The War Hound and the World's Pain

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The War Hound and the World's Pain
War hound and the worlds pain.jpg
Dust-jacket from the first edition.
Author Michael Moorcock
Cover artist Rowena Morrill
LanguageEnglish
Series Ulrich von Bek
Genre Fantasy
Publisher Timescape
Publication date
 1981
Publication placeUnited States
Media typePrint (hardback)
Pages239
ISBN 0-671-43708-9
OCLC 7575956
823/.914 19
LC Class PR6063.O59 W3 1981
Followed by The City in the Autumn Stars  

The War Hound and the World's Pain is a 1981 fantasy novel by English writer Michael Moorcock, the first of the "von Bek" series of novels.

Contents

Plot summary

The book is set in Europe ravaged by the Thirty Years' War. Its hero Ulrich von Bek is a mercenary and freethinker, who finds himself a damned soul in a castle owned by Lucifer. Much to his surprise, von Bek is charged by Lucifer with doing God's work, by finding the Holy Grail, the "cure for the world's pain", that will also cure Lucifer's pain by reconciling him with God. Only through doing this can von Bek save his soul.

After many adventures, von Bek eventually finds the Holy Grail, and discovers that it will set mankind on the path to self-redemption through rationality, without the help of God or the hindrance of Lucifer.

The story has a sequel in The City in the Autumn Stars (1986).

Reception

Dave Pringle reviewed The War Hound and the World's Pain for Imagine magazine: "I am pleased to report that it makes a delightful read. It is much superior to the earlier quickies in, say, the 'Dorian Hawkmoon' series, Moorcock has honed his skills over the years, and they now show a fine gleaming edge". [1]

Reviews

References

  1. ↑ Pringle, Dave (December 1983). "Book Review". Imagine (review) (9). TSR Hobbies (UK), Ltd.: 35.
  2. ↑ "Title: The War Hound and the World's Pain".


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