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A READER'S GUIDE TO SWORD & SORCERY A-C

A

Lynn Abbey (1948 - )

Thieves' World Stories

1. "The Face of Chaos" Thieves' World (1979)
2. "The Fruit of Enlibar" Tales from the Vulgar Unicorn (1980)
3. "Then Azyuna Danced" Shadows of Sanctuary (1981)
4. "Steel" Storm Season (1982)
5. "The Corners of Memory" The Face of Chaos (1983)
6. "Gyskouras" Wings of Omen (1984)
7. "The God-Chosen" The Dead of Winter (1985)
8. "Children of All Ages" Soul of the City (1986)
9. "The Small Powers that Endure" Soul of the City (1986)
10. "Sanctuary Nocturne" Blood Ties (1986)
11. "Seeing Is Believing (But Love Is Blind)" Aftermath (1987)
12. "Web Weavers" Stealers' Sky (1989)
13. Sanctuary (2002)
14. "A Tale of Two Cities" (2005) in The Thieves' World Player's Manual
15. "The Red Lucky" Turning Points (2002)
16. "Good Neighbors" Enemies of Fortune (2004)

Robert Adams (1932-1990)

Robert Adams is best known as the creator of one series, The Horseclans. Heavy on the action, these tales are set in the 27th Century when man has reverted to barbarism. The history of the brave horse-riders grew from the first tale of Milo Morai (written by Adams while in hospital) into a vast saga. Some novels feature big cats instead of horses. Adams also edited several anthologies of note, Magic in Ithkar with Andre Norton and Barbarians with his wife and Martin Greenberg.

The Horseclan Series (All covers by Ken Kelly)

1. The Coming of the Horseclans (1975)
2. Swords of the Horseclans (1977)
3. Revenge of the Horseclans (1977)
4. A Cat of Silvery Hue (1979)
5. The Savage Mountains (1980)
6. The Patrimony (1980)
7. Horseclan Odyssey (1981)
8. The Death of a Legend (1981)
9. The Witch Goddess (1982)
10. Bili the Axe (1983)
11. Champion of the Last Battle (1983)
12. A Woman of the Horseclans (1983)
13. Horses of the North (1985)
14. Tales of the Horseclans (1985)–omnibus
15. A Man Called Milo Morai (1986)
16. The Memories of Milo Morai (1986)
17. Trumpets of War (1987)
18. Madman’s Army (1987)
19. The Clan of the Cats (1988)

Adams Edited Anthologies–with Pamela Crippen Adams

20. Friends of the Horseclans (1987)
21. Friends of the Horseclans II (1989)

Poul Anderson (1926 - 2001)

Well-known sf writer, Poul Anderson all too rarely dips into his Scandinavian heritage to produce fantasies with power and meaning. Though not famous for one series, all of Anderson’s best S&S tales share a common world of Dark Age enchantment. His brilliant talent for historical writing adds a truth to his work. Three Hearts & Three Lions features Ogier the Dane from the tales of Charlemagne while The Broken Sword is probably the best fantasy novel written about Norse Mythology. The Demon of Scattery is an interesting collaboration, for Poul Anderson wrote all the section for Halldor, a Viking, while Mildred Downey Broxon wrote those of Brigit, the Celtic woman who is captured by the Norsemen.

1. Three Hearts & Three Lions (1954)
2. The Broken Sword (1954)
3. Hrolf Kraki’s Saga (1973)–British Fantasy Award Winner 1974
4. The Demon of Scattery (1979)–with Mildred Downey Broxon–Illustrated by Alicia Austin
5. The Merman’s Children (1979) which contains:

6. "The Merman's Children" in Flashing Swords #1 , 1973
7. "The Tupilak" in Flashing Swords #4 , 1976
8. "Route Song of the Greenland Whales", 1979
9. "Sea Burial", 1979

10. Fantasy (1981) which contains:

11. "The Gate of the Flying Knives". 1979
12. "The Barbarian" (Fantasy & Science Fiction, May 1956) - S&S Parody
13. "House Rule" (Homebrew, NESFA Press 1976)
14. "The Tale of Hauk" in Swords Against Darkness #1, 1977
15. "Of Pigs and Men" in Outworlds, 1972
16. "A Logical Conclusion" (aka "A World to Choose) (Fantastic, November 1960)
17. "The Valor of Cappan Varra" (Fantastic Universe, January 1957)
18. "On Thud and Blunder" in Swords Against Darkness #3, 1978
19. "Interloper" (Fantasy & Science Fiction, April 1951)
20. "Superstition" (Fantasy & Science Fiction, March 1956)
21. "Fantasy in the Age of Science" 1981
22. "The Visitor" (Fantasy & Science Fiction, October 1974)
23. "Bullwinch's Mythology" (Galaxy, October 1967)
24. "An Invitation to Elfland" by Sandra Miesel 1981
25. "Pact" 1951
26. War of the Gods (1997)

