Swords Against Death by Fritz Leiber

While the previous volume features later written prequels about the sword & sorcery characters Fafhrd (barbarian) and the Gray Mouser (thief), Swords Against Death (Ace Books, 1970) begins collecting the original stories mixed in with some stories that were written at a later date. They’re exciting, creative, and I love Leiber’s prose and use of vocabulary. 

The Circle Curse (4/5)

(First appearance in this volume)

A direct sequel to “Ill Met in Lankhmar” from the previous volume, serving as an epilogue to that story and as prologue to the stories that follow. The pair travel the world, meet some strange characters, and eventually return to Lankmar. A nice introduction to the twain that gets the reader up to speed. 

The Jewels in the Forest (5/5)

(Unknown, Aug 1939 as Two Sought Adventure)

Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser attempt to find treasure in a mysterious tower. What begins as a simple quest becomes more complicated and quite interesting when the characters reach the location of the treasure. 

Thieves’ House (5/5)

(Unknown Worlds, Feb 1943)

The twain are tricked into recovering the bejeweled skull of a master thief. A wonderful mix of fast paced action and supernatural shenanigans. I can see how this story and the previous one influenced the creation of Dungeons & Dragons. 

The Bleak Shore (4/5)

(Unknown Fantasy Fiction, Nov 1940)

After gambling with a mysterious man in the Silver Eel, the pair become bewitched and set out for a place called the Bleak Shore. Short and sweet.

The Howling Tower (4/5)

(Unknown Fantasy Fiction, June 1941)

Fafred disappears after the pair hear howling in the distance. Mouser then tracks him to an old tower. A well-done ghost story.

The Sunken Land (4/5)

(Unknown Worlds, Feb 1942)

Things take a bad turn after Fafhrd finds a ring while the pair are at sea. I enjoyed the spooky atmosphere and the Lovecraftian vibe. 

The Seven Black Priests (4/5)

(Other Worlds Science Fiction Stories, May 1953)

The pair fight off priests as they attempt to steal a treasure, which turns out to be more than it seems. A well-done mix of action and dark humor. 

Claws from the Night (1951) (4/5)

(Suspense Magazine, Fall 1951, as Dark Vengeance)

Fafhrd and Mouser attempt to steal a large jewel while at the same time jewelry is disappearing from wealthy people’s homes. A fun mystery with action and horror elements. 

The Prince of Pain-ease (1970) (3/5)

(First appearance in this volume)

After stealing a house, yes, a house, the twain deal with being haunted by the memories of their former lovers. It was okay but I didn’t enjoy this one as much as the others.

Bazaar of the Bizarre (1963) (5/5)

(Fantastic Stories of Imagination, Aug 1963) 

After Mouser falls prey to a sinister bazaar, Fafhrd, armed with an “invisible cloak of invisibility” and a “blindfold of true seeing,” attempts to save him. A creative adventure that throws in cosmic danger, humour, and satire of consumerism. My favorite story in this collection.

Some Final Thoughts 

I first bought this book and the previous volume in my school days from my favorite bookstore of all time, The Science Fiction & Mystery Bookshop, which was located in Atlanta, GA. Sadly, it went out of business years ago, but I still have very fond memories of the place. I no longer have those copies, but I managed to replace them during the last few years. Now I have three copies each.

First, I have the Kindle versions which I bought when they were on sale. Next, they’re included in Three of Swords, the first hardcover omnibus from the Science Fiction Book Club, which I found at Half-Price Books. Finally, I have vintage editions (the second one is pictured at the top of the page) which I discovered at Atlanta Vintage Books. 

This finishes my reread of the first two books. I didn’t enjoy them so much when I first read them in my younger days but now Fafhrd and Mouser are two of my favorite characters and Fritz Leiber is one of my favorite authors. Looking forward to reading more as from the next book the stories will be all new to me. 

Books I Read in May 2025

I didn’t actually finish any books this month, but I have been reading, so here’s a quick pic of the books and comics that I’ve been dipping in and out of.  I'll have more to say about these in upcoming posts.

My Second Published Short Story

Well, it took a while, but I just had my second short story published. It’s titled “Into the Void” and can be found in Waystation: Amateur Magazine of Space Opera, issue 2. Included are 12 stories, a poem, and artwork. It’s available free to read online or as a free PDF download at the link below. Hope you like it!

Waystation: Amateur Magazine of Space Opera: Waystation (Issue 2) now available (free PDF)

Books I Read in April 2025

 Three books and one large volume of manga this month.

The Orchard Keeper by Cormac McCarthy. (Vintage International, 1993. First published in 1965 by Random House)

Cormac McCarthy’s first published book is about the lives of three people in a rural community in the mountains of Tennessee who are linked by an act of violence. There are some absolutely beautiful descriptions but overall, it was a challenging read. Especially in the first half, many passages just go on for too long with the use of vocabulary becoming overwhelming. Add in that it’s often not immediately clear who the point-of-view character is or who is speaking during conversations. All these things contributed to making the narrative difficult to follow. Things became a little clearer in the second half but the plot, what little of it there was, felt pretty unfocused. I still plan on reading more McCarthy though, as from the reviews I’ve read it only gets better from here. 

