What do you think?
Rate this book
Swords Against Darkness #4
Swords Against Darkness IV
7 • Foreword - In Two Parts • (1979) • essay by Andrew J. Offutt
12 • Mai-Kulala • (1977) • shortstory by Charles R. Saunders
31 • At the Sign of the Brass Breast • (1979) • novelette by Jefferson P. Swycaffer [as by Jeff P. Swycaffer ]
60 • The Reaping • (1979) • shortstory by Ardath Mayhar
73 • The Ballad of Borrell • (1979) • novelette by Gordon Linzner
94 • Deux Amours d'une Sorciere • (1979) • shortstory by Tanith Lee
115 • Of PIGS and MEN • (1972) • essay by Poul Anderson
124 • Cryptically Yours... • (1977) • shortstory by Brian Lumley
144 • Dedication • (1979) • essay by Andrew J. Offutt
148 • The Dark Mother • (1979) • shortstory by Diana L. Paxson
167 • Wooden Crate of Violent Death • (1979) • shortstory by Joey Froehlich
175 • The Fane of the Grey Rose • [Cerin Songweaver] • (1979) • novelette by Charles de Lint
223 • Sandmagic • [Mither Mages] • (1979) • novelette by Orson Scott Card
246 • The Edge of the World • [Kardios] • (1979) • novelette by Manly Wade Wellman
12 • Mai-Kulala • (1977) • shortstory by Charles R. Saunders
31 • At the Sign of the Brass Breast • (1979) • novelette by Jefferson P. Swycaffer [as by Jeff P. Swycaffer ]
60 • The Reaping • (1979) • shortstory by Ardath Mayhar
73 • The Ballad of Borrell • (1979) • novelette by Gordon Linzner
94 • Deux Amours d'une Sorciere • (1979) • shortstory by Tanith Lee
115 • Of PIGS and MEN • (1972) • essay by Poul Anderson
124 • Cryptically Yours... • (1977) • shortstory by Brian Lumley
144 • Dedication • (1979) • essay by Andrew J. Offutt
148 • The Dark Mother • (1979) • shortstory by Diana L. Paxson
167 • Wooden Crate of Violent Death • (1979) • shortstory by Joey Froehlich
175 • The Fane of the Grey Rose • [Cerin Songweaver] • (1979) • novelette by Charles de Lint
223 • Sandmagic • [Mither Mages] • (1979) • novelette by Orson Scott Card
246 • The Edge of the World • [Kardios] • (1979) • novelette by Manly Wade Wellman
272 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published June 1, 1979
1 person is currently reading
154 people want to read
About the author
Andrew J. Offutt
204 books72 followersAndrew Jefferson Offutt was an American science fiction and fantasy author. He wrote as Andrew J. Offutt, A.J. Offutt, and Andy Offut. His normal byline, andrew j. offutt, had his name in all lower-case letters. His son is the author Chris Offutt.
Offutt began publishing in 1954 with the story And Gone Tomorrow in If. Despite this early sale, he didn't consider his professional life to have begun until he sold the story Blacksword to Galaxy in 1959. His first novel was Evil Is Live Spelled Backwards in 1970.
Offutt published numerous novels and short stories, including many in the Thieves World series edited by Robert Lynn Asprin and Lynn Abbey, which featured his best known character, the thief Hanse, also known as Shadowspawn (and, later, Chance). His Iron Lords series likewise was popular. He also wrote two series of books based on characters by Robert E. Howard, one on Howard's best known character, Conan, and one on a lesser known character, Cormac mac Art.
As an editor Offutt produced a series of five anthologies entitled Swords Against Darkness, which included the first professional sale by Charles de Lint.
Offutt also wrote a large number of pornographic works under twelve different pseudonyms, not all of them identified. Those known include John Cleve, J.X. Williams, and Jeff Douglas. His main works in this area are the science fiction Spaceways series, most of whose volumes were written in collaboration, and the historical Crusader series.
