Clonan and Obscure Books - Sword & Sorcery Groupreads for May-June 2015

All adventure readers, please join the Sword & Sorcery crew's group topics. Clonans and Obscure Books are the May-June topics of interest. Time to dig through your bookshelves and used bookstores to find forgotten treasures...and re-evaluate the Clonan craze. 

Clonan Discussion-Link  and    Obscure Book Discussion-Link

May June 2015 Groupreads: Clonans and Obscure Books
Masthead Banner cover art credits (Left to Right):
Frazetta 1969 cover: Thongor Against the Gods by Lin Carter
Frazetta 1968 cover: Brak the Barbarian by John Jakes
Jeff Jones 1969 cover: Kothar Barbarian Swordsman by Gardner F. Fox

   

Orcs vs Goblins - Groupread Apr-Mar 2015 on Goodreads

Please join the Sword and Sorcery Goodreads Group  as we have two groupreads this Mar-Apr 2015: two competing discussions actually...

Orcs  versus Goblins (and Worms too!)

Our default specific book is E.R. Eddison's The Worm Ouroboros, which has a type of Goblin featured.  Any Goblin or Orc Book will suffice...heck, some members are even discussing kobolds already as well. 

Cover Artist Credits L to R in the Banner:
1) Tim Lauten - Stan Nicholls's Orcs: Inferno (2012)
2) Barbara Remington E.R. Eddison's The Worm Ouroboros Ballantine Books (~1960)
3) Cheoljoo Lee - Guy Haley's Skarsnik (Warhammer-Black Library, 2013)

   

Jan-Feb 2015 Groupreads - "Gemmell's Legend" AND "Anthologies"

 

The 2-topic, 2-month group reads have been selected for the Jan-Feb 2015 Sword & Sorcery group. Start off the new year with us!

(1) Anthologies (Link to Anthology Discussion Thread) : Since Sword & Sorcery was largely born through the short-story format, collections are an appropriate way to learn the genre and discover authors. Don’t know where to start? Ask the group for a recommendation, or check out the sampling of Anthologies, old and new, as shown in this group’s bookshelf. You are challenged (invited?) to track any one down and share your journey with the group. Feel welcome to add to the bookshelf if you know how, or ask for help to expand the list.

(2) David Gemmell's Legend ( Link to LEGEND Discussion Thread): This topic narrowly beating out “Sword’s and Orcs.” Actually any of Gemmell’s works will suffice for discussion, but the default will be his debut, and arguably his best work, Legend.

Banner credits:
L. Sprague de Camp's The Spell of Seven (1965 cover artist Virgil Finlay)
David Gemmell's Legend (2003 cover art credited to John Picacio by isfdb)

  

Cook's "The Black Company" - Review by S.E.

The Black Company: The First Novel of 'The Chronicles of The Black Company' by Glen Cook
S.E rating: 5 of 5 stars

Gritty, Mysterious Adventure: Glen Cook’s Chronicles of the Black Company starts off a lengthy series with a large following (which I have finally joined). Thanks to a Sword & Sorcery group read on Goodreads I did not entirely miss a series born in 1984, which I had naively figured was just another fantasy series. I mistakenly thought it was just tales about silly comrades, with more brawn than brain, going from one job to another. The Company is not just some band of brutes going from one mission/employer to the next; it is a professional army for hire that has a history longer than most States/Kingdoms. Expect lots of intricate gritty warfare infused with warrior magicians dolling out spells that liquefy mountains and topple the sky. By reading these chronicles, you are (more or less) reading the Annals; well, you almost become part of the Company.

This first-person narrative is compelling: Our narrator, Croaker, is a physician and warrior, but he has the singular duty of recording the Annals of the Company. Below are a number of quotes to convey his voice. His succinct observations add an unexpected, very satisfying, level of intelligence. The Annals (as physical books) are rarely mentioned/accounted for; however, the storytelling was so engaging I often overlooked the notion that Croaker appears bookless.

