Who Would Like This Book:
Gloriana is a lush, intriguing read that's a must for anyone who loves alternative history, decadent court intrigues, or Mervyn Peake's Gormenghast series. Moorcock delivers a vividly imagined Elizabethan-esque world, packed with hidden passageways, political plots, lavish details, and a darkly erotic undercurrent. Fans of rich and atmospheric prose, fantasy skeptics who crave something original, and readers who enjoy meditations on national identity and personal myth will find plenty to savor here.
Who May Not Like This Book:
If you dislike slow burns, dense world-building, or stories that lean heavily on atmosphere rather than action, this one might test your patience. The book is definitely a product of its era - some parts can feel dated or overly decadent, and there are explicit scenes that can be jarring. Readers looking for sympathetic, evolving characters or a more typical fantasy quest may find Gloriana's characters distant or one-note.
About:
Gloriana by Michael Moorcock is a tale set in an alternative history version of Elizabethan England, where Christianity and Islam do not exist, and pagan feasts are celebrated at court. The story unfolds in a huge palace filled with interlinked buildings, hidden rooms, and secret passages, creating a perfect backdrop for courtly intrigue, spying, and seduction. The book is a sprawling, dense jungle of a narrative that wears its affection for Mervyn Peake's Gormenghast on its sleeve, delving into themes of sex, sycophancy, tunnels, intrigue, secrets, debauchery, and honor.
Genres:
Tropes/Plot Devices:
Topics:
Notes:
Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings
Triggers include sexual content, themes of power dynamics, and complex portrayals of relationships that may be uncomfortable for some readers.
Has Romance?
The book features a significant amount of romance, predominantly revolving around Gloriana's unfulfilled sexual desires and relationships.
From The Publisher:
In this "spellbinding" (The Sunday Times) award-winning fantasy, the vast empire of Albion is ruled by the beautiful and forlorn queen, Gloriana, who must battle against a nefarious scoundrel, Captain Quire, and a court soured by debauchery with her wits.
First published in 1978, Gloriana is the award-winning story set in the alternate English kingdom of Albion that reimagines Queen Elizabeth's reign.
Bawdy, cruel, and brilliant, Gloriana has been awarded the World Fantasy Award and the John W. Campbell Memorial Award for Best Science Fiction, and is often cited as one of the great works of speculative fiction and fantasy along the lines of J.G. Ballard, Thomas Pynchon, and Philip K. Dick.
Ratings (1)
Loved It (1) |
Reader Stats (6):
Read It (1) | |
Want To Read (4) | |
Not Interested (1) |
What can you read after
Gloriana?
About the Author:
Michael Moorcock is one of the most important and influential figures in speculative fiction and fantasy literature. Listed recently by The Times (London) as among the fifty greatest British writers since 1945, he is the author of 100 books and more than 150 shorter stories in practically every genre. He has been the recipient of several lifetime achievement awards, including the Prix Utopiales, the SFWA Grand Master, the Stoker, and the World Fantasy, and has been inducted into the Science Fiction Hall of Fame. He has been awarded the Nebula Award, the World Fantasy Award, the John W. Campbell Award, the British Fantasy Award, the Guardian Fiction Prize, and has been shortlisted for the Whitbread Award. He has been compared to Balzac, Dickens, Dumas, Ian Fleming, Joyce, and Robert E. Howard, to name a few.
When you click the Amazon link and make a purchase, we may receive a small commision, at no cost to you.
