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Sword and Sorceress (Sword and Sorceress #1)

3.83 of 5 stars 3.83 · rating details · 878 ratings · 12 reviews

The author of the marvelous Darkover novels and of the best-selling Arthurian novel THE MISTS OF AVALON, has assembled this corona of heroic fantasy wherein women of courage and wizardry challenge the evils and dreads of an ensorcelled world.

Here are new stories of warrior women and mistresses of magic, stories of adventure and derring-do, written by such as Glen Cook, Phy...more

Paperback, 255 pages

Published July 1st 1986 by DAW (first published 1984)

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Nov 18, 2008 Karen rated it 4 of 5 stars

I haven't been a huge fan of short stories because they always seem to be so-so, but this collection was fantastic. I liked every single story, although I did like some more than others. MZB definitely knew how to recognize a damn good story. It also makes me think about writers - I think writing novels and writing stories take different types of talents. Some have both but some writers have only one. And I think some of the stories I've been disappointed in lately have been written by novelists...more

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Jun 20, 2008 G (galen) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: feminist, fantasy-sci-fi

There are over twenty volumes of this anthology, edited by Marion Zimmer Bradley (some even prepared before her death for later publication). This collection takes itself a little more seriously than the Fraisner’s Chicks in Chainmail anthologies… but the underlying theme is the same. In a genre where female characters are typically relegated to damsel in distress/sex object, Bradley collected stories that put the sword and the power in the capable hands of female protagonists of all stripes, co...more

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Aug 08, 2010 Angela rated it 4 of 5 stars

Recommended to Angela by: gilly

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. "What are we without friends? Just severed heads rolling across the sands." pg. 49 Glen Cook

Here are my thoughts on the tales within this book:

The Garnet and the Glory by Phyllis Ann Karr: Not my favorite tale at all, it was an okay read. Perhaps if I read more of the sagas of Frost and Thorn I would have found it better.

Severed Heads by Glen Cook: better than the first tale, and I did like the revenge side of the tale

Taking Heart by Stephen L. Burns: technically a story about a male thief...bu...more

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Dec 05, 2011 Greg Fewer added it · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

I read this such a long time ago that I really can't remember any of the stories at this stage so this book would be a good contender for a re-read! However, when I read the book in 1989 (!) I jotted down very brief notes onto a bookmark, which I left in the book. The stories (of fifteen) that I liked the most at that time were those by Michael Ward, Emma Bull, Charles de Lint, Robin W. Bailey and Dorothy J. Heydt. I seemed to be undecided about the stories by Stephen L. Burns and Diana L. Paxso...more

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Oct 22, 2012 Lisa (Harmonybites) rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Fans of Fantasy Looking for Strong Heroines

Shelves: fantasy, fiction, short-stories

Once upon a time, when I was a little girl, in the dark days pre-Buffy, it was hard to find a female action hero. And yes, little girls need them, and teens, and even young women. So when the first Sword and Sorceress was published in 1984, I grabbed it, and it was love at first sight of the cover. I still own that paperback. On the back it boasts the appearance of "Glen Cook, Phyllis Ann Karr, Charles R. Saunders, Jennifer Roberson, Diana Paxson." Others on the contents page who'd later gain pr...more Once upon a time, when I was a little girl, in the dark days pre-Buffy, it was hard to find a female action hero. And yes, little girls need them, and teens, and even young women. So when the first Sword and Sorceress was published in 1984, I grabbed it, and it was love at first sight of the cover. I still own that paperback. On the back it boasts the appearance of "Glen Cook, Phyllis Ann Karr, Charles R. Saunders, Jennifer Roberson, Diana Paxson." Others on the contents page who'd later gain prominence include Emma Bull (her first sale) and Charles de Lint. There are 15 fantasy short stories here in all.

To be honest none were greatly memorable. When I recently picked up again an anthology of stories by Isaac Asimov after decades, I immediately remembered the content of most from just their title, and of many others just from the first few paragraphs. I could say the same of classic literary short stories after having read them once years before. None of the stories here rise to that level, and you couldn't mistake any for literary fiction. None really take stylistic chances. Only two are even first person. A disconcerting amount--over a third--contain at least the threat, and three times the depiction, of rape. With a couple of the stories, I didn't see the point of the protagonist being a woman--their gender could have been changed and it wouldn't have impacted the story in the slightest.

On the other hand, I found only two clunkers. Otherwise these were all enjoyable, and a few especially so. If I had to name a favorite, it would be Stephen L. Burns "Taking Heart" one of the few humor pieces, and with a great handling of point of view and a nicely wry twist. Followed closely by two historical fantasies: Charles Saunder's "Gimmile's Songs," set in Africa with an amazon heroine and Robin W. Bailey's "Child of Orcus" set in Ancient Rome with a woman ex-gladiator in the pay of Empress Messalina. I also particularly liked Pat Murphy's "With Four Lean Hounds" which had a nice fairy tale feel.