Pleasantly mysteries adventure: Cook throws the reader into the deep-end from the start. Strangely even this reprint has no map (which would have been welcome to orient readers). The scale of adventure ranges from skirmishes, to grand battles, to sorties with selected members. The Company seems to range in size from one hundred men to a few thousand. Their employees and their enemies are many and complex.It becomes clear that the conflicts are many and intertwined, but thankfully consistent. Without spoiling anything, I can reveal that it will take 50% of the book to communicate that the Lady is the primary employer of the Company, and her secondary commanders are the Taken (usually undead/possessed sorcerers) which also battle one another. All these are in battle with another army led by the Rebel (and his Circle of eighteen). Somehow Cook manages to dose out just the right amount of information to keep you hooked.

Characters are interesting and a strength They have concise names whether they be the narrator (Croaker), an enemy (Rebel, or Dominator), a Company member (Captain, Lieutenant), or sorcerer (One-Eye, Catcher, Lady, etc.). We learn about everyone via Croaker’s narration which is often profound. One-Eye and Goblin are two of the Company’s few sorcerers (Silent being another Key one); they continually have contests of antagonistic sorcery, like brothers. Then there is a new addition who joins early on named Raven who has a truly mysterious backstory. Croaker voted to enlist him saying, “I voted aye. I smelled a mystery and did not want it to get away.” Which is what I feel now about these book. There are many mysterious left in the series of the Black Company … and I do not want them to get away!

Cover Confusion/Caution TOR used the beautiful Raymond Swanland cover for both (a) a release of Book #1 Black Company and (b) and Omnibus edition of Books 1-3 of the series. I recommend just buying the omnibus from the start (same cover, almost same price, more books).


Croaker’s Voice (Various, disconnected quotes)

We all have our pasts. I suspect we keep them nebulous not because we are hiding from our yesterdays but because we think we will cut more romantic figures if we roll our eyes and dispense delicate hints about beautiful women forever beyond our reach.

When I reflect on my companion’s inner nature I usually wish I controlled one small talent. I wish I could look inside them and unmask the darks and brights that move them. Then I take a quick look into the jungle of my own soul and realize that I cannot. Any man who barely sustains an armistice with himself has no business picking around in an alien soul.

One-Eye is at least a hundred years old. The Annals mention the wizened little black man’s tempers throughout the last century. There is no telling when he joined. Seventy years’ worth of Annals were lost when the Company’s positions were overrun at the Battle of Urban. One-Eye refuses to illuminate the missing years. He says he does not believe in history.

One-Eye cheats. But never when Raven is playing.

Silent smiled, shrugged, stalked over to the stone pile and seated himself. He was done with the question game. Of all the Company he is the least concerned about the image he portrayed in the Annals. He does not care whether people like or hate him, does not care where he has been or where he is going. Sometimes I wonder if he cares whether he lives or dies, wonder what makes him stay.

I am a haunted man. I am haunted by the Limper’s screams. I am haunted by the Lady’s laughter. I am haunted by my suspicion that we were furthering the cause of something that deserves to be scrubbed from the face of the earth. I am haunted by the conviction that those bent upon the Lady’s eradication are little better than she…I am haunted by the clear knowledge that, in the end, evil always triumphs.

My last glimpse of Catcher was of a weary person slumped in unhappiness. I guess it is hard for them to live up to their reputations. We all want people to like us.

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Elak of Atlantis and Black Company - Nov-Dec Groupread Topics

Please join the Sword & Sorcery Group on Goodreads as we read the following topics over the next two months (Nov Dec 2014):

(a) Henry Kuttner's Elak of Atlantis; join us at  Elak Discussion Link

(b) Glen Cook's The Black Company, join us at  Black Company Discussion Link 

Banner Art Credits

-Paizo edition of Elak of Atlantis, by Andrew Hou - 2007 (left)

-Glen Cook's The Return of the Black Company, artist Raymond Swaland

 

Sorcery versus Swords : Groupread Announcement Sept-Oct 2014

Sorcery versus Swords!

