Featuring thirteen heroic fantasy stories by popular and critically acclaimed writers, this anthology offers a fascinating and unique roster of contributors who provide gripping tales that run the gamut of fantasy themes and settings. Providing a compelling selection of unpublished, original stories that cover the central themes of the fantasy subgenre, these short stories include the works of recognized masters Tanith Lee and "cult" favorites John C. Hocking and D. K. Latta, alongside rising stars E. E. Knight and Howard Andrew Jones. A range of themes and settings that are at once eclectic and thematically unified make this the ideal showcase of contemporary fantasy fiction.
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Editorial Reviews
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"Lords of Swords promises traditional heroic fantasy and it delivers." —Locus
"Adventure fantasy [from] some of the finest practitioners of this art." —Black Gate magazine
About the Author
Daniel E. Blackston is a senior editor at sfreader.com and editor of its "Firebrand Fiction" column. He lives in Springfield, Illinois.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Sword and Sorcery Returns!,
By Bruce J Durham (Mississauga, Ontario Canada) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Lords of Swords (Paperback)
Lords of Swords, edited by Daniel E. Blackston and published by Pitch-Black Publishing, is a welcome breath of fresh air in the field of fantasy. It takes the reader back to the days of Howard, Wagner, Leiber and other masters of heroic, fast paced adventure. Vivid worlds, strong characters, thought-provoking story-lines, swords, sorcery--it has it all.The first in a proposed series of anthologies, it features thirteen exciting tales from straight forward adventure to complicated plotlines. There's something for everyone, especially the hardcore fan who has seen this exciting genre drift off the radar over the past years. What follows is a quick synopsis of each story. I have spared any personal critiques. Like all anthologies, not all stories suit all tastes. I'll let the reader decide what interests them. Bottom line: 'Lords of Swords' is highly recommended. The lead story is from John C. Hocking, author of 'Conan and the Emerald Lotus'. Titled 'Vali's Wound', it's a compelling tale of a Viking who faces a god in the name of friendship. 'Something Dwells 'Neath Hannah Town' by D. K. Latta starts with a mystery and ends with the hero Kainar facing a much stronger, and seemingly invincible opponent. 'The King's General' by David L. Felts presents a tale of a man who must face his past and make the toughest choice of his life, with grave consequences. 'Line of Blood' by Howard Andrew Jones, author of the highly rated 'Dabir and Asim' stories, introduces you to Raas and Jekka. Their adventure in a mist covered world involves a dying king and his successors. 'Champion' by Barbara E. Tarbox begins as a simple trip by Sir Argin to the blacksmith to have a horseshoe replaced. As the plot slowly unfolds, the events culminate in a heroic battle. 'That of the Pit' by E.E. Knight, author of the 'Vampire Earth' stories, introduces a new character known as the Blue Pilgrim. Shrouded in mystery and extremely deadly, the Blue Pilgrim journeys to save a friend. 'Dragon's Eye' by Beth Shope features a finely crafted plot that weaves and twists before merging into a grandly satisfying conclusion. 'Viro and the Iron Circlet' by Jonah Lissner is a straight forward, no holds barred tale of adventure starring a fearless barbarian. 'The Slaying of Winter' by Vera Nazarian tells the story of a relentlessly single-minded woman on a quest to kill a god. 'Iron Hands' by Ray Kane is an engrossing tale of revenge as soldier turned farmer Jerimo suffers extraordinary pain and loss. 'The Oath of the Gods' by Nancy Virginia Varian weaves an epic tale about the dwarf Garroc and his dealings with Hel and Woden. 'Blood Drop' by Joseph A. McCullough V features Stevan the Targeteer in a tale of pirates fighting for a giant red gem in the mysterious Hispanic Isles. 'The Woman in Scarlet' by Tanith Lee is about a man 'married' to his sentient sword, which develops an interest in someone else.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A wonderful collection for fans of heroic fantasy,
This review is from: Lords of Swords (Paperback)
Lords of Swords provides all the trappings of heroic fantasy with its 13 tales of valor, honor, and glory. Avoiding the tendencies of many modern fantasy writers to make their stories either highly convoluted or to add modern socio-political sensibilities to fantasy settings, this collection presents fantasy stories in the classic vein. Heroes are heroes. Villains are villains. And honor is about keeping your oath and holding fast to tradition, not being politically correct.
The opening tale, John C. Hocking's "Vali's Wound", sets the stage for the rest of the collection. A young Viking confronts one of the Valkyries to defend a fellow warrior. His own weapon having been destroyed in a previous battle, he attempts to stand against the Chooser of the Slain with a borrowed weapon. Intrigued by his bravery, she makes him an offer that would spare the life of his friend. The second story, D.K. Latta's "Something Dwells 'Neath Hannah Town", is a gorgeously dark and exciting tale. When Kainar, Guardsmaster of Hannah Town, begins investigating a series of grisly murders, he uncovers a strange underground hideaway full of terrifying creatures. But are these creatures truly monsters, or are they only seeking to protect their own? Latta does a wonderful job creating a sense of place for the reader, carefully crafting each sentence to build the tension and move along the story. My favorite story in the collection was Vera Nazarian's "The Slaying of Winter". Nazarian's tale of vengeance, honor, and forgiveness centers on Iliss, a young woman who seeks revenge against the Northsmen who killed her brother and slaughtered her people by killing the very god they worshipped. She finds an unlikely, and unwelcome, ally among the Northsmen, and together they seek out the god Trei. But gods are only found when they want to be, and the ending is poignant and profound. This collection also features an interesting little tale by Vampire Earth series author E.E. Knight. "That of the Pit" introduces us to Knight's new fantasy hero, The Blue Pilgrim., and a strange but entertaining story of commerce, intrigue, and adventure. Fans of the genre will find stories from popular favorites such as Tanith Lee to fresh new voices like Beth Scope (definately a new writer to watch). The editor has done a wonderful job with the story selection. Each story both compliments the others in the collection and yet stands out on its own as an exciting journey for the reader. This is a must-have collection for fans of fantasy fiction.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Buckle on your armor...,
By
This review is from: Lords of Swords (Paperback)
Lords of Swords is a fantastic collection of heroic fantasy stories by a great mix of up-and-coming and established authors. The stories within contain plenty of sword-clashing action, awesome characters, and wonderous settings.
The sheer variety is astounding. In these thirteen stories, the reader is taken from Viking Norway to a world covered in seas of rainbow mist, from the pirate towns of the Hispanic isles to the colorful--and deadly--empire of the Moon King, with characters ranging from the Blue Pilgrim, a deadly warrior in both body and spirit, and a barbarian sheriff with a sentient axe to a dragon-painter living under the streets of an Eastern metropolis and a farmer cursed with a pair of iron talons in place of hands. A handful of stories didn't work for me--too many for me to give the book five stars--but, overall, Lords of Swords is highly recommended for all fans of great, imganitive fantasy.
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