This is the first in the Count Brass series, but follows the previous series about the Runestaff. I read that many years ago and no longer have it, so it's just as well that this begins with a summary and drops in various other aspects of the back story as the book goes on.

Duke Dorian Hawkmoon is enjoying a quiet life ruling the Kamarg, a marshy area with its own unique wildlife such as horned horses (and based on the real-life area of France, known as the Camargue). The setting is an alternative Europe, seemingly in the far future after a period where a technological society - possibly ours - collapsed. Five years before the story begins, Hawkmoon and his friends were instrumental in overthrowing a tyrannical regime known as the Dark Empire, based on a reborn technology and operating from their version of Great Britain. The rulers of the regime supposedly all perished at the Battle of Londra (London) or just before, yet Dorian's tranquil existence, married to the daughter of Count Brass (who also died in the battle), and enjoying family life with her and their son and daughter, begins to be blighted when local people start to eye him with disapproval.

He discovers that rumour is rife that the ghost of Count Brass is out in the marshes at night telling passersby that Dorian betrayed him and led him to his death. Determined to quash this, he rides out to meet the apparent imposter, but discovers things are not that simple. This man is a younger version of the Count, and soon he brings younger versions of Dorian's other close friends to meet him, who also died in the struggle against Granbretan. They have been brought there by someone they term the oracle, who has told them they are in a netherworld - for them, it is endless night - but that they will be restored to their former lives if they kill Dorian who otherwise will lead them all to their deaths. Luckily, he persuades them to doubt the oracle, and when the creature reappears in a strange pyramidal device which can appear and disappear, it transpires he is one of the supposedly deceased ex-rulers of the former Dark Empire. Dorian and the others set out on an epic journey to find out what is going on and why this man is having to work through intermediaries to kill him. The answers when they come lead to heartbreak for Dorian.

This is a short page-turning read, not a profound story, but colourful and with a zany cast of characters including a villain who wears a mask with a working and chiming clock in it. The ending is the best part, as Dorian truly pays a terrible price and yet is left wondering whether the past he remembers is real or imaginary. ( )

“Count Brass” by Michael Moorcock was better reading this time around than the first time. I was a big Michael Moorcock fan as a teenager in the 80’s, reading and rereading most of his books numerous times, but the Castle Brass series was one I just couldn’t get into. But shopping for used books I thought I’d give it another try, now that I’m several decades older.

It picks up with Hawkmoon five years after the events of the Runestaff series of books, after Hawkmoon and his companions, not all of whom survived, brought down the evil Granbretan empire. In this Hawkmoon is living his life, enjoying peace and calm with his wife and children, when there are rumors that his dead companions are out in the marshes outside town, calling him a traitor and blaming him for their deaths, turning his fellow living citizens against him.

He heads out to investigate and begins an adventure with his five years’ dead companions, or their doppelgängers. They find out that at least one of the evil scientists from Granbretan survived the last battle and is manipulating time and space for revenge.

They’re successful but the story concludes with a bittersweet ending, and an opening to continue the series.

Overall it was enjoyable to escape and read this again. I definitely enjoyed it more now some decades after the first time I tried reading it. But it was also harder to suspend disbelief about some of Moorcock’s descriptions, like two guys in full plate armor, not making any noise as they bound out of a chariot. I didn’t feel like I was “in the story” the way his other books made me feel when I was a teenager.

I’d definitely recommend to a Moorcock fantasy fan, but not as an introduction to Moorcock’s work. This series is very much a sequel to his “History of the Runestaff” series. ( )

The first in the Count Brass trilogy. This series again features both Dorian Hawkmoon and Count Brass, but mostly Dorian Hawkmoon, so the title is a bit confusing. This trilogy occurs after the Runestaff series, also featuring Dorian Hawkmoon. While Dorian is not as famous as Elric or Corum, he is my 2nd favorite incarnation of the Eternal Champion. The strange world of Dorian Hawkmoon, set in some half-fantasy, half-technology future/alternate Earth is an interesting world, though mostly confined to what we would call Europe. Standard Moorcock, a very short, fascinating fantasy ( )

The continuing story of Hawkmoon, with a twist at the end I never saw coming. ( )

Even though the Empire of Granbretan had fallen. Even though he and his wife had survived the bloody battle. Even though he had two wonderful children. Even though all this, Dorian Hawkmoon had regrets. And somehow, those regrets began to manifest themselves in the people of Kamarg. They no longer showed his respect and love - openly questioning his right to rule Kamarg; suggesting that he led the beloved Count Brass to his death for purely personal reasons; hinting that he was a murderer. Of course, there was a great deal of truth to this - and Hawkmoon wanted nothing more than to return his dead friend to life. Unbeknownst to him, his deepest desire was about to be granted - but the price may be more than he ever considered.

A very, very cool story with an interesting take on regret and what might happen if you could turn back the hands of time and undo something. In the end, would you really want to? How much would you be willing to give up? ( )