I have a soft spot for classic sword & sorcery. However, there is no doubt that these stories have their flaws. The genre is usually marred by explicit racism and sexism. It's unfortunate, because I genuinely think that modern fantasy could benefit from taking a bit more inspiration from these old pulpy tales, minus the gross parts. Fritz Leiber's stories are no exception, but as sword & sorcery goes his tales are among the pinnacle of the genre in terms of craft. Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser are one of the first fantasy adventurer duos, and a huge inspiration for the earlier editions of Dungeons & Dragons. If The Lord of the Rings is how a Dungeon Master imagines a D&D campaign would go, then Fritz Leiber's stories of the Twain is how the campaign actually plays out when the players ditch plot-lines for shiny items, go wherever they please, and get in as much trouble as possible.
Told in a picaresque structure, the adventures of the Twain tend to be light-hearted, but with a melancholic atmosphere. Both Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser feel human, and I mean that in every sense of the word. These are deeply flawed characters who just want to enjoy their brief lives to the fullest, even if it means shoving others out of the way. While I might not relate with the actions they perform to achieve those ends, I can relate to their motivations to do so. Apparently their relationship is based off of Leiber's relationship with his best-friend, which is probably why the back-and-forth dialogue between two characters is constantly entertaining and believable.
I enjoyed every story in this review, however I did like some more than others. Since this is a collection of short stories (plus one other story) I'll be reviewing each one.
Induction
Honestly I didn't even know this counted as a story. It was just a couple of pages long, and from what I remember it was just a long description of the two characters. Fafhrd, a tall young skald who fled his clan in the North to become an adventurer. And the Gray Mouser, a former wizard's apprentice whose cunning mind and small nimble physique make him an excellent rogue.
This felt more like the opening sequence of a TV show than a story. On those grounds, it did a good job at hyping me up for what was to come. I can't imagine reading this on its own though, and if it were ever published in a magazine or as part of an anthology I'd be a very unimpressed reader if I came across it in those formats.
The Snow Women
The first of two origin stories, this one follows Fafhrd as he struggles with life in his clan and the manipulations of his abusive mother. Of all these stories, I enjoyed "The Snow Women" the least. If the Twain are a sandwich, Fafhrd is definitely the bread and the Gray Mouser is the filling. The latter works on his own, that way you've got a salad. But just plain bread isn't quite as fun. It's not that Fafhrd is a dry character, it's just that he's naive (he is only eighteen after all) and a bit of a blockhead at times. The crux of the story's plot is balanced on two future paths that Fafhrd is caught between. He can marry his sweetheart – Mara, who is pregnant with his child – and stay as just another member in his clan's community and live forever under his mother's thumb. Or he can escape and head South with Vlana, an exotic dancer who is briefly stopping by and is part of the yearly caravan of merchants and performers.
It's pretty obvious which path he goes for, after all if he chose to live with his clan none of the following adventures would ever happen. The escape sequence is probably the best part of this story. Sword fights, rocket-powered skiis, and ice magic make for an incredibly dramatic departure as Fafhrd and Vlana disappear into the night on a sleigh.
Not only does he desire to adventure with Vlana, but he also swears to help her take revenge on the Thieves' Guild in Lankhmar – who murdered her friend and ruined her life. I just feel bad for Mara, who's left behind to raise her and Fafhrd's child on her own. I do think it's good that Lieber doesn't try to justify Fafhrd's actions, he's a jerk who abandoned his family to chase his own dreams.
It's not a good thing to do, yet people do that all the time and Fafhrd is no different. He isn't a hero, just a person doing what feels best for him.
The Unholy Grail
The second origin story fairs better than the first. I didn't realize that the "The Snow Women" suffered from an awkward pacing and structure until I read "The Unholy Grail". Leiber unfolds this plot quickly, every sentencing driving forward the Gray Mouser's quest for revenge when he discovers that his wizard mentor was murdered by the local lord. Things get more complicated when it's revealed that the wizard's other apprentice, the lord's daughter Ivrain, had told her father the location of the wizard's home while under torture. Naturally, she is also the Gray Mouser's love interest.
