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Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser #1-4
The First Book of Lankhmar
From the moment when they first met, in the commission of the same, audacious theft, Fafhrd, the giant barbarian warrior from the Cold Waste, and the Gray Mouser, master thief, novice wizard and expert swordsman, felt no ordinary affinity. Forged over the gleam of sharpened steel as, back to back, they faced their foes, theirs was a friendship that would take them from adventure to misadventure across all of Nehwon, from the caves of the inner earth to the waves of the outer sea. But it was in the dark alleys and noisome back streets of the great fog-shrouded city of Lankhmar that they became legends.
The First Book of Lankhmar includes the first four volumes of the hugely enjoyable Swords series.
The First Book of Lankhmar includes the first four volumes of the hugely enjoyable Swords series.
762 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2000
83 people are currently reading
1567 people want to read
About the author
Fritz Leiber
1,337 books1,051 followersFritz Reuter Leiber Jr. was one of the more interesting of the young writers who came into HP Lovecraft's orbit, and some of his best early short fiction is horror rather than sf or fantasy. He found his mature voice early in the first of the sword-and-sorcery adventures featuring the large sensitive barbarian Fafhrd and the small street-smart-ish Gray Mouser; he returned to this series at various points in his career, using it sometimes for farce and sometimes for gloomy mood pieces--The Swords of Lankhmar is perhaps the best single volume of their adventures. Leiber's science fiction includes the planet-smashing The Wanderer in which a large cast mostly survive flood, fire, and the sexual attentions of feline aliens, and the satirical A Spectre is Haunting Texas in which a gangling, exo-skeleton-clad actor from the Moon leads a revolution and finds his true love. Leiber's late short fiction, and the fine horror novel Our Lady of Darkness, combine autobiographical issues like his struggle with depression and alcoholism with meditations on the emotional content of the fantastic genres. Leiber's capacity for endless self-reinvention and productive self-examination kept him, until his death, one of the most modern of his sf generation.
Used These Alternate Names: Maurice Breçon, Fric Lajber, Fritz Leiber, Jr., Fritz R. Leiber, Fritz Leiber Jun., Фриц Лейбер, F. Lieber, フリッツ・ライバー
Used These Alternate Names: Maurice Breçon, Fric Lajber, Fritz Leiber, Jr., Fritz R. Leiber, Fritz Leiber Jun., Фриц Лейбер, F. Lieber, フリッツ・ライバー
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 61 reviews
August 5, 2015
Forget the historical import of these stories - everyone and their uncle will tell you how influential Leiber's conception of fantasy was - and instead I'll concentrate on the quality of the stories for a present-day reader.
Swords and Deviltry: Prequels to the whole saga, written 30 years after it first started. The first two stories are perfectly acceptable and not-quite-believable origin stories. I had some fun with Fafhrd's romantic hijinks and entanglements and the French farce-style entering and exiting and spying down upon tents (Leiber's history in the theatre is apparent), although the too-easy ending, based on a necessity, obviously, of getting the two lovebirds together, is sentimental and convenient, given what came before. Still, they're not bad stories. The real gem in the first section, and it's a big one, is the Hugo and Nebula award-winning novella "Ill Met in Lankhmar." It's shockingly good. It begins slowly, introducing us to the characters and the city of Lankhmar, and I especially liked the Mouser's bizarre little oasis of stolen wealth in the attic of an otherwise shabby and abandoned building. Then, the two go off to the Thieves' House, and the story grabs us by the throat. I was surprised at how genuinely suspenseful this was, how immersive. The inside of the Thieves' House is one of the great spaces in speculative fiction, its corridors and stairwells and rooms described with lovingly evocative and mysterious detail. I was reminded of some of the underground spaces in Lovecraft's fiction. This story is fun, yes, but also, by the end, horrifying and tragic. I loved it.
Swords Against Death: Man, these are good. Not just "fun" or "funny," but damn good. Dark. Suspenseful. Even literary. Way better than I expected. "The Jewels in the Forest" is a fascinating adventure, a Dungeons & Dragons-like investigation of a strange building in the forest. Why have the nearby peasants ignored it? What has the little peasant girl seen? "The Thieves' House," a sequel to "Ill Met in Lankhmar," though written 30 years earlier, is another great plunge into that vast labyrinth of an edifice, and is again evocative of Lovecraft. It confirms my love for the stories surrounding the Thieves' Guild. "The Sunken Land" is a near-perfect weird tale, a hypnotic and surreal journey from a strangely silent ship to a nightmarish lost city risen from the sea. "The Seven Black Priests" compellingly follows our heroes across a snowy wasteland as they are pursued by black-robed priests with knives and a devilish purpose. This one contains an absolutely riveting sword fight as the two fighters slide across an ice lake into the mist. "Bazaar of the Bizarre" is another great, surreal mystery, a bit more comical, but with some excellently creepy imagery regarding women in cages hanging from the ceiling. Overall, an exceptional collection of sword-and-sorcery weirdness.
Swords in the Mist: Definitely a step down, as a collection. "The Cloud of Hate" begins it well, with a short but effective story that is really a single sustained image of an eerie mist snaking its way through the alleys of Lankhmar. The dialogue is both poignant and philosophical. "Lean Times in Lankhmar" is a real stand-out here, the only story of equal quality to the previous collection. It's a wonderfully silly satire of religious faith, essentially a single joke with the first 2/3 of the story being the set-up and the last third being the punchline. Great fun. The rest of the stories here, though, are filler, overwritten and unremarkable, and unfortunately they take up over half the collection.
Swords Against Wizardry: A significant return to form, even if not hitting the highs of the earliest collections. The first of two novellas, "Stardock," is a slow but effectively-paced and quite evocative narrative about our two heroes scaling a snowy and mysterious mountain. What they find at the top, encompassing a strange, dreamlike set of events, almost lives up to the tension and drama of the climb - almost. And then, surprisingly, the "bridge" story that Leiber wrote for this edition, "The Two Best Thieves in Lankhmar," is an absolute delight, a fun but also melancholy short story that, in its way, improves the ending of the previous novella. It encapsulates, efficiently, what is so sad, almost tragic, about the lives of these two men. And finally, "The Lords of Quarmall" is a long, but nicely claustrophobic adventure in which the two heroes find themselves in a cavernous underground lair, caught up in an internal family feud. It lacks, perhaps, the eeriness of the best early stories, but it's fun and complex, and as always, Leiber is great at defining spaces for the narratives to take place. As a collection, this one feels satisfyingly connected, almost like an episodic novel.
In the end, what stands out the most in these stories are the atmosphere and the characters. These two guys are archetypal, and in their best stories, there is a strangeness and a melancholy that very effectively undergirds the banter and highjinks, keeping the stories grounded in what turns out to be a moody, surreal, quite unexpectedly frightening world. There is some filler in between, of course, but if you're interested in reading some of the best sword-and-sorcery ever written, make sure you get your hands on the best stories: Ill Met in Lankhmar, the entirety of the collection Swords Against Death, and Lean Times in Lankhmar. If you're hooked, read Swords Against Wizardry as well.
Now I'm moving on to the novel, Swords of Lankhmar.
Swords and Deviltry: Prequels to the whole saga, written 30 years after it first started. The first two stories are perfectly acceptable and not-quite-believable origin stories. I had some fun with Fafhrd's romantic hijinks and entanglements and the French farce-style entering and exiting and spying down upon tents (Leiber's history in the theatre is apparent), although the too-easy ending, based on a necessity, obviously, of getting the two lovebirds together, is sentimental and convenient, given what came before. Still, they're not bad stories. The real gem in the first section, and it's a big one, is the Hugo and Nebula award-winning novella "Ill Met in Lankhmar." It's shockingly good. It begins slowly, introducing us to the characters and the city of Lankhmar, and I especially liked the Mouser's bizarre little oasis of stolen wealth in the attic of an otherwise shabby and abandoned building. Then, the two go off to the Thieves' House, and the story grabs us by the throat. I was surprised at how genuinely suspenseful this was, how immersive. The inside of the Thieves' House is one of the great spaces in speculative fiction, its corridors and stairwells and rooms described with lovingly evocative and mysterious detail. I was reminded of some of the underground spaces in Lovecraft's fiction. This story is fun, yes, but also, by the end, horrifying and tragic. I loved it.
Swords Against Death: Man, these are good. Not just "fun" or "funny," but damn good. Dark. Suspenseful. Even literary. Way better than I expected. "The Jewels in the Forest" is a fascinating adventure, a Dungeons & Dragons-like investigation of a strange building in the forest. Why have the nearby peasants ignored it? What has the little peasant girl seen? "The Thieves' House," a sequel to "Ill Met in Lankhmar," though written 30 years earlier, is another great plunge into that vast labyrinth of an edifice, and is again evocative of Lovecraft. It confirms my love for the stories surrounding the Thieves' Guild. "The Sunken Land" is a near-perfect weird tale, a hypnotic and surreal journey from a strangely silent ship to a nightmarish lost city risen from the sea. "The Seven Black Priests" compellingly follows our heroes across a snowy wasteland as they are pursued by black-robed priests with knives and a devilish purpose. This one contains an absolutely riveting sword fight as the two fighters slide across an ice lake into the mist. "Bazaar of the Bizarre" is another great, surreal mystery, a bit more comical, but with some excellently creepy imagery regarding women in cages hanging from the ceiling. Overall, an exceptional collection of sword-and-sorcery weirdness.
Swords in the Mist: Definitely a step down, as a collection. "The Cloud of Hate" begins it well, with a short but effective story that is really a single sustained image of an eerie mist snaking its way through the alleys of Lankhmar. The dialogue is both poignant and philosophical. "Lean Times in Lankhmar" is a real stand-out here, the only story of equal quality to the previous collection. It's a wonderfully silly satire of religious faith, essentially a single joke with the first 2/3 of the story being the set-up and the last third being the punchline. Great fun. The rest of the stories here, though, are filler, overwritten and unremarkable, and unfortunately they take up over half the collection.
