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Post by Jason Aiken on Feb 8, 2016 17:37:15 GMT -5
www.blackgate.com/2015/01/27/swords-sorcery-edited-by-l-sprague-de-camp/A nice article from over at Black Gate on Swords & Sorcery, a paperback s&s anthology from 1963. I picked this up at a used bookstore in Columbus, OH this summer while attending PulpFest. My friend picked it up and handed it to me, knowing my tastes. I haven't sat down and read any of the stories inside yet, but plan too shortly.
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Post by deuce on Feb 12, 2016 9:11:55 GMT -5
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Post by Jason Aiken on Feb 12, 2016 23:42:01 GMT -5
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Post by deuce on Feb 16, 2016 13:21:26 GMT -5
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Post by deuce on Feb 18, 2016 17:35:04 GMT -5
I'm posting this here because a couple of S&S series characters are mentioned (but not REH). Plus, I think it illustrates quite well how sloppy the terms "gritty" and "realistic" have become, especially among the more PC-minded. The link: io9.gizmodo.com/10-authors-who-wrote-gritty-realistic-fantasy-before-g-1695063524Here is my Facebook response (slightly edited): Elric isn't "gritty" or "realistic", just dark. Tad Williams is simply a bad writer. LeGuin's"Earthsea"? He has to be kidding. Donaldson's protagonist is a whining weasel and his world-building is junk. Covenant raping the first girl he sees doesn't make things "gritty", just gratuitous and stupid.
"Depressing" and "countercultural" (or long-winded) doesn't necessarily equate to gritty and realistic.
The list-maker left out Mark C. Perry's "Morigu" series, which presaged much of what is seen in later "gritty" epic fantasies (but with less wordage). David Drake's "Vettius" stories are realistic and bleak as hell. Robert E. Howard's Bran Mak Morn tales are as gritty, realistic and dark as just about anything on that list. Better written overall, in the bargain.
When you see lists like this, then it starts to become clearer why not a lot of "sword and sorcery" sells these days.
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Post by deuce on Feb 18, 2016 19:10:47 GMT -5
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Post by zarono on Feb 18, 2016 20:35:19 GMT -5
I'm posting this here because a couple of S&S series characters are mentioned (but not REH). Plus, I think it illustrates quite well how sloppy the terms "gritty" and "realistic" have become, especially among the more PC-minded. The link: io9.gizmodo.com/10-authors-who-wrote-gritty-realistic-fantasy-before-g-1695063524Here is my Facebook response (slightly edited): Elric isn't "gritty" or "realistic", just dark. Tad Williams is simply a bad writer. LeGuin's"Earthsea"? He has to be kidding. Donaldson's protagonist is a whining weasel and his world-building is junk. Covenant raping the first girl he sees doesn't make things "gritty", just gratuitous and stupid.
"Depressing" and "countercultural" (or long-winded) doesn't necessarily equate to gritty and realistic.
The list-maker left out Mark C. Perry's "Morigu" series, which presaged much of what is seen in later "gritty" epic fantasies (but with less wordage). David Drake's "Vettius" stories are realistic and bleak as hell. Robert E. Howard's Bran Mak Morn tales are as gritty, realistic and dark as just about anything on that list. Better written overall, in the bargain.
When you see lists like this, then it starts to become clearer why not a lot of "sword and sorcery" sells these days.You get 10,000 XP for mentioning Morigu shame the third book never got published
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Post by deuce on Feb 19, 2016 18:03:53 GMT -5
"Depressing" and "countercultural" (or long-winded) doesn't necessarily equate to gritty and realistic. The list-maker left out Mark C. Perry's "Morigu" series, which presaged much of what is seen in later "gritty" epic fantasies (but with less wordage). You get 10,000 XP for mentioning Morigu shame the third book never got published Mark C. Perry (he changed his name to Mark Leahy) posted this in 2000... --------------------------------- Mark Perry\Leahy , July 11, 2000
Nope--I'm not dead!
A friend just called me about the reviews on Amazon.com. I was really surprised to read them--frankly I didn't think anyone had any interest in the Morigu books. Very cool to find out I was wrong.
