The War Hound and the World's Pain

Infobox Book |
name = The War Hound and the World's Pain
title_orig =
translator =


image_caption = Dust-jacket from the first edition
author = Michael Moorcock
illustrator =
cover_artist = Rowena Morrill
country = United States
language = English
series = Von Bek
subject =
genre = Fantasy novel
publisher = Timescape
release_date = 1992
english_release_date =
media_type = Print (Hardback)
pages = 239 pp
isbn = ISBN 0-671-43708-9
preceded_by =
followed_by = The City in the Autumn Stars

"The War Hound and the World's Pain" is a 1981 fantasy novel by 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.

References

*cite web
last =
first =
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = Internet Speculative Fiction Database
work =
publisher =
date =
url = http://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/pl.cgi?THWRHNDNDT1981
format =
doi =
accessdate = 2007-12-20
*cite web
last =
first =
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = Moorcock's Miscellany
work =
publisher =
date =
url = http://www.multiverse.org/imagehive/v/bookcovers/books/mikebooks/twhotwp/
format =
doi =
accessdate = 2007-12-20
*cite web
last = Brown
first = Charles N.
authorlink = Charles N. Brown
coauthors = William G. Contento
title = The Locus Index to Science Fiction (1984-1998)
work =
publisher =
date =
url = http://www.locusmag.com/index/b344.htm#A4880.203
format =
doi =
accessdate = 2007-12-20