| The War Hound and the World's Pain | |
| Author: | Michael Moorcock |
| Cover Artist: | Rowena Morrill |
| Country: | United States |
| Language: | English |
| Series: | Ulrich von Bek |
| Genre: | Fantasy |
| Publisher: | Timescape |
| Release Date: | 1981 |
| Media Type: | Print (hardback) |
| Pages: | 239 |
| Isbn: | 0-671-43708-9 |
| Dewey: | 823/.914 19 |
| Congress: | PR6063.O59 W3 1981 |
| Oclc: | 7575956 |
| Followed By: | The City in the Autumn Stars |
The War Hound and the World's Pain is a 1981 fantasy novel by English writer Michael Moorcock, the first of the "von Bek" series of novels.
The book is set in Europe ravaged by the Thirty Years' War. Its hero Ulrich von Bek is a mercenary and freethinker, who finds himself a damned soul in a castle owned by Lucifer. Much to his surprise, von Bek is charged by Lucifer with doing God's work, by finding the Holy Grail, the "cure for the world's pain", that will also cure Lucifer's pain by reconciling him with God. Only through doing this can von Bek save his soul.
After many adventures, von Bek eventually finds the Holy Grail, and discovers that it will set mankind on the path to self-redemption through rationality, without the help of God or the hindrance of Lucifer.
The story has a sequel in The City in the Autumn Stars (1986).
Dave Pringle reviewed The War Hound and the World's Pain for Imagine magazine: "I am pleased to report that it makes a delightful read. It is much superior to the earlier quickies in, say, the 'Dorian Hawkmoon' series, Moorcock has honed his skills over the years, and they now show a fine gleaming edge".[1]