Swords Against Wizardry: A significant return to form, even if not hitting the highs of the earliest collections. The first of two novellas, "Stardock," is a slow but effectively-paced and quite evocative narrative about our two heroes scaling a snowy and mysterious mountain. What they find at the top, encompassing a strange, dreamlike set of events, almost lives up to the tension and drama of the climb - almost. And then, surprisingly, the "bridge" story that Leiber wrote for this edition, "The Two Best Thieves in Lankhmar," is an absolute delight, a fun but also melancholy short story that, in its way, improves the ending of the previous novella. It encapsulates, efficiently, what is so sad, almost tragic, about the lives of these two men. And finally, "The Lords of Quarmall" is a long, but nicely claustrophobic adventure in which the two heroes find themselves in a cavernous underground lair, caught up in an internal family feud. It lacks, perhaps, the eeriness of the best early stories, but it's fun and complex, and as always, Leiber is great at defining spaces for the narratives to take place. As a collection, this one feels satisfyingly connected, almost like an episodic novel.
In the end, what stands out the most in these stories are the atmosphere and the characters. These two guys are archetypal, and in their best stories, there is a strangeness and a melancholy that very effectively undergirds the banter and highjinks, keeping the stories grounded in what turns out to be a moody, surreal, quite unexpectedly frightening world. There is some filler in between, of course, but if you're interested in reading some of the best sword-and-sorcery ever written, make sure you get your hands on the best stories: Ill Met in Lankhmar, the entirety of the collection Swords Against Death, and Lean Times in Lankhmar. If you're hooked, read Swords Against Wizardry as well.
Now I'm moving on to the novel, Swords of Lankhmar.
May 4, 2013
Swords and Sorcery at its best
As part of a generation raised on Elves, Dragons, and Vampire knock offs, Leiber's tales brought a refreshing change from the countless Tolkien imitators that dominate the market. Almost immediately, you're struck at how rational these characters are - concerned as they are with self-preservation and motivation for their own ends. They don't run off at the drop of a hat to save the world from a dark lord or rescue a damsel in distress. If anything, if the pay's good, they may end up working for said dark lord! Imagine that, a fantasy story that contains well rounded, adult characters, rather than the usual do gooder children of the Harry Potter series.
The stories can be hit or miss, and as other reviews have noted, they're best enjoyed in small sips rather than a full dose, but by god, when they're done well, only Robert E Howard's Conan series comes close to matching them.
As part of a generation raised on Elves, Dragons, and Vampire knock offs, Leiber's tales brought a refreshing change from the countless Tolkien imitators that dominate the market. Almost immediately, you're struck at how rational these characters are - concerned as they are with self-preservation and motivation for their own ends. They don't run off at the drop of a hat to save the world from a dark lord or rescue a damsel in distress. If anything, if the pay's good, they may end up working for said dark lord! Imagine that, a fantasy story that contains well rounded, adult characters, rather than the usual do gooder children of the Harry Potter series.
The stories can be hit or miss, and as other reviews have noted, they're best enjoyed in small sips rather than a full dose, but by god, when they're done well, only Robert E Howard's Conan series comes close to matching them.
May 9, 2025
Spade contro la magia
Con i due lunghi racconti (preceduti entrambi da due racconti brevi di raccordo) che compongono Spade contro la magia, si conclude il volume Il mondo di Nehwon, che racchiude i primi quattro libri della saga di Fafhrd e del Gray Mouser.
La rampa delle stelle racconta della difficile scalata di un'altissima montagna irta d'insidie, alla ricerca di un tesoro e di belle donne. La qualità della scrittura sta nel trasmettere al lettore la fatica della salita, che si percepisce in ogni riga.
I signori di Quarmall racconta delle faide interne alla famiglia regnante di un terribile mondo sotterraneo. Qui, Fafhrd e il Gray Mouser sono quasi personaggi secondari rispetto ai due principi in lotta per il potere, due abiette creature colme di crudeltà e vanità. Il loro padre Quarmal, intanto, trama alle loro spalle.
Nel complesso, i due racconti, forse grazie anche alla loro notevole durata, sono tra i più riusciti della saga, che si conferma un classico del genere heroic fantasy. I due protagonisti, prototipo di molte altre coppie del fantasy di cappa e spada, danno il meglio di loro nel rivelare i loro caratteri: scaltro e furfantesco il Gray Mouser, valente e caloroso Fafhrd.
Forse non rimarrà tra i miei libri preferiti, ma sono contento di aver recuperato un classico della letteratura fantasy.
____________________________________________________
Spade nella nebbia
La terza raccolta della saga di Fafhrd e del Gray Mouser, Spade nella nebbia, contiene sei racconti: tre di essi fungono da collegamento tra le storie più lunghe, racchiuse negli altri tre. Il sesto risale al 1937 e costituisce uno dei primissimi racconti scritti da Fritz Leiber; è il più lungo qui contenuto.
Il secondo racconto, Tempi magri a Lankhmar, per quanto descriva efficacemente la metropoli in cui si ambientano tante avventure di Fafhrd e del Gray Mouser, mi ha annoiato: i due protagonisti si ritrovano a essere avversari e il Mouser dovrà studiare un piano per evitare di dover uccidere il suo ex miglior amico.
Il quarto racconto, Quando il re del mare è assente, è una classica avventura sword & sorcery: belle ragazze e tesori nascosti sono un richiamo troppo forte per i due protagonisti, che si calano addirittura sul fondo del mare per cercarli. Non tra i miei racconti preferiti.
Più lungo e articolato è il sesto, Il gambetto dell'adepto, il più gustoso sin dall'inizio, quando Fafhrd scopre che le ragazze che bacia si trasformano in porci. Anche il Gray Mouser è colpito da una simile maledizione, perciò i due decidono di trovare una soluzione e si imbarcano in un'avventura fatta di maghi e castelli, e ovviamente belle ragazze.
Interessante il fatto che questo racconto è ambientato nell'Oriente ellenistico, tra la città fenicia di Tiro e la Persia, quindi nel nostro mondo e non a Nehwon come il resto della saga.
Non i racconti migliori che abbia letto per ora, ma sono curioso di leggere la quarta raccolta.
_______________________________________________________
Spade contro la morte
Dopo la prima raccolta introduttiva, con Spade contro la morte entriamo nel vivo delle avventure di Fafhrd e del Gray Mouser.
I due antieroi, prototipi del guerriero e del rogue di molte altre saghe fantasy, si trovano coinvolti in imprese che consistono solitamente nella ricerca di tesori perduti nei luoghi più remoti del mondo di Nehwon. Abbastanza puntualmente, alla fine del racconto si scopre che il tesoro celava un segreto soprannaturale, solitamente una maledizione, e la situazione si risolve per caso o grazie all'abilità dei protagonisti.
Non mancano racconti che hanno un certo sapore lovecraftesco, in cui in terre riemerse dai fondali marini si muovono creature indescrivibili che attirano i marinai, ma i risultati migliori si raggiungono nelle storie ambientate nella più contenuta e maleodorante Lankhmar, una metropoli del vizio e del ladrocinio.
Continuerò sicuramente questa saga, pilastro del fantasy di cappa e spada: in Spade contro la morte, Fafhrd e il Gray Mouser sono entrati a conoscenza di due committenti soprannaturali (gli stregoni Sheelba e Ningauble) e sono curioso di sapere in quali avventure dovranno imbarcarsi per loro conto.
_________________________________________________________
Spade e diavolerie
La prima raccolta qui contenuta, Spade e Diavolerie, contiene i primi tre racconti nella cronologia di Fafhrd e del Gray Mouser, ma non in ordine di pubblicazione.
Dopo un'introduzione dell'autore e un prologo intitolato Induzione, il primo racconto, Le donne delle nevi, racconta il motivo che ha portato il gigantesco Fafhrd, prototipo del barbaro dal cuore d'oro, ad abbandonare la sua tribù per amore e curiosità. Si tratta di un testo scanzonato e caciarone.
Di diverso tenore la origin story del Gray Mouser (L'empio Graal), smilzo e agile apprendista stregone in cerca di vendetta in seguito all'uccisione del suo maestro: una storia cupa, dai risvolti inquietanti.
Brutto incontro a Lankhmar, che racconta la nascita dell'amicizia tra i due protagonisti, riesce a combinare entrambi gli stili: Fafhrd e il Gray Mouser, ubriachi dopo un contro-furto effettuato insieme per caso, mettono in moto eventi che scatenano le ire e la vendetta della Corporazione dei ladri della puzzolente metropoli Lankhmar. La goliardia di due maschi in cerca di gloria e apprezzamenti femminili si scontra con la meschinità e la crudeltà dei loro antagonisti.
Curiosissimo di leggere di più.
Con i due lunghi racconti (preceduti entrambi da due racconti brevi di raccordo) che compongono Spade contro la magia, si conclude il volume Il mondo di Nehwon, che racchiude i primi quattro libri della saga di Fafhrd e del Gray Mouser.
La rampa delle stelle racconta della difficile scalata di un'altissima montagna irta d'insidie, alla ricerca di un tesoro e di belle donne. La qualità della scrittura sta nel trasmettere al lettore la fatica della salita, che si percepisce in ogni riga.
I signori di Quarmall racconta delle faide interne alla famiglia regnante di un terribile mondo sotterraneo. Qui, Fafhrd e il Gray Mouser sono quasi personaggi secondari rispetto ai due principi in lotta per il potere, due abiette creature colme di crudeltà e vanità. Il loro padre Quarmal, intanto, trama alle loro spalle.
Nel complesso, i due racconti, forse grazie anche alla loro notevole durata, sono tra i più riusciti della saga, che si conferma un classico del genere heroic fantasy. I due protagonisti, prototipo di molte altre coppie del fantasy di cappa e spada, danno il meglio di loro nel rivelare i loro caratteri: scaltro e furfantesco il Gray Mouser, valente e caloroso Fafhrd.
Forse non rimarrà tra i miei libri preferiti, ma sono contento di aver recuperato un classico della letteratura fantasy.
____________________________________________________
Spade nella nebbia
La terza raccolta della saga di Fafhrd e del Gray Mouser, Spade nella nebbia, contiene sei racconti: tre di essi fungono da collegamento tra le storie più lunghe, racchiuse negli altri tre. Il sesto risale al 1937 e costituisce uno dei primissimi racconti scritti da Fritz Leiber; è il più lungo qui contenuto.