Offutt began publishing in 1954 with the story And Gone Tomorrow in If. Despite this early sale, he didn't consider his professional life to have begun until he sold the story Blacksword to Galaxy in 1959. His first novel was Evil Is Live Spelled Backwards in 1970.
Offutt published numerous novels and short stories, including many in the Thieves World series edited by Robert Lynn Asprin and Lynn Abbey, which featured his best known character, the thief Hanse, also known as Shadowspawn (and, later, Chance). His Iron Lords series likewise was popular. He also wrote two series of books based on characters by Robert E. Howard, one on Howard's best known character, Conan, and one on a lesser known character, Cormac mac Art.
As an editor Offutt produced a series of five anthologies entitled Swords Against Darkness, which included the first professional sale by Charles de Lint.
Offutt also wrote a large number of pornographic works under twelve different pseudonyms, not all of them identified. Those known include John Cleve, J.X. Williams, and Jeff Douglas. His main works in this area are the science fiction Spaceways series, most of whose volumes were written in collaboration, and the historical Crusader series.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
January 4, 2026
By the end of it, Offutt's story introductions grate, with their excessive informality crowding out the useful information, but he does play it straight for a heartfelt dedication to David Madison, whose contribution was a highlight of the previous volume. I can't explain why the dedication is buried in the middle.
Offutt plays it more daring than the corresponding Flashing Swords series, with contributions ranging from the typical sword and sorcery to more experimental outliers. Not all of them are successful and I continue to wonder at anyone deciding that Anderson's "Of PIGS and MEN" deserves a reprint.
Offutt plays it more daring than the corresponding Flashing Swords series, with contributions ranging from the typical sword and sorcery to more experimental outliers. Not all of them are successful and I continue to wonder at anyone deciding that Anderson's "Of PIGS and MEN" deserves a reprint.
April 18, 2020
This fourth volume of original swords and sorcery stories edited by andrew j. offutt is an up and down mix of both the best and worst of the lot. It think it has the best cover and the worst individual selection of any of the volumes (an essay by Poul Anderson), for example. It has some terrific stories, but many of them are not what can be considered sword & sorcery stories as the sub-genre was then understood; I'm all for good stories, but if you say you're selling shovels you should provide something with which the buyer can dig. I thought the highlight was a story by Charles de Lint, which happened to be his first professional sale, I believe, quite a feather in offutt's editorial cap. I also remember the stories by Manly Wade Wellman and Orson Scott Card quite fondly... and I'll bet Card is the last name people would come up with as having a story in a 1970's sword and sorcery book!
December 30, 2015
Sword Against Darkness is an anthology series edited by Andrew Offutt featuring stories primarily in the heroic or sword & sorcery school of fantasy. They're sort of a follow up to Lin Carter's Flashing Swords anthologies, though I feel they have a more of a propensity to expose new voices in the genre. So far the instalments had been quite enjoyable, each with a solid table of contents, and this one looked to offer up the same level quality. I've reviewed each story individually in order of their appearance within the anthology (and I must commend Offutt on this, it has a great flow and the stories do no become redundant as the anthology progresses). Without further adieu, the stories themselves:
Mai-Kulala by Charles Saunders:
Saunders takes the road less travelled with his works. At a time when it was almost unheard of to write a fantasy story with a black protagonist, he created Imaro. Cut from the same cloth as Robert E. Howard's Conan, Imaro is a savage yet cunning barbarian, yet what differentiates him is his African descent and the settings of ancient Africa instead of pre-historic Europe. His writing is very reminiscent of Robert E. Howard, utilizing fantastic imagery that brings to mind the savage and barbaric days of old. A great way to kick off the anthology.
At the Sign of Brass Breast by Jeff P. Swycaffer:
Starting this story I thought it would be a quick and silly read, maybe Pratchett-esque, if not quite so imaginative. While still a quick read, it was more stupid than silly. The plot itself is rather simple and insipid, it doesn’t feature any striking prose to speak of and it doesn’t feature of the satiric insight of Terry Pratchett, or Douglas Adams, so crucial to make an entertaining speculative comedy fiction. Quick and mostly painless, but not altogether enjoyable either.
