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Flame and Crimson: A History of Sword-and-Sorcery
Little did then-obscure Texas writer Robert E. Howard know that with the 1929 publication of “The Shadow Kingdom” in the pulp magazine 'Weird Tales', he had given birth to a new and vibrant subgenre of fantasy fiction.
Sword-and-sorcery went from pulp obscurity to mass-market paperback popularity before suffering a spectacular publishing collapse in the 1980s. But it lives on in the broader culture and today enjoys a second life in popular role-playing games, music, and films, and helped give birth to a new literary subgenre known as grimdark, popularized by the likes of George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire fantasy series.
Flame and Crimson: A History of Sword-and-Sorcery provides much-needed definitions and critical rigor to this misunderstood fantasy subgenre. It traces its origins in the likes of historical fiction, to its birth in the pages of Weird Tales, to its flowering in the Frank Frazetta-illustrated Lancer Conan Saga series in the 1960s. It covers its “barbarian bust” beneath a heap of second-rate pastiche, a pack of colorful and wildly entertaining and awful sword-and-sorcery films, and popular culture second life in the likes of 'Dungeons & Dragons' and the bombast of heavy metal music.
Sword-and-sorcery went from pulp obscurity to mass-market paperback popularity before suffering a spectacular publishing collapse in the 1980s. But it lives on in the broader culture and today enjoys a second life in popular role-playing games, music, and films, and helped give birth to a new literary subgenre known as grimdark, popularized by the likes of George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire fantasy series.
Flame and Crimson: A History of Sword-and-Sorcery provides much-needed definitions and critical rigor to this misunderstood fantasy subgenre. It traces its origins in the likes of historical fiction, to its birth in the pages of Weird Tales, to its flowering in the Frank Frazetta-illustrated Lancer Conan Saga series in the 1960s. It covers its “barbarian bust” beneath a heap of second-rate pastiche, a pack of colorful and wildly entertaining and awful sword-and-sorcery films, and popular culture second life in the likes of 'Dungeons & Dragons' and the bombast of heavy metal music.
277 pages, Paperback
First published January 16, 2020
49 people are currently reading
290 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews
August 14, 2023
A well-researched and highly readable history of one of my favorite genres from its precursors (H. Rider Haggard, Edgar Rice Burroughs, Lord Dunsany, Harold Lamb, etc.) to its inception by Robert E. Howard (whose presence in the book looms like Jupiter in one of those to-scale diagrams showing all of the planets; but that's also his presence in the genre itself, so that's entirely fair), his compeers (C.L. Moore, Clark Ashton Smith, Fritz Leiber et al.), his immediate successors (people like Clifford Ball, Henry Kuttner & Gardner F. Fox, who I'd argue were the ones who actually codified the sorts of stories Howard was writing), and the various cycles of boom & bust from the 60s on down to the present day, including a very fair-minded look at the role L. Sprague de Camp and Lin Carter took in popularizing and distorting the Conan stories and the prevailing image of Howard until the new era of more recent scholarship.
Other authors touched on include Michael Moorcock and Karl Edward Wagner and other, much more recent practitioners of the form. And there's also a discussion of S&S in other media (music, movies and D&D, amongst others).
Highly recommended if you want to learn more of the history of the genre and/or fill your to-be-read pile to bursting.
Other authors touched on include Michael Moorcock and Karl Edward Wagner and other, much more recent practitioners of the form. And there's also a discussion of S&S in other media (music, movies and D&D, amongst others).
Highly recommended if you want to learn more of the history of the genre and/or fill your to-be-read pile to bursting.
January 26, 2026
Wow! What a fantastic history book of my favorite reading genre. Very well researched and the chapter breakdown is perfect. Amazing read. Very recommended
May 3, 2021
My only regret with this book: I wish I started reading it on a Friday versus a Monday. Had I started reading on a Friday, I would have missed sleep if needed to read straight through; however, I started it on a Monday evening and had to settle for stealing chapters whilst working and before needed work-week sleep.
I admit my vision is rose colored. The author is nearly my age and came upon his love for Swords & Sorcery (he actually prefers swords and sorcery—I am not as picky) in an almost identical way as I. He even shares my adoration of Heavy Metal tunes.
That being said, if you have a taste for the likes of REH, KEW, Lieber, C.L. Moore, etc., or you are curious where those stories by Joe Abercrombie come from: give this a read.
My favorite parts:
• I enjoyed, very much, the chapter on the influence of S&S on Heavy Metal music. If Mr Murphy wrote another book about that subject, I would pre-order it!
• He wrote of a few works I have not read and I am now enticed to seek those out.
I admit my vision is rose colored. The author is nearly my age and came upon his love for Swords & Sorcery (he actually prefers swords and sorcery—I am not as picky) in an almost identical way as I. He even shares my adoration of Heavy Metal tunes.
That being said, if you have a taste for the likes of REH, KEW, Lieber, C.L. Moore, etc., or you are curious where those stories by Joe Abercrombie come from: give this a read.
My favorite parts:
• I enjoyed, very much, the chapter on the influence of S&S on Heavy Metal music. If Mr Murphy wrote another book about that subject, I would pre-order it!
• He wrote of a few works I have not read and I am now enticed to seek those out.
March 14, 2021
An excellent book on sword & sorcery
This is a very comprehensive history of the sword and sorcery subgenre and its influence on music, movies, television series, role-playing games and video games and counter-culture. There is much information for those new to S & S and die-hard fans as well. The list of books and stories discussed in the text and the extensive bibliography are invaluable resources for finding classic sword and sorcery and heroic fantasy tales and the works of authors who helped influence the subgenre. The book is well written and enjoyable and easy to read.
This is a very comprehensive history of the sword and sorcery subgenre and its influence on music, movies, television series, role-playing games and video games and counter-culture. There is much information for those new to S & S and die-hard fans as well. The list of books and stories discussed in the text and the extensive bibliography are invaluable resources for finding classic sword and sorcery and heroic fantasy tales and the works of authors who helped influence the subgenre. The book is well written and enjoyable and easy to read.
