs the gamut from the proto-cyberpunk Jerry Cornelius novels to the high fantasy melodrama of Elric to the madcap steampunk of the Nomad of the Time Stream, Michael Moorcock’s writing chops have never been in doubt for fans of sci-fi/fantasy fiction. His more “mainstream” novels (and I use the term exceedingly loosely), like Behold the Man, Gloriana or Mother London, have received stellar reviews outside the sometimes cloistered confines of genre fiction (though my own thoughts on his more “serious” efforts run counter to the larger book-reviewing world). This April, at the Nebula Awards, he will join the hallowed ranks of the SFWA Grand Masters as the 25th member of that exclusive club.
In addition to his most immediate contributions, he’s also largely regarded as the pioneer of the “New Wave” movement in science fiction, making a concerted effort as the editor of New Worlds magazine to get genre fiction some respect from the literary establishment. If you’re not familiar with the man’s work, you should be. His writing sprawls over so many genres and subgenres, odds are very good indeed that he’s written at least a trilogy in your preferred style. Possibly several. Some day, I’ll actually get through the complete Eternal Champion cycle (all 40+ novels of it). No, really. Stop looking at me like that.
Found via No Fear of the Future.
