But Is It Sword & Sorcery?

“But is it Sword & Sorcery?” Have you ever read a book that you thought was the real deal only to ask that question? Paperback publishers are known to use cover art to try and cash in on a trend. The Jeff Jones masterpiece you see there might not reflect the words inside.

Here are some series that walk the line. I’m not suggesting all these publishers are being deceitful. Mostly I think they just want to get the right reader, fans of S&S, with the right books. If you want to split hairs over genre you are free to do so. Many of these authors would categorically say they did not write Sword & Sorcery (Larry Niven comes immediately to mind despite the fact that his The Magic Goes Away was wonderfully illustrated by Esteban Maroto and is a high point in S&S publishing.)

Some readers aren’t picky. It has swords. It has strangeness. That’s enough. Then there are people like myself that ponder these things endlessly. The umbrella of heroic fantasy covers most of them if you don’t like your hairs split but I have to ask the question: is it Sword & Sorcery? Here are some series that may or may not be Sword & Sorcery.

 

Jeffrey Lord (House Name – Lyle Kenyon Engel, Roland J Green, Ray Nelson, Manning Lee Stokes)

Richard Blade is transported into other dimensions where he must rely on his sword arm (and James Bondian sexual skills) to survive. This series written under the house name of “Jeffrey Lord” brought heroic fantasy to the “men’s market”, like The Executioner or perhaps closer to Barry Sadler’s Casca type books (ie: lots of violence and a bit of softcore). The series turned to Sword & Planet for the last third or so.

Blade Series

1. The Bronze Axe (1969)
2. The Jade Warrior (1969)
3. Jewel of Tharn (1969)
4. Slave of Sarma (1970)
5. Liberator of Jedd (1971)
6. Monster of the Maze (1973)
7. Pearl of Patmos (1973)
8. Undying World (1973)
9. Kingdom of Royth (1974)
10.  Ice Dragon (1974)
11. Dimension of Dreams (1974)
12. King of Zunga (1975)
13. The Golden Steed (1975)
14. The Temples of Ayocan (1975)
15. The Towers of Melnon (1975)
16. The Crystal Seas (1975)
17. The Mountains of Brega (1976)
18. Warlords Of Gaikon (1976)
19. Looters of Tharn (1976)
20. Guardians Of The Coral Throne (1976)
21. Champion of the Gods (1976)
22. The Forests of Gleor (1976)
23. Empire of Blood (1977)
24. The Dragons of Englor (1977)
25. The Torian Pearls (1977)
26. City of the Living Dead (1978)
27. Master of the Hashomi (1978)
28. Wizard of Rentoro (1978)
29. Treasure of the Stars (1978)
30. Dimension of Horror (1979)
31. Gladiators of Hapanu (1979)
32. Pirates Of Gohar (1979)
33. Killer Plants Of Binnark (1980
34. The Ruins of Kaldac (1981)
35. The Lords of the Crimson River (1981)
36. Return to Kaldak (1983)
37. Warriors of Latan (1984)

 

Larry Niven (1938 – )

Beginning with a soft parody of the genre in 1969, Larry Niven has explored questions that are important to today’s world, such as ecology. Whether you consider the Warlock series SF or fantasy is irrelevant since it is excellent S&S. Few other writers have been able to explore issues with this genre that many consider largely only an entertainment. Niven has proven otherwise. Sandra Miesel has written an excellent essay on the series called “The Mana Crisis” which is at the end of The Magic Goes Away.

