Group Reads Announcements

[Howard]

Well, The Sword of Rhiannon is a slim book and pretty easy to come by in used paperback form. Sea Kings of Mars is its original magazine title, actually, but is also the title of a really grand omnibus.

Skaith is GOOD, but it's late Brackett and is a little more frying pan to fire plotting style. Sort of Burroughsian in that way. Also, HOUNDS is just the first of three. The first two Skaith books are good, but I always though the third Skaith book sounded more like The Contractual Obligation of Skaith because it doesn't mesh as well into the ongoing narrative of the first two.

My guess is that you'll want Sea-Kings if you can get it for a good price. It has ALMOST all of her best short fiction with only a few lesser pieces. If I could have picked the choices of the collection I would only have made two or three changes. (Usually I disagree more.) The only problem with "Sea-Kings" is that it has more typos.

If you find that you LOVE Brackett, than the Haffner volumes, which collect ALL of her short fiction, are a must. But that's an expensive investment. Sea-Kings is a nice sampler if you can get it for a good price off of www.addall.com (I just checked, and it looks like you can pick up a copy of it there for a little over 13 bucks before shipping. That's a helluva deal considering copies on Amazon are selling upwards of 40 bucks.)

[Joseph, Master Ultan]

Howard wrote: "Well, The Sword of Rhiannon is a slim book and pretty easy to come by in used paperback form. Sea Kings of Mars is its original magazine title, actually, but is also the title of a really grand omn..."

And Sea-Kings has a map!

http://www.theonion.com/articles/grow...

[S.E., Gray Mouser (Emeritus)]

Joseph wrote: "Howard wrote: "Well, The Sword of Rhiannon is a slim book and pretty easy to come by in used paperback form. Sea Kings of Mars is its original magazine title, actually, but is also the title of a r..."

Howard and Joseph, you guys totally rock.

I'll try to get Sea Kings without selling my soul (when Amazon prices get to high, I usually hit Abe Books, but I may try Addall.)

The Onion is my primary source of news, but I never expected it helping our discussions here. Awesome!

[S.E., Gray Mouser (Emeritus)]

Here's the link to the Groupread Poll for Sept-Oct 2014
https://www.goodreads.com/poll/list/8...

Recent groupreads have been single topic, but this time we'll revert back to the "two topics" for "two months" style again.

Vote to steer the discussion! The top 2 topics win. Write-in suggestions always welcome (enter in the "Your Choice" field).

[Jason]

Slaine! I've been looking to read him but can't find anything around Milwaukee and online seems a tad expensive. any suggestions?

[Joseph, Master Ultan]

Just a random comment: Every couple of months you post the topics for the vote, and every couple of months I read the topics and want to select every single one of them ...

[S.E., Gray Mouser (Emeritus)]

Masthead Banner: Sept-Oct 2014 Groupreads: Topics:
1) Sept-Oct: Swords sans Sorcery - Read and Discussion
2) Sept-Oct: Elric Groupread Discussion

Focused on authors: Harold Lamb and Michael Moorcock.


Art credits:
Background: Elric: The Dreaming City, art by P. Craig Russel (art from interior depictions of Melnibone’)
- Riders of the Steppes: The Complete Cossack Adventures, Volume Three, cover art by Darrel Stevens
- Wolf of the Steppes: The Complete Cossack Adventures, Volume One , cover art by Darrel Stevens
- Swords from the East , cover art by Darrel Stevens
- Elric: Swords and Roses, cover art by John Picacio

[S.E., Gray Mouser (Emeritus)]

Nov-Dec 2014 Groupread Topics:
(a) Henry Kuttner's Elak of Atlantis
Elak Discussion Link

(b) Glen Cook's The Black Company
Black Company Discussion Link

Banner Credits
-Paizo edition of Elak of Atlantis, by Andrew Hou - 2007 (left)
-Glen Cook's The Return of the Black Company, artist Raymond Swaland (right)

[Jason]

Seth,
Well, I've got to congratulate you on yet another fantastic banner. Here's hoping I'll manage to participate in this group read...

