“Swordsmen from the Stars”

[ndrosen]

A book is now available as a Kindle download and on paper, Swordsmen from the Stars, by Poul Anderson, consisting of three novellas which Anderson published in the pulp magazine Planet Stories in 1951, the year he turned twenty-five. I have downloaded the book, and read the first tale, “Witch of the Demon Seas,” which is not another A Knight of Ghosts and Shadows or Hrolf Kraki’s Saga, but is not completely contemptible. Even when still learning his craft, Anderson could write, and the writing contains a few nice touches. “Witch” is a pretty well done low fantasy, in which our doughty hero, who had been conducting a campaign of piracy against the empire which had conquered his country, is spared from public execution to carry out a mission for a powerful wizard and his beautiful granddaughter (the dazzling young lady’s father being the Thalassocrat). This entails a dangerous ocean journey to deal with a more dangerous nation of aquatic and intelligent non-humans. Accomplishing what he resolves to do is difficult even for a man of mighty thews and exceptional combat skills.

I plan to read the other two tales (the second title is “The Virgin of Valkarion”) when I can find the time. Second or third rate Anderson is still worth reading, and I hope that Astrid Anderson Bear and her children are getting a few dimes in royalties from my purchase.

Comments

[selenite0]

I'll have to check that out. I love a lot of Anderson's work. Just finished listening to The Van Rijn Method (collection of Polesotechnic League stories). "The Man Who Counts" works differently on me now than when I read it as a young man.

[filkferengi]

Have you seen his "Thud and Blunder" essay? https://www.sfwa.org/2005/01/04/on-thud-and-blunder/

[ndrosen]

Yes, I have read and reread “On Thud and Blunder,” which was included in at least one Anderson collection.