Henry Kuttner’s stirring four tales of Elak, Prince of Atlantis, portray the young man as a wandering warrior, a restless soul uncertain of what he wants from life, briefly content to burn up his energy randomly combatting whatever dire enemies and elements cross his path. His past has been deeply troubled: he is the stepson of Norian, the former north Atlantean king. Elak, or to give him his true name, Zeulas, has killed his father in a duel, albeit fairly. However, distressed at the act, Zeulas refuses the crown that he is heir to and allows his brother, Orander to rule northern Atlantis in his stead. Zeulas takes the name Elak and, together with his companion, Lycon, wanders the continent of Atlantis and its numerous independent cities, a footloose and generally irresponsible soldier of fortune.
In the ultimate Kuttner story, DRAGON MOON, Elak learns of the dire sorcery working against his enthroned younger brother, Orander. In a bid to rule Atlantis in his own name, the alien, Karkora, contrives Orander’s death through madness and suicide. With Lycon and the assistance of the powerful Druidic sorcerer, Dalan, and help from Mayana, daughter of Poseidon, Elak confronts her child, Karkora, the Pallid One, and eventually triumphs against demonic forces, finally taking the northern crown for himself.
At this time, the continent is a loosely knit confederation of city states, some strongly allied to each other. Cyrena, in the north, Elak’s state, is the most powerful, and has a strong ally in neighbouring Sarhaddon and its queen, Esarra. Another ally is the city state ruled from Poseidonis, under the young ruler, Kellotris. After the war with Karkora, the southern states have been thrown into political turmoil, run by nobles but hovering on the brink of internecine strife. It may take a civil war to settle the disputes.
Meanwhile a new threat arises from the deep ocean. Remnants of Karkora’s followers have conducted rituals and a summoning, waking an ancient sea god, Xeraph-Hizer, the Leviathan Lord. The being recognises the disunity across Atlantis as man’s greatest weakness, a propitious time to launch its own bid for mastery of the continent. Elak is persuaded by his people to unite the city states, the only way the monstrous threat can be challenged, and after yet another fierce and bloody war, Elak, at the head of a unified army, triumphs. For the first time, the continent of Atlantis is brought together under one king. (For a more detailed account of these events, see ELAK, WARRIOR OF ATLANTIS.)
In this second collection, the monarch, still in his late twenties, sails to new adventures, as perilous and terrifying as any he has previously experienced.
Here are two quick links to the trilogy so far:
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