The Reaping by Ardath Mayhar:
Mayhar was a new and young writer at the time of this publication, and her work somewhat demonstrates that. The plot is strikingly feministic, and refreshing in that sense, especially in S&S fiction. However it is also somewhat obvious, at least to the modern reader. The story more or less plays out exactly as one would expect with little in the way of twists, the big reveal near the end does not come as a surprise and thus loses most of its impact. Nonetheless Ms. Mayhar’s prose is quite good, filled with fantastic imagery, and even a less than original story proves to be an enjoyable read because of it.
The Ballad of Borrell by Gordon Linzner:
What starts off seeming to be a relatively standard fantasy story, rife with drunken revelry, violence, mystery and the promise of great heroism, ends up taking some interesting twists and turns to arrive at a satisfyingly different finale. The expected hero is not quite the man of legends that people expect him to be, and it’s his apprentice’s cleverness that begins to take centre stage early on. But the even an unlikely hero is still standard fare for fantasy, and what really separates this story from most other fantasy is a rather bloodless, yet still satisfying climax. I’d never heard of Linzner but his original story and enjoyable writing came as a pleasant surprise.
Deux Amours D’Une Sorcière by Tanith Lee:
I was expecting something different and original from Ms. Lee, something, maybe, less tangible than a standard S&S story, but still striking and enjoyable. I must say that I got it. This story is a perfect mix of romance and tragedy, magic and misery. The plot and setting are somewhat familiar, yet twisted into something new. Her language elevates the story beyond standard romance, and even much fantasy. A very fantastical work in some ways, and yet strikingly realistic and insightful in others. Overall a very enjoyable read.
Of PIGS and MEN, by Poul Anderson:
This is a bit of an odd work to fit into this anthology. It’s the only essay of the bunch (other than perhaps A. Offutt’s intro and dedication) and though the subject matter is somewhat apt, it is also rather controversial. The essay purports to discuss the persecution of Caucasian people of generally Norse/Anglo-Saxon ancestry mostly at the hands of people of Mediterranean descent. The interesting part is the bits of history brought up throughout the essay, and I think that is how it in some ways relates to the subject matter of the anthology, but other than that I don’t really know what to think of the article, or how much it has to do with a Sword & Sorcery anthology of otherwise mostly new material. First off it was written in the 50’s but the editor loved it so much (why, I have no idea) he asked to republish it, several years out of date (if it wasn’t already), in the late 70’s. It does bring up some interesting thoughts, but it ultimately it seems rather pointless. I’m not sure if it is meant to be serious, which would be pretty much preposterous, or if it’s meant to be satirical, which would be insulting. Or both. Or neither. Best to be taken with a grain of salt me-thinks.
Cryptically Yours… By Brian Lumley
This story predates Mr. Lumley’s foray into his highly successful Vampyric works of the Necroscope series, and instead is more in tune with his early Lovecraft inspired works. This one actually reminds me more of Clark Ashton Smith than Lovecraft to be honest, but nonetheless the early horror pulp influence is very obvious. The story does have a flair of Sword & Sorcery style, but mostly it’s a crafty tale of otherworldly Magicks and hijinks. Very fun and satisfying, even if somewhat predictable.
Dedication by Andrew Offutt
This is an odd little passage. It’s a short and somewhat unsympathetic dedication to a young author, previously published in Swords Against Darkness, that had commit suicide. Mr. Offutt explains and excuses his reasons for not fulfilling a promise to the young man, that I can’t fully disagree with or agree with.
