The second book in Michael Moorcock’s Eternal Champion Sequence, Phoenix in Obsidian, isn’t as good as its predecessor, but still adds to the mythology of the Eternal Champion. This is particularly true with the reemergence of the black sword Stormbringer. Without a doubt, it was the best part of this novel.
The story picks up right where The Eternal Champion ended with Erekosë happily living out his immortal existence with the Eldren princess Ermizhad. That ends, however, when the Ghost Worlds, which shift through time and space, come in conjunction with earth. From there, Erekosë finds himself transported to a frozen world beneath a dying sun.
In this incarnation, Erekosë is known as Urlik Skarsol of the South Ice. One of the book’s first mysteries surrounds who has summoned Erekosë, and for what purpose? The people of this dying earth live a hedonistic existence in a mountain fortress called the Obsidian City. Their leader is the most hedonistic of them all, known as the Lord Spiritual. Though as Erekosë soon discovers, there is no faith in this world. Just people seeking pleasure while awaiting their inevitable doom.
A betrayal propels Erekosë to the meat of the story. There, he encounters a red-haired adventurer named Bladrak of the Scarlet Ford. Fans of Moorcock’s Elric novels will quickly recognize Bladrak as an incarnation of Elric’s sidekick, Moonglum. Even more, Bladrak has brought Erekosë the Black Sword. At first, Erekosë does not want to touch the weapon. For he knows how dangerous it is from his memories of other incarnations of the Eternal Champion. But that changes when he becomes convinced that only by using the Black Sword will he ever be able to return to Ermizhad.
Stormbringer
The return of Stormbringer felt nostalgic for an old fan of Elric of Melniboné. Though Phoenix in Obsidian lacked most of the narrative elements that made Elric’s tales so fun to read. Still, there was enough to keep the story going, including a mysterious Lady of the Chalice who holds the secret to why Erekosë is in this world.
The book’s ending was a bit confusing, and a tad unsatisfying. Yet I understand from reading about the series that the ending is explained in a later book. It also supposedly plays an important role in the mythology of the Eternal Champion. But it appears one must wait until book three, The Dragon In The Sword, to understand why.