Kingdoms of Sorcery: An Anthology of Adult Fantasy

by Lin Carter (Editor)

Contains the stories and excerpts:

"The History of Babouc the Scythian" by Voltaire
"The Palace of Subterranean Fire" by William Beckford
"The Witch Woman" by George MacDonald
"The Folk of the Mountain Door" by William Morris
"A Night-Piece on Ambremerine" by E. R. Eddison (excerpt)
"Dr. Meliboë the Enchanter" by Fletcher Pratt (excerpt)
"The Two Best Thieves in Lankhmar" by Fritz Leiber
"Shadow: A Parable" by Edgar Allan Poe (variant of Shadow: A Fable)
"Silence: A Fable" by Edgar Allan Poe (variant of Siope—A Fable)
"Fables from the Edge of Night" by Clark Ashton Smith
"The Tomb of the God" by Robert H. Barlow
"Merlyn Vs. Madame Mim" by T. H. White (excerpt)
"The Owl and the Ape" by L. Sprague de Camp
"The Twelve Wizards of Ong" by Lin Carter
"Deep Magic from the Dawn of Time by C. S. Lewis (excerpt)
"The Bridge of Khazad-Dûm" by J. R. R. Tolkien (excerpt)
"The Story of the Blessing of el-Ahrairah" by Richard Adams (excerpt)

Genres: Fantasy

218 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1976

About the author

Lin Carter was an American author, editor, and critic best known for his influential role in fantasy literature during the mid-20th century. Born in St. Petersburg, Florida, he developed an early passion for myth, adventure stories, and imaginative fiction, drawing inspiration from authors such as Edgar Rice Burroughs, Robert E. Howard, H. P. Lovecraft, and J. R. R. Tolkien. After serving in the U.S. Army, Carter attended Columbia University, where he honed his literary skills and deepened his knowledge of classical and medieval literature, myth, and folklore — elements that would become central to his work.
Carter authored numerous novels, short stories, and critical studies, often working within the sword-and-sorcery and high fantasy traditions. His own creations, such as the “Thongor of Lemuria” series, paid homage to pulp-era adventure fiction while adding his distinctive voice and world-building style. His nonfiction book Tolkien: A Look Behind The Lord of the Rings was one of the first major studies of Tolkien’s work and its mythological roots, and it helped establish Carter as a knowledgeable commentator on fantasy literature.
Beyond his own writing, Carter was a central figure in bringing classic and forgotten works of fantasy back into print. As editor of the Ballantine Adult Fantasy series from 1969 to 1974, he curated and introduced dozens of volumes, reintroducing readers to authors such as William Morris, Lord Dunsany, E. R. Eddison, and James Branch Cabell. His introductions not only contextualized these works historically and literarily but also encouraged a new generation to explore the breadth of the fantasy tradition.
Carter was also active in the shared literary universe of the “Cthulhu Mythos,” expanding upon the creations of H. P. Lovecraft and other members of the “Lovecraft Circle.” His collaborations and solo contributions in this genre further cemented his reputation as both a creative writer and a literary preservationist.
In addition to fiction and criticism, Carter was an active member of several science fiction and fantasy organizations, including the Science Fiction Writers of America. He frequently appeared at conventions, where he was known for his enthusiasm, deep knowledge of the genre, and willingness to mentor aspiring writers.
Though sometimes critiqued for the derivative nature of some of his work, Carter’s influence on the fantasy revival of the late 20th century remains significant. His combination of creative output, editorial vision, and scholarly enthusiasm helped bridge the gap between the pulp traditions of the early 1900s and the expansive fantasy publishing boom that followed.
Lin Carter’s legacy endures through his own imaginative tales, his critical studies, and the many classic works he rescued from obscurity, ensuring their place in the canon of fantasy literature for generations to come.

Reviews

[Joseph · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of a pair of reprint anthologies Lin Carter put together for Doubleday in the mid-70s after the plug had been pulled on the Ballantine Adult Fantasy series. (The companion volume is Realms Of Wizardry.)

I believe these are the last major reprint anthologies Carter edited (his editorial work continued with Flashing Swords, Year's Best Fantasy and a paperback Weird Tales revival, but that's kind of a different thing).

Even moreso than his Ballantine Adult Fantasy anthologies, these books seem designed to act as an introduction to fantasy fiction, both containing a mixture of short stories and novel excerpts ranging from pre-20th century (William Beckford, George MacDonald, William Morris) through early 20th century genre pioneers (Lord Dunsany, E.R. Eddison, Fritz Leiber) and some of what would have been the biggest names in the field at the time (C.S. Lewis and, of course, J.R.R. Tolkien), plus a number of others.