The Dark Mother by Diana Paxson:
This was a unique story amongst the bunch, like Ardath Mayhar’s earlier story it features a female heroine in a more traditional sword & sorcery type of story (as opposed to Lee’s less traditional story), and has some strong individualist and feminist over tones. But I think it takes that atmosphere a step further, not just plopping a female warrior into a setting of barbaric or heroic fantasy, but instead revelling in some distinctly female subject matter and written with a strong female tone. It also features a great mysterious and dark atmosphere that really captures the reader’s attention. I haven’t read Paxson’s other works, such as her Avalon works with Marion Zimmer Bradley, but this was an excellent introduction.
The Wooden Crate of Violent Death by Joey Froehlich:
This was a nice distraction and change of pace from the previous stories. The structure and tone of this tale is much more akin to and ancient Norse edda. Which is fine because I am a fan of epic poetry almost much as I am fantastical fiction. It’s shorter than the rest of the works in the anthology, but has a fun flow and is straight to the point, violent and satisfying, with few words minced between the action. A nice tribute to the works that inspired much early fantasy (such as Howard, Tolkien, Morris and Eddison).
The Fane of the Grey Rose by Charles De Lint:
This is by far the longest story in the anthology. It is also most probably the most beautifully written work within too. Not so much following the traditions of sword & sorcery as far as tone and atmosphere, though the story is not so far off from heroic fantasy. Instead it opts for a more natural feel, very Pagan, maybe Celtic with poetic prose and language. The story itself isn’t too different from the usual fare; a damsel in distress, and a hero on a quest to save her, but the finale is more vague and open ended than most other tales in the anthology. A very enjoyable novelette (that was eventually expanded to a full length novel).
Sandmagic by Orson Scott Card:
I’m not a huge fan of Orson Scott Card, though I did read much of his Alvin Maker series in high school. I find his works can be somewhat heavy handed espousing his beliefs, as was the case with the aforementioned series. This story however was quite enjoyable, and though it may represent quite a bit about Mr. Card’s philosophies it does not come across as preachy. The tone is somewhat dry, almost biblical in a way, but it suits the subject matter quite well. It’s an interesting counterpoint to the rest of the heroic fiction in this anthology, instead of the usual warrior hero he utilizes an anti-hero (if not an outright villain) as it’s protagonist. More akin to Moorcock’s Elric than Howard’s Conan. The main character is dark of demeanor and vengeful of spirit. Probably the darkest tale in the anthology other along with Paxson’s Dark Mother.
The Edge of the World by Manly Wade Wellman:
This was a nice fast paced read from Mr. Wellman. Very traditional in tone and execution. In a way though, it was a refreshing way to end the anthology. While many of the stories somewhat follow a traditional heroic fantasy story and tone, most have a twist to the formula, and to cap off an anthology like this with a sword brandishing, fist swinging tale of buxom babes and a brave warrior was rather enjoyable. Not the best of the bunch but not the worst either.
Overall this was a fantastic anthology filled with varied styles of stories (and an essay). My favourite works were those of Diana Paxson and Charles De Lint. But other than one tale, which I found rather unsatisfying, but at least quickly completed, it is filled with all top notch stories, from a great selection of authors and holds up well with the rest of the Swords Against Darkness series.
Mai-Kulala by Charles Saunders:
Saunders takes the road less travelled with his works. At a time when it was almost unheard of to write a fantasy story with a black protagonist, he created Imaro. Cut from the same cloth as Robert E. Howard's Conan, Imaro is a savage yet cunning barbarian, yet what differentiates him is his African descent and the settings of ancient Africa instead of pre-historic Europe. His writing is very reminiscent of Robert E. Howard, utilizing fantastic imagery that brings to mind the savage and barbaric days of old. A great way to kick off the anthology.
At the Sign of Brass Breast by Jeff P. Swycaffer:
Starting this story I thought it would be a quick and silly read, maybe Pratchett-esque, if not quite so imaginative. While still a quick read, it was more stupid than silly. The plot itself is rather simple and insipid, it doesn’t feature any striking prose to speak of and it doesn’t feature of the satiric insight of Terry Pratchett, or Douglas Adams, so crucial to make an entertaining speculative comedy fiction. Quick and mostly painless, but not altogether enjoyable either.