Yes, I am still a writer--though out in Hollywood now. I changed my last name to Leahy (my family's clan name) to honor my grandfather's last request. And, yes, I am that Mark Leahy that wrote for the D&D movie (though the story they used is not mine, I do have co-producer credit). I also wrote an original script called Beowulf. It was completely re-written for the film (starring Christopher Lambert) and doesn't bear any resemblence to what I wrote. I haven't even seen it myself, but I know some people who have and, uh-- let's just say it didn't quite work out...
I've sold many more scripts and am working on others right now. But God only knows when one of the films made of my scripts will actually resemble what I wrote.
As to the Morigu books--well, what can I tell you? The first one did well, the second not so well, and my editor did not support the novels and things got very strange. It didn't take a genuis to figure out it was pointless to continue with these particular people. So I did what any self-repecting young writer would do--I took off for Europe for a year and half and got into as much trouble as I possible could. Probably wasn't my smartest move.
I have not written in prose for along time. But I have to say reading your remarks means a lot to me. Funnily enough I had just started my first novel in years, and was going to look into the possiblity of finishing the Morigu novels (there were to be at least two more).
But I have not been in the prose world for a long time, so I have no idea if there are any puplishers interested in the Morigu novels. I will insist on one thing though--if and when I do write the rest of the books--New Covers!
C'mon tell me that the cover of Morigu:The Desecration doesn't look like George Hamilton pretending to be Tarzan, while some bizarre guy with a Don King haircut looks on! I heard that at one fantasty convention it was voted the worst cover of the year. And, of course, everywhere I went, bookstores included, people had to point out how bloody awful the cover was.
Ah this is long, sorry. I want to thank all of you who took the time to write in a review, expecially since most of you seemed to think I was dead. I'll make a deal with you--keep saying nice things about me, and I'll find a publisher to finish the Morigu novels.
After all--I still want to know who wins in the end...
P.S. The last prose work I published was in the anthology novel THIEVES' WORLD:AFTERMATH. The story was called CADE and yes, it's kinda brutal, but after all these years I still love it. ------------------------------From what I understand, he was in his very early 20s when he wrote the books for Questar. The cover he talks about (see below) was by Gary Ruddell (whom I've never cared for). It actually "won" an award for "Worst Cover" that year. After that fiasco, Mark moved on. I remember discussing the series with a buddy around '90. I said it had to be at least 4 books or the third/final one would be as long as the first two combined. Turns out I was right. Mark died a few years ago. A definite loss to the field of darker/bloodier fantasy. Probably the closest thing ever to a successful melding of REH and JRRT.
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Post by Jason Aiken on Feb 19, 2016 22:55:05 GMT -5
Mark died a few years ago. A definite loss to the field of darker/bloodier fantasy. Probably the closest thing ever to a successful melding of REH and JRRT. Damn. I haven't read either book, but his digital shade has won me over. Regardless if there isn't a follow up coming, I'm going to be adding these books to my wish list.
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Post by deuce on Feb 20, 2016 1:24:54 GMT -5
Mark died a few years ago. A definite loss to the field of darker/bloodier fantasy. Probably the closest thing ever to a successful melding of REH and JRRT. Damn. I haven't read either book, but his digital shade has won me over. Regardless if there isn't a follow up coming, I'm going to be adding these books to my wish list. You go, Jason! I believe that there is an ebook of "Desecration" out there. Morgan Holmes is also a big Morigu fan.
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Post by Jason Aiken on Feb 20, 2016 2:55:44 GMT -5
Damn. I haven't read either book, but his digital shade has won me over. Regardless if there isn't a follow up coming, I'm going to be adding these books to my wish list. You go, Jason! I believe that there is an ebook of "Desecration" out there. Morgan Holmes is also a big Morigu fan. I found the paperbacks online for a decent price. Found this Facebook Group, too. It looks to be run by his widow(?) Doc Pod's in it from the looks of it. www.facebook.com/groups/317529978128/
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Post by deuce on Feb 22, 2016 8:56:35 GMT -5
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Post by deuce on Mar 1, 2016 12:54:09 GMT -5
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Post by deuce on Mar 10, 2016 11:49:45 GMT -5
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Post by thedarkman on Mar 10, 2016 20:08:42 GMT -5
Just starting Prisoner of the Horned Helmet by James Silke. I have owned this book since '88, but have never read it or the second book that I also picked up back in the day. Outside of the four books in this series, I cannot find any info on Silke. Perhaps a pen name? What do you folks think of the series? Anyone out there know a little about this mystery writer? Nosy minds need to know...
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