A Discourse in Steel (Egil and Nix #2) in Sword & Sorcery: "An earthier sort of fantasy"

Jul 24, 2013 Joseph rated it really liked it

So our heroes Egil (ex(?)-priest) and Nix (thief par excellance) are now owners of a tavern. Well, a combination tavern and establishment for, how did Terry Pratchett phrase it, ladies [and gentlemen] of easily-negotiable virtue.

And everything goes just fine for them and they encounter no difficulties whatsoever, right? Right?

Well, not exactly -- there's contretemps with the local thieves' guild, a magical alley that appears when you least want it, and a voyage to a ruin-filled swamp, amongst ot ...more

4 likes · Like · see review

Jan 18, 2014 David rated it it was amazing

Shelves: all-time-favorites, fantasy

Pretty goddamn close to a perfect Sword and Sorcery novel. Why is it so hard to find such a fine treasure as this? I could read books like this non-stop! If only I could find them! I'm just going to have to wait until the next pair of Egil and Nix novels gets published from Del Rey in 2016. There is a short story in the BLACKGUARDS anthology which I'm hitting up next. Kemp is a very fine writer. Great pacing. Great characters. Humor. Action. Magic. Loved this book! ...more

3 likes · Like · see review

Aug 12, 2019 Ty rated it it was amazing

This was simply a rollicking ball of fun. Kemp's Egil and Nix characters are obvious versions of Fritz Leiber's Fafhrd and Grey Mouser, but it works without feeling like its ripping off Leiber, mainly because there are enough differences in Kemp's characters from Leiber's to keep them from being exact replicas. In fact, Kemp's work here is likely more accessible to the modern reader than that of Leiber, so in a way Kemp's is the stronger material, at least for modern readers. This was well writt ...more

Like · see review

Aug 24, 2013 Jack rated it it was amazing

Shelves: will-read-again, favorites

I have a new favorite team of killers, these guys banter back and forth just pulls the book forward on anything that is happening ..which is usually a non-stop action ride of blades wit's and jokes while fighting for there lives, or because they are helping someone, or ..well the other people are just being an ass.
Lol I so wish there where more novels out there with these 2 characters, for sword and sorcery this is such a fun read' ...more

Like · see review