The Reaping by Ardath Mayhar:
Mayhar was a new and young writer at the time of this publication, and her work somewhat demonstrates that. The plot is strikingly feministic, and refreshing in that sense, especially in S&S fiction. However it is also somewhat obvious, at least to the modern reader. The story more or less plays out exactly as one would expect with little in the way of twists, the big reveal near the end does not come as a surprise and thus loses most of its impact. Nonetheless Ms. Mayhar’s prose is quite good, filled with fantastic imagery, and even a less than original story proves to be an enjoyable read because of it.
The Ballad of Borrell by Gordon Linzner:
What starts off seeming to be a relatively standard fantasy story, rife with drunken revelry, violence, mystery and the promise of great heroism, ends up taking some interesting twists and turns to arrive at a satisfyingly different finale. The expected hero is not quite the man of legends that people expect him to be, and it’s his apprentice’s cleverness that begins to take centre stage early on. But the even an unlikely hero is still standard fare for fantasy, and what really separates this story from most other fantasy is a rather bloodless, yet still satisfying climax. I’d never heard of Linzner but his original story and enjoyable writing came as a pleasant surprise.
Deux Amours D’Une Sorcière by Tanith Lee:
I was expecting something different and original from Ms. Lee, something, maybe, less tangible than a standard S&S story, but still striking and enjoyable. I must say that I got it. This story is a perfect mix of romance and tragedy, magic and misery. The plot and setting are somewhat familiar, yet twisted into something new. Her language elevates the story beyond standard romance, and even much fantasy. A very fantastical work in some ways, and yet strikingly realistic and insightful in others. Overall a very enjoyable read.
Of PIGS and MEN, by Poul Anderson:
This is a bit of an odd work to fit into this anthology. It’s the only essay of the bunch (other than perhaps A. Offutt’s intro and dedication) and though the subject matter is somewhat apt, it is also rather controversial. The essay purports to discuss the persecution of Caucasian people of generally Norse/Anglo-Saxon ancestry mostly at the hands of people of Mediterranean descent. The interesting part is the bits of history brought up throughout the essay, and I think that is how it in some ways relates to the subject matter of the anthology, but other than that I don’t really know what to think of the article, or how much it has to do with a Sword & Sorcery anthology of otherwise mostly new material. First off it was written in the 50’s but the editor loved it so much (why, I have no idea) he asked to republish it, several years out of date (if it wasn’t already), in the late 70’s. It does bring up some interesting thoughts, but it ultimately it seems rather pointless. I’m not sure if it is meant to be serious, which would be pretty much preposterous, or if it’s meant to be satirical, which would be insulting. Or both. Or neither. Best to be taken with a grain of salt me-thinks.
Cryptically Yours… By Brian Lumley
This story predates Mr. Lumley’s foray into his highly successful Vampyric works of the Necroscope series, and instead is more in tune with his early Lovecraft inspired works. This one actually reminds me more of Clark Ashton Smith than Lovecraft to be honest, but nonetheless the early horror pulp influence is very obvious. The story does have a flair of Sword & Sorcery style, but mostly it’s a crafty tale of otherworldly Magicks and hijinks. Very fun and satisfying, even if somewhat predictable.
Dedication by Andrew Offutt
This is an odd little passage. It’s a short and somewhat unsympathetic dedication to a young author, previously published in Swords Against Darkness, that had commit suicide. Mr. Offutt explains and excuses his reasons for not fulfilling a promise to the young man, that I can’t fully disagree with or agree with.