August 7, 2020
Murphy covers the origins of sword and sorcery essentially saying it starts with REH's Kull story "The Shadow Kingdom" from 1929 and proceeds to cover many authors and their various heroes, stories, backgrounds, and everything in between.
Murphy covers the big three in REH, HPL, and CAS along with more Weird Tales authors such as Moore's Jirel of Joiry ( the first female of S & S ) and Harry Kuttner and later such greats as Leiber, Moorcock, and Karl Wagner and many others.
Murphy goes on to touch on S & S in music, animation, and film and supplies many fascinating books as sources and ones that I actually want or picked up from what I read in this book.
I highly recommend this book to any and all readers who love the sword and sorcery genre like I do.
I only wish it were longer and that it perhaps would have covered more of the paperbacks and hardcover books out based on the D & D characters and regions though it did touch on Salvatore's Drzzt.
Murphy covers the big three in REH, HPL, and CAS along with more Weird Tales authors such as Moore's Jirel of Joiry ( the first female of S & S ) and Harry Kuttner and later such greats as Leiber, Moorcock, and Karl Wagner and many others.
Murphy goes on to touch on S & S in music, animation, and film and supplies many fascinating books as sources and ones that I actually want or picked up from what I read in this book.
I highly recommend this book to any and all readers who love the sword and sorcery genre like I do.
I only wish it were longer and that it perhaps would have covered more of the paperbacks and hardcover books out based on the D & D characters and regions though it did touch on Salvatore's Drzzt.
February 19, 2020
Brian Murphy has put together an invaluable study and reference guide to the rise, fall, and resurgence of the fantasy subgenre of sword-&-sorcery. From its proto roots, to its birth, its heyday, its decline, and its return as a staple, if not a headliner, Murphy's research has left no stone un-turned. The subgenre goes beyond muscled barbarians, diabolical wizards, and buxom babes--and Murphy shows the reader how & why.
If you are already a sword-&-sorcery fan, you'll want this book on your shelf. And if you're not, this book might illuminate to you why the genre speaks to its fans.
If you are already a sword-&-sorcery fan, you'll want this book on your shelf. And if you're not, this book might illuminate to you why the genre speaks to its fans.
February 10, 2021
Last year, in the depths of COVID, I restarted a novel I’d left off eleven years earlier. A hundred thousand words of manuscript staring at you like a hungry dog will make you wonder about what you’re doing in life, so finally I couldn’t stand it any longer and decided to finish the damn thing. It’s a fantasy novel, and getting back into it caused me to refamiliarize myself with some of the lit that inspired me as a youth. A lot of that was sword & sorcery, and when I saw Brian Murphy on a panel talking about S&S and heard he’d written a genre history, I bought it in a flash.
It does not disappoint.
FLAME & CRIMSON is a literate, comprehensive, balanced work of love and scholarship. Exhaustively referenced (the works cited list runs 22 pages) and with a wonderful timeline of the genre’s life, death, and resurrection at the end, the book begins at the logical starting place: definitions, origins, the coming of Conan—er, I mean Robert E. Howard—and proceeds to detail the ups and downs of the literature. Toward the end other media—movies, comics, music etc—are discussed, as well as the wider cultural impact of S&S.
Brian is a fluid, entertaining writer, never dry, never lost in the weeds. Even his digressions--encapsulated in little boxes at the ends of some of the chapters--are invitations to further learning and exploration and well written in themselves. The only critiques I would make of the book would be typos randomly strewn about (not so many as to cause anyone to come unhinged), some quotes that get repeated in a few places (so you get a kind of echo effect), and the lack of an index. I think if a second edition were ever envisioned, this latter would be the thing I’d most want to see. One other thing which is not so much a critique as just a point I noticed was the absence of any discussion of Samuel R. Delany’s Return to Nevèrÿon series. Delany of course is best known as a science fiction writer(Dhalgren et al), but Neveryon is explicitly S&S as a subversion of S&S—kind of like what Moorcock (think Elric) back in the 60s. (The Neveryon sequence was written in the 80s.) There is one mention of Delany—or, rather, of one of his essays—but it seems to me like there was a missed opportunity here to explore some other dimension of what was happening to the genre in the mid-late 80s.
As a side note, Brian has appeared on a number of podcasts and panel discussions to talk about Sword & Sorcery and (ahem) to plug his book. I would definitely urge anyone who, for whatever reason, doesn't have the time or funds for a book, to check those out. Brian's fun not only to read but to listen to.
Now I can’t wait for the second edition!
Anyway, hats off to Brian for this effort. Something else I’d like to see from him sometime is a collection of all his fantasy genre-related essays under one cover. Seems like he’s made a name for himself on the scholarship front so I bet there’d be a market for that. I’ll be buying!
It does not disappoint.
FLAME & CRIMSON is a literate, comprehensive, balanced work of love and scholarship. Exhaustively referenced (the works cited list runs 22 pages) and with a wonderful timeline of the genre’s life, death, and resurrection at the end, the book begins at the logical starting place: definitions, origins, the coming of Conan—er, I mean Robert E. Howard—and proceeds to detail the ups and downs of the literature. Toward the end other media—movies, comics, music etc—are discussed, as well as the wider cultural impact of S&S.
Brian is a fluid, entertaining writer, never dry, never lost in the weeds. Even his digressions--encapsulated in little boxes at the ends of some of the chapters--are invitations to further learning and exploration and well written in themselves. The only critiques I would make of the book would be typos randomly strewn about (not so many as to cause anyone to come unhinged), some quotes that get repeated in a few places (so you get a kind of echo effect), and the lack of an index. I think if a second edition were ever envisioned, this latter would be the thing I’d most want to see. One other thing which is not so much a critique as just a point I noticed was the absence of any discussion of Samuel R. Delany’s Return to Nevèrÿon series. Delany of course is best known as a science fiction writer(Dhalgren et al), but Neveryon is explicitly S&S as a subversion of S&S—kind of like what Moorcock (think Elric) back in the 60s. (The Neveryon sequence was written in the 80s.) There is one mention of Delany—or, rather, of one of his essays—but it seems to me like there was a missed opportunity here to explore some other dimension of what was happening to the genre in the mid-late 80s.
