Sunday, August 31, 2008

No. 23 - Swords Against Darkness III

edited by Andrew J. Offutt

Started: August 31
Finished: September 7

Notes: I was delighted to find this 1978 collection of Sword and Sorcery stories recently. The editor is quite probably my favorite S&S author, and I'm familiar with a good number of the writers who have short stories in this one. This should be a fun read. Another great thing about this book is it contain's Poul Anderson's article on S&S writing, "On Thud and Blunder," a great read any aspiring fantasy author should look at.

Mini review: This was a fun read! In fact, this might be the most fun reading I've had all year. Sword and Sorcery tales from the 1970s and early '80s are often my favorite because there is often a non-serious side to them; I don't mean by this that the stories or characters themselves are comical (though sometimes they are) but that the heroes tend not to take themselves quite so serious as in earlier S&S tales and even the more modern stories. There's almost a feeling of comedy, but not quite, and there's definitely a sense that one's own life is worth giving up for the paltriest of purposes when the time is right. I don't know. It's hard to explain. Still, I loved this book. I'll have to find me some more Sword and Sorcery stories!

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