[& Sword] Build an Anthology!

[James_Nostack]

I'm constructing a Sword & Sorcery anthology for my girlfriend C.  After months of rolling her eyes when I would suggest it, she started reading Tomoe Gozen a little while ago, and blazed through the entire series in about a week.  She refused to put it down.

Me: "Hey, you haven't eaten all day.  Let me make you something."
C.: (withering glare)  "I'm reading."

Honestly, it's a wonder she went in to work that week.  Come to think of it, I don't know that she did.

Since she enjoyed this material as much as she did, it occurred to me to put together a sampler of Sword & Sorcery stories, which would distill the bibliography in Sorcerer & Sword.  What would be on your list of the most essential S&S short stories?

My goals:
* Include at least one story from some of the major authors on the list
* Brevity is preferred, unless a long story is absolutely essential
* Where possible, include stories starring, or co-starring, strong women characters

A very early list--very preliminary:

* Howard, "Queen of the Black Coast."  Howard's Conan stories defined the form, and Belit is about as vibrant as his heroines get.  (I haven't read some of the longer Conan novellas: maybe "A Witch Shall be Born" has a stronger female lead?)

* Moorcock, "The Dreaming City."  Again, Moorcock's Elric stories are too important to exclude.  The story is brief and includes many of the motifs in S&S fiction.  What's-her-name is pretty much a cipher, but this use of woman-as-stage-prop sets a baseline for more three-dimensional treatment by other authors.

* Vance, "Mazirian the Magician."  Though the title character gets most of the stage time, the story is mostly about how he's outsmarted and outmaneuvered by a sly and dangerous woman.  I could also make a good argument for "Liane the Wayfarer," my personal favorite of the shorter Vance stories.  For some reason the "T'sais" story didn't leave a strong impression on me; I may have to re-read it.

* Leiber, "Adept's Gambit."  I confess I've just started on the Lankhmar stories, maybe there's something with juicier women's roles in it.  But "Adept's Gambit", though extremely long, is also extremely funny and Ahura is central, and interesting.

* Moore, "Black God's Kiss."  I'm just starting on the Jirel stories, and don't know what's representative.  Suggestions welcome.

* Smith, - I fancy something from his Zothique cycle, but I haven't read much of it and don't really know where to begin.

* Anybody I'm missing?  (I'm aware of Salmonson's Amazons collection, but don't have access to it.)

[angelfromanotherpin]

You definitely need Karl Wagner's Bloodstone on that list.

For a brief Lieber story with awesome co-starring women, I recommend The Two Best Thieves in Lankhmar.

[Alan]

R E Howard -- Red Nails -- Conan and Valeria

Also, Howard wrote a three or four stories about Dark Agnes, published in a book called Sword Woman.

Moorcock:
- Stormbringer
- The Bane of the Black Sword (Elric Saga, Book 5)
(Particularly the story Kings in Darkness)

[Christopher Kubasik]

Hi James,

There's no strong female character, but for brevity as well as a "Oh, so this is what Ron's been babbling about!" I can only recommend very strongly "The Tower of the Elephant."

It's compact, and completely flips around expectations.

However, since you and your gal are already on track with this, you might want to pass this one up in favor of one with a of a stronger female lead.

But if I was doing the full style old-school S&Sword hardback with the fiction piece at the beginning -- this would be the short story I'd put up front CoC style -- short and to the point.

Christopher

[James_Nostack]

R E Howard -- Red Nails -- Conan and Valeria

What does Valeria add to the mix that Belit doesn't?  As I recall, Valeria makes a great entrance and kind of fizzles out.  I've been re-reading the stories, but haven't gotten around to "Red Nails" yet.

Also, Howard wrote a three or four stories about Dark Agnes, published in a book called Sword Woman

I'll try to find those.

Moorcock:
- Stormbringer

You definitely need Karl Wagner's Bloodstone on that list.

I'm looking specifically for short stories: both of those are too long for present purposes. 

I'd love to include some Michael Shea in there too, but the Nifft stories tend to be on the long side, and much of the same ground is covered by Vance and Leiber.

for brevity as well as a "Oh, so this is what Ron's been babbling about!" I can only recommend very strongly "The Tower of the Elephant."  It's compact, and completely flips around expectations.

I agree it's a pretty seminal story, and well done.  One of things I notice about the Conan stories is that they're all--for lack of a better word--like stones in a river: they feel so polished, and so smooth; there's a certain inevitability about them.  I'd differ about "flips around expectations"--the Howard stories are the basis for the expectations, they're like the ur-expectations. 

But yeah, if I wanted to include more Conan stuff "Tower of the Elephant" would be on the short-list on the grounds of being so influential, even though I think "Frost Giant's Daughter" is arguably a better piece of writing.  As it is, I think "Queen of the Black Coast" covers similar content as "Tower"--note the nod to Taurus midway through, the recapitulation of all the 'Elder Cosmos' stuff (I sorta wish the winged demon was another of Yag's kind)--with the added glamor of Belit, though with the drawback of some irritating racism.

Two Best Thieves in Lankhmar

Which collection is that in?

[angelfromanotherpin]

Two Best Thieves in Lankhmar

Which collection is that in?

Swords Against Wizardry.