My reaction to reading this omnibus in 1999. Spoilers may follow.

“Introduction” -- An interesting introduction in which Moorcock not only talks about the three novels in this omnibus but his relation to sf. Moorcock cites Alfred Bester’s The Stars My Destination and The Demolished Man as an influence. Moorcock has said he doesn’t have a lot of interest in “modern sf” but liked the works of Fritz Leiber, Philip K. Dick, and the Frederik Pohl and C. M. Kornbluth collaborations. This explains his dislike of Larry Niven and Robert Heinlein (though he likes Isaac Asimov’s “best”). He doesn’t like conservative sf with its preeminence of rationalizing with hard science its fantasy elements. For him, sf (he’s hardly alone in this nor is it an illegitimate stance) is a way to understand our world. The fantasy element in his sf is both a symbol as well as a device to move the story. He says these three novels trace the evolution of the “rationalist apparatus” of sf from “stage machinery” to symbolize his writings in these three novels. Moorcock also, as I didn’t know, worked as a writer for the British Liberal Party for awhile. These novels were written in one draft and very lightly revised for this edition. Evidently, they were written in a hurry to provide more traditional fare for the experimental magazines Science Fiction Adventures and New Worlds.

The Wrecks of Time -- I liked this novel a lot more than I thought I would. It’s plot of Earth’s being built and destroyed and altered (and the inhabitants amnesiac about the alteration of their planet’s geography) reminded me of Philip K. Dick’s themes of what is reality and simulating it. The scheming groups of D-Squads and aliens obsessed with recreating the society that birthed them reminded me of A. E. van Vogt (also an influence on Dick).

The Winds of Limbo -- I didn’t care for this novel all that much. Part of that may be due to its origins in Moorcock’s attempt to write a version (though the end product, says Moorcock in the omnibus’ introduction, is pretty different) of Disraeli’s Coningsby. The political machinations of the plot didn’t involve me much. I thought the novel’s largest weakness was the character of the Fireclown. His words and actions don’t seem to merit the love and adoration of his followers or their claims to his profundity. Simon von Bek’s hatred of the Fireclown is understandable given that the Fireclown aka Manny Bloom was once his daughter’s lover and that von Bek tried to kill him. Alain’s love of the Fireclown is partially explained by the Fireclown being his father, but Alain von Bek was attracted to him before he found that out. The novel is interesting for the vision it gives of its period of composition – late 60s or early 70s. Tobacco is illegal but marijuana is regarded as a much better drug. A universal welfare system is in place via a global government. Mayfair, the formerly prosperous London suburb, is now the world’s only slum courtesy of a rich landlord who refuses government intrusion and services and his criminal tenants and those too proud to accept welfare. Governance relies on polls. This novel features Alain von Bek as the hero and manifestation of the Eternal Champion. While he is more obviously so than Dr. Faustaff from The Wrecks of Time, he is certainly less the heroic sort than von Bek of Moorcock’s von The Warlord and the World’s Pain, Hawkmoon, or even Elric and Oswald Bastable.

The Shores of Death -- I liked this grim, morose tale of dying mankind, incapable of having children, slowly going mad on an Earth that no longer turns, its former moon crashed into the Pacific Ocean. This tale is a science fantasy in the style of some of the romantic pulp tales. Moorcock’s tone is morose, melancholy. The insanities of man dying out were interesting: a religious order dedicated to destroying the artifacts of man and their opponents who embrace the old evils of totalitarianism. Moorcock does a good job showing why people (a combination of fear, anger, and a sense that desperate times require desperate measures, a need for order) would embrace and reluctantly support such an order. Given the constraints of a pulp, dark adventure tale he does a lot with the psychological aspects of a race facing death via sterility. The project to build a giant antenna to let any aliens listening (the space ache which renders space travel painful, and the “raiders” that stopped Earth’s rotation are further romantic, implausible touches) know that man once existed and of his works was very reminiscent of the alien message in James Gunn’s The Listeners. Clovis Becker seems little like a manifestation of the Eternal Champion, but then none of the heroes of this omnibus seem like Champions given their predilection for political and psychological machinations rather than physical violence and the blatant (even more than Elric) way destiny and circumstances push them around. Still, Becker in name belongs to that cluster of Beggs and von Beks that frequently show up in the Moorcock multiverse. His opposition to the Chaos forces of the Brotherhood and the oppressive Law of Andra’s fascists place him in the service of the Cosmic Balance. Like most of the Eternal Champions, he must put aside personal happiness (the loss of his emotional capacity) to serve the Balance (here simply procreating and keeping humanity alive even if by incest). The unsatisfying bit of the novel is the ultimate nature of brilliant scientist Orlando Sharvis. He may be what he says – simply a scientist who honors requests. It seems more likely, however, that he maliciously grants wishes (like some figure out of a fairy tale) that have some hidden downside. I suspect Moorcock may have intended Sharvis as an allegorical representation of all scientists – usually neutral in matters of ethics but sometimes furthering their own agendas. ( )