Il secondo racconto, Tempi magri a Lankhmar, per quanto descriva efficacemente la metropoli in cui si ambientano tante avventure di Fafhrd e del Gray Mouser, mi ha annoiato: i due protagonisti si ritrovano a essere avversari e il Mouser dovrà studiare un piano per evitare di dover uccidere il suo ex miglior amico.
Il quarto racconto, Quando il re del mare è assente, è una classica avventura sword & sorcery: belle ragazze e tesori nascosti sono un richiamo troppo forte per i due protagonisti, che si calano addirittura sul fondo del mare per cercarli. Non tra i miei racconti preferiti.
Più lungo e articolato è il sesto, Il gambetto dell'adepto, il più gustoso sin dall'inizio, quando Fafhrd scopre che le ragazze che bacia si trasformano in porci. Anche il Gray Mouser è colpito da una simile maledizione, perciò i due decidono di trovare una soluzione e si imbarcano in un'avventura fatta di maghi e castelli, e ovviamente belle ragazze.
Interessante il fatto che questo racconto è ambientato nell'Oriente ellenistico, tra la città fenicia di Tiro e la Persia, quindi nel nostro mondo e non a Nehwon come il resto della saga.
Non i racconti migliori che abbia letto per ora, ma sono curioso di leggere la quarta raccolta.
_______________________________________________________
Spade contro la morte
Dopo la prima raccolta introduttiva, con Spade contro la morte entriamo nel vivo delle avventure di Fafhrd e del Gray Mouser.
I due antieroi, prototipi del guerriero e del rogue di molte altre saghe fantasy, si trovano coinvolti in imprese che consistono solitamente nella ricerca di tesori perduti nei luoghi più remoti del mondo di Nehwon. Abbastanza puntualmente, alla fine del racconto si scopre che il tesoro celava un segreto soprannaturale, solitamente una maledizione, e la situazione si risolve per caso o grazie all'abilità dei protagonisti.
Non mancano racconti che hanno un certo sapore lovecraftesco, in cui in terre riemerse dai fondali marini si muovono creature indescrivibili che attirano i marinai, ma i risultati migliori si raggiungono nelle storie ambientate nella più contenuta e maleodorante Lankhmar, una metropoli del vizio e del ladrocinio.
Continuerò sicuramente questa saga, pilastro del fantasy di cappa e spada: in Spade contro la morte, Fafhrd e il Gray Mouser sono entrati a conoscenza di due committenti soprannaturali (gli stregoni Sheelba e Ningauble) e sono curioso di sapere in quali avventure dovranno imbarcarsi per loro conto.
_________________________________________________________
Spade e diavolerie
La prima raccolta qui contenuta, Spade e Diavolerie, contiene i primi tre racconti nella cronologia di Fafhrd e del Gray Mouser, ma non in ordine di pubblicazione.
Dopo un'introduzione dell'autore e un prologo intitolato Induzione, il primo racconto, Le donne delle nevi, racconta il motivo che ha portato il gigantesco Fafhrd, prototipo del barbaro dal cuore d'oro, ad abbandonare la sua tribù per amore e curiosità. Si tratta di un testo scanzonato e caciarone.
Di diverso tenore la origin story del Gray Mouser (L'empio Graal), smilzo e agile apprendista stregone in cerca di vendetta in seguito all'uccisione del suo maestro: una storia cupa, dai risvolti inquietanti.
Brutto incontro a Lankhmar, che racconta la nascita dell'amicizia tra i due protagonisti, riesce a combinare entrambi gli stili: Fafhrd e il Gray Mouser, ubriachi dopo un contro-furto effettuato insieme per caso, mettono in moto eventi che scatenano le ire e la vendetta della Corporazione dei ladri della puzzolente metropoli Lankhmar. La goliardia di due maschi in cerca di gloria e apprezzamenti femminili si scontra con la meschinità e la crudeltà dei loro antagonisti.
Curiosissimo di leggere di più.
March 3, 2017
Leiber escribe como los dioses, se nota en su prosa dinámica y cuidada, no aburre nunca y la narración es una especie de montaña rusa literaria: sube de a poco hasta las cimas para después arrojarnos en caída libre, si cabe la comparación. Este primer libro del ciclo de Lankhmar incluye las 4 primeras novelas que se publicaron, las dos primeras (Espadas y Nigromantes y Espadas contra la muerte en 1970 y las dos últimas, Espadas en la niebla y Espadas contra la Magia en 1968) a modo de tomo recopilatorio. En los relatos de Fafhrd y el Ratonero Gris encontramos todos los elementos que componen una buena obra de fantasía épico-oscura, es decir, brujas, nigromantes, demonios familiares, estatuas vivientes, sacerdotes negros y toda una parafernalia de monstruos muy originales, salidos de la mente del autor. Hay mucho de crítica social y reflexiones muy importantes sobre la amistad, el honor y el amor, todo ello aderezado con pizcas de un humor muy folletinero y hasta pulp, desperdigado aquí y allá, lo que hace que la lectura se haga muy, muy disfrutable. Puedo asegurar que una vez que conozcan las aventuras de estos dos truhanes, que se desarrollan el mundo conocido de Newhon, no querrán esperar a leer el siguiente tomo (que compilará las novelas 5 a 7). Otra cosa a destacar es que las novelas están compuestas por relatos cortos y largos, algunos autoconclusivos pero que van guardan una relación témporo-espacial, de manera que uno no se pierde con la continuidad de los hechos narrados. En fin, recomendado en toda regla.
EL RATONERO GRIS (I)
Ciudad de tejados que brindan auxilio,
contiene la jungla con muros custodios,
aromas de flores en frascos de vidrio
y antiguos secretos en gruesos grimorios.
Ni el sátiro aguanta, ni fauno ninguno,
el ruido y hedor de la calle atestada;
no logran las fauces de seres nocturnos
abrirse camino y vencer la argamasa.
Entre las gárgolas que adornan tejados
una máscara gris contempla con guasa
la vida que bulle abajo en las calles.
En la biblioteca, las puertas se abren
y dos manos grises los libros ultrajan:
refutan con notas los hechos probados.
EL RATONERO GRIS (I)
Ciudad de tejados que brindan auxilio,
contiene la jungla con muros custodios,
aromas de flores en frascos de vidrio
y antiguos secretos en gruesos grimorios.
Ni el sátiro aguanta, ni fauno ninguno,
el ruido y hedor de la calle atestada;
no logran las fauces de seres nocturnos
abrirse camino y vencer la argamasa.
Entre las gárgolas que adornan tejados
una máscara gris contempla con guasa
la vida que bulle abajo en las calles.
En la biblioteca, las puertas se abren
y dos manos grises los libros ultrajan:
refutan con notas los hechos probados.
April 12, 2011
Originally posted at FanLit.
I must confess that I had some preconceived notions about Fritz Leiber’s work. Because he’s credited with coining the phrase “Sword & Sorcery,” and because I never hear women talking about his stories, I imagined that they appealed mainly to men who like to read stuff that has covers like these:
But, four factors made me decide to give Fritz Leiber a try:
I feel the need to be “educated” in the field of fantasy, which means that I should read novels that are out of my normal repertoire.
Rob and Greg are fans (see their reviews) and I tend to enjoy what they enjoy (even though they have Y chromosomes and probably like those covers).
The fantasy shelves are glutted with urban and teen fantasy and I’m feeling a bit nostalgic.
And (this one’s the clincher) Read More: http://www.fantasyliterature.com/revi...
I must confess that I had some preconceived notions about Fritz Leiber’s work. Because he’s credited with coining the phrase “Sword & Sorcery,” and because I never hear women talking about his stories, I imagined that they appealed mainly to men who like to read stuff that has covers like these:
But, four factors made me decide to give Fritz Leiber a try:
I feel the need to be “educated” in the field of fantasy, which means that I should read novels that are out of my normal repertoire.
Rob and Greg are fans (see their reviews) and I tend to enjoy what they enjoy (even though they have Y chromosomes and probably like those covers).
The fantasy shelves are glutted with urban and teen fantasy and I’m feeling a bit nostalgic.
And (this one’s the clincher) Read More: http://www.fantasyliterature.com/revi...
February 22, 2020
7.5/10
Grand Master of Fantasy and Father of Sword & Sorcery, Fritz Leiber (1910-92) was one of the most distinguished writers of his time, claiming a wide recognition throughout his long career. But what made him famous, were the stories of Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser: an unlikely pair of heroes based on Leiber himself and on his friend Harry Otto Fischer that go through a number of their own (mis)adventures in the City of Lanhkmar and across the world Nehwon.
So here in this volume, are the first four books that compile the first stories of the heroic duo, starting from their young age, their ill-meeting, and their growing friendship and comradeship as we follow them to dangerous adventures full of bizarre mysteries, arcane sorceries and sword fighting, all drawn through an element of dark humour that makes them even more interesting and entertaining.
Grand Master of Fantasy and Father of Sword & Sorcery, Fritz Leiber (1910-92) was one of the most distinguished writers of his time, claiming a wide recognition throughout his long career. But what made him famous, were the stories of Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser: an unlikely pair of heroes based on Leiber himself and on his friend Harry Otto Fischer that go through a number of their own (mis)adventures in the City of Lanhkmar and across the world Nehwon.
So here in this volume, are the first four books that compile the first stories of the heroic duo, starting from their young age, their ill-meeting, and their growing friendship and comradeship as we follow them to dangerous adventures full of bizarre mysteries, arcane sorceries and sword fighting, all drawn through an element of dark humour that makes them even more interesting and entertaining.
February 8, 2025
4/5
Fafhrd y el Ratonero Gris es una de las principales sagas de espada y brujería. De hecho, fue el propio Leiber quien acuñó este término. Este volumen recopila los cuatro primeros libros, todos ellos a su vez antologías de una serie de relatos aparecidos en épocas distintas. Algunas de estas historias fueron escritas como nexo entre las principales para intentar dar una especie de continuidad a la narración.