Clown in a Cornfield by Adam Cesare (HarperCollins, 2020) 

What’s worse than moving to a small town and having to make new friends? Moving to a small town with a killer clown. The first 100 pages set things up well and then the mayhem begins. Like an 80s teen slasher movie with likable characters, an engaging story, and some biting social commentary. Although I guessed part of the mystery early on, there were still plenty of surprises throughout. This was a fun read and exactly what I needed after struggling through the McCarthy book. Looking forward to the film adaptation.

After the People Lights Have Gone Off: Stories by Stephen Graham Jones (Open Road Media, 2024. Originally published in 2014 by Dark House Press)

I’ve been a fan of horror author Stephen Graham Jones ever since reading his novellas Mapping the Interior and Night of the Mannequins, so I grabbed this collection of short stories when I saw it in my local Barnes & Noble. I got halfway through when I realized that I already had a copy on my Kindle. Oh well!

While the stories are short, quick reads, and each one is quite creative, some of them were just too ambiguous for me. On the other hand, I was still thinking about some of those stories afterwards and I enjoyed the writing in all of them. I also enjoyed reading the afterward, in which Jones discusses how each story came about. Reading this collection reminded me that I have a few of his novels that I still need to get to. 

The Legend of Kamui by Shirato Sanpei. Translated by Richard Rubinger. (Drawn and Quarterly, 2025)

History, class struggle, and discrimination in feudal Japan. Originally serialized in the monthly gekiga (a style of manga that emerged in the 60s/70s with more mature themes) magazine Garo between 1964 and 1971, Legend of Kamui tells the story of a young outcast as well as other characters struggling to survive. Kamui will eventually become a ninja but this 600 plus page volume is mostly set up for that. It’s a blend of adventure and social commentary with historical notes and comments from the author spread throughout. I loved the art, which is a mix of old school cartoony art in the Osamu Tezuka style and the more detailed modern style. The story is told at a very leisurely pace, but the reader’s patience is rewarded as things gradually come together. As this is volume one of a planned ten volumes, the story is just getting started. 

Books I Read in March 2025

Three books this month.

Pick-Up by Charles Willeford (Vintage Crime/Black Lizard, 1990. Originally published in 1955) 

Pick-Up is a story about two sad, lonely, and self-destructive people. After a strong start, I lost interest around the middle, but then I was drawn back in towards the end. Pretty depressing at times but the hard-boiled writing kept me reading and every time I thought I knew where the story was going it went in a different direction. 

Charles Willeford is a crime fiction author with a long career especially known for his Hoke Mosely novels beginning with Miami Blues. After I learned about him, I started keeping my eye out for his books whenever stopping by a used bookstore. Including this one, I’ve picked up (see what I did there?) five of his books so far. I was in the mood to read some crime noir, so I grabbed this one off the shelf and jumped in. It’s not a typical crime story as the crime aspect doesn’t come into play until late in the book but it was an interesting read.  

More Days at the Morisaki Bookshop by Satoshi Yagisawa (Harper Perennial, 2024) 

This a sequel to Days at the Morisaki Bookshop and like that book, it takes place in Jimbocho, Tokyo, a neighborhood known for its many new and used bookstores. When I was living in Japan I visited there often. While I enjoyed spending time with these characters again, I didn’t find this as engaging as the previous book. It has a strong second half as the story finally starts moving forward, but the first half of the book felt uneven and disjointed like the author wasn't sure where to take the story. Still, I like the characters, and it takes place in one of my favorite places in Japan, so if there’s a sequel, I’ll definitely read it. 

The Emperor’s Soul by Brandon Sanderson (Tachyon Publications, 2012)

An imprisoned Forger is tasked with recreating the soul of an injured emperor. This was my first Brandon Sanderson read, and I have to say I’m impressed. Sanderson packs a lot into this novella. There’s a cast of interesting characters including a clever heroine, combined with well-done world building and a fascinating magic system. While there’s intrigue, suspense, and action, the story also touches upon identity and the meaning of art. Outstanding. 

Brandon Sanderson is an author that I’ve always meant to read but just never got around to. His book Mistborn has been on my to-be-read list for a long time as many people recommend it as a good starting point, but I never bought a copy. I recently watched some YouTube videos about where to start with Sanderson and The Emperor’s Soul came up. I decided on this as it sounded really interesting and it’s shorter than a novel. It also won the 2013 Hugo Award for novella. Looking forward to reading more Sanderson in the future. 

Warhammer 40,000: Into the Maelstrom

Into the Maelstrom (2000) edited by Marc Gascoigne and Andy Jones includes twelve stories set in the Warhammer 40,000 gaming universe, which is a wild mix of military science fiction, dangerous aliens, bioweapons, psychic powers, and supernatural monsters. As I mentioned last month, I bought this and two Warhammer fantasy books (see pic at the end of this post) around fifteen years ago and didn’t read this one until last month. I’m glad that I finally got to it as I enjoyed most of the stories.

