Swords and Deviltry

The Adventures of Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser

By: Fritz Leiber

Narrated by: Jonathan Davis, Neil Gaiman (introduction)

Length: 7 hrs and 37 mins

Publisher's summary

Neil Gaiman Presents: the first book in Fritz Leiber's classic sword-and-sorcery series, which includes the Hugo and Nebula Award-winning novella, Ill Met in Lankhmar.

In the ancient city of Lankhmar, two men forge a friendship in battle. The red-haired barbarian Fafhrd left the snowy reaches of Nehwon looking for a new life, while the Gray Mouser, apprentice magician, fled after finding his master dead. These bawdy brothers-in-arms cement a friendship that leads them through the wilds of Nehwon, facing thieves, wizards, princesses, and the depths of their desires and fears.

The late Fritz Leiber's tales of Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser launched the sword-and-sorcery genre, and were the inspiration for the fantasy role-playing game Dungeons and Dragons.

BONUS AUDIO: Includes an exclusive introduction by Neil Gaiman.

Epic edge: download more tales of Lankhmar.

©1995 The Estate of Fritz Leiber (P)2008 Audible, Inc.

Critic reviews

"It's, like all of Fritz Leiber's fiction, delightful and, like all of the Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser stories, a wonderful place to go." (Neil Gaiman)
"Fritz Leiber's tales of Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser are virtually a genre unto themselves. Urbane, idiosyncratic, comic, erotic and human, spiked with believable action and the eerie creations of a master fantasist!" (William Gibson)

Classic sword and sorcery

Wonderful story and great narration being this classic tale to life. Also very inexpensive. Buy it now!

Superb

Fritz Leiber’s creation of Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser, it’s not only at the top of all of the genre Of sword and sorcery fiction, not only at the top of the larger genre of fantasy in imaginative fiction, but in my humble opinion is one of the greatest works in all of fiction.

This volume, for me is as great as all of the best of this work. And Jonathan Davis, may he rest in peace, may his work in memory always be a blessing, interprets this work as well as anything
he ever did.

While there’s more I want to say, I just can’t think of good ways to say it. All I can say to conclude his highest recommendations on this.

Oh, and PS: Neil Gaiman‘s introduction is also outstanding, and he obviously is also a fan of this work and the author.

A classic

If you’re looking for old sword & sorcery, you can’t go wrong here. I’m trying to get into better storytelling for D&D and this was exactly what I was looking for.

A timeless classic

What can I say? One of the greatest sword and sorcery tales ever, written by a true master!

Something that I hope will be remembered

The four pillars of Sword and Sorcery. Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser, Conan, Elric and Kane. Anti heroes, rogues, barbarians, thieves, magicians, without any of which we would not have such powerhouse properties such as D&D, Warcraft, or roleplaying as we know it. The level of fun and companionship shown in this and subsequent books inspired many who wanted to go on similar adventures, even if only in their imaginations. I loved the book, but I did struggle to enjoy myself until the two leads joined up together. Until then it was just character building and occasional action. Once it clicked I was able to love it for the rest of the time and hope to read more soon. There are some big twists that really blow the mind. Here's to more!

Good, punchy sometimes convoluted fantasy writing.

Important note: Also if u have an audible membership, u can listen to the individual short stories in this book, and for all the books without buying it for a credit! Dont make the same mistake i did!

Review

As a person who plays ttrpgs like dungeons and dragons, and enjoys the fantasy genre in other media, we owe much to fritz leiber. Good stories, well performed by an expressive narrator. Sentences can be overly complex, but leiber is good at inserting fun dialogue, descriptors and action

Only gripe is how i didnt like how women were portrayed in this book, but thats more a sign of the times i hope/ guess.

All in all a pretty good book

While this will likely never be on the top of my favorites list, it is a solid novel with well developed characters. The story line blends a classic Conan-type genre with a bit of the dry sense of humor you can find in the more serious parts of a Terry Pratchett novel.
I will likely get the second book in the near future...

dull and slow

First book by this author for me, so I did not know what to expect. The quality of the production is fine, the story was dull and slow. I could not make myself finish it.

He's good. God he's good.

Would you listen to Swords and Deviltry again? Why?

Yes...I actually have to. The sound quality was bad. The reader was good, but the space I believe between him and his mike made the names and words a bit difficult to separate, distinguish.

What other book might you compare Swords and Deviltry to and why?

A bit of First Law, by Joe A., a bit of Robin H. ... I can see why GRRM recommended him. Truly brilliant writing...it just was all too brief and unexplored. Joe Abercrombie would've made it more tangible, Robin Hobbs would've dragged it out until the details were almost trodden.

Would you listen to another book narrated by Jonathan Davis and Neil Gaiman (introduction) ?

Yes. I just would love better sound quality so that the complex names are more distinct. We are commuters that must listen to both street and book....We don't have a copy in our hands, our eyes memorizing the shapes of words and names. You must be very clear. And the range of loud and soft must not be so great that we are constantly adjusting sound to understand the story.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

The beginning made me confused and a bit sick. I hate hearing about fathers leaving their children...yes, I'm a brand new mother. And then the abuse that the Mouse's princess endured...that he wasn't more open or understanding to that was a bit confusing...obviously as the story played, he completely understood and remedied the past. Some actions seemed cruel and so I was on edge with concern over her handling.

Any additional comments?

Better audio quality would've made this 5 star. I would've loved to bask in the characters longer...I know there are several other books in this series, but more brain picking as they go along would be nice. This author is brilliant. He knows too much...;)

too short

not buying books under 12 hrs. great story though, good reading and author. test test.