Title: The First Book of Lankhmar
Author: Fritz Leiber
First published January 1, 2000
762 pages, Paperback
ISBN: 9781857983272 (ISBN10: 1857983270)
Rating: 4.11
Overview
When two unlikely thieves, Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser, cross paths during a daring heist, they form an unbreakable bond. As they travel across the land of Nehwon, they face countless challenges and embark on thrilling adventures together.
But it is in the treacherous streets of Lankhmar that their legend truly begins. Follow their epic journey as they navigate the inner workings of the city’s criminal underworld and become the stuff of legend.
The First Book of Lankhmar is a collection of the first four volumes of Fritz Leiber’s beloved Swords series, packed with action, magic, and unforgettable characters.
About the Author
Fritz Reuter Leiber Jr. was a fascinating writer who caught the attention of HP Lovecraft and his circle of young writers. Although he was known for his science fiction and fantasy work, some of his most remarkable early short stories were in the horror genre.
Leiber hit his stride early on with his sword-and-sorcery tales featuring Fafhrd, the large, sensitive barbarian, and the street-smart Gray Mouser. He revisited their stories throughout his career, using them for both humorous and dark tales.
The Swords of Lankhmar is a standout volume of their exploits. Leiber’s science fiction work included The Wanderer, where a vast ensemble cast faces floods, fire, and the sexual advances of alien felines, and the satirical A Spectre is Haunting Texas, where a tall, exo-skeleton-clad actor from the Moon leads a revolution and falls in love.
Leiber’s later short stories and his excellent horror novel, Our Lady of Darkness, blended his personal struggles with depression and alcoholism with his thoughts on the emotional impact of fantastic genres. Leiber’s talent for reinventing himself and his productive self-reflection kept him an innovative writer until his death, making him one of the most modern sci-fi writers of his generation.
Leiber also wrote under the names Maurice Breçon, Fric Lajber, Fritz Leiber, Jr., Fritz R. Leiber, Fritz Leiber Jun., and F.
Lieber.
Editoral Review
The First Book of Lankhmar by Fritz Leiber is a timeless classic of the fantasy genre, originally published in 2000. Leiber was a highly-regarded author and one of the fathers of modern fantasy, having co-created the sword and sorcery subgenre with his 1939 story “Two Sought Adventure.” This is the first book in the Lankhmar series, which features the adventures of the thief Fafhrd and the mage-swordsman Gray Mouser.
The First Book of Lankhmar follows Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser as they navigate the gritty and dangerous world of Lankhmar, a city filled with treacherous alleys and corrupt nobles. In this book, the duo comes up against a powerful wizard who is attempting to seize control of the city’s underworld, and they must undertake a perilous quest to stop him.
Despite being written over fifty years after Leiber’s first Lankhmar story, The First Book of Lankhmar retains the gritty and dark atmosphere of its predecessors. Leiber’s writing is evocative and atmospheric, immersing the reader in a world that is both familiar and strange.
The characterization of Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser is excellent, and they are both complex and fascinating characters with their own unique motivations and backstories. Leiber’s world-building is also exceptional, creating a compelling and believable setting that feels like a character in its own right.
The city of Lankhmar is brought vividly to life, from its crowded and chaotic streets to its dark and forbidding dungeons. Despite being a fictional city, Lankhmar has a real sense of history and culture, imbued with a rich and fascinating mythology that deepens the reader’s engagement with the story.
One of the strongest themes that runs throughout The First Book of Lankhmar is the idea of power and the corrupting influence it can have. The story explores the relationship between those who hold power and those who aspire to it, as well as the lengths to which people will go to maintain their position of authority.
This is a theme that is just as relevant today as it was when the book was first written, resonating with readers who are grappling with issues of inequality and social justice. Overall, The First Book of Lankhmar is a masterful work of fantasy fiction that deserves to be read by anyone who loves the genre.
Its strengths lie in its superb writing, memorable characters, and evocative world-building, all of which combine to create a rich and satisfying reading experience. Its weaknesses are few and far between, but some readers may find the pacing to be a little slow at times.
For fans of sword and sorcery, or anyone looking for a dark and compelling fantasy read, The First Book of Lankhmar is an excellent choice. It is a classic of the genre that continues to stand the test of time, and it is sure to captivate readers with its richly imagined world, complex characters, and timeless themes.
For these reasons, we highly recommend The First Book of Lankhmar and give it a rating of four out of five stars.