The Warlock Series

1. “Not Long Before the End”(Fantasy and Science Fiction, April 1969)
2. “Unfinished Story #1”(Fantasy and Science Fiction, December 1969)
3. “What Good is a Glass Dagger?”(Fantasy and Science Fiction, September 1972)
4. “The Magic Goes Away” (Odyssey, Summer 1976)
5. The Magic Goes Away (1978)–illustrated by Esteban Maroto
6. The Magic May Return (1981) which contains:
7. “Earthshade” by Fred Saberhagen
8. “Manaspill” by Dean Ing
9. “…But Fear Itself” by Steven Barnes
10. “Strength” by Poul Anderson & Mildred Broxon Downey
11. More Magic (1984) which contains:
12. “Talisman” with Dian Girard (Fantasy and Science Fiction, November 1981)
13. “The Lion in his Attic” (Fantasy and Science Fiction, July 1982)
14. “Shadow of Wings” by Bob Shaw
15. “Mana from Heaven” by Roger Zelazny
16. The Time of the Warlock (1984)–omnibus
17. “The Wishing Game” (Aboriginal Science Fiction, May/June 1989)
18. “The Portrait of Daryanree the King” (Aboriginal Science Fiction, September/October 1989)
19. The Burning City (2000)
20. “Chicxulub” (Asimov’s Science Fiction, April/May 2004)
21. “Boomerang” (Flights:Extreme Visions of Fantasy, 2004)
22. “Rhinemaidens” (Asimov’s Science Fiction, January 2005)
23. Burning Tower (2005)

 

M. John Harrison (1945-)

Largely a literary writer now, Harrison began his career with a fantasy novel and later a series of short stories set in the same world. The Virconium stories are not traditional hack-and-slash but colorful and inventive.

Virconium Nights Series

1. The Pastel City (1971)
2. A Storm of Wings (1980)
3. In Viriconium (1982)
4. The Floating Gods (1983)
5. Viriconium Nights (1984)
6. Viriconium (1988) – omnibus

 

Gene Lancour–Pseudonym of Gene Louis Fisher (1947- )

History student Gene Lancour produced an obscure series of hardcovers for Doubleday in the 1970’s about the Barbarian-King, Dirshan. Lancour’s style is exciting but controlled, similar to L. Sprague deCamp. The four volumes are filled with pseudo-history and adventure.

The Dirshan Series

1. The Lerios Mecca (1973)
2. The War Machines of Kalinth (1977)
3. Sword for the Empire (1978)
4. The Man-Eaters of Cascalon (1979)

 

Peter Valentine Timlett (1933- )

English author, Peter Valentine Timlett, must have been surprised at how his work was packaged in the US. Made to look like Conan novels, his fiction is actually occult-influenced adventure fiction, one set in a Celtic world , the other in Atlantis. (The English covers were done by Patrick Woodroffe and are quite cool.) Sword & Sorcery? Certainly violent and gruesome enough. It’s a matter of opinion.

1. The Seedbearers (1974)

2. The Power of the Serpent (1976)

3. Twilight of the Serpent (1977)

 

Tanith Lee (1947-2015)

Tanith Lee has written plenty of fantasy series for adults and teens, winning her the World Fantasy Award and the British Fantasy Award. Of all her work only one controversial entry qualifies as true S&S. The Birthgrave novels are standard S&S until the final act in which the characters enter a spaceship and leave their fantasy world. This last twist has led some fans to call this trilogy sf, but this ignores the fact that the other 99% of the story is excellent S&S. Like Moore and Russ, Lee has the talent to portray female characters without relying on stereotypes. The Birthgrave trilogy was one of her earliest works, and instantly won her the attention she deserves.

The Birthgrave Series

1. The Birthgrave (1975)
2. Vazkor, Son of Vazkor (1978)
3. Shadowfire (1978)
4. Quest For the White Witch (1978)

 

Robert Adams (1932-1990)

Robert Adams is best known as the creator of one series, The Horseclans. Heavy on the action, these tales are set in the 27th Century when man has reverted to barbarism. The history of the brave horse-riders grew from the first tale of Milo Morai (written by Adams while in hospital) into a vast saga. Some novels feature big cats instead of horses. Adams also edited several anthologies of note, Magic in Ithkar with Andre Norton and Barbarians with his wife and Martin Greenberg.

