What do you think?
Rate this book
The Sword and the Sorcerer: A Novel
Cromwell of Aragon resurrects the wizard, Xusia, to defeat a rival king and then betrays Xusia, who vows to take revenge
217 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published March 1, 1982
3 people are currently reading
77 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
May 13, 2010
Just to be clear: I love the movie with every bit of my eleven-year-old nerd heart (you know, the one I keep in a jar on my desk *). It had it all, or at least all that the said adolescent nerd would be looking for...action, wit, a little bit of exposed skin, and that gloriously ridiculous triple-bladed projectile sword. How can you go wrong with any of that?
Of course, faced with that intense nostalgia, there's no way that this could possibly live up. The writing is unpolished ('"Aaah!" he screamed.'), it doesn't go above and beyond the movie in any great way, and the author has a weird obsession with people's crotches.
Still, the framework of the story and its execution are solid. The plot cribs heavily from The Hour of the Dragon and so is borrowing from the best, and Winski/Pyun/etc. add detail to that story.
The conquered city is a cesspool of human misery, dominated by the most depraved of tyrants, and its glory rotting with neglect and looting, and while The Hour of the Dragon uses the same device, here the author(s) stick the readers' faces into it. I'm powerfully moved by this image of a powerful city brought low by structural and moral neglect and dominated by totally hateworthy enemies.
Similarly, Talon the hero is cast as a brighter version of Conan. He fights just causes and has allies in every port, with the implication that he has lived a very interesting life. While an obvious morality plan and sort of cartoonish in execution, it's a refreshing change from the doom-haunted antihero or the mercenary freebooter.
The clumsily prurient aspects to the story are annoying in execution and in style, but like that triple-bladed sword are something that might have been conceived of by sweaty adolescents (and let's not get into the Freudian implications of that weapon) and it's hard for me to get too irritated about it.
It's not a terrible book. For Better or worse it's faithful to the original material and is pure nostalgia fodder.
(* See Robert Bloch)
Of course, faced with that intense nostalgia, there's no way that this could possibly live up. The writing is unpolished ('"Aaah!" he screamed.'), it doesn't go above and beyond the movie in any great way, and the author has a weird obsession with people's crotches.
Still, the framework of the story and its execution are solid. The plot cribs heavily from The Hour of the Dragon and so is borrowing from the best, and Winski/Pyun/etc. add detail to that story.
The conquered city is a cesspool of human misery, dominated by the most depraved of tyrants, and its glory rotting with neglect and looting, and while The Hour of the Dragon uses the same device, here the author(s) stick the readers' faces into it. I'm powerfully moved by this image of a powerful city brought low by structural and moral neglect and dominated by totally hateworthy enemies.
Similarly, Talon the hero is cast as a brighter version of Conan. He fights just causes and has allies in every port, with the implication that he has lived a very interesting life. While an obvious morality plan and sort of cartoonish in execution, it's a refreshing change from the doom-haunted antihero or the mercenary freebooter.
The clumsily prurient aspects to the story are annoying in execution and in style, but like that triple-bladed sword are something that might have been conceived of by sweaty adolescents (and let's not get into the Freudian implications of that weapon) and it's hard for me to get too irritated about it.
It's not a terrible book. For Better or worse it's faithful to the original material and is pure nostalgia fodder.
(* See Robert Bloch)
February 2, 2025
Cromwell is a wicked man who desires to be king but lacks the power to overthrow the man who sits on the throne. Using necromancy to resurrect and recruit the evil sorcerer Xusia, giving him life in exchange for his service, Cromwell unleashes the powers of forbidden darkness upon his enemies to rise to power. After attaining his throne, he quickly disposes of the sorcerer, only for him to swear vengeance upon him. Xusia is not the only one who seeks vengeance on Cromwell. Talon, the son of the former king wishes to avenge his family and rescue his stolen love using the magic blade once wielded by his father. An uprising of vengeance and rebellion soon takes the world by storm.
There were some aspects of this book I really liked, but there was also an abundance of pure crap that made it impossible to enjoy or take seriously for the most part. The prologue depicting Cromwell's dark quest to resurrect Xusia had some extremely cool imagery and dread, but everything that came after that was a giant mess. The characters and action scenes were bland, the prose was stale and the dialogue was some of the worse I've ever read. Everything was bizarrely sexualized for no reason, moments that should've been dark and morbid were uncomfortably eroticized, a lot of the prose was unintentionally creepy and the way the characters talk and interact with each other is unbearable.
I'm not talking cheesy retro fantasy levels of dialogue, I'm talking cringe-inducing VHS porno flick bad. All of the characters talk with modern slang and vocabulary which meshes terribly with the grimdark medieval setting. Everyone is super horny and flirty 24/7, even when there's no intimacy or charisma between any of the involved parties. Everyone was a ball of walking hormones and terrible wordplay.
