From the Bookshelf of Sword & Sorcery: "An earthier sort of fantasy"…

Swords Against Darkness (Swords Against Darkness, #1)

Andrew J. Offutt (Editor),

Frank Frazetta (Illustrator)

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What Members Thought

Mar 24, 2018 Derek rated it really liked it

Shelves: sword-and-sorcery, anthology-or-collection

A very strong collection, only weakened a bit by Offutt's tendency to gush informally and un-informatively in the introductions (still better than Lin Carter's prattle) and by the bizarre "Pride of the Fleet". Many stories are hard to obtain elsewhere and some felt like series that never quite took off.

Like Offutt admits, "Nekht Semerkeht" has a lengthy philosophical monologue bogging down the early part when the action should be ramping up. The story is extremely Howard--burly self-interested p A very strong collection, only weakened a bit by Offutt's tendency to gush informally and un-informatively in the introductions (still better than Lin Carter's prattle) and by the bizarre "Pride of the Fleet". Many stories are hard to obtain elsewhere and some felt like series that never quite took off.

Like Offutt admits, "Nekht Semerkeht" has a lengthy philosophical monologue bogging down the early part when the action should be ramping up. The story is extremely Howard--burly self-interested protagonist, shapely plotting woman, evil wizard--and ends oddly.

Curiously, Anderson was working in his Northern Thing mode for "The Tale of Hauk", and it felt like it and "Nekht" swapped endings somehow. Or have I come to expect tragedy out of Anderson's viking/Northern fantasies?

Geo W Proctor co-authored the Swords of Raemllyn (I hated the first of the series), and this has a bit of that DNA, particularly the "two rogues and a woman" motif. But I liked the plainspoken craftsmanship and all the activity: a heist, a trap, a background that explains things, and diverse characters. (view spoiler) I wonder what the other Nalcon story is like.

"Pride of the Fleet" is science fiction (sort of), is driven by visuals, plays with titillation, and is entirely silly in execution. I can see the intended ironic end product, but don't think it was worth it.

"The Ring of Set" was a pleasant discovery: Simon of Gitta is a wizard, but a wizard trained diversely and extensively in a range of skills (even though he gets into trouble by being an idiot). And now he's in possession of a dangerous power source that he doesn't entirely know how to wield. This is a character and series that merits further investigation.

Capella has been unreliable for other stories, but "Largarut's Bane" is an intriguing turnaround for the ordinary-man-fighting-supernatural-menace trope. The story follows Largarut in his quest to destroy a demon plaguing his daughter, but it is how he fits into his own story--is it his story, really?--that makes it powerful. I'm surprised it isn't in more places, especially in collections focusing on female characters and female warriors.

David Drake is very rational and material in his writing, to judge by "Dragon's Teeth", so this fantasy story with horror elements bears the weight of explanation and logic. It never built a mood of horror or mystery, and so felt lacking in sword and sorcery. But I'd like to read more of Drake's historic stuff. His picture of a teetering Roman Empire, beset by bad governance, external threat, and politically-minded military, is compelling and demands more.

Campbell's "The Sustenance of Hoak" shares elements with Karl Edward Wagner's Kane stories, with deep dips into horror elements and a miasma of unease. From the very start there is a sense of wrongness to Hoak, and it up to Ryre to puzzle it out. This is akin to several Conan stories but more complex and wielding menace in new and interesting ways. ...more

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Aug 17, 2013 Aaron Meyer rated it really liked it

Shelves: fantasy

This book contains several short stories in the Sword and Sorcery vein. I would say that most of the stories were excellent. The book contains the following: "Nekht Semerkeeht", this was a decent story. I really liked the attitude of the lost conquistador. I can fully imagine them being like that. The action is quick paced and the ending is almost tragic enough to make me laugh. "Tale of Hauk", pretty much a modern rendition of a classic story a Norse Saga hero taking on a Draugr. Vergy good. "T ...more

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Jul 24, 2008 Charles rated it it was amazing

Shelves: fantasy

Overall, this collection of new, short heroic fantasy stories edited by Andre Offutt, was much stronger than the Flashing Swords series edited by Lin Carter.

This is the first volume and is dynamite. There's not a weak story in the book, and it includes "Nekht Semerkeht," which was a Robert E. Howard draft that was finished by Offutt. It makes for a great collaboration.

This series is notable, too, because it includes a heroic fantasy from Ramsay Campbell, and it was wonderful. I liked it much bet ...more

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