He encontrado las aventuras de este par de personajes interesantísimas, muy originales, pioneras en algunos aspectos... Se nota que sirvieron de inspiración a autores posteriores, sobre todo a Moorcock. Las ambientaciones tan extravagantes y el humor tan irónico y oscuro fue imitado más tarde por el autor de Elric. Creo que Leiber en este aspecto es menos anárquico, aunque también tiene momentos de grandes dosis de locura. Fafhrd y el Ratonero Gris se acercan más a la figura del antihéroe por momentos, aunque casi siempre salen airosos de sus enfrentamientos. Son más humanos y por ello causan más rechazo, pues cometen muchos de los errores más despreciables de nuestra especie. No considero que la figura del antihéroe sea necesariamente mejor que la del héroe, por rompedora. A veces funciona bien, y a veces no tanto. En este ciclo, por lo general, lo hace; pero, sin embargo, las historias que más me han gustado son las que tienen una estructura más clásica, menos caótica. La de las joyas, la de la masacre del gremio de ladrones, la del jarro, la del bazar... Buah, estas fueron las mejores: aventura en estado puro. Me he quedado, sin duda, con muchas ganas de empezar el siguiente volumen de esta eterna pendiente saga.
Fafhrd y el Ratonero Gris es una de las principales sagas de espada y brujería. De hecho, fue el propio Leiber quien acuñó este término. Este volumen recopila los cuatro primeros libros, todos ellos a su vez antologías de una serie de relatos aparecidos en épocas distintas. Algunas de estas historias fueron escritas como nexo entre las principales para intentar dar una especie de continuidad a la narración.
He encontrado las aventuras de este par de personajes interesantísimas, muy originales, pioneras en algunos aspectos... Se nota que sirvieron de inspiración a autores posteriores, sobre todo a Moorcock. Las ambientaciones tan extravagantes y el humor tan irónico y oscuro fue imitado más tarde por el autor de Elric. Creo que Leiber en este aspecto es menos anárquico, aunque también tiene momentos de grandes dosis de locura. Fafhrd y el Ratonero Gris se acercan más a la figura del antihéroe por momentos, aunque casi siempre salen airosos de sus enfrentamientos. Son más humanos y por ello causan más rechazo, pues cometen muchos de los errores más despreciables de nuestra especie. No considero que la figura del antihéroe sea necesariamente mejor que la del héroe, por rompedora. A veces funciona bien, y a veces no tanto. En este ciclo, por lo general, lo hace; pero, sin embargo, las historias que más me han gustado son las que tienen una estructura más clásica, menos caótica. La de las joyas, la de la masacre del gremio de ladrones, la del jarro, la del bazar... Buah, estas fueron las mejores: aventura en estado puro. Me he quedado, sin duda, con muchas ganas de empezar el siguiente volumen de esta eterna pendiente saga.
July 5, 2024
Not all stories were 5 stars for me (especially the "joining" ones), but most were 5 or 4, and more of the former than the latter.
May 16, 2020
Finalmente sono riuscito a recuperare questo volume, dopo aver letto i comic estratti dalle avventure di Fafhrd e Gray Mouser. Che dire, strepitose, figlie del loro tempo per quello che riguarda la scrittura magari, ma estremamente attuali per come i protagonisti (e non solo) sono strutturati, decisamente la visione di un fantastico molto moderno e dal quale è innegabile che sia stato d'ispirazione per molti grandi autori successivi. Davvero fighissimo!
November 29, 2018
2,5/5 ¡Oh, sielos, le ha puesto mala nota a este clásico de la espada y brujería! ¡Sacrílego, milénico, no respetas nada, tienes el gusto en…!
No odio especialmente a Leiber. Guardo buen recuerdo de El gran tiempo y también leí Hágase la oscuridad, aunque este último fue en inglés y no recuerdo gran cosa. En parte ese es el problema con este autor, y es que es tan difícil de leer que llega a hacerse soporífero. Con este ómnibus he revivido los sudores fríos de Olvidado rey Gudú, y reconozco que con solo escribir este título me tiemblan los dedos y me llegan flashbacks de la guerra. Las aventuras de Fafhrd y el Ratonero Gris son pulp, mientras que lo de Matute quería ser más alta literatura, pero el estilo es similar: recargadísimo y arcaizante. No es que sea barroco, no; la sintaxis es normal, el problema está con el léxico, por lo que voy a decir que es rococó. Eso: rococó. Además, las descripciones hacen bueno a Tolkien y la narrativa suele patinar. Por cierto, he tardado un año en leerme este volumen (tras un primer intento infructuoso hace años) y, si lo he conseguido, ha sido porque lo he intercalado con lecturas más entretenidas.
¿Por qué, entonces, me he forzado a leer este tochaco? ¿Quién me manda sufrir, con todo lo que tengo pendiente que sí me apetece? Por una parte, quería ver cómo era la fantasía tipo Dragones y mazmorras antes de que llegase Tolkien. Me habían dicho que esto también es protogrimdark, subgénero del que solo tiene destellos de mala baba aquí y allá, pero poca cosa. Sinceramente, tiene más en común con Howard, Poe y Lovecraft (y Burroughs, aunque no tengo el gusto), por lo que yo aquí veo pulp a punta pala. Y a mí el pulp me resbala a tope porque apenas lo he tocado. Por otra, quería ver hasta qué punto se basó Pratchett en esta saga para crear el Mundodisco. Lo segundo sí ha sido interesante y me ha hecho disfrutar de varios cuentos. Veamos.
Más que el Mundodisco en general, es Ankh-Morpork como ciudad la que tiene una gran deuda con las aventuras de Fafhrd y el Ratonero Gris. De hecho, no es casualidad que el centro del mundo de estos dos pillastres se llame Lankhmar. Conforme avanza la serie del Mundodisco, este se va alejando de la obra de Leiber, pero el estado de la ciudad en su era preindustrial, y especialmente en los dos primeros libros (El color de la magia y La luz fantástica), recuerda mucho a Lankhmar hasta el punto de ser una parodia de aquella (tampoco voy a descubrir la pólvora con esta comparación). Sinceramente, los cuentos que más he disfrutado de este libro han sido en los que más he identificado una proto Ankh-Morpork y son los que recomiendo para quien sea fan de Pratchett y tenga curiosidad al respecto.
Si solo vas a leerte un cuento, que sea la novela corta Aciago encuentro en Lankhmar, que ganó un Hugo y un Nebula, y con razón: esto es puro Ankh-Morpork, y además la narrativa es genial. Luego «La casa de los ladrones» recupera ese escenario y concepto conseguidísimo que es el proto Gremio de los ladrones de Ankh-Morpork. Por otra parte, «Malos tiempos en Lankhmar» sería claramente la inspiración para el templo de los Dioses Menores de Ankh-Morpork (y el concepto general del teísmo del Mundodisco, solo que desde una perspectiva agnóstica) y es divertidísimo, hasta el punto de ser gracioso (¡!). «El bazar de lo extraño» tiene un arranque densito, pero pronto nos atrapa con sus imágenes y nos hace pensar en las tiendas errantes del Mundodisco (multiverso, más bien). Finalmente, «Los dos mejores ladrones de Lankhmar» (título que contiene un error de traducción, pero reconozco que no es fácil de resolver) es una historia que recupera ese proto Tambor Roto/Remendado de Ankh-Morpork, se lee en dos patás y es bien maja, aunque predecible. La que he detestado por completo hasta el punto de querer desistir, ya rozando la línea de meta, ha sido «La dársena de las estrellas»: definitivamente, me llevo mal con las historias de dos personas caminando por (o escalando) un mundo helado página tras soporífera página tras insoportable página. Es la muerte a pellizcos.
En resumen, la mayoría no ha envejecido bien en cuanto a narrativa y estilo, aunque varios cuentos sí siguen funcionando a la perfección. Lo recomiendo para nostálgicos del pulp o para fans letales de Pratchett. Y, discúlpame que insista, siempre en español.
No odio especialmente a Leiber. Guardo buen recuerdo de El gran tiempo y también leí Hágase la oscuridad, aunque este último fue en inglés y no recuerdo gran cosa. En parte ese es el problema con este autor, y es que es tan difícil de leer que llega a hacerse soporífero. Con este ómnibus he revivido los sudores fríos de Olvidado rey Gudú, y reconozco que con solo escribir este título me tiemblan los dedos y me llegan flashbacks de la guerra. Las aventuras de Fafhrd y el Ratonero Gris son pulp, mientras que lo de Matute quería ser más alta literatura, pero el estilo es similar: recargadísimo y arcaizante. No es que sea barroco, no; la sintaxis es normal, el problema está con el léxico, por lo que voy a decir que es rococó. Eso: rococó. Además, las descripciones hacen bueno a Tolkien y la narrativa suele patinar. Por cierto, he tardado un año en leerme este volumen (tras un primer intento infructuoso hace años) y, si lo he conseguido, ha sido porque lo he intercalado con lecturas más entretenidas.
¿Por qué, entonces, me he forzado a leer este tochaco? ¿Quién me manda sufrir, con todo lo que tengo pendiente que sí me apetece? Por una parte, quería ver cómo era la fantasía tipo Dragones y mazmorras antes de que llegase Tolkien. Me habían dicho que esto también es protogrimdark, subgénero del que solo tiene destellos de mala baba aquí y allá, pero poca cosa. Sinceramente, tiene más en común con Howard, Poe y Lovecraft (y Burroughs, aunque no tengo el gusto), por lo que yo aquí veo pulp a punta pala. Y a mí el pulp me resbala a tope porque apenas lo he tocado. Por otra, quería ver hasta qué punto se basó Pratchett en esta saga para crear el Mundodisco. Lo segundo sí ha sido interesante y me ha hecho disfrutar de varios cuentos. Veamos.
Más que el Mundodisco en general, es Ankh-Morpork como ciudad la que tiene una gran deuda con las aventuras de Fafhrd y el Ratonero Gris. De hecho, no es casualidad que el centro del mundo de estos dos pillastres se llame Lankhmar. Conforme avanza la serie del Mundodisco, este se va alejando de la obra de Leiber, pero el estado de la ciudad en su era preindustrial, y especialmente en los dos primeros libros (El color de la magia y La luz fantástica), recuerda mucho a Lankhmar hasta el punto de ser una parodia de aquella (tampoco voy a descubrir la pólvora con esta comparación). Sinceramente, los cuentos que más he disfrutado de este libro han sido en los que más he identificado una proto Ankh-Morpork y son los que recomiendo para quien sea fan de Pratchett y tenga curiosidad al respecto.