The Conan Series

1. Conan the Rebel (1980)

Singles

1. "Demon Journey" (aka "Witch of the Demon Seas" (Planet Stories, January 1951)
2. "Swordsman of Lost Terra" (Planet Stories, November 1951)

C. Dean Andersson (?)

C. Dean Andersson began his S&S career under another name: Asa Drake. This was done at the publisher's request to capitalize on Andersson's previous work in horror writing. When the books were re-issued he had his name placed on them. The Bloodsong saga follows a women warior of Scandanavian background through her deal with a Norse goddess to save her kin.

The Bloodsong Saga (originally writing as Asa Drake) (All covers by Boris)

1. Warrior Witch of Hel (1985) reissued as Warrior Witch (2000)
2. Werebeasts of Hel (1986) reissued as Warrior Rebel (2000)
3. Death Riders of Hel (1985) reissued as Warrior Beast (2000)
4. "The War Skull of Hel" in Pawn of Chaos: Tales of the Eternal Champion (1996)

Robert Lynn Asprin (1946-2008)

Thieves World Stories

1. "The Price of Doing Business" Thieves' World (1979)
2. "To Guard the Guardians" Tales from the Vulgar Unicorn (1980)
3. "A Gift in Parting" Shadows of Sanctuary (1981)
4. "Exercise in Pain" Storm Season (1982)
5. "The Art of Alliance" The Face of Chaos (1983)
6. "A Fish Without Feathers Is Out of His Depth" Wings of Omen (1984)
7. " When the Spirit Moves You" The Dead of Winter (1985)
8. "No Glad in Gladiator" Blood Ties (1986)
9. "Slave Trade" Uneasy Alliances (1988)
10. "To Begin Again" Stealers' Sky (1989)

B

George Earl Bailey (?)

Forgotten Ages #21 said: "... Bailey has two novels about Thorgrim in a pseudo-Viking world. The thing I liked about SWORD OF THE NURLINGAS and the sequel, SWORD OF POYANA is they are restrained. Thorgrim doesn’t kill a monster or defeat a nomad horde every chapter. A shame Bailey didn’t continue writing fantasy." Nuff said.

1. Thorgrim 1: Sword of the Nurlingas (1979)
2. Thorgrim 2: Sword of Poyana (1979)

Robin Wayne Bailey(1952- )

Frost Series

1. Frost (1982)
2. Skull Gate (1985)
3. Bloodsongs (1986)

Lankhar Series

1. Swords Against the Shadowland (1998)

Thieves' World Stories
1. "Daughter of the Sun" (Wings of Omen 1984)
2. "Keeping Promises" (Dead of Winter 1985)
3. "Lovers Who Slay Together" (Blood Ties 1986)
4. "The Promise of Heaven" (Uneasy Alliances 1988)
5. "The Fire in a God’s Eye" (Stealer's Sky 1989)
6. "The Stars Are Tears" Bending The Landscape: Fantasy (1997)
7. "Ring of Sea and Fire" (Turning Points 2002)
8. "Protection" (Enemies of Fortune 2004)

Other Stories

1. "Child of Orcus" Sword & Sorceress (1984)
2. "The Woodland of Zarad-Thra" Sword & Sorceress IV (1987)
3. "The Moon Who Loved the Man" Spells of Wonder (1989)
4. "The Weeping Loon," (Marion Zimmer Bradley's Fantasy Magazine, Spring 1996)
5. "Eyes of Moonlight, Tears of Stone" Marion Zimmer Bradley's Fantasy Worlds (1998)
6. "The Woman Who Loved Death" Spell Fantastic (2000)
7. "The Case of Prince Charming," The Chick Is In The Mail (2000)
8. "Two Against Thebes" The Further Adventures Of Xena (2001)
9. "Princess Injera Vs. the Spanakopitoi of Doom" Turn the Other Chick (2004)
10. "Shin-Gi-Tai" Women of War (2005)
11. "The Children's Crusade" Heroes in Training (2007)
12. "Touch of Moonlight" Lace and Blade (2008)

Clifford Ball (1896?-1947?)
Clifford Ball was one of the first Howard pastiche writers for Weird Tales. Using Conan as a model, he created Duar the Accursed in 1937. The stories are largely forgotten and have not been reprinted outside of a few Lin Carter collections. This is unfortunate because the Duar stories, though not highly original, contain a number of in-jokes which readers today may still find humorous.