As a side note, Brian has appeared on a number of podcasts and panel discussions to talk about Sword & Sorcery and (ahem) to plug his book. I would definitely urge anyone who, for whatever reason, doesn't have the time or funds for a book, to check those out. Brian's fun not only to read but to listen to.
Now I can’t wait for the second edition!
Anyway, hats off to Brian for this effort. Something else I’d like to see from him sometime is a collection of all his fantasy genre-related essays under one cover. Seems like he’s made a name for himself on the scholarship front so I bet there’d be a market for that. I’ll be buying!
December 16, 2022
Full to the brim with S&S history (I’m not kidding..I had to take breaks) It’s very well researched and would be an excellent guide for anyone new to the subgenre ⚔️
September 11, 2020
A really great summary of the history of sword-and-sorcery fiction!
Sword-and-sorcery fiction holds a special place in my heart. I grew up on it, to some extent, from the time that I could seek out my own preferences for reading. It holds a central place in the Appendix N list by Gary Gygax in the 1st edition Dungeons & Dragons "Dungeon Master's Guide" - the list of authors and books that inspired the creation of my favorite hobby, RPGs (specificallyD&D). This is a very thorough look at the history of sword-and-sorcery, what differentiates it from high/epic fantasy, the impact it has had on culture, etc. It is a field with which I am already somewhat familiar, but this is a good book whether for beginners or those with some expertise, and it even managed to add to my reading list! Highly recommended for anyone with an interest in fantasy (in general) or sword-and-sorcery (specifically), or in the history of D&D and Appendix N.
Sword-and-sorcery fiction holds a special place in my heart. I grew up on it, to some extent, from the time that I could seek out my own preferences for reading. It holds a central place in the Appendix N list by Gary Gygax in the 1st edition Dungeons & Dragons "Dungeon Master's Guide" - the list of authors and books that inspired the creation of my favorite hobby, RPGs (specificallyD&D). This is a very thorough look at the history of sword-and-sorcery, what differentiates it from high/epic fantasy, the impact it has had on culture, etc. It is a field with which I am already somewhat familiar, but this is a good book whether for beginners or those with some expertise, and it even managed to add to my reading list! Highly recommended for anyone with an interest in fantasy (in general) or sword-and-sorcery (specifically), or in the history of D&D and Appendix N.
September 26, 2022
This is a thorough, well organized, and well researched history of a subgenre of fantasy known as sword & sorcery.
The first chapter goes over the basic elements. These elements are covered under the following headings: Men (and Women) of Action, Dark and Dangerous Magic, Personal and/or Mercenary Motivations, Horror/Lovecraftian Influence, Short Episodic Episodes, Inspired by History, and Outsider Heroes.
The author explains that the origins of sword and sorcery can be traced to iclandic sagas, nordic myths, historical fiction, and early fantasy. Authors such as William Morris, H. Rider Haggard, Talbot Mundy, Harold Lamb, Lord Dunsany, A. Merritt, E. R. Edison, and H. P. Lovecraft, are discussed.
Of course there is a chapter on Robert E. Howard, whose “The Shadow Kingdom” is considered the first sword and sorcery story. I really enjoyed this chapter. It includes excerpts from letters between Howard and H. P. Lovecraft. It was interesting to read their correspondence in relation to the stories that Howard was developing and writing. After a chapter on Howard, the author moves on to Howard’s contemporaries, Clark Ashton Smith, C. L. Moore, and Henry Kuttner.
The author next discusses how Fritz Leiber, Michael Moorcock, and the fanzine Amra contributed to the revival of sword and sorcery. This leads to a renaissance, and among the authors discussed are Jack Vance, Poul Anderson, Karl Edward Wagner, and Charles Saunders.
Later chapters cover sword and sorcery's decline and fall, resurgence, and cultural impact. In the chapter on resurgence the author discusses David Gemmell and Glen Cook, among others. In the chapter on cultural impact the author discusses Dungeons & Dragons, heavy metal music, and sword and sorcery films.
Included are numerous quotes, and numerous excerpts from books, letters, and fanzines. It’s sometimes a lot of information to get through but it helped put things into context. There are also a lot of synopses of short stories and novels. I skipped over a few of these as I want to read those works in the future.
A timeline and works cited list is included at the end of the book.
Although I’m somewhat familiar with a number of authors mentioned, I haven’t read their works. One of my favorite things about reading this book was re-discovering those authors as well as discovering so many authors that are new to me. I have a lot more books on my to-read list now.
Highly recommended.
The first chapter goes over the basic elements. These elements are covered under the following headings: Men (and Women) of Action, Dark and Dangerous Magic, Personal and/or Mercenary Motivations, Horror/Lovecraftian Influence, Short Episodic Episodes, Inspired by History, and Outsider Heroes.
The author explains that the origins of sword and sorcery can be traced to iclandic sagas, nordic myths, historical fiction, and early fantasy. Authors such as William Morris, H. Rider Haggard, Talbot Mundy, Harold Lamb, Lord Dunsany, A. Merritt, E. R. Edison, and H. P. Lovecraft, are discussed.
Of course there is a chapter on Robert E. Howard, whose “The Shadow Kingdom” is considered the first sword and sorcery story. I really enjoyed this chapter. It includes excerpts from letters between Howard and H. P. Lovecraft. It was interesting to read their correspondence in relation to the stories that Howard was developing and writing. After a chapter on Howard, the author moves on to Howard’s contemporaries, Clark Ashton Smith, C. L. Moore, and Henry Kuttner.
