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Kothar: Barbarian Swordsman (Kothar, #1)

Gardner Francis Fox

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Jun 20, 2017 Clint rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: appendix-n, sword-sorcery, 2017

The Skinny: A collection of the first three Kothar stories; "The Sword of the Sorcerer", "The Treasure in the Labyrinth" and "The Woman in the Witch-Wood".

"The Sword of the Sorcerer" is the origin story, if you will, of Kothar, a Barbarian from the north. On the run from a battle lost, Kothar stumbles upon a crypt haunted by the liche of a powerful sorcerer. From the liche, he gains a sword that as long as he possess it, he may hold no wealth. He gains the animosity of the sorceress Red Lori, wh ...more

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Aug 05, 2018 Joe Kilmartin rated it really liked it

Shelves: pulp-adventure, fantasy-appendix-n

Great fun - beautifully purple storytelling and a breakneck pace make each of the three short stories brisk and entertaining reads. It's garbage, sure, but it's deliciously good and well written garbage that makes one want to protect it a little. The literary equivalent of a Big Mac with fries and a Coke, but some days that's exactly what you need. ...more

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May 18, 2025 Mikel Pfeiffer rated it liked it

Shelves: fantasy

This one was not as good as the later book I read in the series. I thought reading the first book might give me more background on Kothar. The book is three short stories, each 30-45 pages, so it was never to boring but the writing isn't as good as later series books or even many other S&S novels I've read. I did discover the story behind Kothar's sword and have a bit of fun along his journeys that usually involve a wizard, a woman who is not as she appears and a monster or two. ...more

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