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Books of Swords #1
The First Book of Swords
The gods decide to devise a Game of great fun: their colleague Vulcan forges 12 magic Swords, each with a different power, and scatters them across the world. Play begins in grand and gloriously violent fashion as Swords are gathered and used to control chance, enhance fortune, and change destiny. The holder of a Sword wields power undreamed... power to change the world and the holder.
To add to the enjoyment, foolish mortals are invited to join, risking their puny lives. Demons and elementals need no invitation. But something had gone wrong in the forging, and the Game...
To add to the enjoyment, foolish mortals are invited to join, risking their puny lives. Demons and elementals need no invitation. But something had gone wrong in the forging, and the Game...
309 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1983
181 people are currently reading
4627 people want to read
About the author
Fred Saberhagen
334 books491 followersFred Saberhagen was an American science fiction and fantasy author most famous for his ''Beserker'' and Dracula stories.
Saberhagen also wrote a series of a series of post-apocalyptic mytho-magical novels beginning with his popular ''Empire of the East'' and continuing through a long series of ''Swords'' and ''Lost Swords'' novels. Saberhagen died of cancer, in Albuquerque, New Mexico
Saberhagen was born in and grew up in the area of Chicago, Illinois. Saberhagen served in the [[U.S. Air Force]] during the Korean War while he was in his early twenties. Back in civilian life, Saberhagen worked as an It was while he was working for Motorola (after his military service) that Saberhagen started writing fiction seriously at the age of about 30. "Fortress Ship", his first "Berserker" short shory, was published in 1963. Then, in 1964, Saberhagen saw the publication of his first novel, ''The Golden People''.
From 1967 to 1973, he worked as an editor for the Chemistry articles in the ''Encyclopædia Britannica'' as well as writing its article on science fiction. He then quit and took up writing full-time. In 1975, he moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico.
He married fellow writer Joan Spicci in 1968. They had two sons and a daughter.
Saberhagen also wrote a series of a series of post-apocalyptic mytho-magical novels beginning with his popular ''Empire of the East'' and continuing through a long series of ''Swords'' and ''Lost Swords'' novels. Saberhagen died of cancer, in Albuquerque, New Mexico
Saberhagen was born in and grew up in the area of Chicago, Illinois. Saberhagen served in the [[U.S. Air Force]] during the Korean War while he was in his early twenties. Back in civilian life, Saberhagen worked as an It was while he was working for Motorola (after his military service) that Saberhagen started writing fiction seriously at the age of about 30. "Fortress Ship", his first "Berserker" short shory, was published in 1963. Then, in 1964, Saberhagen saw the publication of his first novel, ''The Golden People''.
From 1967 to 1973, he worked as an editor for the Chemistry articles in the ''Encyclopædia Britannica'' as well as writing its article on science fiction. He then quit and took up writing full-time. In 1975, he moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico.
He married fellow writer Joan Spicci in 1968. They had two sons and a daughter.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 195 reviews
November 7, 2021
Three things stand out to me about Fred Saberhagen and his First Book of Swords:
1. -- His Style: I didn't expect Saberhagen to be such a fine writer, but he is. The man can write a sentence. His prose is clean, his prose is crisp, his prose does what it needs to do without any bullshit. I was expecting something lesser, something hack-like, but my expectations did Saberhagen a disservice. The man was a good writer, and I will seek out more of his work beyond this trilogy.
2. -- Showing Not Telling: I often struggle with Fantasy because of the clear cut, black and white, diametric opposition of good & evil - good vs. evil. Too often this manifests from the opening pages with a clear delineation between the good guys and the bad guys. We're told who to cheer for rather than deciding who to cheer for based on their actions. Saberhagen explodes this expectation by presenting people. His people may seem one way then reveal themselves to be another way; they may engage in a simple act of kindness, or sadness, or loyalty that reveals their nature, or they may engage in a casual act of cruelty, or sadism, or selfishness that reveals their nature, but we're never told what to think of his men and women ... we're given the opportunity to decide for ourselves based on their actions. I love that.
3. -- Surprise: I'm an old and jaded reader. I didn't think I could be surprised anymore (it happens so very rarely), yet Saberhagen surprised me. Not once. Not twice. Thrice. Maybe I was gullible to what was happening because of personal, real life distractions + the ten books I was reading simultaneously, or maybe I am just a knob, but I was genuinely surprised by directions the novels took three separate times, and I can't help appreciating an author and a work that creep up on me and makes my heart race the way my sneaky teen -- Brontë -- does every times she moves silently down the stairs and makes me jump. Nice job, Fred. I hope your revenant is scaring the shit out of folks walking by your resting place every day and night for the rest of time.
1. -- His Style: I didn't expect Saberhagen to be such a fine writer, but he is. The man can write a sentence. His prose is clean, his prose is crisp, his prose does what it needs to do without any bullshit. I was expecting something lesser, something hack-like, but my expectations did Saberhagen a disservice. The man was a good writer, and I will seek out more of his work beyond this trilogy.
2. -- Showing Not Telling: I often struggle with Fantasy because of the clear cut, black and white, diametric opposition of good & evil - good vs. evil. Too often this manifests from the opening pages with a clear delineation between the good guys and the bad guys. We're told who to cheer for rather than deciding who to cheer for based on their actions. Saberhagen explodes this expectation by presenting people. His people may seem one way then reveal themselves to be another way; they may engage in a simple act of kindness, or sadness, or loyalty that reveals their nature, or they may engage in a casual act of cruelty, or sadism, or selfishness that reveals their nature, but we're never told what to think of his men and women ... we're given the opportunity to decide for ourselves based on their actions. I love that.
3. -- Surprise: I'm an old and jaded reader. I didn't think I could be surprised anymore (it happens so very rarely), yet Saberhagen surprised me. Not once. Not twice. Thrice. Maybe I was gullible to what was happening because of personal, real life distractions + the ten books I was reading simultaneously, or maybe I am just a knob, but I was genuinely surprised by directions the novels took three separate times, and I can't help appreciating an author and a work that creep up on me and makes my heart race the way my sneaky teen -- Brontë -- does every times she moves silently down the stairs and makes me jump. Nice job, Fred. I hope your revenant is scaring the shit out of folks walking by your resting place every day and night for the rest of time.
Read
April 26, 2021Recently one of my Goodread friends recommended this book to me and it sounded so familiar so I went through my notebooks where I've been writing down the books I've read since I was 17 (too many books to add to my Read shelf on Goodreads when I signed up). I read this back in 1989! I've no idea if I liked it or not so I didn't give it a rating, but I also read Saberhagen's lost swords, the first triad in 1988. And I do love swords...so I probably enjoyed it ;)
I'm just super impressed by my memory!!