As with all of Carter's anthologies, the selections are well-chosen (be warned: many of the novel excerpts end on massive cliffhangers) and the authors are contextualized by Carter's typically enthusiastic introductions.

If you've read a lot of older fantasy, you'll recognize a lot of these names already, but it's still nice to have them all assembled in a single volume, and you'll most likely find at least a few unfamiliar names; and if you haven't read a lot of older fantasy, then this would be a fine introduction.

[Derek · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is yet another instance of Carter telling everyone "this is what you should read". While having curating samples rather than a list of sources is nice--Carter selects specific sequences, for the longer works--and his eye is at least partially on the rarer, out-of-print item (Robert H Barlow, here, as well as a Pusadian story by L Sprague de Camp), it remains that this anthology was put together some time after his Ballantine Adult Fantasy days, and is yet another way for him to slice the same material.

It's roughly chronological, the assortment clustered by style: "Forerunners of Modern Fantasy", "Fantasy as Saga", "Fantasy as Parable", "Fantasy as Anecdote", and "Fantasy as Epic". There isn't a master thesis at play and the groupings prove nothing in particular.

Still. Not really a clunker in the bunch, although the piece taken from Eddison's Mistress of Mistresses is like bicycling up a hill and suddenly dropping from second gear into tenth.

Even Carter's own work "The Twelve Wizards of Ong" (did you really think he would omit himself?) while arguably the weakest, does wind up carrying its own share of the load. Its cosmic-space-fantasy stuff is a lighter breed of Clark Ashton Smith's Xiccarph or Jack Vance's Rhialto the Marvellous and is completely worthwhile and fun to read and makes me wish he had done more in that vein. Unfortunately the lighter/playful direction, a writing trend Carter himself notes in its introduction, eventually took him to the execrable The Wizard of Zao.

[RJ - Slayer of Trolls]

Contains the stories:

The History of Babouc the Scythian by Voltaire -
The Palace of Subterranean Fire by William Beckford -
The Witch Woman by George MacDonald -
The Folk of the Mountain Door by William Morris -
A Night-Piece on Ambremerine (excerpt) by E.R. Eddison -
Dr. Meliboë the Enchanter (excerpt) by Fletcher Pratt -
The Two Best Thieves in Lankhmar by Fritz Leiber -
Shadow: A Parable (variant of Shadow: A Fable) by Edgar Allan Poe - 2/5 -
Silence: A Fable (variant of Siope—A Fable) by Edgar Allan Poe - 2/5 -
Fables from the Edge of Night by Clark Ashton Smith -
The Tomb of the God by Robert H. Barlow -
Merlyn Vs. Madame Mim (excerpt) by T.H. White -
The Owl & the Ape by L Sprague de Camp -
The Twelve Wizards of Ong by Lin Carter -
Deep Magic from the Dawn of Time (excerpt) by C.S. Lewis -
The Bridge of Khazad-Dûm (excerpt) by J.R.R. Tolkien -
The Story of the Blessing of el-Ahrairah (excerpt) by Richard Adams -

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Published in the early Seventies, Lin Carter's anthology doesn't disappoint. Excerpts or whole stories by Voltaire, William Beckford, Lord Dunsany, and George Meredith are highly enjoyable, hard to find, and excellent choices for presentation to a dubious public of the venerable art of serious (adult directed) fantasy literature.

[Marlon Deason · Rating 3 out of 5]

An uneven sampler of some of the great pre-Tolkien fantasy authors. It’s worth it for true fantasy fans and completists. Who knows you may find a an author worth diving into.

[EAL · Rating 3 out of 5]

Stories were of uneven quality. I enjoyed Voltaire's and the Witch Woman, perhaps even the Night Piece. Favorite was most likely the humorous one about a slave boy sent to buy a precious manuscript at a blind auction (alas I do not recall the title). Carter's own story was all right aside from the gross objectification of the witch girl. What left the biggest impression on me was not one image from any particular story but rather the sense of continuity, of there being a very old fantasy tradition to which I and other writers owe much. Also, that there is a fantasy industry, a field of writers and editors and publishing houses dedicated to good stories.

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great anthology of Fantasy Lit from Lin Carter including works by Voltaire, William Morris, E. A. Poe and others.