All Sword and Sorcery groupies,
Everyone who likes to read is welcome to join our two-month (Sept-Oct 2014) discussions on two opposing flavors of heroic fiction ("without sorcery" and "warrior-sorcerer Elric"), Focused on authors: Harold Lamb and Michael Moorcock:
1) Sept-Oct: Swords sans Sorcery - Read and Discussion
2) Sept-Oct: Elric Groupread Discussion

As always, a montage of appropriate art is showcased. Art credits:Background: Elric: The Dreaming City, art by P. Craig Russel (art from interior depictions of Melnibone’)
- Riders of the Steppes: The Complete Cossack Adventures, Volume Three, cover art by Darrel Stevens
- Wolf of the Steppes: The Complete Cossack Adventures, Volume One , cover art by Darrel Stevens
- Swords from the East , cover art by Darrel Stevens
- Elric: Swords and Roses, cover art by John Picacio

     

Vintage Howard - July Aug Groupread

The Sword & Sorcery Groupread on Goodreads.com for July August 2014 is: 

Vintage Howard. 

It is time to discuss, read, re-read the works of the "father of the Sword & Sorcery" genre: Robert E. Howard. A lot of his work originally appeared in the pulp magazine Weird Tales, with wondrous covers by Margaret Brundage.

Please join us!  

Click here to join the discussion:

 Link to Discussion Thread

The Masthead Banner displays some of Margaret Brundage's illustrations of Robert E. Howard's work: 

L-->R

• Queen of the Black Coast : Weird Tales issue May 1934
• The Hour of the Dragon: Weird Tales December 1935 
• Red Nails: Weird Tales July 1936
• Black Colossus: Weird Tales June 1933
• A witch Shall Be Born: Weird Tales December 1934 (vol. 24, no. 6),
• The Slithering Shadow: Weird Tales September 1933
• The People of the Black Circle: Weird Tales September 1934 (Vol. 24 #3) 

Sword and Planet - Groupread Topic for May June 2014

Sword & Planet

May-June Groupread is "Sword and Planet": Only one topic for the next two months,  but it is a big one! Please join us (any sci-fi adventure with swords will suffice).

Discussion Link (click and join): https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/... 

Banner: Enjoy the mashup of  Frank Frazetta's version of John Carter and Barsoom (drawn from below coverart)!
Thuvia, Maid of Mars / The Chessmen of Mars
A Princess of Mars
The Gods of Mars / The Warlord of Mars
The Mastermind of Mars and A Fighting Man of Mars
Testament: The Life and Art of Frank Frazetta

  

Background elements from:
  

Vote for Groupread Topic(s) for May-Jun 2014.

Click here to vote on the poll. 

Top two thematic topics will continue for two months in the Sword & Sorcery group on Goodreads.com. Vote to steer the discussion! Write-in suggestions always welcome (enter in the "Your Choice" field).

Choices:

New Releases: Let's focus on the future! Anything published since ~2010 is game. Hell: Any trip to the Underworld, be it Dante's Inferno, or something from the In Hell seriesHeroes in Hell... Obscure Works: Let's unearth some arcana! Last time this led a bunch of us to (re)discover Campbell's Ryre character. Sword and Sandal: With movies like Hercules and the 300 sequel, some may be in the mood for this. Sword and Planet: John Carter of Mars anyone? Graphic Novels & Comics: Slaine: Warrior's Dawn,The Savage Sword of Conan, Volume 1,Red Sonja #1, etc. Vintage Howard: We have yet to have a group read honoring REH, eh gad!Conan of Cimmeria, The Savage Tales of Solomon Kane, Sword Woman and Other Historical Adventures, etc...

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Sword & Sorcery group on Goodreads.com

Beyond Sanctuary by Janet Morris - Review by S.E. Lindberg

Beyond Sanctuary by Janet E. Morris
S. E. Lindberg rating: 5 of 5 stars

Note: This January I interviewed Janet Morris on the Topic of "Art & Beauty in Fantasy Fiction."  Click here for that!

