James Nicoll Reviews

1969’s Behold the Man is an expanded version of Michael Moorcock’s 1966 novella of the same title. In novella form¹, this black humor time-travel tale won a Nebula. At novel length, it did not — but then most novels don’t.

Karl Glogauer’s time machine arrives in a desolate region. The machine is wrecked on arrival, but Karl survives. His intention had been to search for the historical Jesus. Although it is not immediately clear if he has reached the correct time and place, he will ultimately survive beyond his wildest dreams.

But first! Backstory!

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As a teen, I was shallow enough that a silly surname like “Moorcock” was enough to steer me away from reading any Michael Moorcock novels. Pity, because whoever stocked the University of Waterloo's bookstore's F&SF section in the 1970s really loved Moorcock. My chronic search for reading material would have been greatly aided had I taken advantage of the opportunity. Ah well.

I did read some Moorcock. Some of those I read were Moorcock's tales about that pallid emo wally, Elric of Melniboné. And where best to start with Elric but at the beginning of his reign, as portrayed in 1972's Elric of Melniboné?

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