''Swords Against Darkness IV'' is an
anthology
In book publishing, an anthology is a collection of literary works chosen by the compiler; it may be a collection of plays, poems, short stories, songs, or related fiction/non-fiction excerpts by different authors. There are also thematic and g ...
of
fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of speculative fiction that involves supernatural or Magic (supernatural), magical elements, often including Fictional universe, imaginary places and Legendary creature, creatures.
The genre's roots lie in oral traditions, ...
stories, edited by
Andrew J. Offutt, the fourth in a series of five anthologies of the same name. It was first published in paperback by
Zebra Books
Zebra Books is an imprint of American publisher Kensington Publishing Corp. As the company's flagship imprint until the late 80s, it currently publishes women's fiction, romantic suspense and bestselling historical, paranormal and contemporary r ...
in September 1979, and reprinted by the same publisher in 1981; a Canadian reprint was issued by General Paperbacks, also in 1981.
Summary
The book collects eleven short stories and novelettes and one essay by various fantasy authors, together with a foreword in two parts and a "special word" by Offutt.
Contents
*"Foreword - In Two Parts" (
Andrew J. Offutt)
*"Mai-Kulala" (
Charles R. Saunders
Charles Robert Saunders (July 12, 1946May 2020) was an African-American author and journalist, a pioneer of the "sword and soul" literary genre with his Imaro novels.Tattrie, Jon.The extraordinary inner world of Charles R. Saunders, father of ...
)
*"At the Sign of the Brass Breast" (
Jeff P. Swycaffer)
*"The Reaping" (
Ardath Mayhar
Ardath Frances Hurst Mayhar (February 20, 1930 – February 1, 2012) was an American writer and poet. Mayhar wrote over 60 books ranging from science fiction to horror to young adult to historical to westerns. Some of her novels appeared under p ...
)
*"The Ballad of Borrell" (
Gordon Linzner)
*"Deux Amours d'une Sorciere" (
Tanith Lee
Tanith Lee (19 September 1947 – 24 May 2015) was a British science fiction and fantasy writer. She wrote more than 90 novels and 300 short stories, and was the winner of multiple World Fantasy Society Derleth Awards, the World Fantasy Lifetime ...
)
*"Of PIGS and MEN" (essay) (
Poul Anderson
Poul William Anderson ( ; November 25, 1926 – July 31, 2001) was an American fantasy and science fiction author who was active from the 1940s until his death in 2001. Anderson also wrote historical novels. He won the Hugo Award seven times an ...
)
*"Cryptically Yours" (
Brian Lumley
Brian Lumley (2 December 1937 – 2 January 2024) was an English author of horror fiction. He came to prominence in the 1970s writing in the Cthulhu Mythos created by American writer H. P. Lovecraft but featuring the new character Titus Crow, ...
)
*"Dedication: A Special Word" (
Andrew J. Offutt)
*"The Dark Mother" (
Diana L. Paxson)
*"Wooden Crate of Violent Death" (
Joey Froehlich
Joey may refer to:
People
*Joey (name)
Animals
* Joey (marsupial), an infant marsupial
* Joey, a blue-fronted Amazon parrot who was one of the Blue Peter pets
Film and television
* ''Joey'' (1977 film), an American film directed by Horace ...
)
*"The Fane of the Grey Rose" (
Charles de Lint
Charles de Lint (born December 22, 1951) is a Canadian writer.
Primarily a writer of fantasy fiction, he has composed works of urban fantasy, contemporary magical realism, and mythic fiction. Along with authors like Terri Windling, Emma Bull ...
)
*"Sandmagic" (
Orson Scott Card
Orson Scott Card (born August 24, 1951) is an American writer known best for his science fiction works. , he is the only person to have won a Hugo Award for Best Novel, Hugo Award and a Nebula Award for Best Novel, Nebula Award in List of joint ...
)
*"The Edge of the World" (
Manly Wade Wellman
Manly Wade Wellman (May 21, 1903 – April 5, 1986) was an American writer. While his science fiction and fantasy stories appeared in such pulps as '' Astounding Stories'', '' Startling Stories'', ''Unknown'' and '' Strange Stories'', Wellman i ...
)
Reception
The anthology was reviewed by
David Dvorkin
David Dvorkin (born October 8, 1943) is an American writer of speculative fiction.
Early life and education
Dvorkin was born in the United Kingdom. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in mathematics and physics from Indiana University Bloomington as we ...
in ''Science Fiction & Fantasy Review'', November 1979,
Orson Scott Card
Orson Scott Card (born August 24, 1951) is an American writer known best for his science fiction works. , he is the only person to have won a Hugo Award for Best Novel, Hugo Award and a Nebula Award for Best Novel, Nebula Award in List of joint ...
in ''Science Fiction Review'', February 1980, and
Lin Carter
Linwood Vrooman Carter (June 9, 1930 – February 7, 1988) was an American author of science fiction and fantasy, as well as an editor, poet and critic. He usually wrote as Lin Carter; known pseudonyms include H. P. Lowcraft (for an H. P. Lov ...
in ''
The Year's Best Fantasy Stories: 6'' (1980).
Awards
The book was nominated, together with the succeeding volume, for the 1980
Balrog Award for Best Collection/Anthology.
References
1979 anthologies
Fantasy anthologies
Zebra Books books
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