The Dark Mother by Diana Paxson:
This was a unique story amongst the bunch, like Ardath Mayhar’s earlier story it features a female heroine in a more traditional sword & sorcery type of story (as opposed to Lee’s less traditional story), and has some strong individualist and feminist over tones. But I think it takes that atmosphere a step further, not just plopping a female warrior into a setting of barbaric or heroic fantasy, but instead revelling in some distinctly female subject matter and written with a strong female tone. It also features a great mysterious and dark atmosphere that really captures the reader’s attention. I haven’t read Paxson’s other works, such as her Avalon works with Marion Zimmer Bradley, but this was an excellent introduction.
The Wooden Crate of Violent Death by Joey Froehlich:
This was a nice distraction and change of pace from the previous stories. The structure and tone of this tale is much more akin to and ancient Norse edda. Which is fine because I am a fan of epic poetry almost much as I am fantastical fiction. It’s shorter than the rest of the works in the anthology, but has a fun flow and is straight to the point, violent and satisfying, with few words minced between the action. A nice tribute to the works that inspired much early fantasy (such as Howard, Tolkien, Morris and Eddison).
The Fane of the Grey Rose by Charles De Lint:
This is by far the longest story in the anthology. It is also most probably the most beautifully written work within too. Not so much following the traditions of sword & sorcery as far as tone and atmosphere, though the story is not so far off from heroic fantasy. Instead it opts for a more natural feel, very Pagan, maybe Celtic with poetic prose and language. The story itself isn’t too different from the usual fare; a damsel in distress, and a hero on a quest to save her, but the finale is more vague and open ended than most other tales in the anthology. A very enjoyable novelette (that was eventually expanded to a full length novel).
Sandmagic by Orson Scott Card:
I’m not a huge fan of Orson Scott Card, though I did read much of his Alvin Maker series in high school. I find his works can be somewhat heavy handed espousing his beliefs, as was the case with the aforementioned series. This story however was quite enjoyable, and though it may represent quite a bit about Mr. Card’s philosophies it does not come across as preachy. The tone is somewhat dry, almost biblical in a way, but it suits the subject matter quite well. It’s an interesting counterpoint to the rest of the heroic fiction in this anthology, instead of the usual warrior hero he utilizes an anti-hero (if not an outright villain) as it’s protagonist. More akin to Moorcock’s Elric than Howard’s Conan. The main character is dark of demeanor and vengeful of spirit. Probably the darkest tale in the anthology other along with Paxson’s Dark Mother.
The Edge of the World by Manly Wade Wellman:
This was a nice fast paced read from Mr. Wellman. Very traditional in tone and execution. In a way though, it was a refreshing way to end the anthology. While many of the stories somewhat follow a traditional heroic fantasy story and tone, most have a twist to the formula, and to cap off an anthology like this with a sword brandishing, fist swinging tale of buxom babes and a brave warrior was rather enjoyable. Not the best of the bunch but not the worst either.
Overall this was a fantastic anthology filled with varied styles of stories (and an essay). My favourite works were those of Diana Paxson and Charles De Lint. But other than one tale, which I found rather unsatisfying, but at least quickly completed, it is filled with all top notch stories, from a great selection of authors and holds up well with the rest of the Swords Against Darkness series.
November 19, 2018
Nice collection, similar to MZB's Sword & Sorceress anthologies, with some of the same authors .
March 28, 2015
A solid collection with great stories by Ardath Mayhar, George Linzner, Orson Scott Card and Charles deLint, among others. Unfortunately Poul Anderson's heavy-handed satire on minority-rights movements, Of Pigs and Men, is an embarrassment: the fact Africans sold their own people into slavery hardly excuses America's ugly history on race questions, for instance. Oh, and Manly Wade Wellman's story has a woman crying rape after she seduces the male lead. Sigh.
July 24, 2008
A lot of anthology series lose momentum after a while but I didn't think this happened with the Swords Against Darkness series. This one is strong, and has a great Charles Saunders tale in it.
Read
August 22, 2008Swords Against Darkness, No. 4 by Andrew J. Offutt (1979)
December 24, 2010
I liked this book quite a bit. Most of the stories were excellent heroic fantasy. A few were just so so. But overall a very enjoyable read.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews