Cover of The Bane of the Black Sword

The Bane of the Black Sword

  • 1977 first published
  • 161 pages
  • ★ 3.7 (6 ratings)
  • 15 editions

Published in 1977, The Bane of the Black Sword is an epic fantasy novel by Michael Moorcock. Readers will find themes of elric of melnibone.

Open Library readers give it an average of 3.7 out of 5 from 6 ratings, and 12 more have it on their want-to-read list. It has been published in 15 editions.

It runs to roughly 161 pages — 2–3 hours of reading at an average pace.

About The Bane of the Black Sword

From back cover of Daw paperback August 1977: High in the wintry sky climbed the dragons as Elric urged this charges westwards. Thoughts of love, of peace, of vengeance even were lost in that reckless sweeping across the glowering skies which hung over that ancient Age of the Young Kingdoms. Elric, proud and disdainful in his knowledge that even his deficient blood was the blood of the Sorcerer Kinds of Melnibone, became detached. He had no loyalties then, no friends, and if evil possessed him, then it was a pure brilliant evil, untainted by human drivings. High soared the dragons until below them was the heaving black mass, marring the landscape, the fear-driven horde of barbarians who, in their ignorance, had sought to conquer the lands beloved to Elric of Melniborne. "Ho, dragon brothers -- loose your venom -- burn, burn! And in your burning cleanse the world!"
Description from Open Library

Themes, setting & tropes

Genres

Subjects

  • Elric of melnibone
  • Epic fantasy
  • Melnibone, Imaginary place

Publisher

Quick answers

Who wrote The Bane of the Black Sword?

The Bane of the Black Sword was written by Michael Moorcock and first published in 1977.

What genre is The Bane of the Black Sword?

It is usually shelved as Epic Fantasy.

How long is The Bane of the Black Sword?

The median edition has 161 pages, about 2–3 hours of reading at 250 words per minute.

What books are similar to The Bane of the Black Sword?

Readers who like it often enjoy The Eye of the World, The Silmarillion and The Gunslinger.

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