I just read the first story, “Elric of Melnibone,” and thought it was OK, but not so great that I want to read any more. So what becomes of Elric? Does he ever marry Cymoril (I’m pretty sure they won’t be living happily ever after)? Does Yrkoon betray him yet again? What’s the deal with the runesword Stormbringer, anyway - is it alive? Just how does the demon Arioch double-cross Elric (I can see that coming a mile away)?
Thanks.
Elric sees everyone he cares for destroyed. In the end, the sword kills him as well. There’s a lot more details involved, of course; especially a lot of prattling on about Law and Chaos and the Balance. But in the end, the sword destroys everything. Incidentally, the sword is actuall a kind of demon in the shape of a sword.
Have I mentioned that I, generally speaking, hate Moorcock?
I found Moorcock to be utterly forgettable, which, now that I think of it, makes it unlikely that I’ll be able to contribute to this thread. I’ll be in the back.
I read the books long ago when I was in the correct age group. Middle School and High School.
The good parts: Well at the time the selection of available fantasy in print was fairly small and Elric was a very distinct anti-hero. I actually like the Corum books better though.
Stormbringer was indeed alive and one of many such multi-dimensional beings.
I wouldn’t actually recommend the series even though I enjoyed it then. I think the best way to put this is that if you were ever really into Blue Oyster Cult for a while, that was the time to read Elric. 
I think most people here are being a bit too harsh on the series.
The first problem is that the saga has been put together, chopped up, and recombobulated enough times that by now I’m not sure which would be the best way to read it. Originally Michael (and by the way he has a rather cool website where you can find more info) wrote it as a serial for some magazine, and the chronology was rather FUBARed as he kept skipping back and forth across the timelines. Fast forward 10 years or so and he rewrote it as a 5 book quintology with chronological order as the byword. Lately he’s junked the quintology and the latest publications are now in published order, not chronological, thus the concluding saga is in the first book! [Yes I understand that the nature of his multiverse is that time is kind of fluid if not fractured]
Since then there’s been a number of different novels, including crossovers with other Eternal Champions, his daughter has been introduced, and on and on. The newer stuff pales in comparison to the original quintology, if you can find it in that form. To 21st century jaded eyes he may appear to be old hat (TV Tropes has a term for that), with zillions of antiheroes having come after him, but I certainly think there’s enough depth and drama there to be worth your time.
Elendil’s Heir, I still have most of the 70s printings. If you wish to continue the books I will happily send you all of the Elric and Corum books. BTW: I think he was one of the first Sci-Fi/Fantasy Writers to introduce and alternate world with Science and Blimp travel. I forget the exact book but it left a lasting impression with me and I find the “new” steampunk stuff semi-comical as Moorcock had already done it.
John DiFool is correct that at the time, what he wrote was innovative and unique. It is also nice that he has a clearly distinct voice and distinct inspiration from Tolkien when little modern fantasy escape his huge influence.
Moorcock’s popularity mystifies me.
The Elric stories are just readable at best, I’d say. I first read them in the late 1970’s when the stories weren’t far from new. Even at the time, I wouldn’t have described them as better than okay, and I was a high school kid then.
The Corum stories? Teh suck.
The Jerry Cornelius stories? Tehh suck squared.
Dancers at the End of Time? Twee suck.
The whole von Bek retcon? suckee-suckee.
So did you like Fantasy in general? If so which authors?
Just for the heck of it, did you ever like Blue Oyster Cult?
Good job I’m here. You’ll be thinking of the three, um, Oswald Bastable books - The Warlord of the Air, The Land Leviathan and the Steel Tsar - sometimes published together under The Nomad of the Timestreams monicker. The Warlord of the Air was first publish in 1971 and is set in an alternative 1972 with early 20th Century tech.
I’m shocked, shocked I tell you, at the Moorcock hate here…
And to the original OP, I wouldn’t entirely judge the Elric cycle by the early stories (which were written in the late 50s), I think Moorcock’s peak was still a long way off. Elric is where you generally start with Moorcock, but it’s not likely to be where you end up.
OB
Yes, I liked fantasy in general; though as you’ve already mentioned there wasn’t as much of it on the racks then as compared to now. I read all of Lovecraft and the stories set in his universe by his admirers. Also, all the R. E. Howard I could get my hands on, as well as E.R.B.'s Barsoom series. Tolkein, too, though the poems get on my nerves. Zelazny’s Amber series was a* really* big deal to me at the time. Oh, and I was a member of the Science Fiction Book Club (are they still around?) and generally bought such fantasy offerings as they put out.
