MOORCOCK, Michael (b. 1939). The Stealers of Souls. London: Neville Spearman, 1963. 8vo. 315 pp. Publisher's orange cloth in original unclipped illustrated dust jacket. FIRST EDITION, FIRST PRINTING OF MOORCOCK'S FIRST COLLECTION OF STORIES.

Elric VIII, 428th Emperor of Melniboné, Moorcock's most famous character, first appeared in his 1961 novella "The Dreaming City" in Science Fantasy magazine. This collection gathers this first appearance as well as Elric's subsequent 4 appearances in Science Fantasy in one volume: "While the Gods Laugh," "The Stealer of Souls," "Kings in Darkness," and "The Flame Bringers." 

Jacket lightly edge worn, spotting to rear, minor paper loss to margins, rubbed. Endpapers foxed, ownership inscription to front pastedown, publisher stamp to full-title, inscriptions to table of contents, light occasional spotting throughout. Despite this an excellent copy.