[S.E., Gray Mouser (Emeritus)]

Jason wrote: "Seth,
Well, I've got to congratulate you on yet another fantastic banner. Here's hoping I'll manage to participate in this group read..."

Thanks! The Swanland covers are amazing. Hope all is well with you and your haunting Bladewitch.

[Jason]

Doing well, thanks. Bladewitch is closing in on a finished book two. Soon...I hope. If I just keep saying it, maybe it will happen. How are things in/with Dyscrasia? I'm looking forward to reading my copy of Spawn of Dyscrasia by the way. There will be some weird and some darkness, I expect.

[S.E., Gray Mouser (Emeritus)]

(1) Anthologies : Since Sword & Sorcery was largely born through the short-story format, collections are an appropriate way to learn the genre and discover authors. Don’t know where to start? Ask the group for a recommendation, or check out the sampling of Anthologies, old and new, as shown in this group’s bookshelf. You are challenged (invited?) to track any one down and share your journey with the group. Feel welcome to add to the bookshelf if you know how, or ask for help to expand the list.

(2) David Gemmell's Legend: This topic narrowly beating out “Sword’s and Orcs.” Actually any of Gemmell’s works will suffice for discussion, but the default will be his debut, and arguably his best work, Legend.

Banner credits:
L. Sprague de Camp's The Spell of Seven (1965 cover artist Virgil Finlay)
David Gemmell's Legend (2003 cover art credited to John Picacio by isfdb)

[S.E., Gray Mouser (Emeritus)]

Regarding the current Poll: With "Sword and Orcs" and The Worm Ouroboros leading (as of Feb 5) that features "Goblins"...we may be able to turn this into an Orcs vs. Goblin theme. Thoughts?

Vote: https://www.goodreads.com/poll/list/8...

[Joseph, Master Ultan]

S.E. wrote: "Regarding the current Poll: With "Sword and Orcs" and The Worm Ouroboros leading (as of Feb 5) that features "Goblins"...we may be able to turn this into an Orcs vs. Goblin theme. Thou..."

I like it!

[Ashe]

I'm down.

[Mary]

If you expect fantasy goblins in Worm, I must warn you that the names are very nominal. The Witches vs. the Demons -- there's nothing witchy or demonic about either side.

[S.E., Gray Mouser (Emeritus)]

Mary wrote: "If you expect fantasy goblins in Worm, I must warn you that the names are very nominal. The Witches vs. the Demons -- there's nothing witchy or demonic about either side."

Good point Mary. Broadening the theme of the leading Poll votes would enable other fantasy-goblin books too. Unless votes change a lot, I'm leaning toward encouraging an "Orcs vs Goblin" groupread, with a few default books to target for each.

[Joseph, Master Ultan]

http://blog.tekumelfoundation.org/201...

I think this may have to be a group read when the time comes -- The Man of Gold is getting an eBook rerelease.

(To be followed, one hopes, by the rest of the Tekumel novels.)

[S.E., Gray Mouser (Emeritus)]

Banner input
For Mar-Apr 2015, we'll have a Orc versus Goblin theme, with the recommended Goblin one being The Worm Ouroboros. I'll be making a banner real soon.
Any recommended coverart to blend in?
I tracked Scott Oden down on Facebook and he mentioned using Stan Nicholls's Orcs or Orcs: Inferno

[Ashe]

Man, if my book was out, I'd lend it.

Here is a pretty good one though:

[Joseph, Master Ultan]

My favorite Ouroboros art is the 1960s Ballantine edition:

.