I'm just super impressed by my memory!!
February 6, 2013
The First Book of Swords. The title about says it all. I find that while this first volume is tremendously engrossing I am at a loss to quote the specifics of that pull.
The book revolve around the making and subsequent acquiring of twelve swords of power. These weapons a "god made" enchanted or more specifically imbued with helpful but mostly terrifying traits that make each peerless in its specification.
Our tale begins with the crafting then thirteen years later the eventual scramble for twelve. It's here where I am at such a loss for points of reference. I couldn't stop turning pages but I have almost no concrete information to infer. The swords remain enigmas to the very end of the volume. Also cloaked in mystery are the gods. Not a lot is forthcoming of their making or history. Truth be told, I am not confident that knowing more would have been an additional complement to this narrative.
Effectively there are two tales being told. One of the gods and one of Mark. Mark's father is gifted the first named sword. Eventually this makes his family the first to feel the disastrous and terrifying after effects of these imbued blades. It can be said that other tales are told throughout but while they add to the depth of the book it's Mark's tale that really pulls things along.
I apologize for this review. It's not what the book deserves but it's very difficult to review.
The book revolve around the making and subsequent acquiring of twelve swords of power. These weapons a "god made" enchanted or more specifically imbued with helpful but mostly terrifying traits that make each peerless in its specification.
Our tale begins with the crafting then thirteen years later the eventual scramble for twelve. It's here where I am at such a loss for points of reference. I couldn't stop turning pages but I have almost no concrete information to infer. The swords remain enigmas to the very end of the volume. Also cloaked in mystery are the gods. Not a lot is forthcoming of their making or history. Truth be told, I am not confident that knowing more would have been an additional complement to this narrative.
Effectively there are two tales being told. One of the gods and one of Mark. Mark's father is gifted the first named sword. Eventually this makes his family the first to feel the disastrous and terrifying after effects of these imbued blades. It can be said that other tales are told throughout but while they add to the depth of the book it's Mark's tale that really pulls things along.
I apologize for this review. It's not what the book deserves but it's very difficult to review.
February 29, 2016
It was a simple read ,but it was fun.
We're dealing with gods and swords of ungodly power.
The first 1/4 of the book is like an introduction.
I thought the characters were done really well.
And the world-building was enough without boring detail and repetition.
Apparently a young boy begins a quest with a sword who unknowingly is being played by
higher forces, and we will follow him through the series.
I liked this book and would recommend it to others who read fantasy.
We're dealing with gods and swords of ungodly power.
The first 1/4 of the book is like an introduction.
I thought the characters were done really well.
And the world-building was enough without boring detail and repetition.
Apparently a young boy begins a quest with a sword who unknowingly is being played by
higher forces, and we will follow him through the series.
I liked this book and would recommend it to others who read fantasy.
May 24, 2023
This would be good if it were the first half of a first entry in an epic fantasy story. As it stands, this is way too short and feels rushed in some areas, unfinished in others.
September 19, 2014
This one of the first novels that introduced me to the fantasy genre, and therefore I will always have a soft spot for this story. I tried re-reading the story recently for the first time in many years, and I didn't get very far before I had to put the book down. Thanks to Saberhagen for helping to introduce me to such an amazing genre, but this is no longer a book that I enjoy.
September 21, 2024
LES DOY TRES ESTRELLAS PORQUE PRESENTA UN CONCEPTO INTERESANTE EN CUANTO A LA MEZCLA DE CIENCIA FICCIÓN Y FANTASÍA. Y PORQUE EL CONCEPTO DE ESPADAS MAGICAS SIEMPRE ME HA GUSTADO... YA DICHO ESO, ES UNA HISTORIA ALGO CONFUSA. Y TARDA EN AGARRAR VUELO.
Los dioses crearon 12 espadas. Cada una con un poder único y sobrenatural. Pero cada una tenia ciertas condiciones para ejercer ese poder. Estas espadas podían convertir a sus portadores en grandes hombres o héroes poderosos, pero también podían llevarlos a su ruina. Pero, ¿por qué crearon los dioses estas espadas? ¿Por qué pusieron reglas y limitaciones a su poder? Y, ¿por que parecen divertirse tanto con las desgracias que estas armas causan a las personas del mundo?
Esta es básicamente la premisa de este primer tomo de la saga "El libro de espadas", que sin lugar a dudas presenta un universo y unos conceptos de lo más interesantes con solo leer la sinopsis (así es como me convenció de leerlo en primer lugar). Es decir, el tema de las armas mágicas es algo que siempre me ha fascinado.
Empezando por "Andúril", la más famosa espada del universo de Tolkien. Pasando por "Hielo", la espada de los Stark en Canción de Hielo y Fuego. También esta "Atlántida", la espada que blande Conan el Cimmerio y que portó Arnold Schwarzenegger en la icónica película. Sin mencionar a "Excalibur", que probablemente sea la espada más conocida de todos los tiempos. Además de "Nagelring", empuñada por Beowulf en el conocido poema épico anglosajón del mismo nombre.
Las espadas mágicas forman parte del imaginario de la literatura fantástica, y son uno de los elementos más fascinantes y cautivadores de la misma. Por eso, cuando me enteré que en esta saga APARECEN 12 ESPADAS, supe que tenia que leerla... Pero admitiré que al principio me desconcertó mucho esta lectura.
No sabía si estaba leyendo una historia de fantasía ambientada en el pasado de nuestro mundo, o si este era un mundo de fantasía alterno al nuestro pero similar. Y lo que es aun más confuso, en cierto momento empecé a considerar que tal vez esta era una visión del futuro de nuestro mundo donde la magia existe. Lo que quiero decir es que este relato confunde muchísimo en cuanto a su ubicación espacio/temporal. De entrada, los nombres de los dioses le parecerán conocidos a cualquiera. Pero la ambientación es mucho más medieval de lo que debería, y algunos de los artefactos que se usan son claramente tecnológicos... Todo un collage de conceptos.
Por eso admito que en cierto punto hice un stop y busque ayuda en la internet, porque estaba algo (bastante) confundido y necesitaba una guía. No quería spoilers, solo quería un poco de contexto para entender que estaba pasando exactamente. Es así que me enteré de ciertos datos importantes que creo es necesario que todo lector conozca antes de leer el libro (para que no se pierda tanto como yo).
