Book Review - Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser by Fritz Leiber

Swords and Deviltry and Swords Against Death - Fritz Leiber (1970) - This is probably the series that first introduced me to sword and sorcery fantasy.  My parents did not have a huge personal library but looking back I realize that you could find some amazing things in it.  My memory says that one of this series (there are seven titles of the collected stories of the two gallants from the world of Nehwon.  Fafrhd is a seven foot tall northern barbarian and the Gray Mouser is a small deft southerner.  Together they will fight, drink, steal and wench their way through life.

These stories are probably the best known work of one of the many fascinating writers from the Golden Age of Science Fiction.  Writer, poet, chess player, fencer, actor.  Lieber is one of the writers who establish the outlines of all the sword and sorcery that have followed.  These stories hold up incredibly well.  The earliest story ("The Howling Tower" which is found in "Swords Against Death") dates back to 1941 but strikes me as being fresh and fascinating.  If you're a fan of Terry Pratchett (and why wouldn't you be?) you'll feel the roots of his work in Ankh-Morpork and his direct parody with his characters of Bravd and the Weasel.

Beyond all of that these are classic stories of the genre and show Fritz Lieber at the top of his considerable game.  If you love sword and sorcery stories this is a must have collection.

Rating - **** Recommended