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A review by sjlee
The Book of Swords by Robin Hobb, George R.R. Martin
4.0
The Book of Swords is an anthology series and, as per usual, it is difficult to describe over all. What I will say is that the editor, Gardner Dozois, does a really interesting job in compiling a collection of stories that offer some strong interpretations of the core conceit.
What's perhaps most remarkable is how different the stories are from one another, yet they all offer something. I'll call out my favourites below.
Most people pick up this collection for George R. R. Martin's "The Sons of the Dragon". It details the lives of Aenys and Maegor Targaryen, the sons of Aegon the Conqueror. The story has been made superfluous by Fire and Blood, but it still interesting for fans of that series. I really enjoy Martin's faux history narrative style in these stories.
"The Best Man Wins" is about a sword-smith who is commissioned to make a sword by a young man and recounts how he came to be where he is and his life's path. The plot is fairly predictable, but the writing is good, and I like the exploration of the forging process.
"Her Father's Sword" is a disturbing piece. It deals with themes of abuse and violence through the lens of a magic curse. It's difficult to describe in detail without ruining it, but it is a haunting story.
"The Smoke of Gold is Glory" by Scott Lynch is probably my favourite in the collection. The story is about a man who journeys to a town to defeat a dragon and claim his treasure. One of the best details is that there is a town in the shadow of the dragon's home for adventurers to ready themselves to try their luck. It's an interesting twist and some never manage to make it and others merely profit off of the travellers. It's a very cool concept.
I enjoyed the collection and would recommend it, it's possible these stories may lead a reader on to a greater body of work to their interest.
What's perhaps most remarkable is how different the stories are from one another, yet they all offer something. I'll call out my favourites below.
Most people pick up this collection for George R. R. Martin's "The Sons of the Dragon". It details the lives of Aenys and Maegor Targaryen, the sons of Aegon the Conqueror. The story has been made superfluous by Fire and Blood, but it still interesting for fans of that series. I really enjoy Martin's faux history narrative style in these stories.
"The Best Man Wins" is about a sword-smith who is commissioned to make a sword by a young man and recounts how he came to be where he is and his life's path. The plot is fairly predictable, but the writing is good, and I like the exploration of the forging process.
"Her Father's Sword" is a disturbing piece. It deals with themes of abuse and violence through the lens of a magic curse. It's difficult to describe in detail without ruining it, but it is a haunting story.
"The Smoke of Gold is Glory" by Scott Lynch is probably my favourite in the collection. The story is about a man who journeys to a town to defeat a dragon and claim his treasure. One of the best details is that there is a town in the shadow of the dragon's home for adventurers to ready themselves to try their luck. It's an interesting twist and some never manage to make it and others merely profit off of the travellers. It's a very cool concept.
I enjoyed the collection and would recommend it, it's possible these stories may lead a reader on to a greater body of work to their interest.