Janet E. Morris' Beyond Sanctuary is a splendid mashup of Dark Fantasy and ancient grandeur. Read this and you'll be transported into the Baroque masterpiece cover, joining the battlefield alongside gods and champions: Life to you, Reader, and everlasting glory!

The Cover: This Author's Cut version features Peter Paul Rubens' 1618 painting "The Death of Decius Mus in Battle"(translated title); this extends Perseid Press' cover art approach. This represents the book very well; it promises to drag you into epic, divine combat rooted in history. It delivers. Expect fantastic magic, doses of horror, stealth military sorties, and mature themes.

Tempus and Niko: The book follows many characters, but focuses on Tempus and Niko; the story arc leans toward Niko's plight, though Tempus is ever present. Tempus begins living a curse in which those who love him get hurt, and Niko recovers from losing his sacred partner (only to have his mind vied for by a god and sorceress). These are deeply motivated characters who parley directly with gods as contemporary immortals .

A Mature Read: Having not read the Thieve's World Series from which this novel evolved, I entered this with a blank slate. This is ostensibly the best starting point to delve into the Tempus & Niko series (see the reading list below). Here is what you can expect:

• History-Informed Magic & Culture: Foremost, Beyond Sanctuary blends fantasy with historical elements so seamlessly, that history-deficient-folk like myself cannot easily differentiate pure-fiction from history-informed fantasy. Whether it's Niko's attraction to young women (which creeped me out despite being common in many cultures long ago and even today) , the intimate pairing of elite warriors (~the Sacred Band of Thebes), or the landscape of Nisibis and Mygdonia (those were real territories)... heck, even the gods and spiritual concepts are informed from ancient beliefs (i.e. Enil, Maat). The immortal characters and magic are presumably fiction. This mashup of fantasy/history yields a rich world for the characters to navigate. An informative Wikipedia posting on the Sacred Band of Stepsons explains more.

• Mature Scenes: Adult-appropriate sexual scenes are abundant, though not gratuitous (they reflect the milieu informed by history).

• Style: Expect intricate sentences with a panoply of vocabulary (and even parenthetical asides).

• Names/Forms: Each character has multiple names (Stealth/Niko...Riddler/Tempus… Datan/Osprey … Roxanne/Cybele; and these folk assume various forms (they use illusions to become imposters, they shape shift into animals...)

• Factions: There is a large portfolio of guilds, states, and cultures (Stepsons, Sacred Banders, Successors, Gods, Hazard Class Wizards, Wizard Wall Wizards, Rankans, ...); the characters each have multiple allegiances (to men and gods, or just men, or just men of certain region, or men and wizards…).

• Conflict: Given so many characters with allied & competing factions, there are as many conflicts as there are combinations (Tempus vs. his sister, Cyme; Cyme vs. Wizards, Tempus vs. Gods, Tempus vs. Wizards, Tempus vs. Roxanne, Niko vs. Gods, free Nisibis vs. Wizards, Mygdonia vs. Tyse vs Nisibis…)

Series Reading List: Such depth requires more books! This first installment prepares readers for the series. Any fan of the Thieve's World would no doubt devour this novel; in fact, any fan of alternate histories or epic fantasy would enjoy it. For me, it's on to Beyond the Veil, and I can't wait to get to the later books that repackage the original short stories presented in Thieves World:

The Author Cut Versions, in strict chronology (as of 2014, noting that more books may be published ):

1) Beyond Sanctuary
2) Beyond the Veil
3) Beyond Wizardwall
4) Tempus with His Right-Side Companion Niko  (this contains flashbacks and the five original Janet Morris Sacred Band of Stepsons tales presented in the original Thieves World anthologies)
5) The Sacred Band
6) The Fish the Fighters and the Song-Girl(this contains a new novelette and frame story, with flashbacks and the six original Janet Morris, Janet and Chris Morris, and Chris Morris Sacred Band of Stepsons tales presented in the original Thieves World anthologies)