Horseclans

1. The Coming of the Horseclans (1975)
2. Swords of the Horseclans (1977)
3. Revenge of the Horseclans (1977)
4. A Cat of Silvery Hue (1979)
5. The Savage Mountains (1980)
6. The Patrimony (1980)
7. Horseclan Odyssey (1981)
8. The Death of a Legend (1981)
9. The Witch Goddess (1982)
10. Bili the Axe (1983)
11. Champion of the Last Battle (1983)
12. A Woman of the Horseclans (1983)
13. Horses of the North (1985)
14. Tales of the Horseclans (1985)–omnibus
15. A Man Called Milo Morai (1986)
16. The Memories of Milo Morai (1986)
17. Trumpets of War (1987)
18. Madman’s Army (1987)
19. The Clan of the Cats (1988)

Adams Edited Anthologies–with Pamela Crippen Adams

20. Friends of the Horseclans (1987)
21. Friends of the Horseclans II (1989)

 

Graham Diamond (1949-)

You can make an argument either way for Diamond’s work being S&S or not. Basically it’s Sword & Sorcery for the mainstream fan. Lots of dialogue, not so many fight scenes. He also writes other kinds of novels as well.

The Haven Series

1. The Haven (1977) [only as by G. R. Diamond ]
2. Lady of the Haven (1978)
3. Dungeons of Kuba (1979)
4. The Falcon of Eden (1980)
5. The Beast of Hades (1981)
6. Forest Wars (1994)

Samarkand Series

1. Samarkand (1979)
2. Samarkand Dawn (1981)

Marrakesh Series

1. Marrakesh (1981)
2. Marrakesh Nights (1983)

Singles

1. The Thief of Kalimar (1979)
2. Captain Sinbad (1980)
3. Cinnabar (1985)
4. “Outcasts” in Habitats (DAW Books, 1984)

 

Manning Norvil–Pseudonym of Kenneth Bulmer (1921 – 1986)

Kenneth Bulmer wrote these novels under the name of Manning Norvil. The Odan books have a strange explanation on the dedication page. The author claims that he is using a nom de plume, because he is a well-known writer about alien visitors to Earth. The Odan series is interesting because of its setting in remote historical times.

The Odan the Half-God Series

1. Dream Chariots (1977)
2. Whetted Bronze (1978)
3. Crown of the Sword God (1980)

 

Mike Sirota (1946-)

Much of Sirota’s work seems more Edgar Rice Burroughs inspired.

Berbora Series

1. Berbora (1978)
2. Flight from Berbora (1978)

Dannus Series

1. The Prisoner of Reglathium (1978)
2. The Conquerors of Reglathium (1978)
3. The Caves of Reglathium (1978)
4. Dark Straits of Reglathium (1978)
5. The Slaves of Reglathuim (1978)

Ro Lan Series

1. Master of Boranga (1978)
2. The Shrouded Walls of Boranga (1980)
3. Journey to Mesharra (1980)
4. The Demons of Zammar (1981)

Singles

1. The Twentieth Son of Ornon (1980)
2. The Golden Hawk of Zandraya (1981)

 

Alexei (1940-) & Cory Panshin (1947 – )

Alexei Panshin is famous for his SF novel Rite of Passage and his unsympathetic criticism of Heinlein and the Old Guard writers. He has written only one S&S novel, with his wife, Cory. As first attempts go, it’s a good one. It was serialized in Ted White’s Fantastic. Is it S&S or SF?

1. Earthmagic (1978)

 

Gerald Earl Bailey (1929-)

Forgotten Ages #21 said: “… Bailey has two novels about Thorgrim in a pseudo-Viking world. The thing I liked about SWORD OF THE NURLINGAS and the sequel, SWORD OF POYANA is they are restrained. Thorgrim doesn’t kill a monster or defeat a nomad horde every chapter. A shame Bailey didn’t continue writing fantasy.” It is also a shame he didn’t throw in some monsters.

Thorgrim Series

1. Thorgrim 1: Sword of the Nurlingas (1979)
2. Thorgrim 2: Sword of Poyana (1979)

 

Samuel R. Delany (1942-)

Delaney’s Neveryona series has been described as the S&S series that isn’t. Relaying on neither swordplay or wicked sorceries, Delaney plays with reality. He casts doubt on the stories entire interpretation in the epilogue. Is Neveryona is the next step in S&S evolution, the scope and feel of a Conan epic without the standard props?

