Sword & Sorcery: "An earthier sort of fantasy" discussion
General Discussions
>
What are you currently reading?
Joseph wrote: "S.E. wrote: "Phew, close call Joseph!"Yeah, it would've been a shame if I had to buy the newest, greatest model ...
Oh, and when I got home sans Kindle, the first thing I had to do was finish [a..."
Still working my way through the first four seasons of Game of Thrones on DVD. I have the first two books but I'll wait for a bit before reading them so my memory of the earlier episodes (as portrayed on the screen) is less fresh in my mind. How do The Tales of Dunk and Egg compare with GoT?
Mod
Well, they're on a much smaller scale. (For anyone who's not familiar with Dunk & Egg -- Martin has written a series of novellas set about 100 years before current GoT that follow the adventures of a hedge knight, Duncan, and his squire, Egg; they've all been initially published in great, big anthologies like Robert Silverberg's Legends.) I liked them a lot; they're a reminder that Martin is a really good storyteller, especially in a context that's more focused like this. And it's fun to read them in close proximity to the main GoT books just to see the connections.
They're much more focused on the hedge knight way of life -- plenty of jousting & tourneys, and sleeping rough, but the only times Dunk & Egg get caught up in politics or intrigue, it's because they get drawn in kind of by accident.
So I'd definitely recommend them, and they won't cause any dissonance with the TV series. And the illustrations are lovely.
Joseph wrote: "Greg wrote: "How do The Tales of Dunk and Egg compare with GoT?"Well, they're on a much smaller scale. (For anyone who's not familiar with Dunk & Egg -- Martin has written a series of novellas se..."
They sound interesting. Will keep an eye out for them!
Mod
Just finished The Guns of Empire. Great stuff, flintlock fantasy with a good magic system, and great military campaigns. This part was obviously based on Napoleons invasion of Russia. The whole series is great.Now reading a Dutch novel, as far as I know only published in Dutch: Meesterproeve van Jaap Boekestein. One of the better writers of fantasy in the Netherlands.
Currently reading The Failing God by Mike Jansen. I'm reading the original Dutch version, but it's one of the few Dutch books translated in English.The blurbs of the book compare it to the works of Steven Erikson, Fritz Leiber and Glen Cook, which sounds pretty interesting.
So far it reminds me most of Steven Erikson, although a whole lot easier. Still a truckload of characters, countries and other entities to keep track off, but Jansen is not sparse with information. Maybe even not sparse enough.
A few times there were some info dumps, although I can appreciate giving a (humorous) background of a whole page for a character that is killed off on the next. Another point I did not like too much is characters explaining stuff to each other which either the other characters already knows, or on the other hand should know.
I am enjoying it so far, though.
Peter wrote: "Currently reading The Failing God by Mike Jansen. I'm reading the original Dutch version, but it's one of the few Dutch books translated in English.The blurbs of the book compare ..."
Looks interesting, Peter - added it to my tbr.
I also just grabbed the eBook off Amazon. thanks for the recommendation - anyone that evokes Erikson, Cook, & Leiber is already a winner.
I am currently reading the Lightbringer series by Brent Weeks, honestly hoping to find something better though
Finished The Failing God. Promising, but not without it's flaws.Now switching to some short stories of Beneath Ceaseless Skies #85 again.
Peter wrote: "Finished The Failing God. Promising, but not without it's flaws.Now switching to some short stories of Beneath Ceaseless Skies #85 again."
You might like to know, Peter, that Beneath Ceaseless Skies just won the 2016 British Fantasy Award for Best Magazine/Periodical, according to Locus Magazine!
I didn't know. A well deserved award, BCS has been publishing over 200 issues with some high quality writing.
Peter wrote: "I didn't know. A well deserved award, BCS has been publishing over 200 issues with some high quality writing."I haven't read any of the magazines as yet but I've noted what you have said about them in your reviews and I've really liked their covers. When I get a bit more time, I'll subscribe and catch up on some fantasy/sci-fi reading.
Ha, more time. I could read fulltime and still not read a quarter of all the books I'd like to read.
Peter wrote: "Ha, more time. I could read fulltime and still not read a quarter of all the books I'd like to read."It would be many decades before I got through my 'To be read' list! Perhaps 'wish list' would be a better term for that shelf!
I just finished Beneath Ceaseless Skies #140 with a flintlock fantasy and a sword & sorcery story.Especially story, taking place in a pre-islamic Persian inspired setting is great stuff.
Mod
To be honest it's our fellow group member Fletcher Vredenburgh's 'fault'.Through his Short Story Roundups I discoverd BCS. He also often posts about some other online magazines I'd like to read more, Heroic Fantasy Quarterly and Swords & Sorcery Magazine.
