| Swords Against Wizardry | |
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cover art from first edition |
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| Author(s) | Fritz Leiber |
| Cover artist | Jeff Jones |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Series | Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser series |
| Genre(s) | Fantasy |
| Publisher | Ace Books |
| Publication date | 1968 |
| Media type | Print (Paperback) |
| Pages | 188 p. |
| Preceded by | Swords in the Mist |
| Followed by | The Swords of Lankhmar |
Swords Against Wizardry is a fantasy short story collection by Fritz Leiber and Harry Fischer featuring their sword and sorcery heroes Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser. Fischer's contribution was limited to the first ten thousand words of "The Lords of Quarmall." The book is chronologically the fourth volume in the complete seven volume edition of the collected stories devoted to the characters. It was first published in paperback in 1968 by Ace Books, which reprinted the title numerous times through October 1990; later paperback editions were issued by ibooks (2003) and Dark Horse (2007). It has been published in the United Kingdom by Grafton (1986). The first hardcover edition was issued by Gregg Press in December 1977. The book has also been gathered together with others in the series into various omnibus editions; Swords' Masters (1990), Lean Times in Lankhmar (1996), The First Book of Lankhmar (2001), and Lankhmar (2008).
The book collects four short stories, three of which were originally published in the magazines Fantastic for November 1965 and August 1968 and Fantastic Stories of Imagination for January and February 1964, and one of which first appeared in the book itself.
Contents |
The Fafhrd and Gray Mouser stories follow the lives of two larcenous but likable rogues as they adventure across the fantasy world of Nehwon. In Swords Against Wizardry the duo consults a witch in regard to an upcoming adventure ("In the Witch's Tent"), ascends Stardock, the Nehwonian Everest, in search of treasure ("Stardock"), are revealed, as they are gypped of their gains afterwards, not to be the best thieves in Lankhmar, as they so smugly deem themselves ("The Two Best Thieves in Lankhmar"), and take service with two opposing claimants to the sorcerous throne of the ancient city of Quarmall ("The Lords of Quarmall").
"Stardock" was nominated for the 1966 Hugo Award for Short Fiction.