Sword and sorcery (S&S) is a fantasy subgenre generally characterized by swashbuckling heroes engaged in exciting and violent conflicts. The Fantasy Genre has spawned many new Subgenres with no clear counterparts in the myths or Folklore upon which the tradition of fantasy storytelling is An element of romance is often present, as is an element of magic and the supernatural. NOTICE TO WOULD-BE-ROMEOS*************** Magic in Fiction is the endowing of Fictional characters or objects with magical powers. The term supernatural or supranatural ( Latin: super, supra "above" + natura "nature" pertains to entities events Unlike works of high fantasy, the tales, though dramatic, focus mainly on personal battles rather than world-endangering matters. High fantasy, or epic fantasy, is a subgenre of Fantasy fiction that is set in invented or parallel worlds. ^[1]

The subgenre has old roots. Ultimately—like much fantasy—it draws from mythology and Classical epics such as Homer's Odyssey and the Norse sagas, but its immediate progenitors are the swashbuckling tales of Alexandre Dumas, père (The Three Musketeers (1844), etc. Homer ( Ancient Greek:, Homēros) is a legendary ancient Greek epic Poet, traditionally said to be the author of the epic poems the The Odyssey ( Greek: Ὀδύσσεια or Odússeia) is one of two major ancient Greek epic poems attributed to Homer. The sagas (from Icelandic saga, plural sögur) are stories about ancient Scandinavian and Germanic history about early Viking voyages Swashbuckler or swasher is a term that developed in the 16th century to describe rough noisy and boastful Swordsmen It is based on a fighting style using a The Three Musketeers ( Les Trois Mousquetaires) is a Novel by Alexandre Dumas père. ) and Rafael Sabatini (Scaramouche (1921), etc. Rafael Sabatini (April 29 1875 - February 13 1950 was an Italian / British Writer of Novels of romance and adventure. Scaramouche is a Historical novel by Rafael Sabatini, originally published in 1921 )—although these all lack the supernatural element—and early fantasy fiction such as Lord Dunsany's The Fortress Unvanquishable Save for Sacnoth (1910). Edward John Moreton Drax Plunkett 18th Baron of Dunsany ( 24 July 1878 &ndash 25 October 1957) was an Anglo-Irish writer and In addition, many early S&S writers, such as Robert E. Howard and Clark Ashton Smith, were heavily influenced by the Middle Eastern tales of the Arabian Nights, whose stories of magical monsters and evil sorcerers were a major influence on the genre to be. Robert Ervin Howard ( January 22 1906 &ndash June 11 1936) was an American pulp writer of Fantasy, Clark Ashton Smith ( January 13, 1893 - August 14, 1961) was a Poet, sculptor, painter and author of fantasy A magician, wizard, sorcerer or a person known under one of many other possible terms in fiction is someone who uses or practices magic But S&S proper only truly began in the pulp fantasy magazines, most notably Weird Tales. Pulp magazines (or pulp fiction; often referred to as "the pulps" were inexpensive Fiction magazines Weird Tales is an American Fantasy and Horror fiction Pulp magazine first published in March 1923.

Defining S&S

The term was first coined in 1961 when the British author Michael Moorcock published a letter in the fanzine Amra, demanding a name for the sort of fantasy-adventure story written by Robert E. Howard. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located Michael John Moorcock (born 18 December 1939, in London) is an English writer primarily of Science fiction and fantasy who has also Robert Ervin Howard ( January 22 1906 &ndash June 11 1936) was an American pulp writer of Fantasy, He had initially proposed the term "epic fantasy". However, the celebrated American S&S author Fritz Leiber replied in the journal Ancalagon (6 April 1961) suggesting "sword-and-sorcery as a good popular catchphrase for the field". The United States of America —commonly referred to as the This article refers to the science fiction writer For the actor see Fritz Leiber Sr He expanded on this in the July 1961 issue of Amra, commenting:

I feel more certain than ever that this field should be called the sword-and-sorcery story. This accurately describes the points of culture-level and supernatural element and also immediately distinguishes it from the cloak-and-sword (historical adventure) story—and (quite incidentally) from the cloak-and-dagger (international espionage) story too! (Fritz Leiber, Amra, July 1961)

Since its inception, many attempts have been made to redefine precisely what "Sword and Sorcery" is. This article refers to the science fiction writer For the actor see Fritz Leiber Sr Although many debate the finer points, the general consensus is that it is characterized by a strong bias toward fast-paced, action-rich tales set within a quasi-mythical or fantastical framework. Unlike high or epic fantasy, the stakes tend to be personal, the danger confined to the moment of telling. High fantasy, or epic fantasy, is a subgenre of Fantasy fiction that is set in invented or parallel worlds. ^[2]

