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

Dec 31, 2012 Jason rated it it was amazing

Shelves: sword-and-sorcery

Swords Against Darkness (the first in a series of five) is both a solid anthology as well as a good introduction to sword and sorcery and heroic fantasy that doesn't rely on reprints. Even the Robert E. Howard offering is new, albeit originally an incomplete tale penned by Howard and finished by the anthology's editor, andrew j. offutt (who fills some mighty big shoes and brings the tale to a close with respectable style). I admit that the works of many of the author's in this collection were un ...more

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May 05, 2014 Joseph rated it it was amazing

This is a bang on showcase for sword and sorcery or heroic fantasy fiction. All the stories here are better than average, and the best are amazing. The perfect length for heroic fantasy is probably the novelette, though even the shorter works in this volume do a good job of world building in a short time. It opens with the Robert E. Howard and andy j. offutt collaboration Nehkt Semerkhet, a story Howard left unfinished on his death. I liked the opening of this story,good characterization of Hern This is a bang on showcase for sword and sorcery or heroic fantasy fiction. All the stories here are better than average, and the best are amazing. The perfect length for heroic fantasy is probably the novelette, though even the shorter works in this volume do a good job of world building in a short time. It opens with the Robert E. Howard and andy j. offutt collaboration Nehkt Semerkhet, a story Howard left unfinished on his death. I liked the opening of this story,good characterization of Hernando de Guzman, great setting and atmosphere. At some point though, everything goes off the rails and I find the later half of the story to be weak. I don't know where andy offutt picked up, but it is possible that Howard left this story unfinished because he didn't see anywhere useful to go with it. In any case, the atmospheric opening is wasted by what seems like a trite tacked on ending. The second story, The Tale of Hauk by Poul Anderson is one of the best heroic fantasy stories I have read. It is written in the language of the Viking sagas, has a marvelous supernatural element well grounded in the real, and characters that live and breath and make you care. Superb. This is followed by two of the weaker stories, The Smile of Oisia by Geo W. Proctor is fairly well written and is handled decently, but the setting is a little too much like a dungeons and dragons role playing session. I still liked this story, but it took a while to start clicking, and by the end, while I found it likable, I still found it a little unsatisfying. Reminded me a lot of some of the weaker stories in the Thieves World anthologies. The next story by comic writer Bruce Jones is pretty much a gimmick story and I didn't care for it. It would have looked good in a comic book fantasy anthology, but I think it makes a pretty weak story, especially considering whom it is rubbing shoulders with. Next up is one by Manly Wade Wellman, and this one is fun and well written and full of heart. One of my favorites in this anthology. The Ring of Set by Richard L. Tierney is next, and this one also is good, a Roman background, a likeable magician hero, and well written. Fun story, good character. Raul Capella's Lagarut's Bane is atypical, its hero is a fisherman, it is a story full of heart and humanity. A pleasant read. David Drake's Dragons' Teeth also has a Roman setting, is well written, inventive, and doesn't overstay its welcome. The last story by Ramsey Campbell, The Sustenance of Hoak is tied with the Tale of Hauk for best story in this anthology for me. Dark and brooding, with a hero out of Howard, supernatural enemies that would be comfortable in a Lovecraft story, and a great dark atmosphere. Very well done. Overall, this anthology is much recommended if you like heroic fantasy. ...more

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Jul 16, 2017 Clint rated it liked it

Shelves: sword-sorcery, appendix-n, 2017

I enjoy Sword & Sorcery, or Heroic Fantasy if you prefer, especially in the short story to novella format. This draws me towards collections of.

This collection has a mixed assortment. Some are great, some are not so; however, any collection that includes both Manly Wade Wellman and Poul Anderson, two of my favorites, is worth picking up.

I picked this up years ago, as Gary Gygax names Offutt and the Swords of Darkness anthologies in his Appendix N, literary influences upon Dungeons & Dragons; h ...more

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