Si solo vas a leerte un cuento, que sea la novela corta Aciago encuentro en Lankhmar, que ganó un Hugo y un Nebula, y con razón: esto es puro Ankh-Morpork, y además la narrativa es genial. Luego «La casa de los ladrones» recupera ese escenario y concepto conseguidísimo que es el proto Gremio de los ladrones de Ankh-Morpork. Por otra parte, «Malos tiempos en Lankhmar» sería claramente la inspiración para el templo de los Dioses Menores de Ankh-Morpork (y el concepto general del teísmo del Mundodisco, solo que desde una perspectiva agnóstica) y es divertidísimo, hasta el punto de ser gracioso (¡!). «El bazar de lo extraño» tiene un arranque densito, pero pronto nos atrapa con sus imágenes y nos hace pensar en las tiendas errantes del Mundodisco (multiverso, más bien). Finalmente, «Los dos mejores ladrones de Lankhmar» (título que contiene un error de traducción, pero reconozco que no es fácil de resolver) es una historia que recupera ese proto Tambor Roto/Remendado de Ankh-Morpork, se lee en dos patás y es bien maja, aunque predecible. La que he detestado por completo hasta el punto de querer desistir, ya rozando la línea de meta, ha sido «La dársena de las estrellas»: definitivamente, me llevo mal con las historias de dos personas caminando por (o escalando) un mundo helado página tras soporífera página tras insoportable página. Es la muerte a pellizcos.
En resumen, la mayoría no ha envejecido bien en cuanto a narrativa y estilo, aunque varios cuentos sí siguen funcionando a la perfección. Lo recomiendo para nostálgicos del pulp o para fans letales de Pratchett. Y, discúlpame que insista, siempre en español.
May 31, 2011
This Fantasy Masterworks volume compiles the first four books of the Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser series, each book being itself comprised of various short stories and novellas written at different times (the Wikipedia article has a rundown of all the stories, when they were written and in which book they can be found). The titular characters are Fafhrd, a giant barbarian from the frozen north and the Grey Mouser, a small roguish man with some sorcerous training. The first two stories of the first book contain origin stories for each character, with the third showing their first meeting and how they became firm friends.
The stories all have a fairly similar structure to them, often being tales in which the dynamic duo are questing for treasure or independently end up on the same quest. While certainly enjoyable, one problem that I had with the books was their treatment of women. When female characters do appear they are often quite strong, but mostly their appearance is purely cosmetic, something for the two protagonists to ogle or fight over which can be somewhat uncomfortable at times.
Enjoyable, but best read with a suitably barbarian mindset.
The stories all have a fairly similar structure to them, often being tales in which the dynamic duo are questing for treasure or independently end up on the same quest. While certainly enjoyable, one problem that I had with the books was their treatment of women. When female characters do appear they are often quite strong, but mostly their appearance is purely cosmetic, something for the two protagonists to ogle or fight over which can be somewhat uncomfortable at times.
Enjoyable, but best read with a suitably barbarian mindset.
November 16, 2014
Immensely fun romp through the bedrock of modern fantasy with two engaging and enjoyable characters, until the constant overwriting and simmering misogyny begins to chafe just a little too often and a little too constantly for comfort. Cut the reading experience into quarters along the dotted lines described by the volumes that make up the book, and refresh your palate in between them, and this remains a thoroughly fun experience. It just requires the reader to be understanding of its real world cultural roots, otherwise you'll finish the book relieved that it's all over, which is less than these seminal stories deserve.
July 11, 2017
Read this to keep yourself young. The stories can be a bit formulaic, but what a great formula: the classic odd-couple, bonded through manly adventure. The fantasy is extravagent with a feeling of newness even for seasoned fantasy readers. I found the writing very well-crafted, especially for stories which make absolutely no literary pretense: just solidly crafted plot and prose. Read it to please yourself, or to pass along to a young reader in your life. I _wish_ I'd read this when I was 12....
June 18, 2015
Si te gusta la fantasia tienes que leer las aventuras de Fafhrd y el Ratonero Gris porque sin duda te van a encantar, y si ademas eres jugador de rol no puedes perderte una de las obras que inspiro a lso creadores del D&D.
December 20, 2017
Somewhat dated, this still mostly holds up as one leg of the triad of inspiration for most fantasy authors of the past few decades. Leiber uses words like Monet uses paint, subtly and slightly to produce vivid images.
January 20, 2015
Unforgettable stories, very convincing and superbly well written.
April 20, 2017
Robert E. Howard meets William Shakespeare. Pretty pleasant read, except I wish I had read it twenty years ago.
November 23, 2023
This collection contains 4 volumes of short stories about Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser written between the 1930's and the 1970. Not all of this has aged as well but some of the stories in here are 5 star material. The influence of Fritz Lieber and these stories is very clear while reading this. Quite some standard fantasy tropes, roleplay world ideas and stereotypes are based on parts of these stories.
The real special thing is that Lieber plays with and even already subverses quite some of these fantasy tropes that were still in their infancy when he did that.
The real special thing is that Lieber plays with and even already subverses quite some of these fantasy tropes that were still in their infancy when he did that.
July 20, 2025
really compelling punchy stories that build two lovable rogues.
absolutely recommend for fans of action-oriented fantasy
absolutely recommend for fans of action-oriented fantasy
April 25, 2016
A thick book of stories, this volume is packed with some of the best sword and sorcery I've read in a long time and really confirms that Leiber was one of the stars in the genre's firmament. Written as short stories, which suits both the sword and sorcery genre and the characters, the narratives within have a different texture to those I've read to other writers of the genre, whilst losing nothing of the strangeness or wildness that make it one of the more interesting sections of the fantasy genre.
The book starts surprisingly slowly and the first story is perhaps the weakest part of the book; it drags a little as the Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser are introduced and are set upon their paths. The writing here is self indulgent and woolly, and it's a relief when the characters arrive in Lankhmar itself and meet, if only because the pace picks up and Leiber's use of language becomes much sharper.
Despite this I must say it's a shame that two interesting characters, the women the protagonists are romantically involved with, are killed off in the first story. Partly, it feels cheap and cliched but also the women's deaths feel like a waste, they had potential and through their deaths it's squandered. Even with the springboard it gives the characters for the other stories (as they're established as being driven by guilt), it's something of a blemish on the book. Of course this may be because this sort of motivation for heroes has become ubiquitous across fantastic fiction, to the extent that within comics the "women in refrigerators" trope has been established, deconstructed and soundly mocked.
The rest of the stories are intriguing and make for more fulfilling reading. The world that Leiber builds has a charm to it, full of wonders and mysteries. Whether on the streets of Lankhmar itself, full of strangeness and charm but seedy and somehow realistic feeling, or out in the odder parts of Nehwon, the world feels solid and exciting. The city, which forms the centre of the characters' world, is almost a third character and has a texture of its own.
In common with many sword and sorcery settings it feels as if it has been constructed piece by piece rather than as a whole; the stories have come first and there's no feeling that Leiber ever sat down and mapped the world out. This doesn't matter because the stories are so intimate; they don't tackle the world spanning events, and the more political aspects of the protagonists' careers are skated over rather than fully explored. This seems apposite as the heart of both characters is focused on adventure and the acquisition of gold, it's clear from the start that neither Fafhrd or the Mouser will end up as kings; neither of them are Conan.
This said they aren't Elric either and moments of melancholia are generally swept away by a fresh adventure or an opportunity to engage in cunning; even the prospect of being sent from Nehwon into the ancient world of our own Earth isn't enough to dampen their spirits for long (this is perhaps the bravest part of the book, and makes for an interesting read as Leiber adapts both his protagonists to their new setting, albeit briefly). It's clear that Leiber had fun creating challenges for the pair, which range from violence to the unfortunate side effects of spells, usually cast by the Mouser himself.
The characters are well drawn, multi faceted creations, far from being simple warriors they have other traits, from the Mouser's magic or Fafhrd's skald, bardic abilities. This gives the characters so much depth and variety and allows them to exhibit a wonderful level of whimsy. Their shared history is referenced in places, none so more effectively than the final story where they stage a duel for the benefit of rival employers to great effect.
If I had to sum up Lankhmar in a single word it would be charming; the work practically oozes charisma from the page and is such an easy read that twice whilst reading it I lost track of time, hardly a good thing on your morning commute. This comes highly recommended for sword and sorcery fans.
The book starts surprisingly slowly and the first story is perhaps the weakest part of the book; it drags a little as the Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser are introduced and are set upon their paths. The writing here is self indulgent and woolly, and it's a relief when the characters arrive in Lankhmar itself and meet, if only because the pace picks up and Leiber's use of language becomes much sharper.
Despite this I must say it's a shame that two interesting characters, the women the protagonists are romantically involved with, are killed off in the first story. Partly, it feels cheap and cliched but also the women's deaths feel like a waste, they had potential and through their deaths it's squandered. Even with the springboard it gives the characters for the other stories (as they're established as being driven by guilt), it's something of a blemish on the book. Of course this may be because this sort of motivation for heroes has become ubiquitous across fantastic fiction, to the extent that within comics the "women in refrigerators" trope has been established, deconstructed and soundly mocked.
The rest of the stories are intriguing and make for more fulfilling reading. The world that Leiber builds has a charm to it, full of wonders and mysteries. Whether on the streets of Lankhmar itself, full of strangeness and charm but seedy and somehow realistic feeling, or out in the odder parts of Nehwon, the world feels solid and exciting. The city, which forms the centre of the characters' world, is almost a third character and has a texture of its own.
In common with many sword and sorcery settings it feels as if it has been constructed piece by piece rather than as a whole; the stories have come first and there's no feeling that Leiber ever sat down and mapped the world out. This doesn't matter because the stories are so intimate; they don't tackle the world spanning events, and the more political aspects of the protagonists' careers are skated over rather than fully explored. This seems apposite as the heart of both characters is focused on adventure and the acquisition of gold, it's clear from the start that neither Fafhrd or the Mouser will end up as kings; neither of them are Conan.
