When I finished Swords And Deviltry, I dove straight into the next book in Fritz Leiber’s tales of Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser: Swords Against Death. Suffice it to say, this pair of rascally rogues are growing on me.
Swords Against Death is not a novel but rather a collection of ten short stories that Lieber authored between 1939 and 1970 (most were written in the 1940s). Because it’s not a novel, there is no overarching plot that binds the work together, nor are there developed character arcs or other novel-like aspects that readers have grown accustomed to. Rather, it’s like Robert E. Howard’s Conan the Barbarian books, which also are compilations of short stories and novelettes.
While Swords Against Death lacks a novel’s depth, the short story structure is convenient if you want to read a complete story in a single sitting. These are light, entertaining reads, and most of the stories are well worth the modest time it takes to enjoy them.
One aspect of this book that became quickly evident was its frequent similarity to the stories of H.P. Lovecraft. It turns out that Lovecraft and Leiber shared a professional relationship, which explains why some of Leiber’s stories, such as “The Sunken Land,” is reminiscent of the last part of Lovecraft’s The Call of Cthulhu. Another story in the book, “The Bleak Shore,” also has a dark, Lovecraftian feel.
While some stories in the book were better than others, several stood out. The third story, “Thieves House” (written in 1943), delves into the dark history of the Thieves Guild of Lankhmar. Let’s just say that there are more than thieves dwelling deep within the guild’s maze-like lair. Another, titled “The Prince of Pain-ease” (penned in 1970), ties-up the remaining loose ends from the conclusion of Swords And Deviltry. The story takes its two heroes to the Shadowland, Lieber’s version of the Underworld, where they encounter the ghosts of their slain lovers and come face to face with the god Death himself.
Speaking of gods, Leiber’s world, like Lovecraft’s, is inhabited by ancient, elder gods who have fallen out of worship in most of the world. The seventh story, titled “The Seven Black Priests” (written in 1953), concerns an angry earth god and is one of the better stories in the book. The one after it, “Claws from the Night” (from 1951), about a forgotten avian deity, was my favorite of them all. The story also provided the book’s best mystery tale.
The adventures of Fafhrd and The Gray Mouser continue with Swords In The Mist. And I must confess, I’m already two stories in. As I said, the tales of these two rascally rogues are growing on me.