[S.E., Gray Mouser (Emeritus)]

Crew, it is time to pick a side and go to battle, for Mar-Apr we have war:
Orcs versus Goblins Here are the discussion links:
Goblins AND ORCS


Cover Artist Credits L to R
1) Tim Lauten - Stan Nicholls's Orcs: Inferno
2) Barbara Remington E.R. Eddison's The Worm Ouroboros Ballantine Books edition
3) Cheoljoo Lee - Guy Haley's Skarsnik (Warhammer-Black Library, 2013)

[S.E., Gray Mouser (Emeritus)]

Clonans and Obscure Books are the May-June topics of interest. Time to dig through your bookshelves and used bookstores to find forgotten treasures...and re-evaluate the Clonan craze.
1) Clonan Topic-Link
2) Obscure Book-Link




May June 2015 Groupreads: Clonans and Obscure Books
Masthead Banner cover art credits (Left to Right):
Frazetta 1969 cover: Thongor Against the Gods by Lin Carter
Frazetta 1968 cover: Brak the Barbarian by John Jakes
Jeff Jones 1969 cover: Kothar Barbarian Swordsman by Gardner F. Fox

[Jason]

Nice!

[S.wagenaar]

Geat Banner!
Looking forward to diving into some obscure S&S, I have lots of un-read books on my shelf...

[S.E., Gray Mouser (Emeritus)]

Vote for July-Aug Groupread -click here, including write-in options and the following:

The Sword of Rhiannon
Seven Sorcerers
Oron
The Savage Tales of Solomon Kane
We Are All Legends
Emperor of Thorns

[Joseph, Master Ultan]

All excellent choices!

[Ashe]

This will give me a GREAT EXCUSE to finally grab that Solomon Kane collection.

[Greg]

Just putting this forward as a future idea for a group read - fantasy adventure gamebooks like the Fighting Fantasy or Endless Quest series (though the latter is more juvenile). Other gamebooks exist that may be oriented more to an adult readership, such as Fire Wolf. I have a copy of the latter, which I haven't read yet, but I'd consider reading (or re-reading) a Fighting Fantasy gamebook for a group read.

[S.E., Gray Mouser (Emeritus)]

Greg wrote: "Just putting this forward as a future idea for a group read - fantasy adventure gamebooks like the Fighting Fantasy or Endless Quest series (though the latter is more juvenile). Other gamebooks exi..."

Greg, good idea. Any "RPG gamebook" would be a good topic to vote on. Quick reads..kind of... assuming you can make it through. Most of those are pretty brutal is dishing out death.

BTW: I recently had a guest blog on the topic Grim Dark roots and I cite the Fighting Fantasy series and the recent Kickstarter campaign to make a coffe-table book of its history (it spawned Warhammer!):
http://panopticonitalia.blogspot.it/2...

[Greg]

S.E. wrote: "BTW: I recently had a guest blog on the topic Grim Dark roots and I cite the Fighting Fantasy series and the recent Kickstarter campaign to make a coffe-table book of its history (it spawned Warhammer!):
http://panopticonitalia.blogspot.it/2... "

Checked out your blog post, Seth! I agree with you totally about the art - it was one of the things that drew me to the books in the first place. I only bought a few of them for myself when I was a teen as my brother got some of the others in the series and we took turns in playing each other's books. I've kept my ones ever since.

I don't think I'd heard of the term grimdark before but it does seem apt for the Fighting Fantasy series and for the grittily atmospheric Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay and Warhammer 40K games they inspired.

[S.E., Gray Mouser (Emeritus)]

Greg, glad you enjoyed the post. Now if only those Zagor Chronicles were available somewhere...

[Greg]

S.E. wrote: "Greg, glad you enjoyed the post. Now if only those Zagor Chronicles were available somewhere..."

The Chronicles are listed on Goodreads at least - as you already saw, Seth - and also on Worldcat.org, but it looks as if they were never reprinted. I wonder if the series was considered to be controversial in some way when it came out (which might make it all the more interesting to read! LOL).

[S.E., Gray Mouser (Emeritus)]

Greg wrote: "...The Chronicles are listed on Goodreads at least - as you already saw, Seth - and also ..."

Used book stores online have them oing for ~$100 USD each.

Eh gad!

[Greg]

S.E. wrote: "Greg wrote: "...The Chronicles are listed on Goodreads at least - as you already saw, Seth - and also ..."

Used book stores online have them oing for ~$100 USD each.

Eh gad!"

Good grief! Well I'll keep an eye out for them in conventional book stores as I suspect they might be cheaper there (€1 or €2 a copy hopefully).

