Swords in the Mist
A collection of linked stories.
- The Cloud of Hate
- Lean Times in Lankhmar
- Their Mistress, The Sea
- When the Sea-King's Away
- The Wrong Branch
- Adept's Gambit
SWORDS IN THE MIST, book three in the Lankhmar series, thrusts our indentured sword-swinging servants into the question of hate, its power and its purpose. You see, it happens to be lean times in Lankhmar, illuminating that link between money and love. Luckily, Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser don't always believe in love.
When Lankhmar gets too gritty, our travelers take to their other, less harsh mistress, the Sea. But the Sea can play tricks on men, and so can the Sea King. He can break a man or worse yet, curse him. But when he's away it's all play for the formidable swordsmen and the Triple Goddess... and two luscious sea queens.
But luck may not always be there as they discover on the way to Ningauble, their wizard employer. After a long journey in defense of their control over their own fates, Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser find themselves pawns in a life and death chess game, all of Lankhmar being the pieces. How many pawns will be left on the board before someone wins?
Fritz Leiber
Fritz Reuter Leiber, Jr. (1910–1992) was an American author of fantasy, horror, and science fiction. The son of a pair of Shakespearian actors, Leiber was also an actor, expert chess player, and champion fencer. Born in Chicago in 1910, Leiber spent his youth touring with his parents' theater company. He graduated with honors in philosophy from the University of Chicago in 1932. Leiber married Jonquil Stephens in 1936. In 1938, their son Justin was born. After Jonquil's death in 1969, Fritz Leiber moved to San Francisco, where he died on September 5, 1992.
Lankhmar
These are probably the best known stories that Fritz Leiber wrote spanning 50 years of his life. The first appeared in Unknown Magazine around 1940 and the last installment appeared in The Knight and Knave of Swords around 1990. The stories follow the various adventures of Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser, two characters created by Fritz and his friend Harry Fischer.
Also known as the Swords Series.
Lankhmar consists of eight books. The current recommended reading order for the series is provided below.
Related series Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser
Related series Lankhmar (omnibus editions)