1.
Swordsmen in the Sky: My favorite fantasy collection of all time. This is the
collection that, more than anything, made me want to write Sword & Planet
stories. Contains: Swordsman Of Lost Terra by Poul Anderson, People of the
Crater by Andre Norton, The Moon That Vanished by Leigh Brackett, A Vision of
Venus by Otis Adelbert Kline, and Kaldar, World of Antares, by Edmond Hamilton
2.
A Princess of Mars, by Edgar Rice Burroughs. This is the one that started it
all for me. The first in the Barsoom series by Burroughs. John Carter gets to
Mars and has his first adventures. I loved it so much that from the moment I
read it I began making up my own stories about this kind of character and
world. Eventually, the Talera cycle resulted. I owe ERB so much for the joy he
gave me and the inspiration he was for me with these books.
3. A Sword for Kregen, by Alan Burt Akers (AKA Kenneth Bulmer): This is the first Dray Prescot book that I ever read, and it is still my favorite. Dray Prescot meets a better swordsman than he is, which was unique in my experience with Sword & Planet fiction up to that time. The book also involves a game of living chess, or the Kregen equivalent of that, called Jikaida. I still remember finding this book at a small used bookstore in Russellville, Arkansas when I was in college there. Just a great story.
4.
Aldair in Albion, by Neal Barrett, Jr.: This is the first in a four book series
that has to be one of the most unique S & P works out there. It’s a bit
outside the standard realm for S & P fiction because it actually takes
place on a future earth. However, the feel of it—to me—is sword & planet
with a healthy dose of animal fable. This is a story about a world abandoned by
humans but only after they raised many other species to sentience. The main
character is an intelligent, upright walking pig. But although that sounds like
food for hilarity, the story is full of adventure and excitement.
20 comments:
Good post, though I would have to disagree with the choice of "Aldair", genre-wise. Barrett is good, though. You should check out Keith Taylor's THE LANCES OF NENGESDUL sometime.
I really like the Aldair series. And I'm getting my copy of Swordsmen in the Sky off the shelf for rereading.
Thank You, Charles!
Deuce, Aldair is definitely at the edge of S & P. All I know is that I've shelved it that way on my shelves because, although it takes place on earth, the feel for me is more like a world like Kregen or Barsoom with multiple races interacting.
Bill, I'm gonna reread that too. Love it.
Cloudia, thumbs up
I'm just beginning to read S&P. What Leigh Brackett would you recommend? Thanks.
Joe, pretty much all Leigh Brackett stuff is good. Her Outlaw of Mars collection is my favorite. It features the earliest appearances of Eric John Stark. Sometimes you see this collection as separate tales, "The secret of Sinharat," and "People of the Talisman." The easiest to find of her books is probably the Skaith series. They feature Stark and are quite good
Thanks, Charles!
I enjoyed the Barsoom series as well.
I remember trying Anthony's Bio of a Space Tyrant series, but I'm not into anti-heroes.
These are not generally in my genre, but I have been thinking I’d “listen” to a audio by Burroughs (and since I’m so much of a fan of King Crimson’s music..)
Joe, no prob.
Alex, I liked Anthony's early stuff, like Orn and so on, but later just lost interest in his work
Sage, I've only listened to a couple of audio books in my life. I don't know. it just doesn't really work for me.
I truly wish I could read fantasy. Just not in my DNA, I guess. Nor are romances.
Patti, Hard to decide between westerns and fantasy as my preferred reading. I read a lot of both. somewhat more fantasy over time
Cool recs. Charles. I love the DAW covers, they have their own style and tone. One of my sisters had dozens of them.
You've got the water front well covered & I doubt there's anything I could recommend in these genres that you haven't already read or know about. I can movie recs, more likely. But I dig!
Erik, thanks, man. yeah, those covers were dynamite.
Cool post! I haven't read all these but I'll add them to my list. ERB has also been hugely inspirational to my own sword and planet adventures :D
Kung fu, one of the biggest influences on writers around, I imagine.
So how do you rate the Gor S&M books? Authored by a philosophy professor and classical scholar! That means they must be good!!!
I'm really not into pain or degrading women.
Ray, The first few Gor books didn't have much more slavery in them than many other books of that type. The later ones got completely ridiculous and unreadable. There are several decent reads in the first ten. After that, not much worthwhile.
Pisent san, thank you. I appreciate you visiting
Cool collection of the western genre.
Did you read Nathan Long's Jane Carver of Waar, and Swords of Waar? Somewhat of a parody of John Carter, but well done.
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