This said they aren't Elric either and moments of melancholia are generally swept away by a fresh adventure or an opportunity to engage in cunning; even the prospect of being sent from Nehwon into the ancient world of our own Earth isn't enough to dampen their spirits for long (this is perhaps the bravest part of the book, and makes for an interesting read as Leiber adapts both his protagonists to their new setting, albeit briefly). It's clear that Leiber had fun creating challenges for the pair, which range from violence to the unfortunate side effects of spells, usually cast by the Mouser himself.
The characters are well drawn, multi faceted creations, far from being simple warriors they have other traits, from the Mouser's magic or Fafhrd's skald, bardic abilities. This gives the characters so much depth and variety and allows them to exhibit a wonderful level of whimsy. Their shared history is referenced in places, none so more effectively than the final story where they stage a duel for the benefit of rival employers to great effect.
If I had to sum up Lankhmar in a single word it would be charming; the work practically oozes charisma from the page and is such an easy read that twice whilst reading it I lost track of time, hardly a good thing on your morning commute. This comes highly recommended for sword and sorcery fans.
May 16, 2019
Chances are if you're at all interested in fantasy then you've probably heard of Lankhmar and its heroes Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser, and if you somehow haven't then you've probably experienced some variation or homage to them because nearly every author you like has heard of them. This is especially true if you've ever spent any time around a tabletop rolling a d20 as the makers of Dungeons and Dragons had licensed the Lankhmar setting for their own purposes (in the interests of full disclosure that's how I first heard of them as a teenager), which actually worked out well for Fritz Leiber as the royalty checks raised his standard of living slightly.
Leiber wrote quite a few stories over the course of his long life but if Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser weren't in the first lines of his obituary when he died, I'm sure they made it into the second. Not only were they his most famous characters, written over the course of fifty years, but their tales more or less shaped the sword and sorcery genre as we know it, giving us visually mismatched adventurers (Fafhrd is a super strapping northern barbarian while the Mouser is a little fellow and slightly more refined) who wind up in all kinds of trouble in strange lands with fantastic beings, when they aren't causing trouble on their own in their semi-home city of Lankhmar. They rarely quest to save the world and are more interested in stealing stuff, romancing women and downing vast quantities of alcoholic beverages, not necessarily in that order but if they can swing all three at the same time, so be it. Oh, and sometimes they stab people to death, but generally that's in self-defense (one of my favorite things about them is how they name their swords but its not always the same sword . . . if they lose it they just give the next one the same name . . . take that, Elrond!).
If this sounds like a string of Conan stories with more camaraderie and less of Robert Howard's racial and sexual hangups, that's basically what you have. And much like the Conan stories, Leiber arranged them so they form a chronological arc of our heroes' lives, giving us a chance to see them change and grow over time. Which for me, either because I got more used to the characters or Leiber simply became better at writing them as he went on, I found I liked the later stories better than the earlier ones.
The stories are arranged in seven books that are collected in two omnibuses, of which this is the first. "Swords and Deviltry" is actually interesting as the progenitor, not only does it contain origin stories of a sort for the pair, with "The Snow Women" giving us the early life Fafhrd (and feels realized enough I wish we saw more of it) and "The Unholy Grail" showing the Mouser as an apprentice wizard trying to avenge his teacher's death. Both are good glimpses of their early lives, but the reason you're staying is for "Ill Met in Lankhmar", which won the Hugo and Nebula for Novella that year and not only gives us the first meeting of Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser but also the city of Lankhmar itself, as they steal stuff, experience tragedy and then go about wrecking everything they can in the process. They're a good team from the start, the city feels realized enough that you don't need a map, and it shows how they're capable of disrupting almost anything they touch when they go up against the Thieves' Guild (for me, the best of their stories are when they act as agents of chaos messing with an otherwise stable system, corrupt or not).
It’s a good start, although from there it gets a little less even in "Swords Against Death" which follows the events of the first book but is mostly random adventures that involve them getting lured into trouble or seeking it out. Leiber's style in the earlier goings is a bit wordier and you don't get as much of a sense of the two are great friends as much as two guys out to do stuff together. For me the stories are more memorable for their concepts than they are for the stories themselves, although all of them have their moments . . . "The Price of Pain-Ease" deals directly with the tragedies they experienced in the first book, as well as introducing mainstays wizards/patrons/pains in their butts Sheelba and Ningauble, while "Bazaar of the Bizarre" is one of the few stories where Fafhrd is the clever one and "Claws from the Night" is a fun if convoluted mystery (a lot of these stories get hamstrung by an inability to figure out what the actual stakes are beyond staying alive to make it to the next story).
"Swords of Mist" for me had two keepers. One is "Lean Times in Lankhmar" where our two heroes briefly go their separate ways and wind up getting hired by opposing sides where they have to not let on that they know each other while not getting each other killed and avoiding getting killed by anyone else either. The other was "Adept's Gambit" which seems to start out as one of the more rambling stories and then almost out of nowhere sidetrips into something pleasingly strange as the action basically stops so we can get a near short story length backstory about what's going on before diving back into everyone trying not to get killed as the stakes become somewhat clearer. Those are my two favorites, although I'm sure some people are fans of "The Wrong Branch", which somehow takes our pair to our Earth's past. It never quite congealed for me but it sure is wacky in parts.
The last book I thought was the best overall but it takes a while to get there. One of the flaws of the earlier stories is how its not exactly clear what's going on beyond our heroes reacting to stuff happening. In these four stories there's a definite direction as they spend a lot of time trying to ascend a mountain for treasure, which at least is a clear goal. They're also maturing and Leiber is laying off drowning us in description so we get more banter between the two and a sense that they're good friends who actually care about each other when they're not bickering. With "Stardock" mostly consumed with mountain climbing and the only other main character a snowcat they bring along, we get al Fafhrd and Mouser all the time and the it does a lot to develop them. So much so that when they inevitably separated in time for "The Lords of Quarmall", they come across as stronger characters when acting alone and you get better sense of how they effectively play off each other.
"Lords of Quarmall" might be my favorite in the omnibus, frankly. Working from the same "the boys are hired by opposite sides" premise from "Adept's Gambit" only with the stakes raised quite a bit the two find themselves in a multi-level underground kingdom, with two floors each ruled by brothers that hate each other and are ready to become king when their father dies. Fafhrd and the Mouser both separately figure out their working for lunatics and as the king does bite it all hell breaks loose as they have to avoid being manipulated into killing each other while pretending they've never met and getting out before the place collapses, preferably with the attractive women they've rescued. At times it can remind you of the Conan story "Red Nails", only insane in a way that doesn't involve sadomasochistic undertones (we can debate how "under" those undertones are), more of a breakneck adventure where the boys have to do what they do best, mess things up and then escape from the wreckage they've created.
Its one of the longer stories here and you can probably make a good case that these stories work better when Leiber has more room to develop both the scenario and the interplay between the two . . . the shorter stories feel like he's trying to cram all that in a much smaller space and so sometimes feel like a series of whiplashes given during a movie screening while someone is trying to quiz you about the plot. Given more space to stretch out the plot becomes clearer (something that's so far carried over into the second omnibus) and our heroes' impact is more evident.
Not every story is a winner but most are pretty good. Since they invented a lot of fantasy tropes elements of the stories can feel familiar sometimes but Leiber has his own brand of weird imagination that no one was quite able to duplicate (the two wizards alone are fun, especially the one that keeps leaving random notes in odd places offering advice). On some level Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser shaped a lot of the fantasy that came after it so if you're tired of noble heroes engaging in epic quests to save the world with armies clashing these two are a nice antidote and probably a cornerstone of understanding how someone besides Tolkien influenced the genre.
Leiber wrote quite a few stories over the course of his long life but if Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser weren't in the first lines of his obituary when he died, I'm sure they made it into the second. Not only were they his most famous characters, written over the course of fifty years, but their tales more or less shaped the sword and sorcery genre as we know it, giving us visually mismatched adventurers (Fafhrd is a super strapping northern barbarian while the Mouser is a little fellow and slightly more refined) who wind up in all kinds of trouble in strange lands with fantastic beings, when they aren't causing trouble on their own in their semi-home city of Lankhmar. They rarely quest to save the world and are more interested in stealing stuff, romancing women and downing vast quantities of alcoholic beverages, not necessarily in that order but if they can swing all three at the same time, so be it. Oh, and sometimes they stab people to death, but generally that's in self-defense (one of my favorite things about them is how they name their swords but its not always the same sword . . . if they lose it they just give the next one the same name . . . take that, Elrond!).
If this sounds like a string of Conan stories with more camaraderie and less of Robert Howard's racial and sexual hangups, that's basically what you have. And much like the Conan stories, Leiber arranged them so they form a chronological arc of our heroes' lives, giving us a chance to see them change and grow over time. Which for me, either because I got more used to the characters or Leiber simply became better at writing them as he went on, I found I liked the later stories better than the earlier ones.
The stories are arranged in seven books that are collected in two omnibuses, of which this is the first. "Swords and Deviltry" is actually interesting as the progenitor, not only does it contain origin stories of a sort for the pair, with "The Snow Women" giving us the early life Fafhrd (and feels realized enough I wish we saw more of it) and "The Unholy Grail" showing the Mouser as an apprentice wizard trying to avenge his teacher's death. Both are good glimpses of their early lives, but the reason you're staying is for "Ill Met in Lankhmar", which won the Hugo and Nebula for Novella that year and not only gives us the first meeting of Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser but also the city of Lankhmar itself, as they steal stuff, experience tragedy and then go about wrecking everything they can in the process. They're a good team from the start, the city feels realized enough that you don't need a map, and it shows how they're capable of disrupting almost anything they touch when they go up against the Thieves' Guild (for me, the best of their stories are when they act as agents of chaos messing with an otherwise stable system, corrupt or not).
It’s a good start, although from there it gets a little less even in "Swords Against Death" which follows the events of the first book but is mostly random adventures that involve them getting lured into trouble or seeking it out. Leiber's style in the earlier goings is a bit wordier and you don't get as much of a sense of the two are great friends as much as two guys out to do stuff together. For me the stories are more memorable for their concepts than they are for the stories themselves, although all of them have their moments . . . "The Price of Pain-Ease" deals directly with the tragedies they experienced in the first book, as well as introducing mainstays wizards/patrons/pains in their butts Sheelba and Ningauble, while "Bazaar of the Bizarre" is one of the few stories where Fafhrd is the clever one and "Claws from the Night" is a fun if convoluted mystery (a lot of these stories get hamstrung by an inability to figure out what the actual stakes are beyond staying alive to make it to the next story).