Many sword and sorcery tales have been turned into lengthy series of adventures. Their lower stakes and less than world-threatening dangers make this more plausible than a repetition of the perils of epic fantasy. So too the nature of the heroes; most sword-and-sorcery protagonists, peripatetic by nature, find peace after adventure deathly dull. The Protagonist or main character is the central figure of a story. ^[3] At one extreme, the heroes of E. R. Eddison's The Worm Ouroboros grieve for the end of the war and that they have no more foes equal to those they defeated; in answer to their prayers, the gods restore the enemy city so that they can fight the same war over again. Eric Rücker Eddison ( November 24, 1882 – August 18, 1945) was an English civil servant and author writing under the name "E The Worm Ouroboros (1922 is a Heroic High fantasy Novel by Eric Rücker Eddison. ^[4]

Sources

Under the influence of Romantic collection of folklore and ballads, Sir Walter Scott began the genre of historical fiction. Sir Walter Scott 1st Baronet (15 August 1771 &ndash 21 September 1832 was a prolific Scottish Historical novelist and Poet popular throughout Historical fiction is a sub-genre of Fiction that often portrays alternate accounts or dramatization of historical figures or events ^[5] Very few of his works contain fantastic elements; in most, the appearance of such is explained away,^[6] but in its themes of adventure in a strange society, this led to the adventures set in foreign lands, by H. Rider Haggard and Edgar Rice Burroughs,^[7] Although Burroughs' works fall in the area of science fiction because of their (often thin) justifications for their marvels,^[8] Haggard's included many fantastic elements. Sir Henry Rider Haggard KBE ( 22 June 1856 &ndash 14 May 1925) was a prolific writer of Adventure novels set Edgar Rice Burroughs ( September 1, 1875 – March 19, 1950) was an American author best known for his creation of the jungle hero ^[9] The works of Alexandre Dumas, père, romantic historical fiction, contained many fantasy tropes in their realistic settings. ^[10] All of these authors influenced fantasy for the plots, characters and landscapes used—particularly in the sword and sorcery genre, with such writers as Robert E. Howard. ^[11]

Seminal S&S

The genre has been defined, strongly, by the work of Robert E. Howard, particularly his tales of Conan the Barbarian, mostly in Weird Tales from 1932. Conan the Barbarian (also known as Conan the Cimmerian, from the name of his homeland Cimmeria) is a Fictional character often associated with ^[12]

Other books and series that define the genre of sword-and-sorcery include:

• Michael Moorcock's Elric sequence, beginning with The Dreaming City (published in Science Fantasy 1961). Michael John Moorcock (born 18 December 1939, in London) is an English writer primarily of Science fiction and fantasy who has also Science Fantasy was a British fantasy and Science fiction magazine of the 1950s and 1960s (notable for its adherence to counterstereotype)
• Fritz Leiber's Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser sequence, beginning with "Two Sought Adventure" (1939). A counter-stereotype, reverse stereotype, or anti-stereotype is the reverse of a Stereotype. This article refers to the science fiction writer For the actor see Fritz Leiber Sr Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser are two seminal Sword-and-sorcery heroes created by Fritz Leiber (1910–1992 and loosely modelled upon himself and his friend Harry
• Karl Edward Wagner's Kane novels, beginning with Darkness Weaves first published in 1970. Karl Edward Wagner ( 4 December 1945 &ndash 13 October 1994) was an American writer editor and publisher of horror, Kane is a literary character created by Karl Edward Wagner in a series of Sword and sorcery novels and short stories between 1970 and 1985
• C. L. Moore's Jirel of Joiry tales, beginning with "Black God's Kiss" (1934), which introduced the first notable S&S heroine. Catherine Lucille Moore ( January 24, 1911 – April 4, 1987) was an American Science fiction and Fantasy Jirel of Joiry is one of the most notable creations of writer C
• Clark Ashton Smith's Zothique tales, beginning with "The Empire of the Necromancers" (1932). Clark Ashton Smith ( January 13, 1893 - August 14, 1961) was a Poet, sculptor, painter and author of fantasy Zothique is an imagined future continent featured in a series of Short stories by Clark Ashton Smith.
• Charles Saunders' Imaro novels, beginning with Imaro (1981), a collection of short stories first published in the seventies for Dark Fantasy fanzine. Charles R Saunders also credited as Charles Saunders (born July 12, 1946) is an African American Author and Journalist

Other pulp fantasy fiction—such as Edgar Rice Burroughs' Barsoom series and Leigh Brackett's Sea Kings of Mars—have a similar feel to S&S, but, because alien science replaces the supernatural, it is usually described as planetary romance or Sword and Planet. Barsoom is a fictional version of the planet Mars invented by author Edgar Rice Burroughs for a series of action adventure stories Leigh Douglass Brackett ( December 7, 1915, in Los Angeles California &ndash March 18, 1978) was a female writer of Science Planetary romance is a type of Science fantasy story in which the bulk of the action consists of adventures on one or more exotic alien planets characterized by distinctive Sword and Planet is a Subgenre of Speculative fiction that features rousing adventure stories set on other planets and usually featuring Earthmen as protagonists

SAGA and the Revival of S&S

From the 1960s up till the 1980s, under the guiding force of Lin Carter, a select group of writers formed the Swordsmen and Sorcerers' Guild of America (SAGA) to promote and enlarge the Sword and Sorcery genre. Linwood Vrooman Carter ( June 9, 1930 - February 7, 1988) was an American author of Science fiction and Fantasy The Swordsmen and Sorcerers' Guild of America (SAGA is the name of a literary group of American fantasy authors active from the 1960s through the 1980s noted From 1973 to 1981 five anthologies featuring short works by SAGA members were published: edited by Carter, these were collectively known as Flashing Swords!. Flashing Swords! was a series of Fantasy anthologies published by Dell Books from 1973 to 1981 under the editorship of Lin Carter.

