Can you believe it has been almost a decade since we’ve seen a major novel from Michael Moorcock in the UK?
Well, those who have been waiting patiently for Michael’s latest novel to hit UK shores are about to be rewarded, because in addition to re-releaseing a number of Moorcock’s novels in special hefty collector’s editions, Gollancz have just announced that they’ve acquired Commonwealth rights to THE WHISPERING SWARM and two sequels by Michael Moorcock – previously only available from the US through Tor Books.
In this first novel of a series, Moorcock writes about the city of his childhood and a city that he has visited many times before in his work: London. The book will be set just after the Second World War when England’s capital is trying desperately to get back on its feet. The protagonist of the tale? Well, his name is ‘Michael Moorcock’ – yep, part of his multi-verse. Part-autobiography, part-story, THE WHISPERING SWARM will mix elements of the author’s real life – his first job on Fleet Street, and the initial stirrings of his interest in writing – with adventures in parallel universes peopled with highwaywomen, musketeers and magicians.
Marcus Gipps, Commissioning Editor, said “THE WHISPERING SWARM is a delight, merging elements of Mike’s life with his traditional brilliant fantasy. He’s the most influential fantasy writer alive, and this is one of his best. We’ve been thrilled to republish 31 books of Mike’s remarkable backlist over the past few years. Now that Gollancz’s Michael Moorcock Collection is complete, it’s brilliant to be publishing a dazzling, mercurial new series that will introduce new readers to the life and works of a legendary figure.”
For those unfamiliar with Michael Moorcock’s work, many would argue that other than Tolkien no author has had such a profound influence on the genre. His most famous works are those revolving around the character Elric of Melniboné where the author purposely wrote against the cliches created by Tolkien and the many authors who were living in his shadow – so much so, in-fact, he was recently dubbed the anti-Tolkien. His work has won and been shortlisted for numerous awards including the Hugo, Nebula, World Fantasy, Whitbread and Guardian Fiction Prize. In 1999, he was given the World Fantasy Life Achievement Award; in 2001, he was inducted into the SF Hall of Fame; and in 2007, he was named a SFWA Grandmaster. Quite a C.V., right?
The book is due very soon – July 2015 – with the sequels due before 2018. Gollancz’s press team added that: ‘in a remarkable coincidence, a number of scenes in THE WHISPERING SWARM take place around Carmelite House on the Victoria Embankment; the very building that will become the head offices for Gollancz and the rest of the Hachette Group in 2015.’
Jennie Ivins