Salvation by Johnathan Green (3.5/5)

An Ultramarine who lost his memory helps out villagers after they are attacked. I enjoyed how the story felt a little like a western. 

Into the Maelstrom by Chris Pramas  (2.5/5)

Two Space Marines take on Huron Blackheart, leader of the Red Corsairs. Lots of action and betrayals but I never got into the characters. 

Emperor’s Grace by Alex Hammond (4/4)

A Commissar and a group of Imperial Guardsmen are outnumbered on a jungle planet. The action scenes didn’t hold my interest at first but once the conflict between the Commissar and the leader of the Guardsmen got started, I was all in. 

The Raven’s Claw by Jonathan Curran (4/5)

A man with no memory finds himself part of a penal legion sent to a planet with a rebel governor. I liked how everything is revealed and comes together in the end. 

Children of the Emperor by Barrington J. Bayley (5/5)

After an Imperial Guardsman troopship is ambushed, a lone Guardsman finds himself on a planet with dangerous creatures. An old school space opera adventure with interesting characters and a great balance of action and world building. While all the previous stories hinted at the world of Warhammer 40K, I felt like I learned more from this page turner of a story. Outstanding. 

The Black Pearl by Chris Pramas (4/5)

An Interrogator-Chaplain leads Space Marines on a search for a relic that has been lost for ten thousand years. Good set up, action, and ending. 

Acceptable Losses by Gav Thorpe (5/5)

After a flight commander takes charge of a motley crew of bomber pilots, they are sent on a dangerous mission. An excellent example of military SF with a great mix of characters, action, and conflict. 

Tenebrae by Mark Brendan (2.5/5)

A governor, a former soldier, reflects on his life as his planet is invaded by agents of Chaos. I didn't get into the characters again.

Ancient Lances by Alex Hammond (5/5)

After fighting in one hundred battles for the Imperium, the leader of the Attilan Rough Riders returns to the desert tribe of his home planet to find that things have changed. Maybe it’s because I’ve been listening to the Genghis Khan episodes of the Hardcore History podcast, but I was fascinated by the Rough Riders, characters based on the Hun and Mongol hordes of Eurasia. 

Hell in a Bottle by Simon Jowett (2.5/5)

The overseer of a virtual reality training facility begins to suspect there’s something wrong with the simulations. I could see where the story was going pretty much from the start. 

Unthinking Justice by Andras Millard (4/5)

Space Marines sent to stop a rebellion find that things are not what they appear to be after they engage the rebels. A good mix of interesting characters, action, and mystery. 

In the Belly of the Beast by William King (5/5)

A Space Marine chapter known as the Space Wolves are sent on a mission to investigate a mysterious object the size of a small asteroid. Trouble ensues. Excellent buildup of tension which then switches to all out action. Another outstanding story. 

The only author I was really familiar with was Barrington J. Bailey. I remember seeing his SF paperbacks in bookstores in my university days, but I never read any of them. He has three more stories in another 40K anthology, Dark Imperium (2001) and one novel, Eye of Terror (1999). Unfortunately, they’re out of print and aren’t available as e-books. I enjoyed both stories by Alex Hammond and would like to read more, but his three other 40K stories are also in an out-of-print anthology, Status: Deadzone (2017). Luckily Gav Thorpe and William King both have lots of work still available. I’m looking forward to diving deeper into the worlds of Warhammer. 

Books I Read in February 2025

 Two books and one comic this month.

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle (Book of the Month Club, 1994. Originally published in 1892)

Although I liked some of the stories more than others, I enjoyed reading about the characters and their adventures so much that I have to give this collection five stars. It's a big step up from the first two novels which I re-read a few years ago. I think Sherlock Holmes works best as short stories. Now I’m in the mood to re-watch the Granada TV series starring Jeremy Brett.

Into the Maelstrom edited by Marc Gascoigne & Andy Jones (Black Library/Games Workshop, 2000)

When I buy a book there’s no guarantee that I’ll get to it anytime soon. For example, I think I bought this anthology of stories set in the Warhammer 40K gaming universe around fifteen years ago! Well, I finally read it and enjoyed most of the stories. The 40K universe is a wild mix of military SF, dangerous aliens, bioweapons, psychic powers, and supernatural monsters. My favorite stories were by Alex Hammond, Barrington J. Bayley, Gav Thorpe, and William King. 

When I bought this, I picked up two Warhammer fantasy books as well. Now that I’ve finally jumped in, I’ll probably read more soon. Look for a more detailed review of this anthology next month. 

The Savage Sword of Conan, Vol.1 by Various (Titan Comics, 2025)

This collects the first three issues of Titan’s black & white magazine sized Conan comic. Besides the stories there’s a map, an essay, and pinups. I really enjoyed this even though I didn’t care for the art in the first story at all. I thought that it was so wildly inconsistent and so weirdly photoshop-like in places that it kept pulling me out of the story. On the other hand, I loved the combination of story and art in every single one of the other stories. I’ll definitely keep reading Savage Sword, but I’ll probably stick to the trades.