The Sword & Sorcery Anthology

Starred review from May 21, 2012
Heroes and their mighty deeds populate the pages of this delightfully kitschy, yet absorbing anthology of sword and sorcery short stories from the 1930s onward. Hartwell and Weisman have selected some of the best short-form work in the genre, starting with the originator, Robert E. Howard, and his tales of Conan the Barbarian. The heroes are tough, savvy, and willing to knock a few heads in to get the job done. The soldier of Glen Cook’s Dread Empire and Fritz Leiber’s Grey Mouser make strong appearances, as does Michael Moorcock’s Elric of Melniboné and his dread sword, Stormbringer. Female heroes are as ruthless as their male counterparts: C.L. Moore’s Jirel of Joiry walks through Hell and back to get her revenge, while George R.R. Martin’s Daenerys Stormborn becomes a true queen by outmaneuvering an entire city of slavers. This is an unbeatable selection from classic to modern, and each story brings its A game.

July 1, 2012

Classic tales of sword and sorcery including Robert E. Howard's "Tower of the Elephant," featuring Conan the Barbarian; Michael and Linda Moorcock's "The Caravan of Forgotten Dreams," featuring Elric of Melnibone; and C.L. Moore's "Black God's Kiss," a Jirel of Joiry adventure, illustrate the genre's beginnings. Meanwhile, tales by Caitlin R. Kiernan ("The Sea Troll's Daughter"), Jeffrey Ford ("The Coral Heart"), and George R.R. Martin ("Path of the Dragon") bring the story form up to date without losing the heroic spirit and the emphasis on action and storytelling. VERDICT The 19 stories in this volume span a time period from 1933 to 2012 and provide a strong introduction to this fantasy subgenre.

Copyright 2012 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.