Book Review - City Of The Beast by Michael Moorcock

Nathan Brazil over at sfsite.com has a review of a favorite book of mine:  City Of The Beast by Michael Moorcock.  Along with Burroughs’ John Carter of Mars, Lin Carter’s Jandar Of Callisto, Moorcock brings his own magic to the genre that captured me when I was younger…

“I heard the beast thundering on behind me, giving out a strange mooing sound, and increased my pace as best I could. I found I could run very easily indeed and seemed to be lighter than normal”

City of the Beast is the first novel in a trilogy, featuring an incarnation of Moorcock’s Eternal Champion, called Michael Kane. Not to be confused with the celebrated British actor of a similar name. This Kane is an City of the Beast all-American hero, whose life and times deliberately imitate Edgar Rice Burroughs’ John Carter of Mars. For readers who have not encountered Burroughs Martian series, the name of the game is pure escapism. Those who prefer a high degree of scientific accuracy in their fiction will be disappointed. But, if your main priority is what used to be called a “rip-roaring adventure” then City of the Beast may be just the one for the job.

Kane is a manifestation of Moorcock’s Eternal Champion, but it is not necessary to know anything about this many-faced character, or the author’s other works, in order to enjoy this story. The Mars that is presented is improbable, to say the least, but quite charming in the quaint way that SF stories were, before images from NASA space probes shattered all the illusions. Originally published in 1965 as Warriors of Mars under the nom-de-plume Edward Powys Bradbury, the story details Kane’s first sojourn on Mars, after an experiment in teleportation accidentally sends him to the red planet. True to its source of inspiration, the tale is narrated as fiction by Bradbury, who meets Kane in France, and records his fabulous adventures for posterity. We learn that Mars is called Vashu by its humanoid inhabitants, and shortly after his arrival, Kane falls in love with the beautiful Shizala, princess of the city of Varnal. Naturally attracted to the Earthman, Shizala cannot reciprocate, due to her betrothal to the shifty prince of Mishim Tep. Before this can deteriorate into the Mills & Boon of space, Varnal is attacked by the Argzoon, a race of hulk-like blue-skinned giants. It is at this point that Kane’s fencing skills and general macho credentials come in handy. Predictably, the lovely Shizala is kidnapped, forcing Kane to embark upon a swashbuckling quest across Mars to rescue her from their filthy clutches. What follows is a fast paced romp, encompassing the familiar formula of chase, battle and evasion. There are underground cities, evil beasties, and pretty much every ingredient you’d expect in a classic pulp novel.

Moorcock’s own style, when this book was written, was ideally suited to this work. What he was trying to do, was emulate the seminal magic of those who had inspired him, in a fashion that was affectionate, and something of tribute. At the time, Moorcock was a one man ideas factory, churning out stories at an incredible rate. City of the Beast was probably written in no more than two days. Moorcock recalls that the entire trilogy, took no more than a week. While this technique does not allow for scientific credibility, or in-depth characterisation, it is a whole lot of fun. There is a sugar rush of energy here, which carries along readers willing to forgive what the work lacks. If I have one criticism, it would be that this book cannot rise above the quality of a shadow. Kane is not Carter, Shizala is not Deja Thoris, and Vashu is not Barsoom. City of the Beast and its sequels are without a doubt entertaining, but the real thing is still preferable, and available.

Soft Cover - 157 pages

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