- En primer lugar esta serie de libros esta categorizada como novelas de ciencia ficción/fantasía, lo que hoy en día se le conoce como "sci-fantasy" o "ciencia fantástica". Y el hecho que hayan sido escritas en entre 1983 y 1995 nos da una idea de lo innovativo que era el autor Fred Saberhagen en la trama de sus historias... adelantado a su época.
- Número dos, esta saga combina escenarios fantásticos con el tipo de tramas de acertijos lógicos comunes a la ciencia ficción.
- Y en tercer lugar, los libros están definitivamente ambientados en el futuro. En algún momento durante el tercer milenio la humanidad fue casi llevada a la extinción por un apocalipsis global provocado por una Guerra Mundial nuclear. Pero de alguna forma después de la hecatombe, la combinación de tecnología pre y postapocalíptica a dado lugar a la creación de una sociedad mágica y mitológica.
¿Cómo puede ser eso? No me pregunten. Este primer libro no lo cuenta. Pero esta es la base del mundo que se nos presenta, y es mejor saberlo de antemano o no sabrás donde estas parado. Pero eso si, créanme cuando les digo que este es un mundo atractivo en muchas facetas, y del que uno quiere saber más y más.
El problema radica en que la confusión es demasiado palpable al principio, y la historia es muy lenta en su desarrollo. Lo cual es una combinación que puede sumergir al lector en un sopor e incertidumbre que son algo difíciles de sobrellevar. Con esto quiero decir que el libro tiene un inicio difícil. Pero si logras seguir adelante, poco a poco empezará a tomar impulso tanto la historia como la forma de la trama, y es allí donde empiezan a calentarse las cosas.
Dejo claro que este es solo el primer libro, y como tal abre muchas preguntas que se quedan sin respuesta (por ahora). Así que no esperen que al terminar se contesten muchas incógnitas. Eso, combinado con el hecho de que las escenas de acción no son muy elaboradas, y la caracterización de personajes es simple, pues hace de este un libro bastante "elemental" en muchos sentidos. Pero si hay algo que alabarle es el hecho de que abre interrogantes y posibilidades muy interesantes para las secuelas. Y que cumple con generar expectativas e intriga para el lector.
Al final solo diré que pienso leer las secuelas, pero no por ahora. Dejaré pasar un tiempo antes de hacerlo. Pero si les gusta la combinación de ciencia ficción y fantasía. Les gustan los libros que hablan de futuros intrincados y confusos. Y les gustan las armas mágicas que no solo sean poderosas, sino también intrigantes. Este libro y saga es para ustedes.
A esa personas se los recomiendo.
Los dioses crearon 12 espadas. Cada una con un poder único y sobrenatural. Pero cada una tenia ciertas condiciones para ejercer ese poder. Estas espadas podían convertir a sus portadores en grandes hombres o héroes poderosos, pero también podían llevarlos a su ruina. Pero, ¿por qué crearon los dioses estas espadas? ¿Por qué pusieron reglas y limitaciones a su poder? Y, ¿por que parecen divertirse tanto con las desgracias que estas armas causan a las personas del mundo?
Esta es básicamente la premisa de este primer tomo de la saga "El libro de espadas", que sin lugar a dudas presenta un universo y unos conceptos de lo más interesantes con solo leer la sinopsis (así es como me convenció de leerlo en primer lugar). Es decir, el tema de las armas mágicas es algo que siempre me ha fascinado.
Empezando por "Andúril", la más famosa espada del universo de Tolkien. Pasando por "Hielo", la espada de los Stark en Canción de Hielo y Fuego. También esta "Atlántida", la espada que blande Conan el Cimmerio y que portó Arnold Schwarzenegger en la icónica película. Sin mencionar a "Excalibur", que probablemente sea la espada más conocida de todos los tiempos. Además de "Nagelring", empuñada por Beowulf en el conocido poema épico anglosajón del mismo nombre.
Las espadas mágicas forman parte del imaginario de la literatura fantástica, y son uno de los elementos más fascinantes y cautivadores de la misma. Por eso, cuando me enteré que en esta saga APARECEN 12 ESPADAS, supe que tenia que leerla... Pero admitiré que al principio me desconcertó mucho esta lectura.
No sabía si estaba leyendo una historia de fantasía ambientada en el pasado de nuestro mundo, o si este era un mundo de fantasía alterno al nuestro pero similar. Y lo que es aun más confuso, en cierto momento empecé a considerar que tal vez esta era una visión del futuro de nuestro mundo donde la magia existe. Lo que quiero decir es que este relato confunde muchísimo en cuanto a su ubicación espacio/temporal. De entrada, los nombres de los dioses le parecerán conocidos a cualquiera. Pero la ambientación es mucho más medieval de lo que debería, y algunos de los artefactos que se usan son claramente tecnológicos... Todo un collage de conceptos.
Por eso admito que en cierto punto hice un stop y busque ayuda en la internet, porque estaba algo (bastante) confundido y necesitaba una guía. No quería spoilers, solo quería un poco de contexto para entender que estaba pasando exactamente. Es así que me enteré de ciertos datos importantes que creo es necesario que todo lector conozca antes de leer el libro (para que no se pierda tanto como yo).
- En primer lugar esta serie de libros esta categorizada como novelas de ciencia ficción/fantasía, lo que hoy en día se le conoce como "sci-fantasy" o "ciencia fantástica". Y el hecho que hayan sido escritas en entre 1983 y 1995 nos da una idea de lo innovativo que era el autor Fred Saberhagen en la trama de sus historias... adelantado a su época.
- Número dos, esta saga combina escenarios fantásticos con el tipo de tramas de acertijos lógicos comunes a la ciencia ficción.
- Y en tercer lugar, los libros están definitivamente ambientados en el futuro. En algún momento durante el tercer milenio la humanidad fue casi llevada a la extinción por un apocalipsis global provocado por una Guerra Mundial nuclear. Pero de alguna forma después de la hecatombe, la combinación de tecnología pre y postapocalíptica a dado lugar a la creación de una sociedad mágica y mitológica.
¿Cómo puede ser eso? No me pregunten. Este primer libro no lo cuenta. Pero esta es la base del mundo que se nos presenta, y es mejor saberlo de antemano o no sabrás donde estas parado. Pero eso si, créanme cuando les digo que este es un mundo atractivo en muchas facetas, y del que uno quiere saber más y más.
