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Sword and Sorceress #13
Sword and Sorceress XIII
WITH SWORD AND SHIELD, SPELL AND CURSE...
Even at the risk of losing her one true love, a young mage must put aside all she holds dear to achieve a higher goal...
A benevolent shape-changer is all that stands between her village and the bloody ravages of a werewolf...
With a gift granted by the birds themselves, an unhappy young woman may find the means to escape her life of servitude...
A young healer never realizes her true Gift until she must heal herself...
Travel with Diana Paxson, Jo Clayton, Deborah Wheeler, and their fellow tale-weavers to lands where bold, heroic, women wizards and warriors are not afraid to take on challenges too often considered the sole province of men, in 22 original stories of shape-shifters, dream-questers and other women of power.
Even at the risk of losing her one true love, a young mage must put aside all she holds dear to achieve a higher goal...
A benevolent shape-changer is all that stands between her village and the bloody ravages of a werewolf...
With a gift granted by the birds themselves, an unhappy young woman may find the means to escape her life of servitude...
A young healer never realizes her true Gift until she must heal herself...
Travel with Diana Paxson, Jo Clayton, Deborah Wheeler, and their fellow tale-weavers to lands where bold, heroic, women wizards and warriors are not afraid to take on challenges too often considered the sole province of men, in 22 original stories of shape-shifters, dream-questers and other women of power.
350 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published July 1, 1996
About the author
Marion Zimmer Bradley
824 books4,969 followersMarion 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.
Bradley's first published novel-length work was Falcons of Narabedla, first published in the May 1957 issue of Other Worlds. When she was a child, Bradley stated that she enjoyed reading adventure fantasy authors such as Henry Kuttner, Edmond Hamilton, and Leigh Brackett, especially when they wrote about "the glint of strange suns on worlds that never were and never would be." Her first novel and much of her subsequent work show their influence strongly.
Early in her career, writing as Morgan Ives, Miriam Gardner, John Dexter, and Lee Chapman, Marion Zimmer Bradley produced several works outside the speculative fiction genre, including some gay and lesbian pulp fiction novels. For example, I Am a Lesbian was published in 1962. Though relatively tame by today's standards, they were considered pornographic when published, and for a long time she refused to disclose the titles she wrote under these pseudonyms.
Her 1958 story The Planet Savers introduced the planet of Darkover, which became the setting of a popular series by Bradley and other authors. The Darkover milieu may be considered as either fantasy with science fiction overtones or as science fiction with fantasy overtones, as Darkover is a lost earth colony where psi powers developed to an unusual degree. Bradley wrote many Darkover novels by herself, but in her later years collaborated with other authors for publication; her literary collaborators have continued the series since her death.
Bradley took an active role in science-fiction and fantasy fandom, promoting interaction with professional authors and publishers and making several important contributions to the subculture.
For many years, Bradley actively encouraged Darkover fan fiction and reprinted some of it in commercial Darkover anthologies, continuing to encourage submissions from unpublished authors, but this ended after a dispute with a fan over an unpublished Darkover novel of Bradley's that had similarities to some of the fan's stories. As a result, the novel remained unpublished, and Bradley demanded the cessation of all Darkover fan fiction.
Bradley was also the editor of the long-running Sword and Sorceress anthology series, which encouraged submissions of fantasy stories featuring original and non-traditional heroines from young and upcoming authors. Although she particularly encouraged young female authors, she was not averse to including male authors in her anthologies. Mercedes Lackey was just one of many authors who first appeared in the anthologies. She also maintained a large family of writers at her home in Berkeley. Ms Bradley was editing the final Sword and Sorceress manuscript up until the week of her death in September of 1999.
Probably her most famous single novel is The Mists of Avalon. A retelling of the Camelot legend from the point of view of Morgaine and Gwenhwyfar, it grew into a series of books; like the Darkover series, the later novels are written with or by other authors and have continued to appear after Bradley's death.
Her reputation has been posthumously marred by multiple accusations of child sexual abuse by her daughter Moira Greyland, and for allegedly assisting her second husband, convicted child abuser Walter Breen, in sexually abusing multiple unrelated children.
(from Wikipedia)
Bradley's first published novel-length work was Falcons of Narabedla, first published in the May 1957 issue of Other Worlds. When she was a child, Bradley stated that she enjoyed reading adventure fantasy authors such as Henry Kuttner, Edmond Hamilton, and Leigh Brackett, especially when they wrote about "the glint of strange suns on worlds that never were and never would be." Her first novel and much of her subsequent work show their influence strongly.
Early in her career, writing as Morgan Ives, Miriam Gardner, John Dexter, and Lee Chapman, Marion Zimmer Bradley produced several works outside the speculative fiction genre, including some gay and lesbian pulp fiction novels. For example, I Am a Lesbian was published in 1962. Though relatively tame by today's standards, they were considered pornographic when published, and for a long time she refused to disclose the titles she wrote under these pseudonyms.
Her 1958 story The Planet Savers introduced the planet of Darkover, which became the setting of a popular series by Bradley and other authors. The Darkover milieu may be considered as either fantasy with science fiction overtones or as science fiction with fantasy overtones, as Darkover is a lost earth colony where psi powers developed to an unusual degree. Bradley wrote many Darkover novels by herself, but in her later years collaborated with other authors for publication; her literary collaborators have continued the series since her death.
