Swords and Ice Magicis afantasyshort story collection, first published in 1977, by American writerFritz Leiber,featuring hissword and sorceryheroesFafhrd and the Gray Mouser.It is chronologically the sixth volume of the complete seven volume edition of the collected stories devoted to the characters. It was first published in paperback format during July 1977 byAce Bookscompany, which reprinted the title numerous times through 1990; a later paperback edition was issued byDark Horse(2007). It has been published in the United Kingdom byMayflower BooksandGrafton(1986, 1987). The first hardcover edition was issued byGregg Pressduring December 1977. The book has also been gathered together with others in the series into various omnibus editions;Swords' Masters(1990),Return to Lankhmar(1997), andThe Second Book of Lankhmar(2001).
 cover art from first edition | |
| Author | Fritz Leiber |
|---|---|
| Cover artist | Michael Whelan |
| Language | English |
| Series | Fafhrd and the Gray Mouserseries |
| Genre | Fantasy |
| Publisher | Ace Books |
Publication date | 1977 |
| Publication place | United States |
| Media type | Print (Paperback) |
| Pages | 243 |
| ISBN | 0-441-79166-2 |
| Preceded by | The Swords of Lankhmar |
| Followed by | The Knight and Knave of Swords |
The book collects seven short stories and one novella, three of which were published originally in the anthologiesFlashing Swords! #1(1973) andFlashing Swords! #3: Warriors and Wizards(1976), the collectionsThe Book of Fritz Leiber(1974) andThe Second Book of Fritz Leiber(1975), and the magazinesFantasticfor November 1973 and April 1975,Whispersfor December 1973, andCosmos Science Fiction and Fantasyfor May and July 1977. "The Frost Monstreme" and "Rime Isle" have also been published separately as the novelRime Isle(1977).
While the stories were ostensibly assembled in chronological order by the author, internal evidence indicates that the third, "Trapped in the Shadowland", which is a direct sequel to the preceding volume,The Swords of Lankhmar,should actually have been placed first.
Contents
edit- "The Sadness of the Executioner" (1973)
- "Beauty and the Beasts" (1974)
- "Trapped in the Shadowland" (1973)
- "The Bait" (1973)
- "Under the Thumbs of the Gods" (1975)
- "Trapped in the Sea of Stars" (1975)
- "The Frost Monstreme" (1976)
- "Rime Isle" (1977)
Plot
editThe Fafhrd and Gray Mouser stories concern the lives of two larcenous but likable rogues as they adventure across the fantasy world ofNehwon.InSwords and Ice Magicthe duo face a series of challenges from Death of greater or lesser subtlety ( "The Sadness of the Executioner", "Beauty and the Beasts", "Trapped in the Shadowland" and "The Bait" ), the pique of deities they formerly worshiped whose names they now rarely even use in vain ( "Under the Thumbs of the Gods" ), a voyage to the strange equatorial ocean of Nehwon ( "Trapped in the Sea of Stars" ), and recruitment to succor Nehwon's Iceland, the legendary Rime Isle, menaced by Sea Mingols and a pair of refugee gods ( "The Frost Monstreme", "Rime Isle" ).
Relation to other works
edit"Under the Thumbs of the Gods" includes an appearance byJoanna Russ's heroineAlyx.
Reception
editC. Ben Ostrander reviewedSwords and Ice MagicinThe Space GamerNo. 12.[1]Ostrander commented that "Included in this book are some of the very best Fafhrd & Gray Mouser stories written. Mr. Leiber's stories help shape the growing field of fantasy literature, and I expect to see the stories in this volume re-written by aspiring writers, and get printed. But remember, Fritz Leiber did it first, and better."[1]
Awards
editSwords and Ice Magicwas nominated for the 1978World Fantasy Award for Best Anthology/Collection.[citation needed]
References
edit- ^abOstrander, C. Ben (July–August 1977). "Books".The Space Gamer(12).Metagaming:38.