The Spell Sword is a 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...

 - science fiction

Science fiction

Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...

 novel by Marion Zimmer Bradley

Marion Zimmer Bradley

Marion Eleanor Zimmer Bradley was an American author of fantasy novels such as The Mists of Avalon and the Darkover series. Many critics have noted a feminist perspective in her writing. Her first child, David R...

 in the Darkover

Darkover

Darkover is the focus of the Darkover series of science fiction novels and short stories by Marion Zimmer Bradley and others published since 1958. According to the novels, Darkover is the only human-habitable of seven planets orbiting a fictional red giant star called Cottman...

 series. It concerns the earthman Andrew Carr and his psychic

Psychic

A psychic is a person who professes an ability to perceive information hidden from the normal senses through extrasensory perception , or is said by others to have such abilities. It is also used to describe theatrical performers who use techniques such as prestidigitation, cold reading, and hot...

 contact with a beautiful sensitive native of Darkover, Callista, who is being held captive by a non-human race of Darkover, the cat-people.

The Spell Sword was first published in paperback

Paperback

Paperback, softback or softcover describe and refer to a book by the nature of its binding. The covers of such books are usually made of paper or paperboard, and are usually held together with glue rather than stitches or staples...

 by DAW

DAW Books

DAW Books is an American science fiction and fantasy publisher, founded by Donald A. Wollheim following his departure from Ace Books in 1971. The company therefore claims to be "the first publishing company ever devoted exclusively to science fiction and fantasy." The first DAW Book published was...

 in 1974 and has been republished several times.

Publication history

• 1974, USA, DAW Books
  DAW Books
  DAW Books is an American science fiction and fantasy publisher, founded by Donald A. Wollheim following his departure from Ace Books in 1971. The company therefore claims to be "the first publishing company ever devoted exclusively to science fiction and fantasy." The first DAW Book published was...
  
   , Pub date September 1974, Paperback
• 1979, USA, Gregg Press
  Gregg Press
  Gregg Press was founded about 1965 by Charles Gregg in Upper Saddle River, New Jersey to distribute in the United States the antiquarian reprints published in the UK by Gregg Press International....
  
   ISBN 0-8398-2503-X, Pub date February 1979, Hardcover
• 1987, UK, Arrow Books ISBN 0-09-915950-3, Pub date October 1987, Paperback
• 1990, UK, Severn House ISBN 0-7278-4046-0, Pub date May 1990, Hardcover
• 2000, USA, GK Hall & Company ISBN 0-7838-9066-4, Pub date June 2000, Large print edition