The return of the multiverse maestro: an encounter with Michael Moorcock (interview: video format)
When you sit down with a legendary genre author like Michael Moorcock, it’s never just a simple chat. It’s an adventure that transports you to strange and distant universes, teeming with larger-than-life characters and stories so rich they defy imagination. This time, as Moorcock returns for the Summer 2023 edition of Forbidden Planet TV, we’ve distilled the highlights of his riveting conversation with Andrew Sumner into an article for you, our dear readers.
Broadcasting live from Paris, the heart of haute cuisine and a hub of haute culture, the pair dive into everything from Moorcock’s latest novels in ‘The Sanctuary of the White Friars’ series to French culinary traditions, and not to forget, the notorious Melton Mowbray pork pies.
With an upcoming two-volume re-release of his comic book opus, ‘Moorcock’s Multiverse,’ the man of the hour gave us a sneak peek into this ambitious venture. Illustrated by none other than the great Walter Simonson, the story follows heroes from Moorcock’s expansive ‘Eternal Champion’ series in their quest to stop Silverskin, the criminal mastermind intent on destroying the multiverse. Not exactly your everyday office job, is it?
And if that’s not intriguing enough, Moorcock and Sumner also delve into the second and third volumes of ‘The Sanctuary of the White Friars,’ titled ‘The Woods of Arcady’ and ‘The Wounds of Albion.’ In their usual idiosyncratic fashion, they take a pit-stop to reminisce about Zoot Money’s raw talent, Lemmy’s all-around decency, and the mystical power of Uncle Joe’s Mint Balls – the breadth of topics that Moorcock can discuss never ceases to astound us here at SFcrowsnest!
As he ventures into the literary labyrinth of his ‘Multiverse’ and ‘The Sanctuary of the White Friars,’ Moorcock weaves his magic of multiple timelines and dimensional jumps, always keeping us guessing what would happen next. This conversation feels like the anteroom to a grand literary feast, promising a spectacular spread of tales teetering on the brink of reality and imagination.
In ‘The Woods of Arcady,’ Moorcock takes us on a fantastical journey from Paris to Africa, where our protagonist encounters heroes of history, underground civilizations, magical oases, and miniature dinosaurs (you read that right!). All this while being pursued by the notorious Jacob Nixer – talk about living dangerously!
In true Moorcock fashion, this interview is more than a simple chat about books. It’s a romp through the vast expanses of his imagination, offering a tantalizing glimpse into the worlds that only he can create. From pork pies to plum puddings cooked in the River Thames, Moorcock proves that there’s no topic too mundane or outlandish for his deft touch.
We can’t wait for what the multiverse maestro has in store for us next. Until then, we at SFcrowsnest will keep our fingers crossed for more of Moorcock’s fantastical tales and his delightful dissections of French cuisine.