El problema radica en que la confusión es demasiado palpable al principio, y la historia es muy lenta en su desarrollo. Lo cual es una combinación que puede sumergir al lector en un sopor e incertidumbre que son algo difíciles de sobrellevar. Con esto quiero decir que el libro tiene un inicio difícil. Pero si logras seguir adelante, poco a poco empezará a tomar impulso tanto la historia como la forma de la trama, y es allí donde empiezan a calentarse las cosas.
Dejo claro que este es solo el primer libro, y como tal abre muchas preguntas que se quedan sin respuesta (por ahora). Así que no esperen que al terminar se contesten muchas incógnitas. Eso, combinado con el hecho de que las escenas de acción no son muy elaboradas, y la caracterización de personajes es simple, pues hace de este un libro bastante "elemental" en muchos sentidos. Pero si hay algo que alabarle es el hecho de que abre interrogantes y posibilidades muy interesantes para las secuelas. Y que cumple con generar expectativas e intriga para el lector.
Al final solo diré que pienso leer las secuelas, pero no por ahora. Dejaré pasar un tiempo antes de hacerlo. Pero si les gusta la combinación de ciencia ficción y fantasía. Les gustan los libros que hablan de futuros intrincados y confusos. Y les gustan las armas mágicas que no solo sean poderosas, sino también intrigantes. Este libro y saga es para ustedes.
A esa personas se los recomiendo.
May 13, 2021
I picked this up having never heard of this series before and was pleasantly surprised. The First Book of Swords is a solid fantasy novel that manages to be pretty original and very entertaining.
April 2, 2014
This book series has a great concept: there are a handful of magical swords that were forged and scattered across the land, each with unique powers to grant the individual wielding it. The story of these swords and the hands they fall into is the premise of this book. I thought it could have been great if the author had pulled it off right. Unfortunately the execution was lacking in the imagination that the idea promised. The medieval setting was too familiar and uninspired. There is too much focus on the mythology and backstory and other magics and ideas in this book and not enough on the swords. The characters are not original or memorable enough.
These flaws should have been so easy to avoid, so it's disappointing that this book just feels average. The author lost sight of the whole point of the story - the swords. They should have been far more prominent in the book, and the book should have really focused on making some strong, memorable characters to obtain and use the swords. Not to mention the effects of using more than one sword at a time could have really opened up the possibilities for the magic system. It's a real shame that the author just didn't imagine big enough for this story.
These flaws should have been so easy to avoid, so it's disappointing that this book just feels average. The author lost sight of the whole point of the story - the swords. They should have been far more prominent in the book, and the book should have really focused on making some strong, memorable characters to obtain and use the swords. Not to mention the effects of using more than one sword at a time could have really opened up the possibilities for the magic system. It's a real shame that the author just didn't imagine big enough for this story.
November 29, 2009
The gods create twelve magic swords, each with a power and a curse, and turn them loose on humanity as a sort of game they can sit back and observe. The Book of Swords was Saberhagen's best fantasy series, but it is sort of like Farmer's Riverworld in that the idea is almost too big to carry off. Saberhagen could have written Swords novels for the rest of his life dealing with the various weapons and their interactions. Saberhagen is always an exciting and entertaining read.
June 2, 2021
The first time I read this, I had not read the Empire of the East trilogy and was lukewarm on the Book of Swords series. This time around, I found myself enjoying it much more, this return to the world, albeit millennia later.
Seeing the post-apocalyptic, technological elements of the prior Empire of the East, pushed more into the background here, I was reminded of how fantasy as a genre became much more heavily codified in the 80s.
Seeing the post-apocalyptic, technological elements of the prior Empire of the East, pushed more into the background here, I was reminded of how fantasy as a genre became much more heavily codified in the 80s.
December 8, 2023
4.75 stars ⭐️
Waaaah I truly had so much fun reading this book!!! I don’t think I’ve been this engaged reading fantasy since I read Earthsea, so I’m taking that as a sign to read way more “classic” authors in the future (and especially more Saberhagen!)
(Also, I have to note that I did go back and forth with the audiobook, and that made me enjoy the story even more. Such a great production!)
This book is so lovely. Sure, it has some flaws: the two main ones are that 1. the only POC is, of course, evil, and 2. the women are very minor and all kind of archetypal. But besides this, I can’t shut up about how fun of a ride this was.
The story is fast-paced and incredibly magical. Ever since I heard the premise of this book, I knew I would love this: I mean, petty Greek gods who create 12 swords (that all have different powers) just to create more drama between humanity to entertain themselves? Yes please!!
I am so fascinated by the world Saberhagen has crafted, from the gods and the swords to the different political powers that are at play here with dukes, emperors, kings, queens and, most importantly, DRAGONS!
And what I love so much about this book is that everything Saberhagen describes has importance in the story. With it being quite short, it was not bloated at all, a problem I find so often occurs in modern fantasy. His prose is concise and straight to the point, while still retaining complexity and beauty.
While his characters are not the most fleshed out, for a reason that escapes me, that didn’t really bother me - and I would consider myself more character driven than plot driven, if such categories exist. So yeah, I think this just proves how well crafted the rest of the book is; even with basic characters, I ended up absolutely loving it. And I did kind of fall in love with Nestor and Draffut. Their interactions were so damn precious ! <3 also I found Sir Andrew really sweet. Hope we get more backstory about the female characters in future volumes though, like Barbara and Dame Yoldi.
I also think that the characters’ actions always made sense, and that’s why I could connect with the book so much overall. For example, during a battle, characters only interacted with each other in quick, silent signs, instead of the sort of witty dialogue we tend to get in the middle of actions (in Sanderson’s books for example) which is something that always pulls me out of the story with how unrealistic it is.
Upon finishing this, there is still so much left unexplored, and I can’t wait to get to the rest of the series. Definitely an underrated one!! I will definitely continue on asap :D can’t wait to learn about all the swords!!
Waaaah I truly had so much fun reading this book!!! I don’t think I’ve been this engaged reading fantasy since I read Earthsea, so I’m taking that as a sign to read way more “classic” authors in the future (and especially more Saberhagen!)
(Also, I have to note that I did go back and forth with the audiobook, and that made me enjoy the story even more. Such a great production!)
This book is so lovely. Sure, it has some flaws: the two main ones are that 1. the only POC is, of course, evil, and 2. the women are very minor and all kind of archetypal. But besides this, I can’t shut up about how fun of a ride this was.
The story is fast-paced and incredibly magical. Ever since I heard the premise of this book, I knew I would love this: I mean, petty Greek gods who create 12 swords (that all have different powers) just to create more drama between humanity to entertain themselves? Yes please!!