Because BCS does have ebook downloads, while the other only have their webpages I never get around to it. I do most of my reading on an ereader while commuting, and reading from webpages just doesn't suit me.
Links:
http://www.heroicfantasyquarterly.com/
http://www.swordsandsorcerymagazine.com/
I'm currently reading "Conan and The Amazon" and Star Trek: Titan - "Taking Wing".
Let me know what you think of Conan and the Amazon. I have this one, but have yet to read it . John Maddox Roberts is one of the better Conan pastiche authors.
Mod
Through his Short Story Roundups I discoverd BCS. He also often posts about some other online magazines I'd like to read mo..."
Hey Peter, I copied your comment-link to Fletcher's Facebook wall to thank him! Thank you too for sharing your reviews on BCS
Peter wrote: "To be honest it's our fellow group member Fletcher Vredenburgh's 'fault'.Through his Short Story Roundups I discoverd BCS. He also often posts about some other online magazines I'd like to read mo..." I give BCS some guff, but it's a well done zine with the very good writers gracing its virtual pages
Peter wrote: "To be honest it's our fellow group member Fletcher Vredenburgh's 'fault'.
Through his Short Story Roundups I discoverd BCS. He also often posts about some other online magazines I'd like to read mo..."
Yes, they do seem to go through some cycles of more 'modern' thematic fantasy stories before publishing some more plot heavy stories, but whatever the theme they publish high quality stuff.I still wish the other online magazines would follow their lead of publishing the content in epub/pdf format.
Jack wrote: "After finishing the Books of the South omnibus, I'm reading the next book in The Black Company series, The Silver Spike, and may mix in some Warhammer 40K ([book:Gaunt's Ghosts: The F..."I did read the first Black Company book, but it didn't click with me, but I see people of this group reading them all the time. So I guess I'll have to give the series a second chance.
I loved the Gaunt's Ghosts books. I don't usually read media tie-in novels, but these WH40K novels are great stuff. Great military sf, unapologetic pulp. Fast paced, great action and great characters. I read through the whole series in a few weeks.
It's not S&S but, having bought this book last year, I thought I'd continue with Michael Grant's Gone series and start reading Lies.And I'd like to read some Black Company books too. So little time....
Greg wrote: "It's not S&S but, having bought this book last year, I thought I'd continue with Michael Grant's Gone series and start reading Lies.And I'd like to read some Black Company books t..."
The Black Company and Dread Empire are really enjoyable. Worth the time.
Richard wrote: "Greg wrote: "It's not S&S but, having bought this book last year, I thought I'd continue with Michael Grant's Gone series and start reading Lies.And I'd like to read some Black Co..."
I guess I'll just have to make time for it then! :)
Mod
Joseph wrote: "For myself, I've been reading Rachel Aaron's Eli Monpress books (The Legend of Eli Monpress is an omnibus of the first three novels, of five in total), which aren't..."I've read the first three books in the omnibus and really enjoyed them. I only wish that the last two books of the series were put into an omnibus.
I've picked up a copy of Talus and the Frozen King by Graham Edwards. I've never heard of the author before, but the story seemed interesting. It's kind of a murder mystery set in a place similar to the Orkneys in northern Scotland during the Neolithic period. I figured I'd give it a go...
Mod
I think they were, but just in a UK edition, maybe?
Richard wrote: "I've picked up a copy of Talus and the Frozen King by Graham Edwards. I've never heard of the author before, but the story seemed interesting. It's kind of a murder mystery set in a place similar t..."Sounds interesting - I added it to my TBR shelf.
S.wagenaar wrote: "Let me know what you think of Conan and the Amazon. I have this one, but have yet to read it . John Maddox Roberts is one of the better Conan pastiche authors."I really enjoyed "Conan and The Amazon". I agree that Roberts is one of the better of the pastiche writers. I'm going to have to read more of his books.
Great. I have this on my shelf, brand new, never read. I might read this for the Nov-Dec group read.
On holiday, so plenty of reading time. Started with the very first issue of Beneath Ceaseless Skies. Very pleasant surprise: it contains the first part of a Bone & Gaunt novella. Very nice sword & sorcery.
Just bought this book at a remaindered price yesterday: Beastmaster: Myth. Not actually reading it yet but just wondering if anyone else has?
just finished "Mage, Maze, Demon" by Charles Gramlich along with a couple of other great short stories. Loved it! 5 stars! I am no reading "Wings Over Talera" by Charles Gramlich. I expect to read the third installment in this series as well. I have all three and love them! Very much inspired by Edgar Rice Burroughs "John Carter" series but Charles is a great writer and this is a genre I truly love (Sword and Planet). Charles, I plan to read your whole catalog! :)
I just finished "Mage, Maze, Demon" by Charles Allen Gramlich which also incorporated two other short stories and loved it! 5 Stars!I am currently reading "Wings Over Talera" by Charles and will follow it up with Book three in the Talera Trilogy. Very much derivative of Edgar Rice Burroughs "John Carter" stories but I love Charles' writings and love the genre "Sword and Planet". I plan to l read Charles' entire catalog! :)
Greg wrote: "Just bought this book at a remaindered price yesterday: Beastmaster: Myth. Not actually reading it yet but just wondering if anyone else has?"Sounds interesting. I loved the movie as a kid. Just added another to the TBR list.