1. "Duar the Accursed" (Weird Tales May 1937) reprinted in New Worlds for Old (1971)
2. "The Thief of Forthe" (Weird Tales July 1937) reprinted in Savage Heroes (1977) and The Barbarian Swordsmen (1981)
3. "The Goddess Awakes" (Weired Tales February 1938) reprinted in Realms of Wizardry (1976)

Kenneth Bulmer (1921 - 2006)

Kenneth Bulmer holds the record as the most prolific writer in all of sf. Using several different pseudonyms, such as Alan Burt Akers and Manning Norvil, he has pastiched a number of successful authors. Under his own name is published two collections of “saucy” S&S tales about the Vorkuns, Torr and Tara, two Nordic barbarians who know how to have a good time.

The Vorkunsaga Series

1. Swords of the Barbarians (1970)
2. "Naked as a Sword" in Fantasy Tales (Summer 1977)

Singles

1. Kandar (1969)

John Brunner (1934-1995)

The Traveller in Black Series

1. "Imprint of Chaos" (Science Fantasy #42, 1960)
2. " Break the Door of Hell" (Impulse #2, 1966)
3. "The Wager Lost by Winning" (Fantastic, April 1970)
4. "The Dread Empire" (Fantastic, April 1971)

Thieves' World Stories

1. "Sentences of Death" Thieves' World (1979)
2. "Mercy Worse Than None" Aftermath (1987)

C

Ramsey Campbell (1946- )

Ramsey is best known for his horror novels but as a young writer he produced a series of S&S tales about Ryre the swordsman for the Swords of Darkness anthologies as well as finished some Solomon Kane fragments left by Robert E. Howard.

Ryre Series

1. " The Changer of Names" in Swords Against Darkness #2 1977
2. "The Sustenance of Hoak" in Swords Against Darkness #1 1977
3. "The Pit of Wings" in Swords Against Darkness #3 1978
4. "The Mouths of Light" in Swords Against Darkness #5 1979

Solomon Kane Series (with Robert E. Howard)

1. "The Castle of the Devil"
2. "Hawk of Basti" (Read original fragment)
3. "The Children of Asshur" (Read the original fragment)

Chris Carlsen–pseudonym of Robert Holdstock (1948 - )

This pseudonym of award-winning sf author Robert Holdstock (See Also: Richard Kirk ) was used for one series only, The Berserker. A horn-helmeted killer, not unlike Frazetta’s Death Dealer, the Berserker books are much better written.

The Berserker Series

1. Berserker: Shadow of the Wolf (1977)
2. Berserker: The Bull Chief (1977)
3. Berserker: The Horned Warrior (1979)

Leonard Carpenter (1948 - )

1. Conan the Raider (1986)
2. Conan the Renegade (1986)
3. Conan the Warlord (1986)
4. Conan the Great (1989)
5. Conan the Hero (1989)
6. Conan the Outcast (1991)
7. Conan the Savage (1992)
8. Conan of the Red Brotherhood (1993)
9. Conan the Gladiator (1994)
10. Conan, Lord of the Black River (1994)
11. Conan, Scourge of the Bloody Coast (1994)

Lin Carter (1930 - 1988)

Lin Carter has written enough fantasy and science fantasy to fill this entire website. Along with his non-fiction, editorials, science fiction and pastiches of Conan and Lovecraft, his resume reads like a catalogue of imaginative fiction. Perhaps thought of these days as de Camp’s collaborator, Lin Carter wrote many new Conan stories as well as the first movie novelization. He also edited and finished the single King Kull volume. The one Carter character who stands closest to Conan is a barbarian named Thongor of Valkarth. Thongor lived in the lost land of Lemuria, which, like Atlantis, sank millennia ago. Carter’s other S&S milieu is that of World’s End, a pastiche of Jack Vance’s Dying Earth. Of his many individual novels, The Black Star is perhaps Carter’s best book. The first volume of a trilogy, Dell never commissioned the sequels, leaving one of the finest traditional S&S series incomplete.

