Ill Met in Lankhmar and Ship of Shadows: Two Novellas

Fritz Leiber’s iconic sword-and-sorcery adventurers Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser share the pages with drunkard-turned-unlikely-hero Spar in this pairing of award-winning novellas Gentleman barbarian Fafhrd, son of a northern Snow Witch, flees his family’s homeland to join a foreign lover and escape his mother’s control. Cynical thief the Gray Mouser has a mysterious past, but no one doubts his deadly skill at swordsmanship. When the two meet, each recognizes a kindred spirit in the other. No gem dealer’s stock is safe and no gambler will go unfleeced while Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser live—but the deadly chain of events that forges their adventurous partnership means they are truly ill met in Lankhmar.   Spar has no memory of his early life, no hope for a better future, no concerns other than how to obtain his next drink. A good day is one when he can avoid the abuse of his barkeep boss aboard the Windrush. But when a mysterious talking cat starts putting ideas into Spar’s head, things begin to change. There’s a larger universe out there than Spar has ever dreamed of. His destiny beckons—if only he can escape the ship of shadows.

Infinity Plus

“Think of what you most love about fantasy; then see if you can’t find it in [Ill Met in Lankhmar]. . . . This book is witty and incandescent; it should be on every shelf.”

Speculiction

“Ship of Shadows is a brilliantly written story. . . . Sky is the limit imagination-wise, the narrative which precedes is a tantalizing mix of fuzzy shapes and vague sounds, weird objects, and scenes not quite fitting standard physics. Just when the reader thinks they have the setting figured out, Leiber tosses another wrench in the works, nothing firm under foot.”

About the Author

Fritz Leiber (1910–1992) was the highly acclaimed author of numerous science fiction stories and novels, many of which were made into films. He is best known as creator of the classic Lankhmar fantasy series. Leiber has won many awards, including the coveted Hugo and Nebula, and was honored as a lifetime Grand Master by the Science Fiction Writers of America.

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