The author next discusses how Fritz Leiber, Michael Moorcock, and the fanzine Amra contributed to the revival of sword and sorcery. This leads to a renaissance, and among the authors discussed are Jack Vance, Poul Anderson, Karl Edward Wagner, and Charles Saunders.
Later chapters cover sword and sorcery's decline and fall, resurgence, and cultural impact. In the chapter on resurgence the author discusses David Gemmell and Glen Cook, among others. In the chapter on cultural impact the author discusses Dungeons & Dragons, heavy metal music, and sword and sorcery films.
Included are numerous quotes, and numerous excerpts from books, letters, and fanzines. It’s sometimes a lot of information to get through but it helped put things into context. There are also a lot of synopses of short stories and novels. I skipped over a few of these as I want to read those works in the future.
A timeline and works cited list is included at the end of the book.
Although I’m somewhat familiar with a number of authors mentioned, I haven’t read their works. One of my favorite things about reading this book was re-discovering those authors as well as discovering so many authors that are new to me. I have a lot more books on my to-read list now.
Highly recommended.
July 26, 2023
I started Flame and Crimson thinking I would read some of the high points and put it down. Get a better definition of sword and sorcery, maybe a few books added to my TBR. Get back to fiction, which I vastly prefer to spend my time on.
I read every word of this book.
Though the book is largely laid out in a straight chronology emphasized by its title, Murphy is at his best as he lays out how s&s came about, how its best early examples were copied endlessly and failed to evolve, and how s&s ultimately came to be more than the narrowly defined subgenre some wanted to keep it in. It is a journey through time and through many stories, some of which I've read and many of which I haven't. In that journey I recognized much more of my influences and preferences than I expected.
Reading the sections on s&s's renaissance and especially Wagner's character Kane foreshadowed a pretty clear conclusion given the subgenres of fantasy used today. The mere presentation of facts will be enough for most readers to make logical connections. If anything, Murphy's conclusions on the subject of the influence of s&s on grimdark are restrained given the evidence he presents.
The book met my expectations and much more. I recommend it for anyone who has read some Sword and Sorcery (old Conan stories or Fafrd and the Gray Mouser perhaps) and wanted more. I especially recommend it for anyone who, like me, loves Robert E. Howard's original work but couldn't stand most of what passed for sword and sorcery films in the 80s (almost none of which was actually s&s).
I recommend it even more for people who think they don't read s&s but consider themselves avid grimdark fans.
I read every word of this book.
Though the book is largely laid out in a straight chronology emphasized by its title, Murphy is at his best as he lays out how s&s came about, how its best early examples were copied endlessly and failed to evolve, and how s&s ultimately came to be more than the narrowly defined subgenre some wanted to keep it in. It is a journey through time and through many stories, some of which I've read and many of which I haven't. In that journey I recognized much more of my influences and preferences than I expected.
Reading the sections on s&s's renaissance and especially Wagner's character Kane foreshadowed a pretty clear conclusion given the subgenres of fantasy used today. The mere presentation of facts will be enough for most readers to make logical connections. If anything, Murphy's conclusions on the subject of the influence of s&s on grimdark are restrained given the evidence he presents.
The book met my expectations and much more. I recommend it for anyone who has read some Sword and Sorcery (old Conan stories or Fafrd and the Gray Mouser perhaps) and wanted more. I especially recommend it for anyone who, like me, loves Robert E. Howard's original work but couldn't stand most of what passed for sword and sorcery films in the 80s (almost none of which was actually s&s).
I recommend it even more for people who think they don't read s&s but consider themselves avid grimdark fans.
June 11, 2025
Short Review: This is definitely an interesting read, gathering together a lot of info that's come out over the years in regards to Sword-and-sorcery and Robert E. Howard and more. There's a lot to reference back to or look further into (specifically authors and stories to read), as I'll list at the end for my own referencing but I also fear there's a lot of speculation painted that you may not see when you simply read Howard's tales or his correspondence with other authors. In a short and simple statement, this is a good book to read for the referencing alone.
Bit of a Longer Ramble that Ultimately Does Not Matter: Any opinions stated by the author are potent and worth discussing and make for good conversation, even if there are conflicting perceptions among the talkers. After hearing criticisms and sales pitches from past authors as well as talking heads among the masses, many quoted here or paraphrased, I would say that the best one could do is read more tales by the authors and limit the gatekeepers of intent and labeling. Just from Robert E. Howard's own tales as well as his available correspondence to Lovecraft and others, I see he didn't want to be pigeon-holed (who does though?) as a simple Romantic (among other labels), and he probably would see Sword-and-Sorcery as a blanket term not to be taken as serious as rabid fandoms get. The artistic intent suffered due to demand and oversaturation. On the other hand, if you're like me, you would rather seek out something labeled as Sword-and-Sorcery more than most other genres, but of course, that doesn't always equate to good finds though it certainly results many times in good finds. I've enjoyed Clark Ashton Smith, Lin Carter, L. Sprague de Camp, and many others, but I will admit to being disheartened when I see that some of them basically talked down on Robert E. Howard's style or on sword-and-sorcery's unofficial standards to basically sell us on their own stories. In reading Howard's tales, Brian Murphy's section on Outsider Heroes opens up a correct dialogue on something that I've been noticing for a while: skimmers and shallow reading tend to make the observer believe Howard's Conan stories (and other tales) are racist and sexist writing among Robert's words, which I generally denounce. Howard's affinity towards strong women is apparent in his characters and his letters to friends/authors. On race, there have been cringe-worthy words that characters have used, more so in modern tales set during Robert's era, but even so, no different than modern authors in our era, who wouldn't be treated as racist or sexist in telling their tales as so. A fascinating thing to ponder is that while Howard clearly sets Conan apart from the savages he encounters, he also sets him apart from the civilized ones he engages. An outsider everywhere he goes. Things didn't age well among the critics and gatekeepers, obviously in my opinion, as Moorcock and Poul Anderson have a more embittered world view versus Tolkien and C. S. Lewis' hopeful outlook that Good will battle Evil and prevail, yet we tend to take the former author's criticism of the latter ones as potent formulas for fresh new voices. Clark Ashton Smith is enjoyable but even he got in on the "fun" of downplaying stories like Howard's to sell his own brand, though that wasn't needed. Amazonian anthologies and Jessica Salmonson painting heroics erroneously to sell female leads when feminine strength was already being portrayed in the atmosphere, with a leading female artist putting out scantily clad damsels in distress on magazine covers, including Howard's tales, and a misrepresentation among critics about ethnicity and culture, for some to simply be able to convince fans to read their stories too. I ramble, I feel, when I also state that we should read all the author's tales more than we critique them. The irony I create. Seriously, good book, especially for those who read even a portion of the authors mentioned. On that, I decided, by chapter 2 or 3, to start a reference list of authors/stories to read. Hope that helps others.