I am so fascinated by the world Saberhagen has crafted, from the gods and the swords to the different political powers that are at play here with dukes, emperors, kings, queens and, most importantly, DRAGONS!
And what I love so much about this book is that everything Saberhagen describes has importance in the story. With it being quite short, it was not bloated at all, a problem I find so often occurs in modern fantasy. His prose is concise and straight to the point, while still retaining complexity and beauty.
While his characters are not the most fleshed out, for a reason that escapes me, that didn’t really bother me - and I would consider myself more character driven than plot driven, if such categories exist. So yeah, I think this just proves how well crafted the rest of the book is; even with basic characters, I ended up absolutely loving it. And I did kind of fall in love with Nestor and Draffut. Their interactions were so damn precious ! <3 also I found Sir Andrew really sweet. Hope we get more backstory about the female characters in future volumes though, like Barbara and Dame Yoldi.
I also think that the characters’ actions always made sense, and that’s why I could connect with the book so much overall. For example, during a battle, characters only interacted with each other in quick, silent signs, instead of the sort of witty dialogue we tend to get in the middle of actions (in Sanderson’s books for example) which is something that always pulls me out of the story with how unrealistic it is.
Upon finishing this, there is still so much left unexplored, and I can’t wait to get to the rest of the series. Definitely an underrated one!! I will definitely continue on asap :D can’t wait to learn about all the swords!!
May 8, 2016
You almost never find Fred Saberhagen's books listed in those top 'blah' fantasy book lists floating around the Internet, which sucks because the man created a really interesting universe with a kickass concept at least two solid decades before everyone and their mother started churning out epic fantasy stories.
I read one of his books when I was in high school and it's stuck with me over the years. I still recall the details from time to time and that's what prompted me to look for more of his work, and boy, there sure is a lot of it!
The Book of Swords saga is set thousands of years in the future where magic runs wild and the gods are once again a force to be reckoned with. A nuclear holocaust that nearly wiped out all of humanity triggered the Change that stopped all forms of complex scientific technology from working. So humanity is basically stuck in the Dark Ages again, but with you know, gods, magic and mythical creatures like dragons and whatnot.
The gods are getting bored with humanity's peace—because I guess there's only so many fun things you can do when you're immortal—so they decide to stir the pot and spice things up a bit by forging 12 magical swords with extraordinary powers, and scattering them all over the world.
The First Book of Swords begins with the forging of the swords and the shitstorm that ensues once the greedy rulers of the New World realize just how much more powerful they can become if they owned even one of the swords.
That's it! It's a pretty simple concept with lots of amazing worldbuilding, cool characters, and the potential to be an awesome saga like the Wheel of Time or the Malazan Book of the Fallen. I'll wait until I finish the entire series before I make that judgment.
I read one of his books when I was in high school and it's stuck with me over the years. I still recall the details from time to time and that's what prompted me to look for more of his work, and boy, there sure is a lot of it!
The Book of Swords saga is set thousands of years in the future where magic runs wild and the gods are once again a force to be reckoned with. A nuclear holocaust that nearly wiped out all of humanity triggered the Change that stopped all forms of complex scientific technology from working. So humanity is basically stuck in the Dark Ages again, but with you know, gods, magic and mythical creatures like dragons and whatnot.
The gods are getting bored with humanity's peace—because I guess there's only so many fun things you can do when you're immortal—so they decide to stir the pot and spice things up a bit by forging 12 magical swords with extraordinary powers, and scattering them all over the world.
The First Book of Swords begins with the forging of the swords and the shitstorm that ensues once the greedy rulers of the New World realize just how much more powerful they can become if they owned even one of the swords.
That's it! It's a pretty simple concept with lots of amazing worldbuilding, cool characters, and the potential to be an awesome saga like the Wheel of Time or the Malazan Book of the Fallen. I'll wait until I finish the entire series before I make that judgment.
January 31, 2008
I'm aware that this is a large series, but for some reason I was under the impression that each novel could be a standalone. So it was with mild disappointment that I read the last page without getting to the
punchline, the novel ending as a chapter does.
I know there is a game afoot, created by the gods who distribute twelve magical swords to humankind, but I'm a little miffed at still being left in the dark. Time will tell if I do bother to continue with the story,
which has been pretty good so far.
punchline, the novel ending as a chapter does.
I know there is a game afoot, created by the gods who distribute twelve magical swords to humankind, but I'm a little miffed at still being left in the dark. Time will tell if I do bother to continue with the story,
which has been pretty good so far.
March 18, 2014
Sorry to say I have no interest in Mark, Ben or Barbara. I was mildly interested in Nestor but there was too much jumping around to keep me interested. It started out really good with that prologue but...
Well I read the list of swords taken from Saberhagen's list and I'm just going to leave it at that.
Well I read the list of swords taken from Saberhagen's list and I'm just going to leave it at that.
Read
April 7, 2022(Physical copy). I read this series eons ago, so I am not even going to attempt to rate it since I couldn't say a thing about them. If I re-read, which I tend to do, then I'll leave a proper review & rating.
And thanks, Todd, for bringing the series to my attention! I haven't made a dent in adding my physical books to Goodreads so at least these have now been added ;)
And thanks, Todd, for bringing the series to my attention! I haven't made a dent in adding my physical books to Goodreads so at least these have now been added ;)
June 2, 2021
The twelve swords is a five star concept, but the book felt a bit tedious at times.
My only problem with the plot is personal in that I despise the ‘so dystopian it’s gotten back around to medieval fantasy”. In this case in particular, it added nothing to the story and in my opinion actually detracted from the world on the rare occasions it was mentioned. However, as said, it’s done so rarely and contributes so little to the plot that it’s very easy to ignore it and pretend it’s not a thing at all.
There were also times the writing itself got tedious and felt like it added very little other than filler. I have high hopes that those portions come around to relevancy in later books, but at the moment they don’t seem to.
Overall, I loved it though. I think the swords are a great concept and left off on a good note. Mark and the other characters are only just being established in this book, but they have a lot of promise.
Of note: there are spoilers to future books of the series in the list of twelve swords that is pulled from Saberhagen’s notes at the end of the book.
My only problem with the plot is personal in that I despise the ‘so dystopian it’s gotten back around to medieval fantasy”. In this case in particular, it added nothing to the story and in my opinion actually detracted from the world on the rare occasions it was mentioned. However, as said, it’s done so rarely and contributes so little to the plot that it’s very easy to ignore it and pretend it’s not a thing at all.
There were also times the writing itself got tedious and felt like it added very little other than filler. I have high hopes that those portions come around to relevancy in later books, but at the moment they don’t seem to.
Overall, I loved it though. I think the swords are a great concept and left off on a good note. Mark and the other characters are only just being established in this book, but they have a lot of promise.
Of note: there are spoilers to future books of the series in the list of twelve swords that is pulled from Saberhagen’s notes at the end of the book.
September 20, 2022
A little over a decade ago, Vulcan voluntelled some men to help him create a handful of magic swords. The process killed all of them but one, and that guy lost his arm. Vulcan gave him one of the swords as payment for his labor, though, and for years it hung on the wall of his hut. When some bad guys come to town looking for it and start a ruckus that ends in one of the man's sons dead, the other son grabs the sword and heads for the hills. Or mountains, rather. So starts Mark's adventures with his father's sword, which turns out to be wanted by a lot of powerful people for a lot of different reasons.
It started out very promising (I love the twist on the Greek gods), and I like Mark's character pretty well, but by the middle it started dragging for me some and it never really picked back up its original speed. I didn't hate it, but I don't think I'll be going on with the series.
It started out very promising (I love the twist on the Greek gods), and I like Mark's character pretty well, but by the middle it started dragging for me some and it never really picked back up its original speed. I didn't hate it, but I don't think I'll be going on with the series.
Read
November 1, 2021An interesting premise and idea. Science fantasy with supposedly man-made gods, thousand of years in the Earth future.
Cardboard characters, no plot (or a plot stretched into multiple volumes), a protagonist with no agency whatsoever. Might have been a novelty in its time.
Maybe it gets better but the genre is so rich I don't need this one.
Cardboard characters, no plot (or a plot stretched into multiple volumes), a protagonist with no agency whatsoever. Might have been a novelty in its time.
Maybe it gets better but the genre is so rich I don't need this one.
February 22, 2022
Rather than a single story about specific characters, this is a series of short stories about swords made by the gods to create chaos and entertain them among the humans. Except some of the swords are so powerful they manage to kill one of the gods and everything goes badly for them.
Its pretty well done and interesting -- classic fantasy, if not particularly gripping or unique.
Its pretty well done and interesting -- classic fantasy, if not particularly gripping or unique.
August 17, 2020
Had to quit halfway through. The premise sounded like something right up my alley, and it is a good idea, but the execution is unremarkable. Bland writing style and very little character development. Nothing happening in the story moved me to continue.
August 14, 2018
I have read the series years ago, and really enjoyed it. This is more of a 3.75 so got a round up to 4.
Recently this series came up in discussion, so I had to dust off and start my re-read!
Recently this series came up in discussion, so I had to dust off and start my re-read!
July 13, 2024
methinks this be the first epic fantasy i’ve read (?) and what a story it was. had lots of fun, felt rushed at times but enjoyed it very much!
February 20, 2013
Stuff I Read – The First Book of Swords by Fred Saberhagen Review
So not that recently (for my last birthday way back in June 2012), my wife was awesome enough to give me the complete Book of Lost Swords series, collected in three large hard cover books. I had bought the original Book of Swords books from a library book sale way back in the day and read them and enjoyed them in that they were fun and feature magic swords and a strange setting and Roman gods and a number of other things, and then I had found those first three books collected in a single hard cover not too long ago (again at a library book sale). At the same time I had found a single paperback of one of the Book of Lost Swords books, which I didn’t even know existed. Lo and behold there are actually seven of them. So, thanks to my wife, finally in possession of all ten books of the series (unless there are more I don’t know about), I have begun reading through them all to review and such.
Just to be perfectly honest, I’m reading this in the hard cover I have so as not to further stress the old paperbacks, but I will review all of the series individually. And I have to say that this first book holds up fairly well despite the time that’s passed since I first read it. It’s not the most engaging of fantasy series, but it’s solid and interesting and does things in a way that is new enough. I suppose that, at the time, this might have been a bit more common (and persists today with things like The Wheel of Time) but the series is set in a time after our own but still on Earth, or Earth enough. The idea is that something happened in the past, a battle between the god Ardneh and the demon Orcus, which led to some large changes. Now there are some shady gods lurking around making magic swords and playing games with kingdoms and people’s lives.
It is an interesting setting, one that is rather unique and has the feeling that there is a vibrant history here, and I’m told that there are books the author wrote before this that tie into these series, but as I have not read those, this is all I got. Still, the setting is deep and well done. And the idea of these magic swords that the gods are using in some sort of game is, while not too original, at least an interesting idea to see play out. And even in this first book we get to see a number of the swords in action, and each is impressive. Of course, the setting alone can’t completely defend against some less than stellar characters, most of whom come off as rather cliché. The main character is Mark, the son of a smith and a boy on the run from an evil Duke. He gets into trouble, falls in with a band of misfits, and adventure happens. It’s not a bad story, but it’s not exactly all that gripping. It serves its purpose and remains light and fast and fun, but there are some aspects that hold it back from being great.
There is a bit of inconsistency, after all, with some of the characters, who aren’t all that fleshed out at this point. They act and move, but we don’t get a whole lot of deeper motivations and thoughts. Most of the characters operate on the whole good and evil spectrum, which is never the most challenging, and while it fits for a story about magic swords, it can’t seem to get beyond the simple. There are also some moments when you’re not sure whose head you’re supposed to be in, and the narrative can’t always make up its mind on who it wants to focus on, ditching Mark for the greater part of the second half of the book to show the Duke, the dragon hunter Nestor, the kind Sir Andrew, the beast lord Draffut, and a few others. It makes it a little difficult to become invested in the characters then, especially because this is a short book.
In the end, though, this is a fine book, a fun read, a decent fantasy. The setting is far and away the biggest draw, but the characters show some promise if they were only developed more, and the story itself alludes to a lot of things that might be happening in the future. Really the plot is just a series of mysterious events, cool in their own rights but not really doing much more than that. And don’t get me wrong, I like this book. It’s fun. But it doesn’t exactly satisfy on all levels, and that holds it back from being something I would recommend everyone run out and read. So as is, I give it a 6.75/10 and call it a day.
So not that recently (for my last birthday way back in June 2012), my wife was awesome enough to give me the complete Book of Lost Swords series, collected in three large hard cover books. I had bought the original Book of Swords books from a library book sale way back in the day and read them and enjoyed them in that they were fun and feature magic swords and a strange setting and Roman gods and a number of other things, and then I had found those first three books collected in a single hard cover not too long ago (again at a library book sale). At the same time I had found a single paperback of one of the Book of Lost Swords books, which I didn’t even know existed. Lo and behold there are actually seven of them. So, thanks to my wife, finally in possession of all ten books of the series (unless there are more I don’t know about), I have begun reading through them all to review and such.
Just to be perfectly honest, I’m reading this in the hard cover I have so as not to further stress the old paperbacks, but I will review all of the series individually. And I have to say that this first book holds up fairly well despite the time that’s passed since I first read it. It’s not the most engaging of fantasy series, but it’s solid and interesting and does things in a way that is new enough. I suppose that, at the time, this might have been a bit more common (and persists today with things like The Wheel of Time) but the series is set in a time after our own but still on Earth, or Earth enough. The idea is that something happened in the past, a battle between the god Ardneh and the demon Orcus, which led to some large changes. Now there are some shady gods lurking around making magic swords and playing games with kingdoms and people’s lives.
It is an interesting setting, one that is rather unique and has the feeling that there is a vibrant history here, and I’m told that there are books the author wrote before this that tie into these series, but as I have not read those, this is all I got. Still, the setting is deep and well done. And the idea of these magic swords that the gods are using in some sort of game is, while not too original, at least an interesting idea to see play out. And even in this first book we get to see a number of the swords in action, and each is impressive. Of course, the setting alone can’t completely defend against some less than stellar characters, most of whom come off as rather cliché. The main character is Mark, the son of a smith and a boy on the run from an evil Duke. He gets into trouble, falls in with a band of misfits, and adventure happens. It’s not a bad story, but it’s not exactly all that gripping. It serves its purpose and remains light and fast and fun, but there are some aspects that hold it back from being great.
There is a bit of inconsistency, after all, with some of the characters, who aren’t all that fleshed out at this point. They act and move, but we don’t get a whole lot of deeper motivations and thoughts. Most of the characters operate on the whole good and evil spectrum, which is never the most challenging, and while it fits for a story about magic swords, it can’t seem to get beyond the simple. There are also some moments when you’re not sure whose head you’re supposed to be in, and the narrative can’t always make up its mind on who it wants to focus on, ditching Mark for the greater part of the second half of the book to show the Duke, the dragon hunter Nestor, the kind Sir Andrew, the beast lord Draffut, and a few others. It makes it a little difficult to become invested in the characters then, especially because this is a short book.
In the end, though, this is a fine book, a fun read, a decent fantasy. The setting is far and away the biggest draw, but the characters show some promise if they were only developed more, and the story itself alludes to a lot of things that might be happening in the future. Really the plot is just a series of mysterious events, cool in their own rights but not really doing much more than that. And don’t get me wrong, I like this book. It’s fun. But it doesn’t exactly satisfy on all levels, and that holds it back from being something I would recommend everyone run out and read. So as is, I give it a 6.75/10 and call it a day.
December 9, 2022
Escapist fantasy at its best, with an addicting pace and story.
December 10, 2012
This is one of those books I recall fondly. As a young person it, along with plenty of other fiction such as the Lord of the Rings, Narnia, the Prydan Chronicles, etc. inspired me a great deal. This series actually proves to have more depth than I recall it having.
The series itself helped to kindle my life-long love of stories about collections of objects. One thing I always didn't like about the Lord of the Rings was that we were told about this collection of magic rings, but we only 'really' get to see one. Sure Galadriel has a ring, Gandalf does, and the Ring-wraiths obviously, but only the 'one ring' has a character, a sense of it as an object.
Saberhagen's book deals with some fantasy world set in a future world long after some apocylpse. We get hints of some hstory and such, but a sense that this world of magic occurs thousands of years into our future. The 'Gods' seem to be being sthat have taken the names of ancient Roman dieties, and the Smith God 'Vulcan' forged twelve magic swords for some 'great game'.
Only four of the swords feature in the story, and they fall from hand to hand, the actual story itself very slowly unfolding. This is obviously a 'first novel in a series' kind of book, and in some ways it suffers for that. There is character introduction, and the resolution is weak, leaving you wanting to know more, but unlike some more skillful works, not having fully drawn you to what is going on.
The four swords are interesting and have varied powers; Dragonslicer a sword that can kill any dragon as easily as a knife goes through butter. Coinspinner, a sword that grants good-luck but that you are fated to loose. Sightblinder, which grants you the ability to see things as they really are while masking yourself in some useful illusion. And townsaver, whose power can only be used while defending the weak, but makes you invincible in combat while you are doing so, though wounds you suffer in battle will only affect you afterword. It also seems to be aht the home you defend will be one you are forced to leave. The swords truly have that feeling of 'divine objects', each having a power, but a price as well.
Anyways, the book is still good all these years later, and it's nice to delve back into some 'old' fantasy fiction. Anyone who digs classic fantasy should check it out.
The series itself helped to kindle my life-long love of stories about collections of objects. One thing I always didn't like about the Lord of the Rings was that we were told about this collection of magic rings, but we only 'really' get to see one. Sure Galadriel has a ring, Gandalf does, and the Ring-wraiths obviously, but only the 'one ring' has a character, a sense of it as an object.
Saberhagen's book deals with some fantasy world set in a future world long after some apocylpse. We get hints of some hstory and such, but a sense that this world of magic occurs thousands of years into our future. The 'Gods' seem to be being sthat have taken the names of ancient Roman dieties, and the Smith God 'Vulcan' forged twelve magic swords for some 'great game'.
Only four of the swords feature in the story, and they fall from hand to hand, the actual story itself very slowly unfolding. This is obviously a 'first novel in a series' kind of book, and in some ways it suffers for that. There is character introduction, and the resolution is weak, leaving you wanting to know more, but unlike some more skillful works, not having fully drawn you to what is going on.
The four swords are interesting and have varied powers; Dragonslicer a sword that can kill any dragon as easily as a knife goes through butter. Coinspinner, a sword that grants good-luck but that you are fated to loose. Sightblinder, which grants you the ability to see things as they really are while masking yourself in some useful illusion. And townsaver, whose power can only be used while defending the weak, but makes you invincible in combat while you are doing so, though wounds you suffer in battle will only affect you afterword. It also seems to be aht the home you defend will be one you are forced to leave. The swords truly have that feeling of 'divine objects', each having a power, but a price as well.
Anyways, the book is still good all these years later, and it's nice to delve back into some 'old' fantasy fiction. Anyone who digs classic fantasy should check it out.
July 3, 2012
This is another book that I read young enough that I can't be really objective about it. However, it holds up to a reread well enough, which is always a huge relief.
The First... is an oddly structured book. Mark, whose conception we see in the prologue, and the Swords (which... likewise) are the main characters of this series. (Yes, the main characters are largely inanimate objects.) The essay at the end (about which more in a bit) mentions that the series was written as the basis for "microcomputer" game. This actually makes quite a bit of sense in hindsight - The First... is as much a dungeonmaster's guide as a story in itself. The language is a bit dry, but it's more a style than a flaw.
Nonetheless, there is the story, or the first part of one, as young Mark sets off with his father's Sword with the authorities hot on his heels. He encounters gods, dragons, and an army on the way. The story takes a rather strange detour in the middle as we follow Nestor on a side-quest - he never really rises above secondary character status and, unlike very nearly all of the characters in this book, we never see him in the sequels. I found this section disconcerting and a little boring as a youngster - now I can roll with it and just enjoy the additional worldbuilding, but it's still a trifle clumsy.
There is a strong female secondary character, and a pair of well-written tertiary ones. The book fails the Bechdel test rather egregiously, though, because there are *only* three named female characters and they never actually interact. However, this is such a pleasant improvement over the last couple books I've read that I'll forgive it.
A brief note on the essay at the back: I found it utterly fascinating as a kid, both for its handy synopsis of the prequel series (which I did not read until it was reprinted years later) and for its glib analysis of the Swords and the (admittedly terrible) poetry attached to them. It gave the series a gravity that it does not perhaps deserve. Now I'm much less impressed by it - it's Eurocentric in the extreme, if nothing else - but I prefer the paperback edition that contains it just for the nostalgia value.
On the whole, a pleasant visit with an old friend.
The First... is an oddly structured book. Mark, whose conception we see in the prologue, and the Swords (which... likewise) are the main characters of this series. (Yes, the main characters are largely inanimate objects.) The essay at the end (about which more in a bit) mentions that the series was written as the basis for "microcomputer" game. This actually makes quite a bit of sense in hindsight - The First... is as much a dungeonmaster's guide as a story in itself. The language is a bit dry, but it's more a style than a flaw.
Nonetheless, there is the story, or the first part of one, as young Mark sets off with his father's Sword with the authorities hot on his heels. He encounters gods, dragons, and an army on the way. The story takes a rather strange detour in the middle as we follow Nestor on a side-quest - he never really rises above secondary character status and, unlike very nearly all of the characters in this book, we never see him in the sequels. I found this section disconcerting and a little boring as a youngster - now I can roll with it and just enjoy the additional worldbuilding, but it's still a trifle clumsy.
There is a strong female secondary character, and a pair of well-written tertiary ones. The book fails the Bechdel test rather egregiously, though, because there are *only* three named female characters and they never actually interact. However, this is such a pleasant improvement over the last couple books I've read that I'll forgive it.
A brief note on the essay at the back: I found it utterly fascinating as a kid, both for its handy synopsis of the prequel series (which I did not read until it was reprinted years later) and for its glib analysis of the Swords and the (admittedly terrible) poetry attached to them. It gave the series a gravity that it does not perhaps deserve. Now I'm much less impressed by it - it's Eurocentric in the extreme, if nothing else - but I prefer the paperback edition that contains it just for the nostalgia value.
On the whole, a pleasant visit with an old friend.
April 8, 2025
Saberhagen takes the "Three rings to the Elven Kings..." part of the Lord of the Rings and spins it into an entire world. The Greco-Roman gods have gifted humanity with swords that grant an array of supernatural powers, setting off a grand game for the gods' enjoyment. It makes sense as the kind of fantasy that a Sci Fi guy like Saberhagen might write: it's very focused on the mechanics of the sword and how people might try to use their powers.
What feels missing from this book, and maybe the series as a whole, is a real sense of scope, which is so crucial to epic fantasy. The world feels kind of small as we focus on the day-to-day lives of our band of plucky heroes. This kind of scope feels like it works well for something like Saberhagen's Berserker series as we get vignettes of different aspects of a galaxy-wide conflict, but here the point-of-view feels restrictive. Or at least that's how I feel after reading the first two books. Maybe that will change when I get to the short story collections and the Lost Swords spinoff series.
What feels missing from this book, and maybe the series as a whole, is a real sense of scope, which is so crucial to epic fantasy. The world feels kind of small as we focus on the day-to-day lives of our band of plucky heroes. This kind of scope feels like it works well for something like Saberhagen's Berserker series as we get vignettes of different aspects of a galaxy-wide conflict, but here the point-of-view feels restrictive. Or at least that's how I feel after reading the first two books. Maybe that will change when I get to the short story collections and the Lost Swords spinoff series.
January 12, 2011
The First Book of Swords is simple, but I loved it! Swords with special powers and kingdoms at war are not the most unique things in the world, but interesting characters, gods, and a fast paced plot push this book into greatness. I admit, the story was slow to start for me. The prologue was boring, and the main character walking around made me skip sections, but that was only a small part of the book, and I'm glad I stuck through it. I couldn't wait to find out what happens to the swords and the characters, and since it's only the first part of a trilogy I was even more happy. But, I have to say, I really expected more. If there were only a few more things this book would have been five stars. I would have liked to have seen more of the 12 magical swords, instead of just four. I thought there would be a big event with all of the swords coming together. I thought different people from around the world would come together in a big way, but that didn't happen. This novel also has a definite conclusion, and the second book does not pick up the plot at all. I really want to read about the people who own these swords and what they can do, instead I have to settle for a 200 page book revolving around a few characters making a trip. A few hundred more pages added to the end would have been nice instead of an unrelated second book. Oh well, this book by itself is fun, exciting, and entertaining, and I enjoyed it.
October 1, 2015
This is first book in Swords series written by Saberhagen. This review is really of the whole series as one big story. It is a good serial story told in installments rather than really a collection of individual books that are related. The story revolves around a collection of swords that each have great powers and great limitations, and in some cases great liabilities. The swords were made by the Greek god Hesphestus (god of blacksmithing) and put on earth to be fought over by mortals for some unknown reason of the gods. It becomes apparent in the telling of the overall story that that purpose has gone awry because the power of the swords is so destabilizing and overwhelming (some of them can kill god's, one of them even makes it simple and easy). The mortals are battling over possession of the swords because of their power, the gods are trying to get them back under control (or use them for intermural god conflict). The concept sets up multiple story lines building towards a conclusion without a real central character or central plot. Fans of Game of Thrones will be familiar with this style and would be recommended to this series. Fans of the Percy Jackson series might also enjoy the mortals interacting with Greek gods shared story context.
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