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adam_mcphee 's review for:
Swords and Deviltry
by Fritz Leiber
This ruled. I wish someone had taken me aside as a thirteen-year-old and told me to put the Star Wars EU novels away and pick up some Fritz Leiber.
Three origin stories here. The first two are about Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser, respectively, setting out and winning their first loves. The last is the story of how they met and became partners (though there's a hint that they met previously?) and also how they lost their first loves.
Really pleasantly surprised at how well Leiber captures getting drunk with your friends and feeling invincible as a young person in "Ill Met in Lankhmar." Also really liked the snow tribe in "The Snow Women," it's just its own thing, not trying to copy or comment on any existing culture, and most of the snow stuff is just a chance to pun and play with words.
"Thieves' Guild" stuff used to piss me off so bad when I'd read stuff along those lines as a kid, but I guess I didn't get that Leiber, at least, is playing the concept for laughs.
I'm seeing a lot of other reviews complaining that the writing is misogynist, to which I would say it's certainly not 'feminist,' but I think what makes these stories (and in particular the comedy) work is that instead of depth, the characters are caricatures who must reliably choose vice over virtue, and that has to extend to the women (and to our heroes' attitudes towards them) as much as anything else.
Three origin stories here. The first two are about Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser, respectively, setting out and winning their first loves. The last is the story of how they met and became partners (though there's a hint that they met previously?) and also how they lost their first loves.
Really pleasantly surprised at how well Leiber captures getting drunk with your friends and feeling invincible as a young person in "Ill Met in Lankhmar." Also really liked the snow tribe in "The Snow Women," it's just its own thing, not trying to copy or comment on any existing culture, and most of the snow stuff is just a chance to pun and play with words.
"Thieves' Guild" stuff used to piss me off so bad when I'd read stuff along those lines as a kid, but I guess I didn't get that Leiber, at least, is playing the concept for laughs.
I'm seeing a lot of other reviews complaining that the writing is misogynist, to which I would say it's certainly not 'feminist,' but I think what makes these stories (and in particular the comedy) work is that instead of depth, the characters are caricatures who must reliably choose vice over virtue, and that has to extend to the women (and to our heroes' attitudes towards them) as much as anything else.