Points of Interest/Reference: (there's much I didn't put, as you must read this for yourself)
Authors/stories mentioned to look into:
*stories spoken of more than others in the realm of first sword-and-sorcery stories or prototypes
Bit of a Longer Ramble that Ultimately Does Not Matter: Any opinions stated by the author are potent and worth discussing and make for good conversation, even if there are conflicting perceptions among the talkers. After hearing criticisms and sales pitches from past authors as well as talking heads among the masses, many quoted here or paraphrased, I would say that the best one could do is read more tales by the authors and limit the gatekeepers of intent and labeling. Just from Robert E. Howard's own tales as well as his available correspondence to Lovecraft and others, I see he didn't want to be pigeon-holed (who does though?) as a simple Romantic (among other labels), and he probably would see Sword-and-Sorcery as a blanket term not to be taken as serious as rabid fandoms get. The artistic intent suffered due to demand and oversaturation. On the other hand, if you're like me, you would rather seek out something labeled as Sword-and-Sorcery more than most other genres, but of course, that doesn't always equate to good finds though it certainly results many times in good finds. I've enjoyed Clark Ashton Smith, Lin Carter, L. Sprague de Camp, and many others, but I will admit to being disheartened when I see that some of them basically talked down on Robert E. Howard's style or on sword-and-sorcery's unofficial standards to basically sell us on their own stories. In reading Howard's tales, Brian Murphy's section on Outsider Heroes opens up a correct dialogue on something that I've been noticing for a while: skimmers and shallow reading tend to make the observer believe Howard's Conan stories (and other tales) are racist and sexist writing among Robert's words, which I generally denounce. Howard's affinity towards strong women is apparent in his characters and his letters to friends/authors. On race, there have been cringe-worthy words that characters have used, more so in modern tales set during Robert's era, but even so, no different than modern authors in our era, who wouldn't be treated as racist or sexist in telling their tales as so. A fascinating thing to ponder is that while Howard clearly sets Conan apart from the savages he encounters, he also sets him apart from the civilized ones he engages. An outsider everywhere he goes. Things didn't age well among the critics and gatekeepers, obviously in my opinion, as Moorcock and Poul Anderson have a more embittered world view versus Tolkien and C. S. Lewis' hopeful outlook that Good will battle Evil and prevail, yet we tend to take the former author's criticism of the latter ones as potent formulas for fresh new voices. Clark Ashton Smith is enjoyable but even he got in on the "fun" of downplaying stories like Howard's to sell his own brand, though that wasn't needed. Amazonian anthologies and Jessica Salmonson painting heroics erroneously to sell female leads when feminine strength was already being portrayed in the atmosphere, with a leading female artist putting out scantily clad damsels in distress on magazine covers, including Howard's tales, and a misrepresentation among critics about ethnicity and culture, for some to simply be able to convince fans to read their stories too. I ramble, I feel, when I also state that we should read all the author's tales more than we critique them. The irony I create. Seriously, good book, especially for those who read even a portion of the authors mentioned. On that, I decided, by chapter 2 or 3, to start a reference list of authors/stories to read. Hope that helps others.
Points of Interest/Reference: (there's much I didn't put, as you must read this for yourself)
Authors/stories mentioned to look into:
*stories spoken of more than others in the realm of first sword-and-sorcery stories or prototypes
May 2, 2025
This is undoubtedly the MOST important study of 'Sword & Sorcery' as a genre.
The book traces the history of the literary idea, the protagonists (i.e. the authors), its rise followed by decline, and its present position. In the process it mentions most of the major works and establishes how the genre has been tormented by its problematic handling of women, stereotypes, and formulaic structure. Phoenix-like in nature, the genre had succeeded in reviving itself, once those issues had been carefully addressed. Last chapter of the book shows enough of those silver-linings to make us feel hopeful regarding the genre.
The author is passionate enough to imbue the writing with a vibrancy usually absent from such non-fiction works. That made the book eminently readable. But...
1. Its small size and dense, dissertation-like text belittled the contents. The book deserved a bigger size and adequate lay-out.
2. Illustrations and covers— the most important part of this genre— were totally absent. I really hated that.
But, I repeat, this is an indispensable and essential read for all lovers of the genre.
Recommended.
The book traces the history of the literary idea, the protagonists (i.e. the authors), its rise followed by decline, and its present position. In the process it mentions most of the major works and establishes how the genre has been tormented by its problematic handling of women, stereotypes, and formulaic structure. Phoenix-like in nature, the genre had succeeded in reviving itself, once those issues had been carefully addressed. Last chapter of the book shows enough of those silver-linings to make us feel hopeful regarding the genre.
The author is passionate enough to imbue the writing with a vibrancy usually absent from such non-fiction works. That made the book eminently readable. But...
1. Its small size and dense, dissertation-like text belittled the contents. The book deserved a bigger size and adequate lay-out.
