‘Corsairs Of The Second Ether’

‘Corsairs Of The Second Ether’ — like ‘Colour’ before it — was very much inspired by Moorcock’s interest in chaos theory and fractal geometry, which he has since likened to his own concept of myriad layers of the ‘multiverse’ permeating his work. The story (or, rather, ‘serialised’ episodes in an ongoing story), which featured the exploits of the Chaos Engineers and many others, went on to be absorbed into Blood: A Southern Fantasy (1995), first volume in a trilogy known collectively as ‘The War Amongst The Angels’ (sometimes referred to as the “Second Ether” trilogy).

First appearance: New Worlds Vol. 62 No. 218
(Also known as New Worlds 2);
London:  Gollancz, 1992 (August 13th) trade-sized paperback (q.v.);
edited by David Garnett;
price: £5·99;
293 pages;
I.S.B.N.: 0-575-05145-0;
cover artist: Jim Burns.

‘Corsairs Of The Second Ether’ (illustrated by Moorcock [uncredited]) as by Warwick Colvin Jnr.: pp. 63–70, 143–148 & 211–216, each part preceded by additional illustrations (on pp. 61 & 62, 141 & 142 and 209 & 210).

First collected appearance: Blood: A Southern Fantasy
London:  Millennium, 1995 (January 26th) hardcover and simultaneous trade-sized paperback (q.v.);
original prices:  £15·99 (h/c), £9·99 (p/b);
248 pages;
I.S.B.N.s:  1-85798-232-0 (h/c) & 1-85798-233-9 (p/b);
cover artist:  Gustave Moreau (Jupiter et Sémélé).

‘Corsairs Of The Second Ether’ as by Warwick Colvin Jnr.: pp. 47–55, 89–94 & 133–138 (the first part’ title page with the “NOTE: This serial can be read now or at any time the reader feels ready”; the second & third parts as ‘Corsairs Of The Second Ether cont.’  on contents page only).

N.B. Although the Chaos Engineers appear in various other works by Moorcock, actual ‘episodes’ of Warwick Colvin Jnr.’s serial specifically appear in Fabulous Harbours (1995), The War Amongst The Angels (1996) and ‘Cascadia!!’ (2005).

Other appearance:-

Blood: A Southern Fantasy (see above)
in The War Amongst The Angels (omnibus);
London: Gollancz trade-sized paperback (q.v.), 2014 (September 11th);
edited by John Davey;
original price:  £10·99;
xx + 798 pages;
I.S.B.N.:  978-0-575-09273-0;
cover artist:  Gustave Moreau (St. George And The Dragon);
‘Corsairs Of The Second Ether’ as by Warwick Colvin Jnr.: pp. 59–68, 103–109 & 149–155.

Foreign (i.e. non-English language) appearance:-

In Второй Эфир [The War Amongst The Angels (omnibus)], Russia (2023).