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Mar-Apr Groupread Topics - Whelan Cover Art and Female Authors

Groupreads Mar-Apr 2014: 

Two months, two topics...please join the Sword & Sorcery Group to discuss:

Topic 1) Any book with Michael Whelan Coverart : Discussion Link to Whelan-Cover Art
These links will help identify books:

•  Michael Whelan's Art Gallery 
• Paperback Fantasy Database - books with Whelan Art

Topic 2) Any Female Author: Link to Discussion on Female Fantasy Writers
...I wonder how many female Sword & Sorcery authors are "hidden" out there due to the past stereotypes (readers and publishers expected Male Authors for the specualtive fiction genres). For example, Catherine Moore used her initials (C.L. Moore), or husband's name (Henry Kuttner) ... and several pseudonyms (C. H. Liddell, Lawrence O'Donnell, and Lewis Padgett). 

The Masthead Banner features three Whelan paintings made for Female Authors:
The Dreaming Tree for C.J. Cherryh
Crown of Shadows for C.S. Friedman
All the Weyrs of Pern for Anne McCaffrey

  

From the illustrator's website:

WEYRWORLD (1990) Pern#11: Acrylic on Watercolor Board - 27" x 36" This cover art for ALL THE WEYRS OF PERN by Anne McCaffrey is a wonderful dragon image for both the story and the dragon fan who hasn't read the book. After the huge success of THE WHITE DRAGON the Pern series was growing, but when it was time for Book 7 Michael had a scheduling conflict. He had to base his painting on Anne's notes since she hadn't finished the manuscript. They both planned on him showing the dragon in the cargo hold of the abandoned spaceship, but Michael told her about this image that came to him in a dream. She liked it so much, she wrote it into her story. This was to be his last cover for the Pern series, but in 2013 Michael was able to use his and Anne's "cargo hold" idea in his cover painting for DRAGONWRITER, A TRIBUTE TO ANNE MCCAFFREY AND PERN.

TREE OF JEWELS AND SWORDS (1983) Acrylic on Illustration Board - 30" x 22" A very popular Whelan cover for C. J. Cherryh from the 1980's and recently reissued for the cover of her 1997 compilation called THE DREAMING TREE.

CROWN OF SHADOWS (1995) Acrylic on Panel - 28" x 22" Cover art for the third book in the Coldfire Trilogy by C.S. Friedman. Gerald Tarrant, the tragic anti-hero whose prolonged life dominates the storyline, is prominently featured in the foreground of this stunning illustration. The power of Whelan's palette dominates, from the striking acidic greens to the regal black and gold, and once again he framed the main character with trees.

Bloodsong Hel x 3 by Dean Andersson (Asa Drake) - review by S.E.

Bloodsong - Hel X 3 by C. Dean Andersson
S.E.Lindberg rating: 4 of 5 stars

An entertaining gateway to Hell, and toward darker fiction

History and Style: The three books combined in Bloodsong! — Hel X 3 were written within ~1.5 yrs (1985-86). C. Dean Andersson (aka Asa Drake) was motivated to make a fun horror series on quick timing. The result was easily digestible horror / fantasy, all rooted in Viking lore. The trilogy includes: 1) Warrior Witch of Hell; 2) Death Riders of Hell; and 3) Werebeasts of Hel.

The concepts and setting really carry the story: a reanimated mother is out to save her unborn daughter from the Goddess Hel. This more than compensates for the dialogue which relies heavily on characters broadcasting their intentions. Its simplistic tone and fast pace is appropriate for young-adult novels, but its abundance of mature scenes makes it more suitable for adults (there are many heroines who continually find themselves stripped naked, chained, and tortured). This is highly recommended for epic/high fantasy readers looking for darker fiction. It would work well as a "gateway drug" for those introduced to fantasy via Tolkien, but are now looking for gritty fare.

