Sword & Sorcery: "An earthier sort of fantasy" discussion

Russia Under the Old Regime by Richard Pipes

Just started reading The Last of the Renshai

It has some good parts, but it meanders a lot. I am about 3/4 the way through, I am doubtful I will be reading the rest of the series.

Lots of sword fights, which is a bonus.

Joseph wrote: "Finished Jade City and started The Poppy War -- neither are S&S, but there's much to recommend in both of them."

I loved Jade City! I plan to read the whole trilogy if it keeps pace with the first installment!

Michael wrote: "I loved Jade City! I plan to read the whole trilogy if it keeps pace with the first installment! "

Yep, me too!

I just finished Trollslayer, a Warhammer fantasy tie in. Very decent sword & sorcery.

A book a read a while back that I'd recommend to people in this group is Kings of the Wyld. A bit less serious, bit very fun!

Peter wrote: "I just finished Trollslayer, a Warhammer fantasy tie in. Very decent sword & sorcery."

Yep, I liked Trollslayer and the rest of the Gotrek & Felix books (at least, the ones I've read -- the first half dozen or so). The author, William King, has also self-published a whole bunch of sword & sorcery novels that are quite entertaining.

KOTW is great. I'm listening to Wolf's Head by Steven McKay, which is a take on Robin Hood. Pretty good so far.

I'm reading Swordmen of Vistar. So far just another Burroughs pastiche.

The Gotrek and Felix books are entertaining, but repetitive. I read the first Omnibus a few years back. Reading them back to back was a mistake. I recommend portioning them out. I need to look into Kings self-published S&S.

Clint wrote: "The Gotrek and Felix books are entertaining, but repetitive. I read the first Omnibus a few years back. Reading them back to back was a mistake. I recommend portioning them out. I need to look into..."

Yeah, can't argue with that, and it's kind of true of his self-published stuff as well. But they're still fun.

For myself, I finished Hard in Hightown and H. Rider Haggard's Allan's Wife (both quite short) and am now about half way through Darkness Weaves for our next group read.

(and that's also why I'm not sure if I'm going to read all of Kane, or if I'm going to take a break after Darkness Weaves -- as I recall, all three novels had relatively similar plots: (view spoiler)[Kane teams up with eldritch horrors to defeat his enemies; Kane realizes he made a terrible mistake; Kane turns on his former allies (hide spoiler)].

Not that they're not all worth reading; and the short stories are also great.

The Fall of Gondolin by J.R.R. Tolkien

Kings and Wizards by Phil Foglio and Kaja Foglio

Mary wrote: "The Fall of Gondolin by J.R.R. Tolkien"

ooh, I'd like to hear your take on The Fall of Gondolin

Jack wrote: "As I await the arrival of the new Black Company novel, I'm diving into Lin Carter's The Black Star."

As Carter novels go, I remember that being one of the better ones; too bad he never got around to the projected sequels.

Fall review:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Mage Fall by Jonathan Moeller

About the start The Falcon of Sparta by Conn Iggulden

Al wrote: "About the start The Falcon of Sparta by Conn Iggulden"

Hey Al, The Shining is yet another take on this tale. Worth checking out.

I will. Thanks for the tip. I'm on a bit of a historical fiction buzz right now.

Just started Lost Gods by Brom.

The first chapter is set in a little place just down the road from here called Jasper.

The story seems very similar to Krampus: The Yule Lord so far.

Creating Characters: How to Build Story People by Dwight V. Swain

The City by Stella Gemmell.

Epic fantasy in the tradition of Tanith Lee

Currently reading The Burning Stone by Jack Whyte

Reading, for the first time since the early 90’s, the Elric saga by Michael Moorcock. Earlier this year, I read Elric of Melinbone; currently, 2/3 of the way through The Sailor on the Seas of Fate. So far, it holds up to memory. I’m launching into Weird of the White Wolf soon, which I’ve read before, again early 90’s. I’ve not read past that aside from the odd short story in this collection or that.

Reading The Deepest Sea by Charles Barnitz.

Reading all about ... Lovers in Hell

Little Red Rodent Hood by Ursula Vernon

Just started The New Magic by Joseph Malik

I’m back at The Worm Ouroboros. It’s a dense read. I find it best taken in short spurts; however, I took a longer break than intended

Jack, you seriously reading auf Deutsch?

Just finished The New Magic Definitely has an S&S vibe to it. Review here, if you're interested - https://www.alwroteabook.com/2018/09/...

The Idea of the Labyrinth: from Classical Antiquity through the Middle Ages by Penelope Reed Doob

I'm currently slogging my way through A Blade of Black Steel by Alex Marshall, but it's a chore. Disjointed and confusing. I'm not sure I'll finish it. On the bright side, I just received Bloody Rose by Nicholas Eames.

And now for something completely different: The Iron Devils, brand new from Ari Marmell. So far (less than one chapter in) it seems like a sort of post-apocalyptic/humans vs. machines sort of set-up, but I'll be curious to see where it goes.

I really liked his Widdershins books when I read them a few years back.

Started reading Shadow of the Exile by Mitchell Hogan. Enjoying it so far. A demon MC is novel.

Currently: Conan Omnibus 2 from Dark Horse Comics. I’m also still picking at E.R. Edison’s The Worm Ouroboros. W/ Halloween looming, I’m thinking some horror is in order

Women in the Days of the Cathedrals by Régine Pernoud

I started The Lies of Locke Lamora. I’m still in shallow waters, maybe 50 pages or so. So far, it’s a fun mix of Grimdark and humor. Immediately, probably from recently reading, my brain started making comparisons to The Black Company; however, I’m not far enough along to call that valid

It's horror time -- I picked up Dark Forces: New Stories of Suspense and Supernatural Horror (the anthology where Stephen King's "The Mist" was first published) for the first time in probably 30+ years. Such a great set of authors, including but not limited to Karl Edward Wagner and Manly Wade Wellman (who I did not realize was apparently still writing new fiction until well into his eighties, and well into the Eighties).

The Shadow Prison by Jonathan Moeller

Next up: The Assyrian by Nicholas Guild -- not technically sword & sorcery, of course, but one of those great, bloody Technicolor historical epics from the 1980s that may be of interest to sword & sorcery readers.

I just currently finished up Skin by Peter Fugazzotto. What a great novella! And just in time for Halloween!

I'm going to attempt to finish the Eli Montpress series. I just picked up The Spirit War.

I keep eyeing my copy of Old Nathan on my Kindle. I keep putting it off. Can't wait to see what you think of it.

Pagan Empress by Kevin Mathews (aka Gardner Fox) - some really great fight scenes!

Child of the Ghosts by Jonathan Moeller

One Who Walked Alone – Robert E. Howard: The Final Years

The Lion of Cairo by Scott Oden; a long overdue re-read of this great historical/fantasy swashbuckling adventure!

The Fires of Muspelheim: Eschaton Cycle

Ghost in the Flames by Jonathan Moeller