Richard wrote: "Greg wrote: "Just bought this book at a remaindered price yesterday: Beastmaster: Myth. Not actually reading it yet but just wondering if anyone else has?"Sounds interesting. I lov..."
I read the Book "Beastmaster" by Andre Norton when I was a kid and revisited it a year ago and still liked it. It is a Young Adult type Science Fiction story. The movie was loosely based on the book and was turned into more of a Sword and Sorcery Tale. It played on HBO constantly in the 1980s. It was fun "guilty pleasure" for an old S&S lover. Never read any other books about The Beastmaster although some sequels were written by her and several posthumously.
Mod
S.E. wrote: "Hey Michael... there are a number of Gramlich fans here ;)"Understandable!
A Gathering of Ravens, by Scott Oden. I am lucky enough to have received an advance copy from Scott to read. I told him I would do my best to help create buzz for the book before it's official release next June. I'm probably preaching to the choir here...:)
Richard wrote: "Greg wrote: "Just bought this book at a remaindered price yesterday: Beastmaster: Myth. Not actually reading it yet but just wondering if anyone else has?"Sounds interesting. I lov..."
I liked the movie as a kid as well although I did think even then that Jack Palance was a bit hammy in the role!
Michael wrote: "Richard wrote: "Greg wrote: "Just bought this book at a remaindered price yesterday: Beastmaster: Myth. Not actually reading it yet but just wondering if anyone else has?"
Sounds in..."
I didn't know that the movie was based (albeit loosely) on a novel by Andre Norton. I'd like to read that sometime.
Greg wrote: "Richard wrote: "Greg wrote: "Just bought this book at a remaindered price yesterday: Beastmaster: Myth. Not actually reading it yet but just wondering if anyone else has?"Sounds in..."
Andre Norton was a favorite of mine as a kid in the 60s. Beastmaster, Daybreak 2250 A.D and the Witchworld Novels some of her best. After the big S&S movie craze around the time of Conan The Barbarian they changed it to a S&S movie and capitalized on it. Read the book if you get a chance. It's a quick read.
S.wagenaar wrote: "A Gathering of Ravens, by Scott Oden. I am lucky enough to have received an advance copy from Scott to read. I told him I would do my best to help create buzz for the book before it's official rele..."I read "Lion of Cairo" and loved it! I've been meaning to get to more of his stuff.
Michael wrote: "Greg wrote: "Richard wrote: "Greg wrote: "Just bought this book at a remaindered price yesterday: Beastmaster: Myth. Not actually reading it yet but just wondering if anyone else has..."Thanks Greg. I've read Ms. Norton's Witch world books and enjoyed them but I've never read her Beastmaster books. Guess I'll have to keep an eye out for them.
Mod
* Black Road, Vol. 1: The Holy North, which brought to mind RE Howards historical fiction,with a little bit more of Conan's savagery in it...
*Britannia. Ony two monthly issues, of this five-issue mini series, have been released. Its historical S&S plus Cthulhu Mythos (similar to the Simon Magus stories). The writing is really good and the artwork visceral, from the artist of Wolfskin, Juan José Ryp.
Currently reading, Night's Dominion #1, a superherotake on S&S on a setting that promises to be Lankhmar-ish. Only two issues released thus far...
Periklis wrote: "I've been reading a few noteworthy Sword & Sorcery related titles lately.* Black Road, Vol. 1: The Holy North, which brought to mind RE Howards historical fiction,with a little bi..."
Those graphic novels look cool so I've added them to my TBR shelf!
Sword & Sorcery: "An earthier sort of fantasy"
Books mentioned in this topic
The Words of the Night (other topics)Outlaw of the Outer Stars (other topics)
From Iron To Blade: Assassins and Blades (other topics)
Backyard Foraging: 65 Familiar Plants You Didn't Know You Could Eat (other topics)
Babylon White (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
C. Chancy (other topics)John C. Wright (other topics)
Ellen Zachos (other topics)
Kit Sun Cheah (other topics)
Manly Wade Wellman (other topics)
More...
I have so many printed books to read at this stage that I'm glad I don't have a kindle (although I do read downloadable PDFs....). That was good that you got to read two paperbacks for a change (and that your kindle was found).