This is a collection of three scifi novellas - mostly unconnected (or as unconnected as anything the Master of the Multiverse ever writes can be.) They tend towards the gloomy, and it's apparent that, as Moorcock explains in the introduction, these are basically proofread first drafts - they could stand quite a bit of tightening up. But they explore some interesting visions of society, and are generally fun pulp scifi adventures. ( )

The Wrecks of Time: http://www.librarything.com/review/26051822
The Winds of Limbo: http://www.librarything.com/review/85325465
The Shores of Death: http://www.librarything.com/review/85325463

This was the first time in the fifteen volume Omnibus series that I was somewhat disappointed with the changing of names and places that happened here. Moorcock has apparently decided to retroactively shoehorn novels that were standalone Science Fiction novels into the Eternal Champion universe by changing a name or two here and there. In general, I don't approve. Of course, it's not like he either needs or seeks my opinions on these matters. I just believe that if he intended for a von Bek to play a role in a particular story, he would have written it that way in the first place.

The interludes written from Renark von Bek's perspective didn't seem to hold much purpose either. I found them difficult to digest and came to the conclusion that they didn't add anything to the volume.

Also, in a departure from the previous volumes in the Omnibus series, this volume contains 3 novels that don't share a protagonist. Faustaff, Alain von Bek, and Clovis Becker are (I assume) the aspects of the Champion. These three are also somewhat unique from a Champion perspective in that they all abhor violence - Faustaff being a pacifist, Alain von Bek living in a society where violence was unheard of, and Becker being such an enlightened soul that when forced to fight with a sword he's beaten like a red-headed stepchild. They fight and they sacrifice, but it's not at all your mother's Eternal Champion. This, of course, makes for an interesting read. ( )

In The Roads Between the Worlds, we are introduced to three different stories featuring different worlds, or in some cases, multiple different worlds. All are united by a premise of each world suffering in a way that only an outsider can solve.

We meet Professor Faustaff, a corpulent Lothario in charge of keeping each of the multiple Earths safe. When one suffers to the point of destruction, it's his duty to evacuate as many of the people as possible to other Earths, and help them reestablish their lives. Though, his true duty is to try to prevent this destruction in the first place.

Next is the story of Alain Von Bek, illegitimate grandson of the ruling figure, Simon Von Bek. There is social unrest in this distant future Earth, and things are not made easy by the anarchist known as the Fireclown. Though Alain has more in common with this man that he would at first to have, especially after the Fireclown is labeled a terrorist.

The third story features a tidally locked Earth. Our hero, Clovis Becker, is the last born on the twilight side, and he falls in love with the last person born on the daylight side, Fastina Cahmin. The population is slowly dying out, as no new people are being born. The residents of earth gradually accept their fate, but Clovis does not, always seeking an answer to the problem, all the while being pursued by the elusive Mr. Take, and having to defend himself against a strange new cult that develops out of the impending doom of the populace.

These three stories show that Moorcock is able to write science fiction that is not too heavy on the science, but still, more believable than some writers.

Recommended for fans of Moorcock or for fans of the writings of Jack Vance and Fritz Lieber. ( )