Despite such authors' best efforts, sword and sorcery has more colloquially come to be known as a catch-all phrase for low grade, derivative fantasy such as that which played a seminal role in influencing Dungeons & Dragons and other fantasy role-playing games, as well as fiction written in such universes. Dungeons & Dragons (abbreviated as D&D or DnD) is a Fantasy Role-playing game (RPG originally designed by This is a list of Role-playing games subdivided by Genre (although many games do not fit clearly into one genre or another A role-playing game ( RPG; often roleplaying game) is a Game in which the participants assume the roles of Fictional characters. During the 1980s, influenced by the success of the 1982 feature film Conan the Barbarian many cheaply made fantasy films were released that came to be derisively known as "Sword & Sorcery". Year 1982 ( MCMLXXXII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link displays the 1982 Gregorian calendar) In the Film industry, a feature film is a Film made for initial distribution in theaters and being the "main attraction" of the screening Conan the Barbarian is a 1982 film by director John Milius and is recognized as the acting Breakthrough of bodybuilder The term is sometimes used in a derogatory manner by writers and readers of the fantasy genre. However, in recent years magazines such as Black Gate and Flashing Swords (not to be confused with the Lin Carter anthologies) are attempting to return the genre to the status it enjoyed during the pulp era of the twenties and thirties. Black Gate is a glossy quarterly Fantasy Magazine founded in 2000 and published by New Epoch Press. ''Flashing Swords'' magazine is a quarterly zine publishing short works of Heroic Adventure fiction poetry and art Linwood Vrooman Carter ( June 9, 1930 - February 7, 1988) was an American author of Science fiction and Fantasy

S&S Heroines

Despite the early work of C. L. Moore and others, S&S has had a strongly masculine bias. Female characters were generally distressed damsels to be rescued or protected. The subject of the damsel in distress, or persecuted maiden is a classic theme in world literature art and film Marion Zimmer Bradley's Sword and Sorceress anthology series (1984 onwards) attempted the reverse. Marion Eleanor Zimmer Bradley ( June 3, 1930 – September 25, 1999) was an American author of Fantasy novels such The Sword and Sorceress series is a series of Fantasy anthologies edited by Marion Zimmer Bradley. Bradley encouraged female writers and protagonists: the stories feature skillful swordswomen and powerful sorceresses. The series was immensely popular and Bradley was editing the final volume at the time of her death. Today, active female characters who participate equally with the male heroes in the stories are a regular feature in modern S&S stories, though they are also relied upon for sex appeal. NOTICE TO WOULD-BE-ROMEOS***************

Introduced as a minor character in a non-fantasy historical story by Robert E. Howard, "The Shadow of the Vulture", Red Sonya of Rogatino would later inspire a fantasy heroine named Red Sonja, who first appeared in the comic book series Conan the Barbarian written by Roy Thomas and illustrated by Barry Windsor-Smith. "The Shadow of the Vulture" is a short story by Robert E Red Sonja, the She-Devil with a Sword, is a Fictional character, a Low fantasy Sword and sorcery heroine created by Roy Thomas A comic book (often shortened to simply comic and sometimes called a comic paper or comic magazine) is a Magazine or Book of narrative Roy Thomas (born November 22 1940, Missouri, United States) is a Comic book Writer and editor, and Barry Windsor-Smith, also known as Barry Smith (born May 25, 1949) is a British Comic book illustrator and painter whose best known work has Red Sonja received her own comic book title and eventually a series of novels by David C. Smith and Richard Tierney, as well as Richard Fleischer's unsuccessful film adaptation in 1985. Red Sonja is a 1985 Sword and sorcery / Action film starring Arnold Schwarzenegger with Brigitte Nielsen as the title Events 3 December - Roger Moore steps down from the role of James Bond after twelve years and seven films

See also

• Heroic fantasy
• Low fantasy
• Sword and Planet
• Sword and sandal
• High fantasy

References

External links

• Sword and Sorcery, a website dedicated to the genre and its history.

• Flashing Swords, an Ezine dedicated to publishing sword and sorcery.
• Oxford English Dictionary citations for Sword and Sorcery.
• swordandsorcerywriting Yahoo! Group for current S&S writers to discuss their work.
• Red Sonja Official Site
• Women Warrior Art, Stories, Links Depicts women warriors from fantasy, myth, history.