Thongor of Lemuria Series

1. The Wizard of Lemuria (1965) reissued as Thongor and the Wizard of Lemuria (1970)
2. Thongor of Lemuria (1966) reissued as Thongor and the Dragon City (1970)
3. Thongor Against the Gods (1967)
4. Thongor and the City of Magicians (1968)
5. Thongor at the End of Time (1968)
6. "The Thieves of Zangabal" (1969 in The Mighty Barbarians)
7. "The Keeper of the Emerald Flame" (1970 in The Mighty Swordsmen)
8. Thongor Fights the Pirates of Tarakus (1970)
9. "Black Hawk of Valkarth" Fantastic, September 1974
10. "The City in the Jewel" Fantastic, December 1975
11. "Black Moonlight" Fantastic, November 1976
12. "Demon of the Snows" (1980 in Years' Best Fantasy 6)

The Conan Series

1. Conan (1967)–with Robert E. Howard and L. Sprague de Camp which contains:

2. "The Thing in the Crypt" (with L. Sprague de Camp)
3. "The Hand of Nergal" (with Robert E. Howard)
4. "The City of Skulls" (with L. Sprague de Camp)

5. Conan of the Isles (1968)–with L. Sprague de Camp
6. Conan the Wanderer (1968) which contains:

7. "Black Tears" (with L. Sprague de Camp)

8. Conan of Cimmeria (1969) which contains:

9. " The Curse of the Monolith" (with L. Sprague de Camp)
10. "The Lair of the Ice Worm" (with L. Sprague de Camp)
11. "The Castle of Terror" (with L. Sprague de Camp)
12. "The Snout in the Dark" (with Robert E. Howard & L. Sprague de Camp)

13. Conan the Buccaneer (1971)–with L. Sprague de Camp
14. Conan of Aquilonia (1977) which contains:

15. "The Witch of the Mists" (with L. Sprague de Camp)
16. "Black Sphinx of Nebthu" (with L. Sprague de Camp)
17. Red Moon of Zembabwei" (with L. Sprague de Camp)
18. "Shadows in the Skull" (with L. Sprague de Camp)

19. Conan the Swordsman (1978) which contains:

20. "Legions of the Dead" (with L. Sprague de Camp)
21. ""Shadows in the Dark" (with L. Sprague de Camp)
22. "The Gem in the Tower" (with L. Sprague de Camp)
23. "The Ivory Goddess" (with L. Sprague de Camp)
24. "Moon of Blood" (with L. Sprague de Camp)

8. Conan the Liberator (1979)–with L. Sprague de Camp and Bjorn Nyberg
9. Conan the Barbarian (1982)–movie novelization–with L. Sprague de Camp

The Godwane Series

1. Giant of the World’s End (1969)
2. Warrior of World’s End (1974)
3. Enchantress of World’s End (1975)
4. Immortal of World’s End (1976)
5. Barbarian of World’s End (1977)
6. Pirate of World’s End (1978)

The Chronicles of Kylix

1. The Quest of Kadji (1971)
2. The Wizard of Zao (1978)
3. Kellory the Warlock (1984)

Amalric the Man-God

1."The Higher Heresies of Oolimar" (1973)
2. "The Curious Custom of the Turjan Seraad" (1976)

Single Volumes

King Kull (1967)–with Robert E. Howard
Beyond the Gate of Sleep (1968)–contains 1 Conan story
Tower at the Edge of Time (1968)
Lost World of Time (1969)
The Black Star (1973)

Adrian Cole (1949 - )

Adrian Cole has written in many different genres including horror and straight fantasy. His first series features a true S&S feel, The Dream Lords , featuring as dark and brooding a background as Lumley’s Primal Lands or Wagner’s Kane novels. He wrote a parody of Lin Carter's version of Conan in "Longbore the Inexhaustible" for the small press in 1978. His Omaran Saga has been described as being "Tolkien written for Weird Tales". (WHat more could you ask for?)

The Dream Lords Series

1. Dream Lords: A Plague of Nightmares (1975)
2. Lords of Nightmares (1975)
3. Bane of Nightmares (1976)

Sword & Sorcery (Lin Carter) Parody

1. “Longbore the Inexhaustible” (Chapbook, 1978)

Omaran Saga

1. A Place Among the Fallen (1986)
2. Throne of Fools (1987)
3. The King of Light and Shadows (1988)
4. The Gods in Anger (1988)

Kull

1. "Treason in Zagadar" (1994)

Loren L. Coleman (1947 - )

Conan Series

1. Blood of Wolves (2005)
2. Cimmerian Rage (2005)
3. Songs of Victory (2005)

Michael Crichton (1942 - 2008 )

Author of Jurassic Park and creator of E. R., Crichton has penned one fantasy which is a retelling of Beowulf and is an example of a non-generic packaging of S&S. It was filmed as The Thirteenth Warrior (1999) with Antonio Banderas. The original edition features illustrations by Ian Miller.

1. Eaters of the Dead (1976)

P. E. Cunningham (?)

1. "If You Can't Stand the Heat..." In Sword and Sorceress XIV (1997)
2. "A Little Magic" In Sword and Sorceress XIX (2002)
3. "Monkey See" (Fantasy & Science Fiction, June 2008)
4. "Snake in the Grass (Beneath Ceaseless Skies, January 2009)