"Swords of Mist" for me had two keepers. One is "Lean Times in Lankhmar" where our two heroes briefly go their separate ways and wind up getting hired by opposing sides where they have to not let on that they know each other while not getting each other killed and avoiding getting killed by anyone else either. The other was "Adept's Gambit" which seems to start out as one of the more rambling stories and then almost out of nowhere sidetrips into something pleasingly strange as the action basically stops so we can get a near short story length backstory about what's going on before diving back into everyone trying not to get killed as the stakes become somewhat clearer. Those are my two favorites, although I'm sure some people are fans of "The Wrong Branch", which somehow takes our pair to our Earth's past. It never quite congealed for me but it sure is wacky in parts.
The last book I thought was the best overall but it takes a while to get there. One of the flaws of the earlier stories is how its not exactly clear what's going on beyond our heroes reacting to stuff happening. In these four stories there's a definite direction as they spend a lot of time trying to ascend a mountain for treasure, which at least is a clear goal. They're also maturing and Leiber is laying off drowning us in description so we get more banter between the two and a sense that they're good friends who actually care about each other when they're not bickering. With "Stardock" mostly consumed with mountain climbing and the only other main character a snowcat they bring along, we get al Fafhrd and Mouser all the time and the it does a lot to develop them. So much so that when they inevitably separated in time for "The Lords of Quarmall", they come across as stronger characters when acting alone and you get better sense of how they effectively play off each other.
"Lords of Quarmall" might be my favorite in the omnibus, frankly. Working from the same "the boys are hired by opposite sides" premise from "Adept's Gambit" only with the stakes raised quite a bit the two find themselves in a multi-level underground kingdom, with two floors each ruled by brothers that hate each other and are ready to become king when their father dies. Fafhrd and the Mouser both separately figure out their working for lunatics and as the king does bite it all hell breaks loose as they have to avoid being manipulated into killing each other while pretending they've never met and getting out before the place collapses, preferably with the attractive women they've rescued. At times it can remind you of the Conan story "Red Nails", only insane in a way that doesn't involve sadomasochistic undertones (we can debate how "under" those undertones are), more of a breakneck adventure where the boys have to do what they do best, mess things up and then escape from the wreckage they've created.
Its one of the longer stories here and you can probably make a good case that these stories work better when Leiber has more room to develop both the scenario and the interplay between the two . . . the shorter stories feel like he's trying to cram all that in a much smaller space and so sometimes feel like a series of whiplashes given during a movie screening while someone is trying to quiz you about the plot. Given more space to stretch out the plot becomes clearer (something that's so far carried over into the second omnibus) and our heroes' impact is more evident.
Not every story is a winner but most are pretty good. Since they invented a lot of fantasy tropes elements of the stories can feel familiar sometimes but Leiber has his own brand of weird imagination that no one was quite able to duplicate (the two wizards alone are fun, especially the one that keeps leaving random notes in odd places offering advice). On some level Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser shaped a lot of the fantasy that came after it so if you're tired of noble heroes engaging in epic quests to save the world with armies clashing these two are a nice antidote and probably a cornerstone of understanding how someone besides Tolkien influenced the genre.
May 20, 2011
I suspect this is not one book, but five books in one binding.
In fact, it's not even that. It's a few dozen short pulpy adventure tales, divided into five nominal books, bound together as one volume. All the stories star Fafhrd (a red-haired barbarian from the far North) and the Grey Mouser (a short, grey-wearing guy) as they adventure and quest around their world, and, in one particularly bizarre volume, ours. It's over 600 pages of pulpy fantasy, so kudos for being entertaining enough for me to get all the way through.
The first volume is by far the most linear: it follows the adolescence / early manhood of its two heroes, and the adventures that lead them to leave their respective homes behind and head for Lankhmar. Each aquires a ladyfriend along the way. Ultimately, they meet, and not long after, they get drunk together and decide to sneak into the most dangerous building in Lankhmar. Things don't go entirely to plan (in their absence, their ladyfriends are brutally murdered), and for the rest of the five books, we're in for some heavy duty bromance as neither hero ever forms a real attachement to a lady again...
The tone of the writing is engaging and musical, befitting the overall atmosphere. On the other hand, the plot is often quite thin: there are few basic plotlines. One is: Grey Mouser and Fafhrd have to overcome some challenge to win their level - ahem - obtain their trinket / succeed. Another is: Grey Mouser and Fafhrd unknowingly get sent out on quests independently that will pitch them against each other at the climax: will their friendship prevail?
In terms of characterisation, the books are sometimes quite inconsistent. The Fafhrd of the start is a richer, more complex character than the one having all the later adventures. It is almost as if he were diminished by his adventurings. The Grey Mouser starts out as magician's apprentice, but in many plotlines, he is sceptical of magic / myths and a believer in science... In fact, the strangest aspect of this world is that it is high fantasy, and yet we never quite know whether something is regular or fantastic even in this world. We do not get a sense of order and rules - it feels like the author picked some bits of magic and fantasy to be common and others to be strange willy-nilly, and character reactions can be baffling to a reader who finds it all equally fantastical. Worse still, when they enter our world, they have exactly the same type of adventure that they would have done at home. Only the place names are Earthen, the rest is Lankhmar through and through. Meanwhile, even the repeated side characters (Sheelba and Ningauble) are different characters each time we meet them, with different relationships to Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser. In one volume, the entire experience lacks a certain amount of coherence. (I feel almost certain these were all individual stories, written for magazines, over many years, rather than novels).
Aside from inconsistencies and a lack of variety, the main thing to bemoan is that the stories are actually much more interesting with female characters in them, yet, for the most part, don't have them. The women are treated with a degree of bemusement, lust and contempt, but oddly, they sometimes come across as the most interesting aspects of any story. Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser are, by comparison, a little bland and one-dimensional (except in the first novel).
All in all, it's not a bad book. It's just not nearly as satisfying and delightful as I'd hoped, despite the high adventure and the nice writing voice.
In fact, it's not even that. It's a few dozen short pulpy adventure tales, divided into five nominal books, bound together as one volume. All the stories star Fafhrd (a red-haired barbarian from the far North) and the Grey Mouser (a short, grey-wearing guy) as they adventure and quest around their world, and, in one particularly bizarre volume, ours. It's over 600 pages of pulpy fantasy, so kudos for being entertaining enough for me to get all the way through.
The first volume is by far the most linear: it follows the adolescence / early manhood of its two heroes, and the adventures that lead them to leave their respective homes behind and head for Lankhmar. Each aquires a ladyfriend along the way. Ultimately, they meet, and not long after, they get drunk together and decide to sneak into the most dangerous building in Lankhmar. Things don't go entirely to plan (in their absence, their ladyfriends are brutally murdered), and for the rest of the five books, we're in for some heavy duty bromance as neither hero ever forms a real attachement to a lady again...
The tone of the writing is engaging and musical, befitting the overall atmosphere. On the other hand, the plot is often quite thin: there are few basic plotlines. One is: Grey Mouser and Fafhrd have to overcome some challenge to win their level - ahem - obtain their trinket / succeed. Another is: Grey Mouser and Fafhrd unknowingly get sent out on quests independently that will pitch them against each other at the climax: will their friendship prevail?
In terms of characterisation, the books are sometimes quite inconsistent. The Fafhrd of the start is a richer, more complex character than the one having all the later adventures. It is almost as if he were diminished by his adventurings. The Grey Mouser starts out as magician's apprentice, but in many plotlines, he is sceptical of magic / myths and a believer in science... In fact, the strangest aspect of this world is that it is high fantasy, and yet we never quite know whether something is regular or fantastic even in this world. We do not get a sense of order and rules - it feels like the author picked some bits of magic and fantasy to be common and others to be strange willy-nilly, and character reactions can be baffling to a reader who finds it all equally fantastical. Worse still, when they enter our world, they have exactly the same type of adventure that they would have done at home. Only the place names are Earthen, the rest is Lankhmar through and through. Meanwhile, even the repeated side characters (Sheelba and Ningauble) are different characters each time we meet them, with different relationships to Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser. In one volume, the entire experience lacks a certain amount of coherence. (I feel almost certain these were all individual stories, written for magazines, over many years, rather than novels).
Aside from inconsistencies and a lack of variety, the main thing to bemoan is that the stories are actually much more interesting with female characters in them, yet, for the most part, don't have them. The women are treated with a degree of bemusement, lust and contempt, but oddly, they sometimes come across as the most interesting aspects of any story. Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser are, by comparison, a little bland and one-dimensional (except in the first novel).
All in all, it's not a bad book. It's just not nearly as satisfying and delightful as I'd hoped, despite the high adventure and the nice writing voice.
September 16, 2013
[Review of the first book in the omnibus, 'Swords and Deviltry', only.]
3 stars
Read 17th July 2013
Reasonably entertaining early sword & sorcery from the Fantasy Masterworks series. I may be damming it with faint praise here, but at least A) it's not as dated as many from that period, and B) it's not as self-important as many from that period! It knows how to have some fun, and I quite enjoyed the time I spent with the two likeable protagonists. I wasn't particularly happy with the very ending, but given the time it was written, I won't hold it too much against it.
[Review of the second book in the omnibus, 'Swords Against Death', only]
3 stars
Read 7th August 2013
Enjoyable second book in the Lankhmar series. While a lot of it is fairly standard sword and sorcery stuff, there were some nicely imaginative sections, and a few bits made me grin.
[Review of the third book in the omnibus, 'Swords In The Mist', only.]
3 1/2 stars
Read 30th August 2013
I think I'm beginning to acquire more of a taste for these Lankhmar books. I think it's a case of both the writing getting better as the author goes along (certainly it's more infused with his sly sense of humour, and he's beginning to play more with the possibilities of his world), and me becoming more accustomed to his characters and style. There was one absolute laugh-out-loud moment ("where is the jug?") that still has me grinning :-).