While the core conflict in "The Snow Women" hinged on Fafhrd's "should I stay or should I go" dilemma, the conflict in this story asks the question "how far will you go for revenge?" It's an unoriginal question, but the way Lieber executes his story is so well done that I don't really care that I've read the same story a hundred times before. The story might not be original, yet the way it was told had me hooked.
Small touches and quirky weird things I enjoyed: Mouser's weird obsession with ants in this story. It seems like Lieber was trying to draw a symbolic relationship between the ants and Mouser, however it never quite makes sense especially when Mouser is already compared to a mouse, and then, later on, a cat (hence his change of name early in the story from Mouse to Mouser, one who hunts mice). I also liked Lieber's portrayal of black, white, and gray magic. Mouser started off as a white wizard's apprentice, and that magic is often associated with healing and gentleness. When he goes on his path for revenge, he abandons his dead master's teachings and studies black magic, which veers very close to cosmic horror. By studying both magical fields, he becomes the Gray Mouser. On a last note, I found Ivrian's characterization to be a nice surprise. She was just as fleshed out a character as the Mouser was in this story, and I think at least half the story is devoted to her point of view. In the end, she and the Mouser work together to achieve their vengeance.
Ill Met in Lankhmar
Going into this story, I already knew about its big plot-twist. I can't remember where I learned about it, probably just read it on Wikipedia some years ago. Which is to say, even though I was already spoiled going into this one that didn't affect it from being my favourite story out of the collection. Not a big surprise there, especially since it won both a Hugo and Nebula award in the 70s. Apparently Leiber had originally nominated "The Snow Women" for the awards, and then withdrew it in favour of this story. I can't speak to why he made that decision, but I can guess that he must've realized the magic that Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser brought to the page when they were together.
And it is magic. They dominate the spotlight as soon as they are together. It's funny that even other characters seem to recognize their appeal, as both Vlana and Ivrain are openly unnerved by the Twain's magnetic attraction to each other. I adored that the first two-thirds of the story was basically a comedy where the Twain stumble drunkenly deeper and deeper into trouble, making the tragedy in the final act all the more painful.
That last act is a treasure. It shows how closely these two characters have bonded over a single night, while also isolating them from everyone else in the world – as they only have each other to share the weight of the horror they've witnessed. My favourite moment in the story was probably when Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser grabbed a couple of jugs of wine and rum and hung out with Vlana and Ivrain in the latter's apartment. What a rare moment in fantasy literature, where four friends can just have drinks and hang out in an apartment.
I only wished that Vlana and Ivrain had more time on stage. Their characters were really well fleshed out in their respective origin stories, but in "Ill Met in Lankhmar" they are barely present. Other than that gripe, this story was pretty much flawless for me, with Leiber doing what he does best: Comedy, sword fights, character relationships, weird magic, a fascinating low fantasy world, and bleak tragedy.
The Circle Curse
While "Inundation" was a forgettable prologue, "The Circle Curse" is the epilogue this collection needed. Instead, this story appears at the start of the next collection, which somewhat baffles me. Though, I guess I can understand that it can serve as a recap.
There isn't much story in "The Circle Curse". A lot of telling, and not a lot of showing. The story tells us that Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser go on a journey around the world of Nehwon that lasts years. Despite the lack of plot, this story works on an emotional level. In a way, the entire story is about these two characters mourning the deaths of their loved ones and trying to cope with grief by exploring all of Nehwon while deliberately vowing never to return to Lankhmar again.
Yet, after exploring the world, the Twain are still grieving. It's then that the direct intervention of two horrifically alien wizards, Sheelba of the Eyeless Face and Ningauble of the Seven Eyes (these names are just awesome), eventually convince the Twain that perhaps the only way they can learn to live with their trauma is to return to Lankhmar.
Plot-wise what we end up with is a great setup for future adventures in Lankhmar, but other than that not much else happens. Character-wise we get to see the Twain struggle to cope with the loss and trauma they've been faced with, turning them from the boyish young men we meet in the other stories to men who've crossed the threshold into adulthood.
That's all I have to say about these stories. I'm tempted to jump straight into reading Swords Against Death (the next collection of stories). I want to pace myself though, so I don't get burnt out on these fantastic tales.
Next up: Lesbian necromancers in space.
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