I really liked the imagery of the world and the initial setup in the prologue, but everything else is mostly just laughably bad. It was so bad at points that I enjoyed it just for the cringe so I didn't give it a one star rating, but I can't say much more beyond that.
There were some aspects of this book I really liked, but there was also an abundance of pure crap that made it impossible to enjoy or take seriously for the most part. The prologue depicting Cromwell's dark quest to resurrect Xusia had some extremely cool imagery and dread, but everything that came after that was a giant mess. The characters and action scenes were bland, the prose was stale and the dialogue was some of the worse I've ever read. Everything was bizarrely sexualized for no reason, moments that should've been dark and morbid were uncomfortably eroticized, a lot of the prose was unintentionally creepy and the way the characters talk and interact with each other is unbearable.
I'm not talking cheesy retro fantasy levels of dialogue, I'm talking cringe-inducing VHS porno flick bad. All of the characters talk with modern slang and vocabulary which meshes terribly with the grimdark medieval setting. Everyone is super horny and flirty 24/7, even when there's no intimacy or charisma between any of the involved parties. Everyone was a ball of walking hormones and terrible wordplay.
I really liked the imagery of the world and the initial setup in the prologue, but everything else is mostly just laughably bad. It was so bad at points that I enjoyed it just for the cringe so I didn't give it a one star rating, but I can't say much more beyond that.
March 12, 2014
I think my enjoyment of this film has coloured my review a little. It really is not a very well written book but it was a fun film. Cromwell of Aragon awakens an ancient sorcerer to use to usurp a throne and then betrays the sorcerer. Many years later, the surviving son of the usurped crown returns with his band of mercenaries to reclaim the throne. Unbeknownst to him, the sorcerer has disguised himself to seek revenge.
The movie came out around the same time as the first Conan film, and in many ways I felt this was actually the better movie. It was very tongue-in-cheek and was made in a very swashbuckler style. Add in a tri-bladed sword that could fire blades at opponents and Richard Moll (from Night Court) as the evil sorcerer. This also has a crucifixion scene but unlike Conan, our hero frees himself from the predicament.
There was supposed to be a sequel according to the end credits but it never materialized due to star Lee Horsley snagging the lead in the successful TV mystery series "Matt Houston".
The movie came out around the same time as the first Conan film, and in many ways I felt this was actually the better movie. It was very tongue-in-cheek and was made in a very swashbuckler style. Add in a tri-bladed sword that could fire blades at opponents and Richard Moll (from Night Court) as the evil sorcerer. This also has a crucifixion scene but unlike Conan, our hero frees himself from the predicament.
There was supposed to be a sequel according to the end credits but it never materialized due to star Lee Horsley snagging the lead in the successful TV mystery series "Matt Houston".
June 21, 2012
I vaguely remember this movie. It's something I looked for after I found the book. This story is so badly written I loved it! It's almost like the author tried to make a D&D module out of it, but still had to work with the confines of a movie script. I'm amazed at how often the word "shaft" is used for a penis! It was hilarious! The only cool thing about this story was the tri-bladed sword. It reminds me of something I would see in World of Warcraft only if you had the engineering skill on your toon! It was a quick, fun read. Terrible if you're looking for something to "wow" you. But as I've said before, you have to read these really bad ones to truly appreciate the really good ones!
October 8, 2016
I gave this book my time and it just took it without a thought. I saw the movie 30+ years ago, but I would have to see it now to know if it's as lackluster as the book. Conan and some of the lesser sword and sandal epics blew this out of the water. It's to "by the numbers" for me. The only mild surprise was the person that the sorcerer comes back as 11 years after the villain offs him in chapter one is.
June 17, 2016
Read this back in the 80's and liked it then. The movie was pretty bad - Lee Horsely???
June 9, 2012
Either Norman Winski is a bad author or he just didn't take the writing assignment seriously. I really couldn't fault him too much for the latter, but even so, if one accepts a contract, one should do ones best to fulfill it to the best of their ability. Given the screenplay - which was probably fine for the movie - the material is almost certainly lacking depth. It would take a talented author to flesh this material out enough to satisfy the casual fantasy reader. Mr. Winski clearly did not bother to do so. So...assuming, for the moment, that Mr. Winski may be a bit guilty of lackadaisical writing in the interest of just getting through the assignment, certain errors are just inexcusable. Anyone undertaking a work of fantasy should understand the difference between "throne" and "thrown". King Cromwell certainly did not sit on his 'thrown'. Nor did any other king. :)
Rather than try to do the material justice he simply amplified the gore, sex, and inappropriate language (and by 'inappropriate' I mean, non-period, not foul. Foul is perfectly fine.).
Not really worth the read.
By the way - I did enjoy the movie for what it was. :)
Rather than try to do the material justice he simply amplified the gore, sex, and inappropriate language (and by 'inappropriate' I mean, non-period, not foul. Foul is perfectly fine.).
