Gloriana rules an Albion whose empire embraces America and most of Asia — and which is experiencing a Golden Age of peace, enlightenment, prosperity. As the symbol of all the world's idealism, Gloriana has a huge responsibility to her peoples. She is Albion, and Albion is Gloriana: and no hint of cynicism or tyranny must be allowed or the whole chivalric structure will fall, precipitating a return to an age of iron symbolized by Gloriana's own cruel father, King Hern. Borne down by this responsibility, Gloriana takes lover after lover, indulges in every debauchery, but remains untouched — incapable of orgasm.
Meanwhile in the vast palace, so ancient as to contain thousands of miles of hidden and forgotten passageways, conspiracies are designed to maintain the facade. Lord Montfallcon, Gloriana's Chancellor, controls a web of spies and assassins whose business is to practice the old, ruthless diplomacy which maintains the state. …
Gloriana rules an Albion whose empire embraces America and most of Asia — and which is experiencing a Golden Age of peace, enlightenment, prosperity. As the symbol of all the world's idealism, Gloriana has a huge responsibility to her peoples. She is Albion, and Albion is Gloriana: and no hint of cynicism or tyranny must be allowed or the whole chivalric structure will fall, precipitating a return to an age of iron symbolized by Gloriana's own cruel father, King Hern. Borne down by this responsibility, Gloriana takes lover after lover, indulges in every debauchery, but remains untouched — incapable of orgasm.
Meanwhile in the vast palace, so ancient as to contain thousands of miles of hidden and forgotten passageways, conspiracies are designed to maintain the facade. Lord Montfallcon, Gloriana's Chancellor, controls a web of spies and assassins whose business is to practice the old, ruthless diplomacy which maintains the state. Chief of these spies is the cold-hearted Captain Quire, seducer of virtue, murderer of innocence, who is Montfallcon's greatest weapon. However, when the two fall out and Arabia conceives a plan to ruin Gloriana, a huge intrigue is hatched, threatening to destroy Albion, the Empire, the Golden Age itself, in a love affair between the Queen of Virtue and the King of Vice.
This is Michael Moorcock's most audacious fantasy. Both elaborate and serious, it is a richly written fable, full of marvelous characters and unexpected turns of plot — a tapestry of brilliant inventive skill and unrivaled imagination.
Maybe it's because I'm a belligerent warrior in the genre wars, but the historical inspiration for this fantasy didn't appeal to me. I liked it better when the core of Moorcock's work was science fiction and/or fantasy.
Also, the depiction of rape is intolerable. My edition has the original ending and the rewritten, supposedly toned down ending. It reminded me of a sleazy old Russ Meyer film, or those compilations of horrific violence against women in "classic" old movies where big name male stars are shown sickeningly, endlessly slapping women.
So overall, I think this is the worst Moorcock book I've ever read and I think it should just fade into obscurity.