In the years the anthology has existed (it's still being published with Elizabeth Waters as editor) it has included such authors as Mercedes Lackey, C.J. Cherryh, Elizabeth Moon and Laurell K. Hamilton. It got off to a solid start here.(less)

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Jun 10, 2010 Werner rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Fans of sword-and-sorcery fantasy

Shelves: fantasy, action-heroines

In the series of anthologies of original stories which began with this volume, the late editor Bradley mines similar territory, and deals with similar strong female protagonists, as does Esther Freisner in the later Chicks in Chainmail series. The quality of writing (at least in the initial volumes of both, the only ones I've read) is high in both; the main difference being that Bradley's series tends to feature tales that are more serious in tone, with less humor. (Though that doesn't mean that...more In the series of anthologies of original stories which began with this volume, the late editor Bradley mines similar territory, and deals with similar strong female protagonists, as does Esther Freisner in the later Chicks in Chainmail series. The quality of writing (at least in the initial volumes of both, the only ones I've read) is high in both; the main difference being that Bradley's series tends to feature tales that are more serious in tone, with less humor. (Though that doesn't mean that they all necessarily have none of the latter; and a couple would have been at home in the later series as well.) That doesn't reduce their entertainment value, and often makes them more compelling.

The Goodreads default description lists all 15 stories by author. They come in great variety, as do the settings, and the heroines. Some of the latter can be rough-edged, and may sometimes do some things I wouldn't do, or recommend; but all of them have good hearts at their core, and earn the reader's goodwill and respect. (Some of them, like de Lint's bounty huntress Aynber, and Charles R. Saunders' alternate-African warrior woman Dossouye, are series characters who appear in a number of stories elsewhere by these authors.) Some of my favorites here are "The Valley of the Troll," "Gimmile's Songs," "Severed Heads" (which isn't as grisly-gory as the title makes it sound), "Child of Orcus," "Daton and the Dead Things" and "Sword of Yraine." But virtually all of these are worth reading; the only one here that I felt was a little weak is "House in the Forest."

Bradley's substantial introduction is an added benefit of the book; she provides a good historical sketch of the role of female characters in sword-and-sorcery fantasy fiction, and some really insightful comments on the appeal and value of strong, three-dimensional heroines in this field. (Her meaty biocritical notes on each story's author are a very worthwhile feature, as well!) She very rightly outlines an equalitarian perspective that explicitly differentiates her purpose here from "feminist propaganda" and Woman-uber-alles male- bashing; the female perspective here is rightly seen as an essential part of the human perspective, that includes both genders as important, needed and responsible contributors to the world and the human story. Even so, I would differ with her on one point. Though she dedicates this volume to C. L. Moore and to "all of us who grew up wanting to be Jirel," she faults Moore here for Jirel's realization in "Black God's Kiss," after killing her adversary Guillaume, that she loved him; Bradley thinks this weakens the character, and sends the message that "woman's pride only stood in the way of true happiness --interpreted as surrender to a man." Personally, I didn't take Moore's story that way; I interpreted it as a true-to-life reflection of the fact that sometimes underneath anger and enmity there can be a bond between two people --just as a male, too, might feel attracted to a woman who can fight him tooth-and-nail, and even defeat him. (And it's as much, or more, Guillaume's pride as Jirel's that separates them.) But that's a quibble --and one that has nothing to do with the great stories in this collection!(less)

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Oct 08, 2012 Jenny added it

I've read/enjoyed quite a few in this series, too. Short stories are good bedtime reading, though sometimes too stimulating as one steps into Dreamland.... Anyway, thank you again, MZB!

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Dec 28, 2010 Kel rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: scifi-fantasy

I read this years ago.

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Jul 28, 2010 Arlene Allen rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy

I always loved this series.

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Mar 04, 2013 Sarah Eisele rated it 4 of 5 stars

Excellent mix of great, good, and ok stories, as always

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Jan 25, 2009 Susan rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: anthology, paperback

this series of anthologies didn't really hit their stride til about III, but it does have a story by Charles de Lint, so I had to have it!

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Sep 03, 2008 Eric Wisdahl rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction, fantasy

This one has the glen cook short story "severed heads" in it

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About Marion Zimmer Bradley

Marion Eleanor Zimmer Bradley was an American author of fantasy novels such as The Mists of Avalon and the Darkover series, often with a feminist outlook.

Born on a farm in Albany, New York, during the Great Depression, she began writing in 1949 and sold her first story to Vortex magazine in 1952. In 1965 Bradley graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree from Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene, Te...more

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The Mists of Avalon (The Mists of Avalon, #1)

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Sword and Sorceress (Sword and Sorceress #1)

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