2. Illustrations and covers— the most important part of this genre— were totally absent. I really hated that.
But, I repeat, this is an indispensable and essential read for all lovers of the genre.
Recommended.
October 26, 2020
Alright I need to finish reading this. Something magical happened where the book referenced another series of books while explaining the history of the sword and sorcery genre, and off I went to go read it! In particular it was the Black Company. It's a long series and I just finished the first novel, set to read the next, so I'll have to circle back and keep reading. The purpose of this book was served, in describing and chronicling a history of what sword and sorcery is and how it has progressed over time. First it was Pulp-fiction adventures, then Robert E. Howard's Conan and Solomon Kane, which eventually moved to Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser (Fritz coining the term Sword and Sorcery which retrospectively suits Howard's work), which led to Michael Moorcock, then somewhere in there Glen Cook arrived with his all guts no glory grit of The Black Company. This is where sword and sorcery sort of diverges. It starts to evolve into something new. It hadn't clicked at the time but it was becoming the foundations of what is now known as Grimdark.
Grimdark's forefather is Sword and Sorcery. Game of Thrones wouldn't be the same without those stepping stones. It doesn't come from Lord of the Rings, which is High Fantasy.
Anyway, I'll be back to continue learning this history and secretly using it as a way to find more books to read. I will say, if you understand the distinct differences between the Grimdark genre and the Sword and Sorcery genre, I vastly prefer the latter and hope it makes a comeback.
Grimdark's forefather is Sword and Sorcery. Game of Thrones wouldn't be the same without those stepping stones. It doesn't come from Lord of the Rings, which is High Fantasy.
Anyway, I'll be back to continue learning this history and secretly using it as a way to find more books to read. I will say, if you understand the distinct differences between the Grimdark genre and the Sword and Sorcery genre, I vastly prefer the latter and hope it makes a comeback.
August 20, 2020
I feel like I have been waiting years for someone to write a book like this. Sure, others have tried on occasion, but no one really did a comprehensive capture of the genre before now. And this is not just a history, but a thematic synthesis and-dare I say it-a work of literary criticism. My only complaint, and its extremely minor and a quite understandable omission, is how on the discussion of film the movie 'Mandy' was left out as an example of sword and sorcery. Though its ostensibly a horror movie set in the 80s, any real genre fan who sees it will know exactly what it really is.
If you like sword and sorcery, get this book.
And if you want any further thoughts from me on the genre (albeit from before I read this book), you can check out my post here:
https://geotrickster.com/2019/06/29/s...
If you like sword and sorcery, get this book.
And if you want any further thoughts from me on the genre (albeit from before I read this book), you can check out my post here:
https://geotrickster.com/2019/06/29/s...
October 30, 2020
Well structured, researched, and written, this is a great text for those who wish to write in the genre and those who've done some reading, but aren't sure about the best path to take in exploring it further.
July 30, 2022
A great resource, recommend to anyone interested or already into S&S. I think the closing chapter was a great conclusion, and the first chapters really set things up. There is even a chapter on movies, gaming, and music
March 27, 2025
This was such an excellent history/overview of what the fantasy fiction sub genre of "Sword and Sorcery" is and why it is a niche of art that matters, that I almost didn't want it to end!
This is my current favorite non-fiction book I have read this year for sure!
This is my current favorite non-fiction book I have read this year for sure!
January 29, 2022
While I enjoy Sword-and-Sorcery fiction in theory, especially its overall influence on art and music, it’s not my favorite style of fantasy to read and I’m pretty inexperienced with it overall.
Because of this, I found Flame and Crimson: A History of Sword-and-Sorcery very helpful in framing the genre’s influence and which authors I would be most interested in reading more of (Clark Ashton Smith, C.L. Moore, and Michael Moorcock, it turns out).
This book from writer Brian Murphy details the long history of S&S, from its widely accepted origins at the hands of Robert E. Howard and the Lovecraft circle to its mass market heyday and eventually its descent into relative obscurity. It’s incredibly well researched, concluding with over 20 pages of works cited.
One fatal flaw this book has is its lack of art or images of any kind. It describes in detail how inseparable the writing is from its associated artwork, but there’s not an example in sight. Cost-effective I’m sure, but very strange.
Because of this, I found Flame and Crimson: A History of Sword-and-Sorcery very helpful in framing the genre’s influence and which authors I would be most interested in reading more of (Clark Ashton Smith, C.L. Moore, and Michael Moorcock, it turns out).
This book from writer Brian Murphy details the long history of S&S, from its widely accepted origins at the hands of Robert E. Howard and the Lovecraft circle to its mass market heyday and eventually its descent into relative obscurity. It’s incredibly well researched, concluding with over 20 pages of works cited.
One fatal flaw this book has is its lack of art or images of any kind. It describes in detail how inseparable the writing is from its associated artwork, but there’s not an example in sight. Cost-effective I’m sure, but very strange.
April 21, 2022
This book was written by a guy from Massachusetts who plays D&D, loves heavy metal, and is a huge fan of sword&sorcery. "Wait, wait," you're asking. "Did you write this book, Michael?" No I did not (nor could I since the author's knowledge of the field is encyclopedic). Apparently, though, I have a doppelganger in the form of Brian Murphy! I love all those things, too!
This is a well-written, highly comprehensive, and interesting history of sword&sorcery fantasy, which happens to be my favorite kind. From the early days of Weird Tales to more recent takes like grimdark; from the pulps to paperbacks to comic books to TV shows to movies, Flame and Crimson covers the entire width and breadth of S&S fantasy (except for the short lived Conan cartoon and TV series...I think. I might have missed them). Regardless, hands down the best, comprehensive story of the subgenre I've ever read. I truly enjoyed it.