No, I wasn’t much into Blue Oyster Cult. In those days, I listened primarily to The Beatles, Queen, and such top 40 stuff as wasn’t too obviously disco.
I will go so far as to say that perhaps I let my intense hatred of the incomprehensible Jerry Cornelius stories color my opinion of Moorcock generally. Those stories seem to have been written by someone on acid for someone on acid.
That’s it! The idea was really intriguing. I was surprised to find out recently about the Steampunk stuff being popular, it reminded me of those books so much. That and the retched Golden Compass series that people were praising was not in anyway inventive in using Blimps for transport.
As to the hate, I hope you weren’t including me, I mock a bit, I do not love, but I definitely do not hate.
While I’m here I may as well answer the OP directly. Spoilers below, if anyone is really interested.
So what becomes of Elric?
After many adventures he brings about the end of his world and is killed by Stormbringer.
Does he ever marry Cymoril?
No. He/Stormbringer kills her not a few years after the events of the first book.
Does Yrkoon betray him yet again?
Yes. Leading to the above incident and the sacking of Imrryr.
What’s the deal with the runesword Stormbringer, anyway - is it alive?
Already answered. It’s actually a demon/god. And like Elric it’s eternal and exists in some form on every plane of the Multiverse.
Just how does the demon Arioch double-cross Elric (I can see that coming a mile away)?
He doesn’t. In the end Elric betrays him.
OB
Sounds like we read the same stuff and the same time. I would like to conduct a poll somehow and see if there really is a corollary between BOC and Elric. I’ve been joking (yeah, I know not all that funny) about it for years (decades). Come to think of it, Elric could probably use more Cow Bell.
I know there is a big overlap between Led Zep fans and Tolkien. It was the only long book you could get many stoner Zep fans to read and talk about.
I feel a little over exposed in this thread. Anyway, as you may be aware, MM collaborated with BOC at one stage.
See here:
OB
Oh, I knew that, I meant between the fans. I was one of those kids that loved the slight darkness and edginess of both.
Why do you feel over exposed? 
You shouldn’t, it appears you know a lot more about this subject then most of us. The Dope almost always appreciates semi-expert contributions.
FWIW, Moorcock also regularly collaborated with Hawkwind; the band put out a double album that was a musical treatment of the Elric saga.
And I’ll agree that the Elric saga is something you really have to read as a young teen. I re-read the core series a year or two ago, and it really doesn’t hold up too well.
I still like the Elric saga a lot. I’m still trying to put together a bunch of [del]suckers[/del]players to run a Stormbringer! campaign.
It should be noted that, in addition to being alive, Stormbringer acts as a sort of omega point at the end.
What’s that mean? Explain, please.
Scumpup, yes, the Science Fiction Book Club is still out there and seems to be going strong. I’m a member, even though I rarely buy anything from them (and come to think of it, it’s been a loooooooong time since they’ve advertised any Moorcock stuff, let alone Elric).
What Exit?, thanks for your book offer, but no thanks. Too much to read already!
How and why does Elric kill Cymoril? How does he betray Arioch? Does Melnibone fall to the Young Kingdoms or what?
I haven’t actually read all the stories for a long time, so please excuse me if I’m a little hazy.
Cymoril dies on the point of Stormbringer when Yrrkoon pushes her onto it in his final fight with Elric during the sacking of Imrryr. Elric gets to taste her soul.
He sides against Chaos in the final battle (and through much of saga) and by bringing about the end of his world (and thus restoring the Balance) foils the plans of Chaos to rule his world.
Yes, Melniboné falls to a combined force of YK mercenaries with Elric leading them. This whole sacking of Imryyr/killing of Cymoril thing happens quite early on in the saga. Without all that Elric wouldn’t have the chance to mope around feeling guilty (which is probably why these stories appeal to teenage boys).
OB
For the Record/Poll, I enjoyed the Elric saga (though now that I think about it, I’m pretty sure I wasn’t yet legal to drive when I read them, so I’m not entirely sure what I would think now). I have never been into BOC (much less Hawkwind). If I’m going to have untelligible/pseudo-mystical lyrics about the worlds of a fantasy author, I’m going to really need something as rocking as Jimmy Page’s guitar.