The Mighty Barbarians
Encyclopedia
The Mighty Barbarians: Great Sword and Sorcery Heroes is a 1969 anthology
of fantasy
short stories in the sword and sorcery
subgenre, edited by Hans Stefan Santesson
. It was first published in paperback by Lancer Books
in 1969, and was later followed up by the subsequent Lancer anthology The Mighty Swordsmen
.
The book collects five sword and sorcery tales of authors and protagonists prominent in the genre, featuring Robert E. Howard
's Conan
, Henry Kuttner
's Elak, Lin Carter
's Thongor, L. Sprague de Camp
's Suar Peial
, and Fritz Leiber
's Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser
.
Anthology
An anthology is a collection of literary works chosen by the compiler. It may be a collection of poems, short stories, plays, songs, or excerpts...
of fantasy
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
short stories in the sword and sorcery
Sword and sorcery
Sword and sorcery is a sub-genre of fantasy and historical fantasy, generally characterized by sword-wielding heroes engaged in exciting and violent conflicts. An element of romance is often present, as is an element of magic and the supernatural...
subgenre, edited by Hans Stefan Santesson
Hans Stefan Santesson
Hans Stefan Santesson , was an American editor, writer, and reviewer. He edited the selections of the Unicorn Mystery Book Club in the latter 1940s and early 1950s, the magazines Fantastic Universe from 1956 to 1960, the US edition of the British New Worlds Science Fiction in 1960 and the US...
. It was first published in paperback by Lancer Books
Lancer Books
Lancer Books was a series of paperback books published from 1961 through 1973 by Irwin Stein and Walter Zacharius. While it published stories of a number of genres, it was noted most for its science fiction and fantasy, particularly its series of Robert E. Howard's Conan the Barbarian tales, the...
in 1969, and was later followed up by the subsequent Lancer anthology The Mighty Swordsmen
The Mighty Swordsmen
The Mighty Swordsmen is a 1970 anthology of fantasy short stories in the sword and sorcery subgenre, edited by Hans Stefan Santesson. It was first published in paperback by Lancer Books in December 1970, and was a follow-up to the earlier Lancer anthology The Mighty Barbarians.The book collects six...
.
The book collects five sword and sorcery tales of authors and protagonists prominent in the genre, featuring Robert E. Howard
Robert E. Howard
Robert Ervin Howard was an American author who wrote pulp fiction in a diverse range of genres. Best known for his character Conan the Barbarian, he is regarded as the father of the sword and sorcery subgenre....
's Conan
Conan the Barbarian
Conan the Barbarian is a fictional sword and sorcery hero that originated in pulp fiction magazines and has since been adapted to books, comics, several films , television programs, video games, roleplaying games and other media...
, Henry Kuttner
Henry Kuttner
Henry Kuttner was an American author of science fiction, fantasy and horror.-Early life:Henry Kuttner was born in Los Angeles, California in 1915...
's Elak, Lin Carter
Lin Carter
Linwood Vrooman Carter was an American author of science fiction and fantasy, as well as an editor and critic. He usually wrote as Lin Carter; known pseudonyms include H. P. Lowcraft and Grail Undwin.-Life:Carter was born in St. Petersburg, Florida...
's Thongor, L. Sprague de Camp
L. Sprague de Camp
Lyon Sprague de Camp was an American author of science fiction and fantasy books, non-fiction and biography. In a writing career spanning 60 years, he wrote over 100 books, including novels and notable works of non-fiction, including biographies of other important fantasy authors...
's Suar Peial
The Stronger Spell
"The Stronger Spell" is a fantasy story written by L. Sprague de Camp as part of his Pusadian series. It was first published in the magazine Fantasy Fiction for November 1953, and first appeared in book form in de Camp's collection The Tritonian Ring and Other Pusadian Tales...
, and Fritz Leiber
Fritz Leiber
Fritz Reuter Leiber, Jr. was an American writer of fantasy, horror and science fiction. He was also a poet, actor in theatre and films, playwright, expert chess player and a champion fencer. Possibly his greatest chess accomplishment was winning clear first in the 1958 Santa Monica Open.. With...
's Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser
Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser
Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser are two seminal sword-and-sorcery heroes appearing in stories written by Fritz Leiber . They are the protagonists of what are probably Leiber's best-known stories....
.
Contents
- "Introduction" (Hans Stefan SantessonHans Stefan SantessonHans Stefan Santesson , was an American editor, writer, and reviewer. He edited the selections of the Unicorn Mystery Book Club in the latter 1940s and early 1950s, the magazines Fantastic Universe from 1956 to 1960, the US edition of the British New Worlds Science Fiction in 1960 and the US...
) - "When the Sea-King's Away" (Fafhrd and the Gray MouserFafhrd and the Gray MouserFafhrd and the Gray Mouser are two seminal sword-and-sorcery heroes appearing in stories written by Fritz Leiber . They are the protagonists of what are probably Leiber's best-known stories....
) (Fritz LeiberFritz LeiberFritz Reuter Leiber, Jr. was an American writer of fantasy, horror and science fiction. He was also a poet, actor in theatre and films, playwright, expert chess player and a champion fencer. Possibly his greatest chess accomplishment was winning clear first in the 1958 Santa Monica Open.. With...
) - "The Stronger SpellThe Stronger Spell"The Stronger Spell" is a fantasy story written by L. Sprague de Camp as part of his Pusadian series. It was first published in the magazine Fantasy Fiction for November 1953, and first appeared in book form in de Camp's collection The Tritonian Ring and Other Pusadian Tales...
" (Suar Peial) (L. Sprague de CampL. Sprague de CampLyon Sprague de Camp was an American author of science fiction and fantasy books, non-fiction and biography. In a writing career spanning 60 years, he wrote over 100 books, including novels and notable works of non-fiction, including biographies of other important fantasy authors...
) - "Dragon Moon" (Elak) (Henry KuttnerHenry KuttnerHenry Kuttner was an American author of science fiction, fantasy and horror.-Early life:Henry Kuttner was born in Los Angeles, California in 1915...
) - "Thieves of Zangabal" (Thongor) (Lin CarterLin CarterLinwood Vrooman Carter was an American author of science fiction and fantasy, as well as an editor and critic. He usually wrote as Lin Carter; known pseudonyms include H. P. Lowcraft and Grail Undwin.-Life:Carter was born in St. Petersburg, Florida...
) - "A Witch Shall be BornA Witch Shall be Born"A Witch Shall Be Born" is one of the original stories by Robert E. Howard about Conan the Cimmerian. It was written in only a few days in spring of 1934 and first published in Weird Tales in 1934. The story concerns a witch replacing her twin sister as queen of a city state, which brings her...
" (ConanConan the BarbarianConan the Barbarian is a fictional sword and sorcery hero that originated in pulp fiction magazines and has since been adapted to books, comics, several films , television programs, video games, roleplaying games and other media...
) (Robert E. HowardRobert E. HowardRobert Ervin Howard was an American author who wrote pulp fiction in a diverse range of genres. Best known for his character Conan the Barbarian, he is regarded as the father of the sword and sorcery subgenre....
)