''The War Hound and the World's Pain'' is a 1981

fantasy novel Fantasy literature is literature set in an imaginary universe, often but not always without any locations, events, or people from the real world. Magic, the supernatural and magical creatures are common in many of these imaginary worlds. F ...

by English writer

Michael Moorcock Michael John Moorcock (born 18 December 1939) is an English writer, best-known for science fiction and fantasy, who has published a number of well-received literary novels as well as comic thrillers, graphic novels and non-fiction. He has worke ...

, the first of the "von Bek" series of novels.

Plot summary

The book is set in Europe ravaged by the

Thirty Years' War The Thirty Years' War was one of the longest and most destructive conflicts in European history, lasting from 1618 to 1648. Fought primarily in Central Europe, an estimated 4.5 to 8 million soldiers and civilians died as a result of batt ...

. Its hero

Ulrich von Bek The Eternal Champion is a fictional character created by British author Michael Moorcock and is a recurrent feature in many of his speculative fiction works. General overview Many of Moorcock's novels and short stories take place in a shared M ...

is a mercenary and freethinker, who finds himself a damned soul in a castle owned by

Lucifer Lucifer is one of various figures in folklore associated with the planet Venus. The entity's name was subsequently absorbed into Christianity as a name for the devil. Modern scholarship generally translates the term in the relevant Bible passa ...

. Much to his surprise, von Bek is charged by Lucifer with doing

God In monotheistic thought, God is usually viewed as the supreme being, creator, and principal object of faith. Swinburne, R.G. "God" in Honderich, Ted. (ed)''The Oxford Companion to Philosophy'', Oxford University Press, 1995. God is typically ...

's work, by finding the

Holy Grail The Holy Grail (french: Saint Graal, br, Graal Santel, cy, Greal Sanctaidd, kw, Gral) is a treasure that serves as an important motif in Arthurian literature. Various traditions describe the Holy Grail as a cup, dish, or stone with miracul ...

, 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 is continued in '' The City in the Autumn Stars'' (1986).

Reception

Dave Pringle reviewed ''The War Hound and the World's Pain'' for ''

Imagine Imagine may refer to: * Imagination Music Albums * ''Imagine'' (Armin van Buuren album), 2008 * ''Imagine'' (Eva Cassidy album), 2002 * ''Imagine'' (Janice Vidal album), 2012 * ''Imagine'' (John Lennon album), 1971 ** ''Imagine: John Lennon' ...

'' magazine: "I am pleased to report that it makes a delightful read. Although minor, 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".

Reviews

*Review by Jeff Frane (1981) in ''

Locus Locus (plural loci) is Latin for "place". It may refer to: Entertainment * Locus (comics), a Marvel Comics mutant villainess, a member of the Mutant Liberation Front * ''Locus'' (magazine), science fiction and fantasy magazine ** ''Locus Award' ...

'', #250 November 1981 *Review by Charles Platt (1982) in ''The Patchin Review'', Number Three *Review by Darrell Schweitzer (1982) in '' Science Fiction Review'', Spring 1982 *Review by Mary Gentle (1982) in ''

Vector Vector most often refers to: *Euclidean vector, a quantity with a magnitude and a direction *Vector (epidemiology), an agent that carries and transmits an infectious pathogen into another living organism Vector may also refer to: Mathematic ...

'' 106 *Review by Joan Gordon (1982) in ''Science Fiction & Fantasy Book Review'', #2, March 1982 *Review by Debbie Notkin (1982) in ''Rigel Science Fiction'', #4 Spring 1982 *Review by Baird Searles (1982) in ''

Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine ''Asimov's Science Fiction'' is an American science fiction magazine which publishes science fiction and fantasy named after science fiction author Isaac Asimov. It is currently published by Penny Publications. From January 2017, the publicatio ...

'', May 1982 *Review by Thomas A. Easton s by Tom Easton(1982) in ''

Analog Science Fiction/Science Fact ''Analog Science Fiction and Fact'' is an American science fiction magazine published under various titles since 1930. Originally titled ''Astounding Stories of Super-Science'', the first issue was dated January 1930, published by William C ...

'', June 1982 *Review by Tom Staicar (1982) in ''

Amazing Science Fiction Stories ''Amazing Stories'' is an American science fiction magazine launched in April 1926 by Hugo Gernsback's Experimenter Publishing. It was the first magazine devoted solely to science fiction. Science fiction stories had made regular appearances in ...

'', June 1982 *Review by Roger C. Schlobin (1982) in ''

Fantasy Newsletter ''Fantasy Newsletter'' was a major fantasy fanzine founded by Paul C. Allen and later issued by Robert A. Collins. Frequent contributors included Fritz Leiber and Gene Wolfe. Publication history The first issue appeared in June 1978, and Alle ...

'', #49 July 1982 *Review by Joe Sanders (1982) in ''Starship'', November 1982 *Review

rench The Rench is a right-hand tributary of the Rhine in the Ortenau ( Central Baden, Germany). It rises on the southern edge of the Northern Black Forest at Kniebis near Bad Griesbach im Schwarzwald. The source farthest from the mouth is that of the ...

by Isabelle Barbé (1984) in ''SFère'', #12 *Review

by Stéphane Nicot? (1984) in ''Fiction'', #349 *Review

by Jean-Pierre Andrevon (1984) in ''Fiction'', #349 *Review

by André-François Ruaud? (1985) in ''Proxima'' rance #8 *Review

by Jean-Yves Besnard (1986) in ''Fiction'', #371 *Review by David Pringle (1988) in '' Modern Fantasy: The Hundred Best Novels'' *Review by Bruce Gillespie (1989) in ''SF Commentary'', #67 *Review

by Pascal Godbillon (1994) in ''Yellow Submarine'', #107

References

* * * 1981 British novels English fantasy novels Novels by Michael Moorcock 1981 fantasy novels Fiction about the Devil {{1980s-fantasy-novel-stub fr:Chien de guerre