We live in a time when fantasy, and science fiction, are rapidly changing. The authors, and the stories, are more diverse than ever, which makes sense since, well...people in the good old US of A are more diverse than ever. I'm happy that 'speculative fiction' (for lack of a better term) is thriving and growing and finding new fans. With that said, sometimes it's nice to re-read the classics. No one but no one wrote S&S like Howard (I'd say Karl Edward Wagner came closest), and I suspect no one will again. In my opinion, Howard, and Lovecraft, were the first two world builders (Tolkien was certainly writing at this time, too, but he wasn't published yet, and the entire Middle Earth saga was still quite inchoate).
Great stuff!
This is a well-written, highly comprehensive, and interesting history of sword&sorcery fantasy, which happens to be my favorite kind. From the early days of Weird Tales to more recent takes like grimdark; from the pulps to paperbacks to comic books to TV shows to movies, Flame and Crimson covers the entire width and breadth of S&S fantasy (except for the short lived Conan cartoon and TV series...I think. I might have missed them). Regardless, hands down the best, comprehensive story of the subgenre I've ever read. I truly enjoyed it.
We live in a time when fantasy, and science fiction, are rapidly changing. The authors, and the stories, are more diverse than ever, which makes sense since, well...people in the good old US of A are more diverse than ever. I'm happy that 'speculative fiction' (for lack of a better term) is thriving and growing and finding new fans. With that said, sometimes it's nice to re-read the classics. No one but no one wrote S&S like Howard (I'd say Karl Edward Wagner came closest), and I suspect no one will again. In my opinion, Howard, and Lovecraft, were the first two world builders (Tolkien was certainly writing at this time, too, but he wasn't published yet, and the entire Middle Earth saga was still quite inchoate).
Great stuff!
May 9, 2023
I liked this book overall but this was retreading a lot of ground I've already covered over the years. Most of the books referenced here as sources I've already read and still have on my shelves. I did, however, really like the section on 1980s sword & sorcery cinema also having seen all of the referenced movies. I would recommend this book for anyone looking to begin delving into the pulps, specifically the Sword & Sorcery genre, as it provides a very good and sweeping look at the genre and its evolution.
March 26, 2021
Very pleasantly surprised by the research that went into this book and its resultant depth. It's an exhaustive and balanced overview of the genre, going into its history, characteristics, criticisms, and cultural impact. The author's love for S&S is apparent and elevates the book beyond being just a shallow, surface-level chronological history. 5-stars for achieving the book's intended purpose in a way that made me want to keep reading.
September 26, 2024
This is a very through history of Sword and Sorcery, almost to a fault.
I was never bored while reading the book but it is very comprehensive.
You get the origins of Sword and Sorcery, what defines the genre, biographies of the major early writers, way too many book suggestions for the TBR, and a complete history of the genre up to present day.
It is really well done.
I was never bored while reading the book but it is very comprehensive.
You get the origins of Sword and Sorcery, what defines the genre, biographies of the major early writers, way too many book suggestions for the TBR, and a complete history of the genre up to present day.
It is really well done.
August 16, 2022
Tratado completo sobre el género de Espada y Brujería, desde sus inicios hasta su evolución reciente, tanto en la era pulp, la alta fantasía moderna, los cómics, video juegos hasta el boom de las películas en los 80s y su influencia en recientes producciones. Es especialmente exhaustiva la revisión sobre la literatura de Espada y brujería.
February 11, 2021
As a rabid fan of the sword and sorcery genre of fantasy, I’ve always found it rather difficult to find a complete guide and history to the genre. That is, at least, until now, with debut author Brian Murphy’s “Flame and Crimson: A History of Sword-and-Sorcery."
This is truly a well-researched book that is thoroughly engrossing and enjoyable to read. Murphy covers the authors that inspired the sword and sorcery genre and what are referred to as “proto sword and sorcery” authors such as Lord Dunsany, E.R. Eddison, H. Rider Haggard, Edgar Rice Burroughs, Talbot Mundy, Harold Lamb, Abraham Merritt and Clark Ashton Smith.
He then moves on to the legendary father of sword and sorcery fiction, Robert E. Howard, with his contributions of Kull of Valusia and Conan the Cimmerian that jumpstarted the genre, and also his contemporaries such as C.L. Moore with her Red Sonya-inspired Jirel of Joiry character, and Henry Kuttner with his tales of Elak of Atlantis and Price Raynor. These all compose the “first wave,” that were mainly established in the Weird Tales pulps.
Murphy then delves into the second, third and subsequent waves of sword and sorcery fiction including Poul Anderson’s “The Broken Sword,” “Three Hearts and Three Lions,” “Hrolf Kraki’s Saga,” “War of the Gods,” and his various short stories in the genre, Fritz Leiber with his “Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser,” as well as other legendary authors such as Michael Moorcock with his “Elric Saga” and Karl Edward Wagner with his “Kane Series.” Also included are the authors that helped keep this genre alive through the years such as David C. Smith with his “Oron Series,” Richard L. Tierney with his “Simon of Gitta Series,” Charles R. Saunders with his “Imaro Saga,” Keith Taylor with his “Bard Series,” Ramsey Campbell with his tales of Ryre, Tanith Lee with her myriad sagas and tales, the collaborated “Thieves’ World Stories,” Glen Cook’s “Black Company Series,” and many others, all the way up until the mid-to-latter ’80s where there was inevitably a sword and sorcery bust due to the flow of the piles of steaming garbage films such as “Conan the Destroyer,” “Red Sonja,” “The Barbarians,” “Deathstalker,” and films made by brainless, money-hungry dolts that had no clue what the essence of sword and sorcery really was, and mindless novels churned out without much thought to plot, character, or atmosphere.
After emphasizing the severity of this tragedy, he brings new hope by revealing a whole new wave of sword and sorcery authors and publishers that are flourishing in the underground, dedicated to delivering the goods in the vein of the blood-and-thunder authors of old, including DMR Books, Steven Shrewsbury & Brian Keene, Howard Andrew Jones, and also the advent of the subgenre of grimdark, that owes a lot to the genre of sword and sorcery.