Bloodsong and Freedom: The conflict centers on the female warrior Bloodsong who is pitted against Hel Queen of Darkness, Death Goddess. It begins with Bloodsong coming back from Hel's domain, resurrected and sworn to serve the Goddess. Hel is holding Bloodsong's daughter, hostage (she had died in Bloodsong's womb, but was raised in Helheim). The conflict over freedom/domination is persistent and explicitly echoed in the protagonist's war cry & call to action "Bloodsong and Freedom!" The subsequent books fill in many details about Bloodsong's husband and her son, who had died during the same raid as she; they are, of course, plagued past their natural deaths.

Fun Horror: The variety and abundance of undead creatures makes this most fun, and their titles speak to their coolness: Flesh Demons (skeletons who steal skin), Skull Slaves (humans possessed by ghosts), Death Riders (undead warriors mounted on skeletal Hel-Horses who ride the wind), Corpse Beasts (humanoids who eat their kill), Hel-Witch (sorceress who draw upon Her powers), etc. There are of course Viking inspired monsters (i.e. Frost Giants, Invisible Dwarves), but the series is really about Hel's incarnations, as the three titles communicate, so expect lots of necromancy.

New vs. Old: The 2013 Helx3 eBook release has a lengthened first book (in the omnibus, the first book "Warrior Witch from Hel" has 24 chapters versus the original 18). The remaining books have the same number of chapters, but their content is altered to accommodate some character development , mostly regarding the secondary character Jalna. The additions are fine, but the paperback originals are just as enjoyable.

Coverart:The illustrations for the paperbacks and eBook are from Boris Vallejo. They are incredible and accurately portray the characters and books' tone:


More Bloodsong Adventures:

2014...: A new novel, The Valkyries of Hel, is in progress now.

1996: Eternal Champion cross-over: In the Pawn of Chaos: Tales of the Eternal Champion anthology, Bloodsong interacts with Michael Moorcock's eternal champion (the Urlik Skarsol incarnation) in the short story: "The Warskull of Hel" (which was the title for the first book in the trilogy according to the author). This continues the saga in a solid way, even if a short story.

2006: R.E.Howard and Texas: For the World Fantasy Convention in Austin, Texas, there was a R. E. Howard centenary tribute anthology called Cross Plains Universe - Texans Celebrate Robert E. Howard. Therein there is a fun, Bloodsong short "Slim and Swede and the Damned Dead Horse."


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Heroines - JanFeb 2014 Groupread

You are invited to the Sword & Sorcery Goodread's Group read!

Heroine Female Lead & Anthology Groupread: The poll results equilibrated enough to call these topics. This is the first time a write-in vote won, which is pretty cool. The concurrent group reads will start Jan-1st 2014 and run through the end of Feb (two months for two topics).

L to R credits for the Jan-Feb 2014 Banner 
Character // Artist // Title // Author(s) // Year
1) Red Sonja // Jenny Frison // Red Sonja Volume 1: Queen Of Plagues // Gail Simone, and Walter Geovani // 2013, 2014
2) Bloodsong // Boris Vallejo // Warrior Beast from Hel (2013 3Book release =Bloodsong! — Hel X 3 Trilogy) aka Werebeasts of Hel // Asa Drake aka C. Dean Andersson// 1986 
3) Aella // Dsbenix Digital Entertainment, Ximphonic Versus: Oblivium Sic Sempiternum (Xing Xin and Endro Gatotkaca) // Sword Sisters: A Red Reaper Novel // Tara Cardinal,Alex Bledsoe // 2013 
4) Jirel // Arnold Tsang // Black God's Kiss // C.L. Moore // 2007
5) Dossouye // Mshindo Kumba // Dossouye: the Dancers of Mulukau // Charles R. Saunders// 2011

    

Other heroine books of interest that almost made in the banner:

- Jason E. Thummel, The Bladewitch, released 2013
-Milton Davis, Griots: Sisters of the Spear, 2013 and Woman of the Woods
- Janet E. Morris's High Couch of Silistra