From the Bookshelf of Sword & Sorcery: "An earthier sort of fantasy"…
Find A Copy At
Group Discussions About This Book
No group discussions for this book yet.
What Members Thought
I haven't read Avram Davidson before, and his "Caravan to Illiel" was a new pleasure. There was a music and rhythm to the writing, and an affected olde-tymey style different from de Camp's and Carter's attempts at such a thing, and more pleasant. The story doesn't have much of a point--it's the journey of a young man on his first caravan, and the weird problems and dangers encountered--but is jolly good reading and whets my appetite. Sadly, it looks like this piece hasn't been reprinted elsewher
...more
I enjoyed the Norton story and I’m convinced I need to read Witch World. Until I read these anthologies, I don’t think I had ever read L. Sprague de Camp, other than his Conan pastiche. His writing surprises me. Carters Mangod short is typical Carter: Light, fluffy, not particularly well written or rememberable.
I was looking forward to the Avram Davidson story, but did not become particularly engaged.
F.L.’s Fafhrd and Mouser story was good, but not one of the better ones.
I was looking forward to the Avram Davidson story, but did not become particularly engaged.
F.L.’s Fafhrd and Mouser story was good, but not one of the better ones.
“Two Yards of Dragon.” 2/5. Not my favorite. The bumbling heroes aren’t very likable. I prefer my S&S to be a little more serious. Also, the world it is set in is not very plausible. This is probably more satire of S&S than actual S&S.
“The Frost Monstreme.” 2/5. Leiber’s style is so thick. I don’t think the narrative is all that exciting. Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser get boats, go sailing, and fight an ice boat. The villain, an ice sorcerer, is pretty cool. His rhyming is memorable.
“Spider Silk.” ...more
“The Frost Monstreme.” 2/5. Leiber’s style is so thick. I don’t think the narrative is all that exciting. Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser get boats, go sailing, and fight an ice boat. The villain, an ice sorcerer, is pretty cool. His rhyming is memorable.
“Spider Silk.” ...more
In my opinion, Lin Carter was a better editor than a writer. He edited this series, called "Flashing Swords," which are collection of short stories in the heroic fantasy genre. I liked every volume, but some more than others. This was not the best of the five volumes, in my opinion, although it has a fine story by Fritz Leiber.
...more
Apr 29, 2012
Steven
marked it as to-read
Feb 11, 2013
Garham
marked it as to-read
Jan 22, 2016
Rich
marked it as to-read
Mar 19, 2018
Jason Waltz
marked it as to-read
Feb 09, 2019
Arley Dial
marked it as to-read
Jun 01, 2020
Woelf Dietrich
marked it as to-read