This is a true gem of a book, and Brian Murphy is a stellar new author that is certainly one to watch. I give Flame and Crimson a 4.5 out of 5.
This is truly a well-researched book that is thoroughly engrossing and enjoyable to read. Murphy covers the authors that inspired the sword and sorcery genre and what are referred to as “proto sword and sorcery” authors such as Lord Dunsany, E.R. Eddison, H. Rider Haggard, Edgar Rice Burroughs, Talbot Mundy, Harold Lamb, Abraham Merritt and Clark Ashton Smith.
He then moves on to the legendary father of sword and sorcery fiction, Robert E. Howard, with his contributions of Kull of Valusia and Conan the Cimmerian that jumpstarted the genre, and also his contemporaries such as C.L. Moore with her Red Sonya-inspired Jirel of Joiry character, and Henry Kuttner with his tales of Elak of Atlantis and Price Raynor. These all compose the “first wave,” that were mainly established in the Weird Tales pulps.
Murphy then delves into the second, third and subsequent waves of sword and sorcery fiction including Poul Anderson’s “The Broken Sword,” “Three Hearts and Three Lions,” “Hrolf Kraki’s Saga,” “War of the Gods,” and his various short stories in the genre, Fritz Leiber with his “Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser,” as well as other legendary authors such as Michael Moorcock with his “Elric Saga” and Karl Edward Wagner with his “Kane Series.” Also included are the authors that helped keep this genre alive through the years such as David C. Smith with his “Oron Series,” Richard L. Tierney with his “Simon of Gitta Series,” Charles R. Saunders with his “Imaro Saga,” Keith Taylor with his “Bard Series,” Ramsey Campbell with his tales of Ryre, Tanith Lee with her myriad sagas and tales, the collaborated “Thieves’ World Stories,” Glen Cook’s “Black Company Series,” and many others, all the way up until the mid-to-latter ’80s where there was inevitably a sword and sorcery bust due to the flow of the piles of steaming garbage films such as “Conan the Destroyer,” “Red Sonja,” “The Barbarians,” “Deathstalker,” and films made by brainless, money-hungry dolts that had no clue what the essence of sword and sorcery really was, and mindless novels churned out without much thought to plot, character, or atmosphere.
After emphasizing the severity of this tragedy, he brings new hope by revealing a whole new wave of sword and sorcery authors and publishers that are flourishing in the underground, dedicated to delivering the goods in the vein of the blood-and-thunder authors of old, including DMR Books, Steven Shrewsbury & Brian Keene, Howard Andrew Jones, and also the advent of the subgenre of grimdark, that owes a lot to the genre of sword and sorcery.
This is a true gem of a book, and Brian Murphy is a stellar new author that is certainly one to watch. I give Flame and Crimson a 4.5 out of 5.
February 11, 2021
Exceedingly well-researched, this book showcases a love of the genre while not shying away from its problems and critiques. I do wish it had had illustrations - it would've helped convey some of the points made, and helped break up the smaller text.
December 22, 2022
Impeccably researched
January 20, 2021
This was quite the enjoyable read. Obviously written by a fan of the genre, his enthusiasm for his subject is nearly infectious. I've been a follower of Sword and Sorcery for nearly 40 years, but in here I found nearly a dozen book or stories I feel the need to read. Plus a few I can avoid. I've discovered some bands and albums I need to seek out. I recently read a too short book on Sword and Sorcery movies of the 1980's. This book's few pages on those same films was far more entertaining and edifying than that whole book. I do follow the author's blog, so I wasn't unfamiliar his writing style. There are a few points where he repeats himself in various chapters, but I think it was for emphasis, rather than a lapse. Overall, I highly recommend this for anyone who is a fan of the genre or who's looking to learn more about it.
December 2, 2022
2nd Read Through: This is a very pessamistic view of the genre. While the author may enjoy S-n-S himself, his discussions and talks lead me to think that he is all but disappointed in the genre. I read this book a while ago; did not enjoy it then; and put it away. Then - I read all of REH Conan series and re-read this and took away more understanding of what I enjoy and the feeling that this author does not enjoy anything outside of Conan. This will be in a second-hand bookstore within the week.
While this is good for the history of Sword and Sorcery and contains interesting and useful facts, it is also marred with opinions. While the author may or may not like somethign in this genre, the job of this (my understanding) was to present the facts as they stand for the genre. Books like this should allow for the reader/viewer to decide what it is they enjoy or do not enjoy.
I thought it was well and fine for what it is, but feel that I did not get what I thought I was buying and feel disappointed now that I have finished.
While this is good for the history of Sword and Sorcery and contains interesting and useful facts, it is also marred with opinions. While the author may or may not like somethign in this genre, the job of this (my understanding) was to present the facts as they stand for the genre. Books like this should allow for the reader/viewer to decide what it is they enjoy or do not enjoy.
I thought it was well and fine for what it is, but feel that I did not get what I thought I was buying and feel disappointed now that I have finished.
February 5, 2022
Enjoyed this book a lot. My exposure to Sword & Sorcery was when I was in High school, watching all the B-grade fantasy movies popular in the 80's. I had always referred this genre as Furry Boots & Undies fantasy.
It was fascinating learning about the rise and fall of sword & Sorcery as a genre and how cultural events, such as the invention of the paperback, impacted on the popularity of the genre.
Many of the authors and novels mentioned in this wonderful history lesson, I will be tracking down so I can experience Sword & sorcery beyond the movies I watched as a teen.
I would love to read more books like this that explore the evolution of fantasy fiction through the decades.
It was fascinating learning about the rise and fall of sword & Sorcery as a genre and how cultural events, such as the invention of the paperback, impacted on the popularity of the genre.
Many of the authors and novels mentioned in this wonderful history lesson, I will be tracking down so I can experience Sword & sorcery beyond the movies I watched as a teen.
I would love to read more books like this that explore the evolution of fantasy fiction through the decades.
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