Not really worth the read.
By the way - I did enjoy the movie for what it was. :)
January 22, 2017
I first read this book at the age of 14, and quite enjoyed it. Now however I enjoyed it much less, it's predictability was irritating, even the battle scenes were rather boring (ho-hum). And the sex scenes were a bit run of the mill. The movie only got a one star rating, I think that maybe accurate.
January 6, 2014
80s action film : the book
May 17, 2018
Well...it was marginally better than the movie.
October 6, 2019
Immature teenage fantasy, entertaining none the less. Reads like a graphic novel only no pictures.
September 25, 2024
"Death would have been infinitely sweeter than the bitter cup of reality he now had to drink."
"Thus it appeared. But sometimes the gods provide man with an idyllic holiday before unleashing a raging pack of dogs upon his serenity."
It's cheesy but enjoyable.
I did not know what to expect from this author or the novelization of a movie that is not the best of cinema, but still entertaining. I was pleasantly surprised with the author's characterizations although some of the lusty emotions seemed out of place on occasion. It sells though, I'm sure. The medieval environment with evil versus absolute evil guaranteed that a likable character could just as easily be taken away, but they typically died with honor and a fight in them. Some subtle commentary on the attitudes of elitists and nobles in regards to boy toys and slaves was potent and seemingly, yet enjoyably, at odds with modern podiums. Talon seemed to be a bit of a Conan clone in size and prowess but was his own character brimming with vengeance and lust. The uprising of serfs, pirates, mercenaries, concubines, kings and rebels made for a diverse group finding common ground, not only in taking out a tyrant, but in supporting an honorable leader who has shown them all courage and righteousness against such vile authorities. I would seek out more from this author or in relation to this environment, even if you can laugh away some of it for its clear connection to 80's sword-and-sorcery fads.
"Thus it appeared. But sometimes the gods provide man with an idyllic holiday before unleashing a raging pack of dogs upon his serenity."
It's cheesy but enjoyable.
I did not know what to expect from this author or the novelization of a movie that is not the best of cinema, but still entertaining. I was pleasantly surprised with the author's characterizations although some of the lusty emotions seemed out of place on occasion. It sells though, I'm sure. The medieval environment with evil versus absolute evil guaranteed that a likable character could just as easily be taken away, but they typically died with honor and a fight in them. Some subtle commentary on the attitudes of elitists and nobles in regards to boy toys and slaves was potent and seemingly, yet enjoyably, at odds with modern podiums. Talon seemed to be a bit of a Conan clone in size and prowess but was his own character brimming with vengeance and lust. The uprising of serfs, pirates, mercenaries, concubines, kings and rebels made for a diverse group finding common ground, not only in taking out a tyrant, but in supporting an honorable leader who has shown them all courage and righteousness against such vile authorities. I would seek out more from this author or in relation to this environment, even if you can laugh away some of it for its clear connection to 80's sword-and-sorcery fads.
April 5, 2023
This book is as horny as a teenager trying to write a D&D version of letters to Playboy for his weekend campaign. Despite all the obvious immature innuendo and general horniness, I was surprised it wasn't homophobic as several characters are openly gay or bi. Yes, it's usually a cruel villain, but there was one short passage (I tried desperately to find it, but couldn't) where the hero reflects on buggering in the past. So... ahead of its time... a little.
But mostly it's poorly written (example below), overly complicated, and quite silly. Worst of all, are titular object and character hardly appear! The sword is only used in the opening once and briefly at the end. The sorcerer the same other than one short chapter in the middle that basically says, "Hey, remember me, I'm still buried in this overly complicated plot, too!")
Considered the most cliched opening in history is this: It was a dark and stormy night... often parodied in old Peanuts comics. This book opens with "It was an unholy and howling night..." as clearly Winski didn't care. There were a few other funny examples I noted along the way, but alas, I was too lazy to mark them so they are lost because I'll most likely never go back.
Still, in my old age, I've found a soft spot for these old film adaptations and a few are actually good. But not this one.
But mostly it's poorly written (example below), overly complicated, and quite silly. Worst of all, are titular object and character hardly appear! The sword is only used in the opening once and briefly at the end. The sorcerer the same other than one short chapter in the middle that basically says, "Hey, remember me, I'm still buried in this overly complicated plot, too!")
Considered the most cliched opening in history is this: It was a dark and stormy night... often parodied in old Peanuts comics. This book opens with "It was an unholy and howling night..." as clearly Winski didn't care. There were a few other funny examples I noted along the way, but alas, I was too lazy to mark them so they are lost because I'll most likely never go back.
Still, in my old age, I've found a soft spot for these old film adaptations and a few are actually good. But not this one.
June 29, 2022
Fun adaptation of the film but written in a very juvenile manner.
Read
August 23, 2008isbn,original
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews