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Swords And Sorcery Reading Suggestions
Posted on 2024-05-14
@shannonmcmaster@dice.camp was interested in Swords And Sorcery stories. He was asking about every era. None of these are contemporary so here's a chance to jump in the comments and add some more up to date stories. Also comment to agree, disagree, or add more from any era.
My first list
I'm reading Andre Norton - Quag Keep
Jack Vance - Lyonesse Trilogy, The Dying Earth
Fred Saberhagen - Lost Swords
Gene Wolfe - The Book Of The New Sun
Poul Anderson - The Broken Sword
Already mentioned
Fritz Lieber - Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser
Robert Howard - Conan The Barbarian
And of course
J. R. R. Tolkien - The Lord Of The Rings
And from @PTR_K@dice.camp
I second most of what you've listed, except Quag Keep. I found that book tedious and uninspiring (despite being essentially the first ever D&D novel).
Among Norton's (IMHO) more engaging work, I found Witch World fairly close to sword and sorcery (after the framing bit at least).
Edgar Rice Burroughs 'Barsoom' series fit the spirit pretty well, although I guess they might better be described as "Sword & Planet".
Three Hearts & Three Lions by Poul Anderson.
The Black Company by Glen Cook kinda "war is hell" in a fantasy world. Maybe inspired by Conan Doyle's The White Company.
Sun Wolf and Starhawk series by Barbara Hambly. I kind of think of it as The Black Company lite.
Back to me.
If you're looking for short stories rather than epic trilogies.
Jack Vance - The Dying Earth
Fritz Lieber - Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser
Fred Saberhagen - Lost Swords
In all three cases the entire collection of short stories is pretty epic.
I'm also going to add Appendix N
The following authors were of particular inspiration to me. In some cases I cite specific works, in others, I simply recommend all of their fantasy writing to you. From such sources, as well as any other imaginative writing or screenplay, you will be able to pluck kernels from which will grow the fruits of exciting campaigns. Good reading!
Anderson, Poul: THREE HEARTS AND THREE LIONS; THE HIGH CRUSADE; THE BROKEN SWORD
Bellairs, John: THE FACE IN THE FROST
Brackett, Leigh
Brown, Frederic
Burroughs, Edgar Rice: “Pellucidar” series; Mars series; Venus series
Carter, Lin: “World’s End” series
de Camp, L. Sprague: LEST DARKNESS FALL; THE FALLIBLE FIEND; et al
de Camp & Pratt: “Harold Shea” series; THE CARNELIAN CUBE
Derleth, August
Dunsany, Lord
Farmer, P. J.: “The World of the Tiers” series; et al
Fox, Gardner: “Kothar” series; “Kyrik” series; et al
Howard, R. E.: “Conan” series
Lanier, Sterling: HIERO’S JOURNEY
Leiber, Fritz: “Fafhrd & Gray Mouser” series; et al
Lovecraft, H. P.
Merritt, A.: CREEP, SHADOW, CREEP; MOON POOL; DWELLERS IN THE MIRAGE; et al
Moorcock, Michael: STORMBRINGER; STEALER OF SOULS; “Hawkmoon” series (esp. the first three books)
Norton, Andre
Offutt, Andrew J.: editor of SWORDS AGAINST DARKNESS III
Pratt, Fletcher: BLUE STAR; et al
Saberhagen, Fred: CHANGELING EARTH; et al
St. Clair, Margaret: THE SHADOW PEOPLE; SIGN OF THE LABRYS
Tolkien, J. R. R.: THE HOBBIT; “Ring trilogy”
Vance, Jack: THE EYES OF THE OVERWORLD; THE DYING EARTH; et al
Weinbaum, Stanley
Wellman, Manley Wade
Williamson, Jack
Zelazny, Roger: JACK OF SHADOWS; “Amber” series; et al
The most immediate influences upon AD&D were probably de Camp & Pratt, R. E. Howard, Fritz Leiber, Jack Vance, H. P. Lovecraft, and A. Merritt; but all of the above authors, as well as many not listed, certainly helped to shape the form of the game. For this reason, and for the hours of reading enjoyment, I heartily recommend the works of these fine authors to you.”
– E. Gary Gygax, 1979, AD&D Dungeon Masters Guide, p. 224
---
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https://gamerplus.org/notes/9grwhnayp35xa195
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Posted on 2024-05-14
@shannonmcmaster@dice.camp was interested in Swords And Sorcery stories. He was asking about every era. None of these are contemporary so here's a chance to jump in the comments and add some more up to date stories. Also comment to agree, disagree, or add more from any era.
My first list
I'm reading Andre Norton - Quag Keep
Jack Vance - Lyonesse Trilogy, The Dying Earth
Fred Saberhagen - Lost Swords
Gene Wolfe - The Book Of The New Sun
Poul Anderson - The Broken Sword
Already mentioned
Fritz Lieber - Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser
Robert Howard - Conan The Barbarian
And of course
J. R. R. Tolkien - The Lord Of The Rings
And from @PTR_K@dice.camp
I second most of what you've listed, except Quag Keep. I found that book tedious and uninspiring (despite being essentially the first ever D&D novel).
Among Norton's (IMHO) more engaging work, I found Witch World fairly close to sword and sorcery (after the framing bit at least).
Edgar Rice Burroughs 'Barsoom' series fit the spirit pretty well, although I guess they might better be described as "Sword & Planet".
Three Hearts & Three Lions by Poul Anderson.
The Black Company by Glen Cook kinda "war is hell" in a fantasy world. Maybe inspired by Conan Doyle's The White Company.
Sun Wolf and Starhawk series by Barbara Hambly. I kind of think of it as The Black Company lite.
Back to me.
If you're looking for short stories rather than epic trilogies.
Jack Vance - The Dying Earth
Fritz Lieber - Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser
Fred Saberhagen - Lost Swords
In all three cases the entire collection of short stories is pretty epic.
I'm also going to add Appendix N
The following authors were of particular inspiration to me. In some cases I cite specific works, in others, I simply recommend all of their fantasy writing to you. From such sources, as well as any other imaginative writing or screenplay, you will be able to pluck kernels from which will grow the fruits of exciting campaigns. Good reading!
Anderson, Poul: THREE HEARTS AND THREE LIONS; THE HIGH CRUSADE; THE BROKEN SWORD
Bellairs, John: THE FACE IN THE FROST
Brackett, Leigh
Brown, Frederic
Burroughs, Edgar Rice: “Pellucidar” series; Mars series; Venus series
Carter, Lin: “World’s End” series
de Camp, L. Sprague: LEST DARKNESS FALL; THE FALLIBLE FIEND; et al
de Camp & Pratt: “Harold Shea” series; THE CARNELIAN CUBE
Derleth, August
Dunsany, Lord
Farmer, P. J.: “The World of the Tiers” series; et al
Fox, Gardner: “Kothar” series; “Kyrik” series; et al
Howard, R. E.: “Conan” series
Lanier, Sterling: HIERO’S JOURNEY
Leiber, Fritz: “Fafhrd & Gray Mouser” series; et al
Lovecraft, H. P.
Merritt, A.: CREEP, SHADOW, CREEP; MOON POOL; DWELLERS IN THE MIRAGE; et al
Moorcock, Michael: STORMBRINGER; STEALER OF SOULS; “Hawkmoon” series (esp. the first three books)
Norton, Andre
Offutt, Andrew J.: editor of SWORDS AGAINST DARKNESS III
Pratt, Fletcher: BLUE STAR; et al
Saberhagen, Fred: CHANGELING EARTH; et al
St. Clair, Margaret: THE SHADOW PEOPLE; SIGN OF THE LABRYS
Tolkien, J. R. R.: THE HOBBIT; “Ring trilogy”
Vance, Jack: THE EYES OF THE OVERWORLD; THE DYING EARTH; et al
Weinbaum, Stanley
Wellman, Manley Wade
Williamson, Jack
Zelazny, Roger: JACK OF SHADOWS; “Amber” series; et al
The most immediate influences upon AD&D were probably de Camp & Pratt, R. E. Howard, Fritz Leiber, Jack Vance, H. P. Lovecraft, and A. Merritt; but all of the above authors, as well as many not listed, certainly helped to shape the form of the game. For this reason, and for the hours of reading enjoyment, I heartily recommend the works of these fine authors to you.”
– E. Gary Gygax, 1979, AD&D Dungeon Masters Guide, p. 224
---
No comments on Pages. Please comment here.
https://gamerplus.org/notes/9grwhnayp35xa195
Home - Table Of Contents - Most Recent - RSS - Permalink - Text