Bradley took an active role in science-fiction and fantasy fandom, promoting interaction with professional authors and publishers and making several important contributions to the subculture.
For many years, Bradley actively encouraged Darkover fan fiction and reprinted some of it in commercial Darkover anthologies, continuing to encourage submissions from unpublished authors, but this ended after a dispute with a fan over an unpublished Darkover novel of Bradley's that had similarities to some of the fan's stories. As a result, the novel remained unpublished, and Bradley demanded the cessation of all Darkover fan fiction.
Bradley was also the editor of the long-running Sword and Sorceress anthology series, which encouraged submissions of fantasy stories featuring original and non-traditional heroines from young and upcoming authors. Although she particularly encouraged young female authors, she was not averse to including male authors in her anthologies. Mercedes Lackey was just one of many authors who first appeared in the anthologies. She also maintained a large family of writers at her home in Berkeley. Ms Bradley was editing the final Sword and Sorceress manuscript up until the week of her death in September of 1999.
Probably her most famous single novel is The Mists of Avalon. A retelling of the Camelot legend from the point of view of Morgaine and Gwenhwyfar, it grew into a series of books; like the Darkover series, the later novels are written with or by other authors and have continued to appear after Bradley's death.
Her reputation has been posthumously marred by multiple accusations of child sexual abuse by her daughter Moira Greyland, and for allegedly assisting her second husband, convicted child abuser Walter Breen, in sexually abusing multiple unrelated children.
(from Wikipedia)
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
May 23, 2020
I had to look at the cover twice to confirm it wasn't S&S XXIII. It felt like it, but I think that's more the fault of the elapsed quarter-century than the inherent quality of the stories, so I'm awarding my no-real-problem 5 stars.
Nevertheless, the only one I remember much of, a week or two after finishing the last page, is "Patchwork Magic" by P. Andrew Miller, for its unusual mechanism faithfully carried out.
Nevertheless, the only one I remember much of, a week or two after finishing the last page, is "Patchwork Magic" by P. Andrew Miller, for its unusual mechanism faithfully carried out.
June 22, 2024
Raccolta di racconti a cura di M.Z.B 🥰
Una curatrice una certezza.
Bellissimi racconti e molto belle anche le presentazioni dei vari autori dal punto di vista della Bradley 😄
Una curatrice una certezza.
Bellissimi racconti e molto belle anche le presentazioni dei vari autori dal punto di vista della Bradley 😄
April 6, 2014
A solid anthology of stories featuring female protagonists who conquer the odds, this volume didn't strike me as being as strong as some of the others ... it had some weaker stories, and fewer "wow" moments. That said, there were some strong tales, in particular Leslie Ann Miller's "Sun Dancer" - and both Marella Sand's "Tortoise Weeps" and Diana L. Paxson's "Twilight" came to life with their well-researched, deftly incorporated historical settings.
I think what struck me about this anthology is that, in contrast to later volumes - even XVII, only four years later - it had a particular emphasis on the idea of women facing barriers because inferior men wouldn't listen to them, or men traditionally inherit, etc ... and the male side of it comes off as something of a straw-man. Nowadays, if fiction portrays this scenario as so black and white, we're prone to respond with skepticism or, "Now tell me something new." Gender inequality is still very real, but (in most cases) it's somewhat subtler, and readers want more variation and nuance when the idea is explored.
This anthology is certainly worth reading, but not as strong as some other volumes.
I think what struck me about this anthology is that, in contrast to later volumes - even XVII, only four years later - it had a particular emphasis on the idea of women facing barriers because inferior men wouldn't listen to them, or men traditionally inherit, etc ... and the male side of it comes off as something of a straw-man. Nowadays, if fiction portrays this scenario as so black and white, we're prone to respond with skepticism or, "Now tell me something new." Gender inequality is still very real, but (in most cases) it's somewhat subtler, and readers want more variation and nuance when the idea is explored.
This anthology is certainly worth reading, but not as strong as some other volumes.
September 12, 2011
/review to come
Notable stories include:
"Patience" by Jo Clayton.
"Spider's Offer" by Charles M. Saplak
"More than One Way" by Heather Rose Jones
"Jewel-Bright" by Stephanie D. Shaver
"Tortoise Weeps" by Marella Sands
"Personal Need" by Lynn Michals
Notable stories include:
"Patience" by Jo Clayton.
"Spider's Offer" by Charles M. Saplak
"More than One Way" by Heather Rose Jones
"Jewel-Bright" by Stephanie D. Shaver
"Tortoise Weeps" by Marella Sands
"Personal Need" by Lynn Michals
July 27, 2014
This was the first edition of Sword and Sorceress that I'd ever read, and it didn't have a single story in it that I didn't like. It started me on the series, and I've read every one since. This one also contains two of my favorite short stories.
August 21, 2007
My mom has a story published in here. I loved some of the stories and didn't like others.
December 22, 2010
No my favorite of the series. Most of the stories were just average even by some of my favorite old and new writers.
June 14, 2011
Some stories were great and some were too short. I personally like a fleshed out story but these were great. Now I want to read the whole series. Marion Zimmer-Bradley is my favorite author.
December 23, 2018
Almost all stories were enjoyable.
January 22, 2016
Sword and sorcery for females. This was an awesome series. It introduced many authors of this genre that I might not have found otherwise. If you can find them, give them a try.
April 7, 2017
Loved this one! So much to think about as I read it.
Some dark stories here.
Some dark stories here.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews