Sword & Sorcery: "An earthier sort of fantasy" discussion

Mar-April 2013 Group Reads Note, that there are two group reads, and the other one is Campbells’ Ryre Character-Discussion Thread

Thematic Read = Sword and Mythos: What is this theme of Sword and Mythos? Many members interpreted this as topics with a “Lovecraftian Cthulhu” Mythos flare. That said, the idea of the group read is to encourage discussion, and some interpret “Mythos” as anything emphasizing Myth: Discussion Thread on Sword and Mythos.

Bookshelf Examples: Feel welcome to browse for some member-identified Sword and Mythos books (and tag your own selections): Sword and Mythos Bookshelf

Masthead Banner: Photo Section with Bookcover Credits
Left to Right : Artist / Book

Bob Eggleton: Brian Lumley's Sorcery in Shad: Tales of the Primal Land
Bruce Pennington: Clark Ashton Smith's,Lost Worlds: Volume 2: Atlantis, Hyperborea, Xiccarph and Others
Michael Whelan: H.P. Lovecraft's The Best of H.P. Lovecraft: Bloodcurdling Tales of Horror and the Macabre
Ken Kelly: Robert E. Howard's The Weird Works of Robert E. Howard: Wings in the Night
Frank Frazetta: R.E.Howard's Bran Mak Morn
Stephen Fabian: R.E. Howard's (2004)Robert E. Howard's Weird Works Volume 1: Shadow Kingdoms

Terrific masthead and great moodsetter for this read.
I will be reading The Scroll of Thoth: Simon Magus and the Great Old Ones, which collects most of the "Simon of Gitta" stories ever published, in their internal chronology.

I love the masthead. Don't know what S&M (say!) book I'll be reading though the Lumley Dreamlands stuff has always sounded interesting. I finally read all the Simon Magus stories last year and was suprisingly disappointed with most of them. I'm curious to hear how you find them, Periklis. Everywhere else they're reviewed, people love them.

Fletcher wrote: "I love the masthead. Don't know what S&M (say!)..."

S&M? Eh god, what have we done? Well too late to rename this now. At least the masthead is appropriately inspiring the mood. Thanks to Sean's comments on in the Sword and Mythos general discussion area, I will be reading The Compleat Khash: Volume One: Never a Backward Glance and The Compleat Khash: Never a Backward Glance (harcover variations of the TOR printings as Sean outlines in the discussion).

I'm reading Bran Mak Morn: The Last King. It's some of the only Robert E. Howard stuff I've yet to read.

S.E. wrote: "...Thanks to Sean's comments on in the Sword and Mythos general discussion area, I will be reading The Compleat Khash: Volume One: Never a Backward Glance and The Compleat Khash: Never a Backward Glance. ."

My hardcopy Lumley books just arrived by mule (tooks weeks to get here), but goods news is that Vol. one is a limited printing (#214/300) signed by him. Illustrations by Jim Pitts look great.


Recall, the TOR collections are more available, but Sean convinced me to try this other collection. Anyone else trying out Brian Lumley's Shad series?

I checked out Sorcery in Shad from the local library as my book buying funds are somewhat depleted at present...go figure. I hope to get to it soon, but I'm off to a rather slow start this time around.

I finally decided to take the plunge and read Clark Ashton Smith. I have decided on The End of the Story as my read for this and just finished the first short, The Abominations of Yondo and really liked it.

Incidentally stumbled upon a nice review/article about it:
http://www.thealexandrian.net/reviews...

Sean wrote: "I finally decided to take the plunge and ready Clark Ashton Smith. I have decided on The End of the Story as my read for this"

Great minds think alike! I've also chosen this book for the reading. I'm a huge fan of Clark Ashton Smith, but my readings are far from complete, and this group reading will give me a chance to delve into the Night Shade Books edition I've had on my shelf for a while.

Well about a third done The End of the Story and already I am kicking myself for never taking the time to read Clark Ashton Smith. It is very good stuff.

Sean wrote: "Well about a third done The End of the Story and already I am kicking myself for never taking the time to read Clark Ashton Smith. It is very good stuff."

He's always been one of my absolute favorite authors, particularly the Zothique stories (which I think don't start popping up until subsequent volumes). But from the very first paragraph of the very first story (Abominations of Yondo) you know you're in for something special.

I re-read Zothique by CAS late last year, and the Del Rey Bran Mak Morn before that. CAS can write some genuinely eerie and scary stuff, and Howard is, well Howard...

So I finished my read The End of the Story and loved it. Interestingly I felt when I first started out that people must be mad if they think Smith's prose is heavy (a la Lovecraft, etc). However that opinion changed near the end of the collection as while I found his prose fine throughout most if the book, by the end, the last few stories did indeed have significantly heavier prose. Still, it was not a deterrent.

My favourites in the collection tended to be the longer stories such as: The Venus of Azombeii, The Root of Ampoi, Monster of the Prophecy, although almost all of them were fantastic.

My favourite at this moment is Monster of the Prophecy I think. Although that could change quite easily.

While there was some fantasy involved in this collection I found it more to be science fictiony. Many stories took place on other planets, etc. Still, when this happened they tended to be fantasy-ish like a Burroughs Mars story or Jack Vance's Tschai series. I love those kinds of stories.

I regret not reading Smith a lot earlier in life and will definitely not repeat that mistake. I've got the other volumes in this collection and while, I may not read them all in a row, I will ensure I get to them throughout the next year or so (I'm a completist).

I've heard a lot about his Zothique stories and that they are not in the first collection so am looking forward to getting to those!

Sean wrote: "...I'm a completist)...I've heard a lot about his Zothique stories and that they are not in the first collection so am looking forward to getting to those! ..."

Sean, I urge the completist-in-you to read the Zothique tales earlier rather than later. You will love those. They are less science fiction-y...and more dark (if that is possible).

S.E. wrote: "Sean, I urge the completist-in-you to read the Zothique tales earlier rather than later. You will love those. They are less science fiction-y...and more dark (if that is possible)."

The first Zothique tale, Empire of the Necromancers, is in the third Night Shade collection, A Vintage From Atlantis. Most of the Zothique stories are in the fourth volume, The Maze of the Enchanter. They're my favorite stories of his, although I also have a soft spot for Hyperborea, Poseidonis and Averoigne.

Sean had pointed me toward Lumley's The Compleat Khash: Never a Backward Glance. I got a used copy that turned out to be one of the limited edition Deluxe Copies (signed by B.Lumley and artist J.Pitt). The illustrations are very Warhammer-ish (Games Workshop) style.

Finished "Treasure of the Scarelet Scorpion" and "Isles of the Suhm-Yi." So far, Lumley's Khash barbarian seems between Shae's Nifft...Nifft the Lean and Campbell's Ryre...Far Away & Never. The environments are compelling. Khash has a special connection with eldritch gods, who aide him; so the "mythos" trope is present, but he doesn't seem to combating them. The vivid combat is reserved for Khash & the gods fighting against third-party-evil-folk.

There has been a number of coincidental events that propel the story forward, but stretch the bounds of believe-ability. I am curious to see if that persists or not. Onto story 3, “Told in the Desert”...

Just published my review on Lumley's Khash Vol-1:
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

Good Sword & Mythos adventure! Thanks again to group-member-and-Lumley junky-Sean to pointing out the edition options.

key summary:

Sword and Mythos - too Entertaining to be Horrific: 4/5 stars

Lumley dumps a barbarian (Tarra Khash) into mythos milieu (world of Theem’hdra) in a set of three books (~28 tales total). The series has been printed at least twice, most recently under the brand “Tales of the Primal Land” from TOR books. The first in the series is a prequel that sets the stage for Tarra Khash’s adventures (the last two volumes). The second, the subject of this review, is the first about Khash (aka “The Compleat Khash: Volume One: Never a Backward Glance” …or “Tarra Khash: Hrossak!: Tales of the Primal Land” by TOR in Kindle and paperback…more on book versions below).

Tarra Khash has a go-with-the-flow attitude; generally has conflict with evil sorcerers and is indirectly aided by a third party god. Lumely's World of Theem'hdra is full of gods (celestial entities, collosal insects, vampyric shapeshifters). Most of these tend to like Tarra, and aid him on his quests. His goal is often to regain possession over his sword. He also finds himself constantly incarcerated (in caves, gibbets, pits). It has all the hallmarks of good fantasy: weird creatures, bloody battles, divine intervention, and tales worthy for bards to sing about. My favorite chapter was “Ch 4: Curse of the Golden Guardians” when Tarra Khash ventures into a subterranean shrine of Cthulthu, and the eldritch god is not just mentioned in passing…but assumes an integral part of the adventure. Contrived coincidences keep these stories very entertaining, but reduces the horror element expected of Lovecraftian Mythos fiction (keeps this from a 5 star rating).

Interesting comment about incarcerations in caves and pits - I see a chthonic element as part and parcel of the sword-&-sorcery feel. Even Campbell's first Ryre story has that tunnel sequence - and the Solomon Kane film of a while back had a deleted fight scene set in a cave. Shelob, anyone?

Phil.

Phil wrote: "Interesting comment about incarcerations in caves and pits - I see a chthonic element as part and parcel of the sword-&-sorcery feel. Even Campbell's first Ryre story has that tunnel sequence - a..."

Phil your call out to chthonic is spot on. I never thought that Chthulu had any serious etymological roots. Now it seems obvious that Lovecraft actually named his elder gods after literally infernal creatures. I wonder about the roots of his other unpronounceable gods/creatures ...

And Campbell, the Joseph one, postulated the Monomyth heroic cycle involved a trip through the Underworld. Funny how often that trip under is taken.

S.E. wrote: "Phil wrote: "Interesting comment about incarcerations in caves and pits - I see a chthonic element as part and parcel of the sword-&-sorcery feel. Even Campbell's first Ryre story has that tunnel..."

Janet really deserves credit for making me somewhat blind to the differences between Myth and Mythos. Thanks Janet, long live Medusa!