[S.E., Gray Mouser (Emeritus)]

Greg wrote: "S.E. wrote: "Greg wrote: "...The Chronicles are listed on Goodreads at least - as you already saw, Seth - and also ..."

Used book stores online have them oing for ~$100 USD each"

I found the first Zagor for under $10 (and rapidly ordered it), but the others are between ~$30 and $100.

[Greg]

S.E. wrote: "Greg wrote: "S.E. wrote: "Greg wrote: "...The Chronicles are listed on Goodreads at least - as you already saw, Seth - and also ..."

Used book stores online have them oing for ~$100 USD each"

I f..."

Have you read the first Zagor yet? Was it worth getting?

[S.E., Gray Mouser (Emeritus)]

Nope, I never read any Zagor but I feel the need to read it.

[Greg]

Is the interior art of the copy you have like that of the Fighting Fantasy books? That would add to the reading experience!

[S.E., Gray Mouser (Emeritus)]

Greg wrote: "Is the interior art of the copy you have like that of the Fighting Fantasy books? That would add to the reading experience!"

Greg, my copy is in the mail still. I'll certainly share info when it arrives.

[Greg]

Ah OK. No prob.

[S.E., Gray Mouser (Emeritus)]

Tanith Lee - Solomon Kane - July Aug 2015 Groupread Topics (2 months, 2 topics)


1) TANITH LEE folder : With Tanith Lee's recent passing and coincidental re-release of The Birthgrave: Birthgrave Trilogy: Book One, it is timely to delve into her weird fantasy.

2) SOLOMON KANE folder : Robert E. Howard (Father of the Sword & Sorcery genre) had more heroes than Conan of course. Let us talk of his The Savage Tales of Solomon Kane, and even the comic book and movie adaptions.

Banner Art Credits:
Tanith Lee's The Birthgrave - Ken Kelly ~1981 , and
the recently release The Birthgrave: Birthgrave Trilogy: Book One - Bastien Lecouffe Deharme - 2015

Robert E. Howard's The Savage Tales of Solomon Kane (interior work by Gary Gianni 2004)

[S.E., Gray Mouser (Emeritus)]

All,

We'll need an extra vote or two to break a runner-up tie:
https://www.goodreads.com/poll/list/8...

Poll

Nominate topics for the Sept-Oct Group Read. Top two topics usually win a discussion thread.

Anything with Jeffrey Jones coverart
Black God's Kiss by C.L. Moore
New release: for this crowd, anything released >2000
The Sword of Rhiannon by Leigh Brackett
Watch Sword and Sorcery Movies (instead of a book)--emphasis on book adaptions or characters from books. For example movies, see link in comment section.
We Are All Legends by Darrell Schweitzer

4 comments
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[S.E., Gray Mouser (Emeritus)]

All, it looks like "New releases" will win the key spot for the next group read (We Are All Legends being the second). For the image banner... I need help selecting some covers!
Suggestions anyone?

[S.wagenaar]

King of the Bastards by Steven Shrewsbury and Brian Keene.

[S.E., Gray Mouser (Emeritus)]

S.wagenaar wrote: "King of the Bastards by Steven Shrewsbury and Brian Keene."

Thx S.wagenaar.

[S.E., Gray Mouser (Emeritus)]

Jack, Stealer of Flesh looks good (free on Amazon.com kindle too). Thx

[Joseph, Master Ultan]

S.E. wrote: "Jack, Stealer of Flesh looks good (free on Amazon.com kindle too). Thx"

I can confirm that the Kormak books (at least, the ones I've read) are good, old-fashioned S&S fun.

[S.E., Gray Mouser (Emeritus)]

This discussion helps for the banner and my to-read pile. I was thinking of John Fultz's Seven Princes (book of the shaper series too).

[S.wagenaar]

Seven Princes you say? I have the Shaper Trilogy on my to-read list as well, but is it S&S? Or is it more like Epic or "High" fantasy? I have only sampled the first chapter, and it feels more like Epic Fantasy to me. Anyone have an opinion on this? I am quite interested in reading these books, as the author is a Robert E Howard and Clark Ashton Smith fan...