Review: Swords Against Death by Fritz Leiber

The first book I reviewed here on AzureScape was Swords and Deviltry, the first in a seven-book collection of Fritz Leiber’s Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser stories. My review of that anthology was mixed, on the one hand praising the inventiveness of Leiber’s language and world-building, but on the other hand lamenting the rather flat character development. Swords Against Death brings more of the same, but for some reason I found myself enjoying this collection more than its predecessor.

Swords Against Death
By Fritz Leiber; Read by Jonathan Davis
Audible Download – 9 hours 27 mins [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Audible Frontiers
Published: 2008
Themes: / swords and sorcery / rogue literature / story collection

When we last left are two antiheroes, Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser had both suffered horrible losses in the city of Lankhmar, leading them to abandon the city in search of adventures in the wide world. Some of the stories in this volume tell of their exploits in great forests, under tall mountains, and upon the wide sea. Yet the siren call of the city ultimately lures them back, and some action takes place in the heart of the Thieves’ Guild where the climactic action of the first collection unfolded.

Leiber’s writing is a victim of its own success. His stories, along with those of Robert E. Howard, gave rise to the “swords and sorcery” genre, and many of the characters and tropes in Leiber’s writing now feel flat and worn.

The strength of these stories lies in the camaraderie between the tall, taciturn barbarian Fafhrd and the roguish, loquacious Gray Mouser. Their bravado, banter, and zest for mischievous adventure keeps the stories fresh and entertaining even amidst the abundant fantasy clichés.

The Audible Frontiers recording of Swords Against Death is notable for two reasons. First, it features a brief introduction by Neil Gaiman, whose melifluous voice extolls the virtues of Leiber’s writing. Second, Jonathan Davis brings the world and especially the two protagonists to life, Fafhrd with a drawl almost reminiscent of the American West and the Gray Mouser with a lower-class English accent you might hear from one of the scoundrels in Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels.

This review is perforce brief, since it’s actually been quite some time since I read this book, and therefore don’t remember many of the specifics. I’m now in the process of reading the third volume, Swords in the Mist, and for the sake of completeness wanted to at least post some thoughts on the intervening volume. Leiber’s writing is really growing on me.