[Review of the fourth book in the omnibus, 'Swords Against Wizardry', only.]
3 1/2 stars
Read 16th September 2013
An amiable conclusion to the First Book of Lankhmar omnibus, with some gripping action sequences (I'm thinking particularly of the trek up the mountains here) and some nicely atmospheric sections, laced through with Leiber's particular brand of humour. (And yatta! I *finally* get to cross this giant doorstop of a book off my 'To Read' list!!!)
3 stars
Read 17th July 2013
Reasonably entertaining early sword & sorcery from the Fantasy Masterworks series. I may be damming it with faint praise here, but at least A) it's not as dated as many from that period, and B) it's not as self-important as many from that period! It knows how to have some fun, and I quite enjoyed the time I spent with the two likeable protagonists. I wasn't particularly happy with the very ending, but given the time it was written, I won't hold it too much against it.
[Review of the second book in the omnibus, 'Swords Against Death', only]
3 stars
Read 7th August 2013
Enjoyable second book in the Lankhmar series. While a lot of it is fairly standard sword and sorcery stuff, there were some nicely imaginative sections, and a few bits made me grin.
[Review of the third book in the omnibus, 'Swords In The Mist', only.]
3 1/2 stars
Read 30th August 2013
I think I'm beginning to acquire more of a taste for these Lankhmar books. I think it's a case of both the writing getting better as the author goes along (certainly it's more infused with his sly sense of humour, and he's beginning to play more with the possibilities of his world), and me becoming more accustomed to his characters and style. There was one absolute laugh-out-loud moment ("where is the jug?") that still has me grinning :-).
[Review of the fourth book in the omnibus, 'Swords Against Wizardry', only.]
3 1/2 stars
Read 16th September 2013
An amiable conclusion to the First Book of Lankhmar omnibus, with some gripping action sequences (I'm thinking particularly of the trek up the mountains here) and some nicely atmospheric sections, laced through with Leiber's particular brand of humour. (And yatta! I *finally* get to cross this giant doorstop of a book off my 'To Read' list!!!)
December 18, 2022
Sfrutto l'occasione, avendo appena ultimato la lettura di Le spade di Lankhmar, per recensire anche il suo predecessore, Il Mondo di Nehwon, finché ne ho ancora fresco il ricordo.
Partiamo da un presupposto fondamentale: Fritz Leiber è un grandissimo della letteratura del fantastico, non solo in quanto colui a cui si deve il termine "Sword & Sorcery" per indicare il genere creato da Robert E. Howard con il suo Conan, ma proprio per l'enorme contributo che egli ha saputo dare a tutto l'immaginario del fantastico, spaziando magistralmente tra fantasy, fantascienza e horror. E prova ne è appunto Il Mondo di Nehwon, corposo volume che raccoglie i primi quattro libri dell'epopea di Fafhrd e il Gray Mouser, che presenta un ampio numero di racconti tutti narrati in una elegante prosa che è al contempo ironica e poetica, leggendo i quali ci si può trovare inaspettatamente catapultati dal più classico fantasy verso mondi alieni o situazioni da orrore cosmico e non. Un tripudio di fantasia e immaginazione che sembra appartenere a un'epoca ormai scomparsa, che si fatica a ritrovare nella letteratura di oggi, ossessionata com'è da una rigorosissima e maniacale strutturazione di mondo, trama e personaggi che devono essere infinitamente complessi e stratificati, e che troppo spesso perde di vista quelli che dovrebbero essere, almeno a mio parere, i capisaldi del fantasy: avventura, divertimento, magia, fantasia. Il Mondo di Nehwon è invece tutto questo, un viaggio incredibile, che riesce sempre a divertire e stupire, racconto dopo racconto, sia in quelli più tipicamente fantasy, sia in quelli che sconfinano in altri generi, come nel caso del meraviglioso Il bazar del bizzarro, o del più orrorifico La torre che ululava.
Per quanto mi riguarda, un testo assolutamente imprescindibile del genere fantasy.
Partiamo da un presupposto fondamentale: Fritz Leiber è un grandissimo della letteratura del fantastico, non solo in quanto colui a cui si deve il termine "Sword & Sorcery" per indicare il genere creato da Robert E. Howard con il suo Conan, ma proprio per l'enorme contributo che egli ha saputo dare a tutto l'immaginario del fantastico, spaziando magistralmente tra fantasy, fantascienza e horror. E prova ne è appunto Il Mondo di Nehwon, corposo volume che raccoglie i primi quattro libri dell'epopea di Fafhrd e il Gray Mouser, che presenta un ampio numero di racconti tutti narrati in una elegante prosa che è al contempo ironica e poetica, leggendo i quali ci si può trovare inaspettatamente catapultati dal più classico fantasy verso mondi alieni o situazioni da orrore cosmico e non. Un tripudio di fantasia e immaginazione che sembra appartenere a un'epoca ormai scomparsa, che si fatica a ritrovare nella letteratura di oggi, ossessionata com'è da una rigorosissima e maniacale strutturazione di mondo, trama e personaggi che devono essere infinitamente complessi e stratificati, e che troppo spesso perde di vista quelli che dovrebbero essere, almeno a mio parere, i capisaldi del fantasy: avventura, divertimento, magia, fantasia. Il Mondo di Nehwon è invece tutto questo, un viaggio incredibile, che riesce sempre a divertire e stupire, racconto dopo racconto, sia in quelli più tipicamente fantasy, sia in quelli che sconfinano in altri generi, come nel caso del meraviglioso Il bazar del bizzarro, o del più orrorifico La torre che ululava.
Per quanto mi riguarda, un testo assolutamente imprescindibile del genere fantasy.
December 1, 2017
Tras leer la presentación de Pau Martínez, estaba motivado para adentrarme en las novelas de Lankhmar pero he de reconocer que me costó cogerle el punto, hasta la historia de Garras Nocturnas no acabé de engancharme.
Pero es innegable que las historias de Fafhrd y el Ratonero gris son sinónimo de aventura fantástica, elaborada con gran ingenio y derroche de imaginación. A cada nueva historia, disfrutaba un poco más de los personajes.
Me ha sorprendido la rapidez y la crudeza con la que el autor relata los sucesos, en ocasiones tienes que releer un párrafo para asumir lo que ha ocurrido, por lo que debes estar atento a la lectura.
Las historias cortas cómo Garras Nocturnas y el Bazar de lo extraño me han parecido muy divertidas e intrigantemente actuales. De las cuatro novelas, diría que Espadas contra la magia me ha parecido la más completa.
Pero es innegable que las historias de Fafhrd y el Ratonero gris son sinónimo de aventura fantástica, elaborada con gran ingenio y derroche de imaginación. A cada nueva historia, disfrutaba un poco más de los personajes.
Me ha sorprendido la rapidez y la crudeza con la que el autor relata los sucesos, en ocasiones tienes que releer un párrafo para asumir lo que ha ocurrido, por lo que debes estar atento a la lectura.
Las historias cortas cómo Garras Nocturnas y el Bazar de lo extraño me han parecido muy divertidas e intrigantemente actuales. De las cuatro novelas, diría que Espadas contra la magia me ha parecido la más completa.
November 10, 2011
It was... alright, I guess. Nothing stellar, nothing very much enjoyable, actually I'm somewhat disappointed. After hearing a lot about this being a must-read for fantasy fans, part of the classics and so forth, I was expecting something better.
The characters are alright, but the plots tend to be somewhat muddled and rather uninspired perhaps. Can't exactly put my finger on it, but there weren't many times when I said "that is cool" or "Ok, this is interesting". I had to force myself through the book more than not, though it is an enjoyable read, only "meh".
Recommended only for fans of the genre.
The characters are alright, but the plots tend to be somewhat muddled and rather uninspired perhaps. Can't exactly put my finger on it, but there weren't many times when I said "that is cool" or "Ok, this is interesting". I had to force myself through the book more than not, though it is an enjoyable read, only "meh".
Recommended only for fans of the genre.
August 17, 2014
This book, probably the only reasonably priced collection of the first four books dealing with the adventures of the Northern barbarian Fafhrd and once-wizard-later-thief Gray Mouser, took a long time to be completed. Although it contains four books (Swords and Deviltry, Swords Against Death, Swords in the Mist, and Swords Against Wizardry), they encompass several stand-alone or inter-connected stories of varying pace & nature. Overall, thesr stories redefine the genre we broadly term as fantasy, with their humour, wit and sardonic narratives, while furious action and ribald romance jostle for space therein. Recommended.
August 15, 2017
En plena fiebre de Juego de tronos, en pleno delirio por todo lo que acontece en Poniente, tan solo os pido unos minutos de vuestra atención para que, juntos, desviemos nuestras miras hacia otras tierras, diferentes, pero similares a la par. Dejadme que os hable un poco de Nehwon, el mundo al que dio vida uno de los escritores más influyentes en lo que respecta al subgénero de la fantasía épica, Fritz Leiber.
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Continúa la reseña en http://www.franciscotamaral.es/projec...
December 8, 2017
Magnífica saga mítica de la fantasía.
Los libros de aventuras del gigantesco bárbaro Fafhrd y su pequeño compañero el Ratonero son pequeñas joyas de la literatura fantástica llenas de alicientes. Además de resultar superentretenidos y rebosantes de ritmo, destilan humor y originalidad por cada una de sus páginas.
No en vano, su autor Fritz Leiber es uno de los autores más premiados del género.
Absolutamente recomendables para todo tipo de lector.
Los libros de aventuras del gigantesco bárbaro Fafhrd y su pequeño compañero el Ratonero son pequeñas joyas de la literatura fantástica llenas de alicientes. Además de resultar superentretenidos y rebosantes de ritmo, destilan humor y originalidad por cada una de sus páginas.
No en vano, su autor Fritz Leiber es uno de los autores más premiados del género.
Absolutamente recomendables para todo tipo de lector.
January 2, 2014
This is really an anthology of Fafhrd and Grey Mouser stories in internal chronological order (not in the order that the stories were written but in the chronology as it relates to the characters) as such it is a bit hit and miss. The hits, however, are more than worth it, with Ill Met in Lankhmar, the Nebula and Hugo winner story at the end of the first book being the definite stand-out.
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