Sword and Sorceress X (10) [Paperback]

Marion Zimmer Bradley (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1, 1993

In these stories written by such masters of the fantasy genre as Mercedes Lackey, Diana Paxson, and Deborah Wheeler, swords, magical spells, and women warriors abound. Original.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

From Tina Good's imaginative retelling of an old legend ("Lorelei") to Lisa Deason's humorous tale of a different kind of were-creature ("Taking Shape"), the 29 stories in this collection featuring female protagonists demonstrate the many faces of the sword-and-sorcery genre. In its tenth incarnation, this anthology represents one of the most consistent groupings of short fantasy and includes series veterans Diana Paxson and Mercedes Lackey as well as a significant number of newcomers to the field. Most libraries will want this for their fantasy or short story collections.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: DAW; 1st edition (June 1, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0886775523
• ISBN-13: 978-0886775520
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.1 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #657,031 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars These anthologies are getting longer, March 11, 2009

By 

Chrijeff (Scranton, PA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Sword and Sorceress X (10) (Paperback)

It's a measure of the success of the S&S franchise (celebrating its 10th year with this volume) that where most of the earlier volumes ran to less than 20 stories, this one has 29--of which 11 appealed personally to me, although, as I've said before, where anthologies are concerned each reader's favorites are likely to vary. Obviously both editor MZB and her concept had drawn enough attention to ensure that her ever-growing slush pile would attract ever more slush, which no doubt made the selection of suitable stories even harder than before. Authors both familiar and new march through these pages, presenting stories of fighting women, magic-using women, and an occasional goddess. Among my favorites: "Falcon's Shadow," by Diana L. Paxson (the conclusion of the long series of adventures of warrior-princess Shanna, who's been a fixture in every volume to date); "The Gift of Minerva," by Dorothy J. Heydt (another entry in the adventures of early-Roman-era sorceress Cynthia, in which she helps finger a shipboard murderer); "Friendly Fire" by Mercedes Lackey (a humorous adventure of her popular duo Tarma and Kethry); "Earth, Air, Fire, and Water," by Kirsten M. Corby (a queen fights a demoness to keep her lover); "Fealty," by Kati Dougherty (the friendship of a princess and a female swordsmith is threatened by the use of forbidden "bloodmagic"); "Robes," by Patricia Duffy Novak (two wizard-candidates, boy and girl, must pass their final test and learn what *kind* of wizards they will be); "Oaths," by Leslie Ann Miller (a warrior-princess, her freedom bought from a sorcerer at the cost of her beloved brother's, raises an army to save him); "Mage-Sight," by Lynne Alise Witten (a female magic-user duels the sorcerer who destroyed her group); "Ether and the Skeptic," by Katy Huth Jones (a peasant girl runs away from home in search of a better life and learns some things she never suspected); "Smile of the Goddess," by Lorina J. Stephens (a young conqueror-king seeks vengeance for a perceived slight and finds that it wasn't); and "Taking Shape," by Lisa Deason (a delightfully twisted tale of the alliance between a shapechanger and a warrior woman). Although, as has been true of most of these collections, some of the pieces aren't what I'd describe as sword and sorcery, they're all enjoyable, well-paced, and well-written, and the book itself is definitely worth a place on your shelf beside its predecessors.

5.0 out of 5 stars Another Great Anthology By MZ Bradley, May 18, 2007

By 

M. Rhodes "buggal1989" (Louisiana) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Sword and Sorceress X (10) (Paperback)

Tenth in the fantasy anthology series, you will enjoy this just as much as the first. Many great stories by familiar authors and some newbies. Another Shin'a'in story where the story's subjects are "blessed" by a "good luck" medallion and another story where the helpless rape victim is not what she seems. If you like fantasy or sword & sorcery, you'll love the series of short stories about women warriors, women swordsmen and sorceress plus the occasional ordinary woman. One of my fav stories is about a shape shifter who is a rabbit and is embarrassed until she is thrown into a situation where rabbit skills excel!