The Neveryon Series

1. Tales of Neveryon (1979)
2. Neveryon (1983)
3. Flight from Neveryon (1985)
4. The Bridge of Lost Desire (1987) aka Return to Neveryon

 

Gordon D. Shirriffs (1914-1996)

This is actually the book that got me thinking of this piece. Shirriffs wrote a gazillion Westerns then decided to write this book. A historical adventure in the tradition of Talbot Mundy’s Tros of Samothrace (1926), it isn’t even close to S&S. If you consider that Robert E. Howard’s Tiger’s of the Sea (1974) is largely the same (Richard L. Tierney added some Lovecraftian monsters after the fact.) I suppose we can’t complain.

1. Calgaich the Swordsman (1980)

 

Peter Tremayne (1943-)

Peter Tremayne is actually Peter Berresford Ellis, Celtic scholar but also the popular author of mysteries, horror novels and this series.

Lan-Fern Series

1. The Fires of Lan-Kern (1980)
2. The Destroyers of Lan-Kern (1982)
3. The Buccaneers of Lan-Kern (1983)

 

Gene Wolfe (1931-2019)

Gene Wolfe is, like Avram Davidson, a stylist, which is rare among S&S writers. The New Urth novels have won everything from the Nebula, World Fantasy Award, the J. W. Campbell Jr. Award to the Chronicle Award, making it S&S’s most lauded entry. This series features the most unlikely of heroes, a torturer, but then that’s Wolfe for you. Don’t read this expecting Conan the Barbarian.

The New Urth Series

1. The Shadow of the Torturer (1981)–World Fantasy Award 1981
2. The Claw of the Conciliator (1981)–Nebula 1981/Chronicle Award 1981
3. The Sword of the Lictor (1981)–Chronicle Award 1982
4. The Citadel of Autarch (1982)–John W. Campbell Jr. Award 1983
5. The Castle of the Otter (1982)
6. The Book of the New Sun 1 (1983) omnibus
7. The Book of the New Sun 2 (1985) omnibus
8. The Urth of the New Sun (1987)–Chronicle Award 1987
9. Shadow and Claw (omnibus) (1994)
10. Sword and Citadel (omnibus) (1994)
11. The Book of the New Sun (omnibus) (2000)
12. Severian of the Guild (omnibus) (2007)

Urth : Book of the Long Sun Series

1. Nightside the Long Sun (1993)
2. Lake of the Long Sun (1993)
3. Calde of the Long Sun (1994)
4. Exodus from the Long Sun (1996)
5. Litany of the Long Sun (omnibus) (1994)
6. Epiphany of the Long Sun (omnibus) (1997)

Urth : Book of the Short Sun Series

1. On Blue’s Waters (1999)
2. In Green’s Jungles (2000)
3. Return to the Whorl (2001)

Soldier of the Mist Series

1. The Soldier of the Mist (1986)
2. The Soldier of Arete (1989)
3. Soldier of Sidon (2006)
4. Latro in the Mist (omnibus) (2003)

Wizard Knight Series

1. The Knight (2004)
2. The Wizard (2004)
3. The Wizard Knight (2005) omnibus

 

Darrell Schweitzer (1952-)

Darrell Schweitzer has made a name for himself as a critic of horror and fantasy literature. As one of the editors of Weird Tales (in its 4th incarnation), he publishes the best current fiction. Besides editing and criticism, Schweitzer writes some of the most meaningful fantasy, including his one S&S masterwork, The White Isle, originally published in Fantastic in the early 1980s. This novel is as deep as it is dark, but never dull. His work is continuing heroic fantasy in the Clark Ashton Smith tradition.

Singles

1. The Shattered Goddess (1982)
2. The White Isle (1988)
3. The Mask of the Sorcerer (1995)
4. Sekenre: The Book of the Sorcerer (2004)