Swords and Deviltry is split up into an introduction and three stories, telling the origins of Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser as well as their initial meeting and adventure. I liked a lot about these stories, though the first and second are comparatively weak while the third is much better.

(2/5)
The first story (The Snow Women) is an introduction to Fafhrd as well as a lot of worldbuilding about this northern tribe he is a part of. I liked Fafhrd's characterization as a sort of erudite, disaffected barbarian looking to find his way away from his tribe and into civilization but in general this story doesn't really go anywhere and really kind of drags. There is some cool action that is competently written at the end, but even prose and descriptions Leiber uses don't deliver as much as the second and third stories do.

(2/5)
Second comes the origin of the Gray Mouser (The Unholy Grail). The plotting of the story itself is (similarly to The Snow Women) pretty slow, unfortunately. There are quite a few events that feel extraneous and drawn out, though the ending is interesting and very dark in a way I did not expect. tGM is very punished in this story -- a characterization that doesn't really carry into the third tale in this book or seemingly any of the stories in the next one (his dark edge carries through beyond Ill Met in Lankhmar, but it doesn't feel quite as hopeless as it does here).
There is some incredibly evocative imagery to go along with the description of the journey tGM has been on as well as the scene of destruction he returns to at the beginning of this story. This is where I really started to appreciate Leiber's writing.

(5/5)
Ill Met in Lankhmar is the part of this book that really delivered for me. This story is meandering in a similar way to the first two, but the approach better matches the tone and events here. Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser meet in a bad situation, instantly become best friends, and spend the rest of the book making drunken mistakes and enduring sobering tragedy together. This played really well for me and I was along for the ride with them diving headfirst into alcohol fueled bravery while my higher brain and some excellent foreshadowing let me know this could not possibly turn out for them.
The description of the Thieves Guild as they make their way through it (as well as their hilariously inadequate disguises) are so evocative and excellent and though it is somewhat slow, this was probably my favorite part of the book.
I also loved the way Lieber shows their drinking party, full of snark and wit, as well as tGM's (ill-advised and ineffective) attempt at conning their way out of the Thieves Guild once they are inevitably caught. Their ineffective, handicapped fighting (followed soon after by their extremely effective, non-handicapped fighting) was another high point -- funny, scary, and believable.
As in The Unholy Grail, the end of this book is *very* dark and sets these two up for the malaise and depression that characterizes their further adventures (in Swords Against Death).

I like this start to the series but would almost say skip the first story (maybe the second too) and dive right into Ill Met in Lankhmar. The backgrounds of these two rogues are unimportant compared to the characterization that occurs in their initial adventure and Lieber's incredibly compelling use of language makes these a pleasure to read.
I will absolutely be reading more in this series.

I wanted to give this four stars, but each story in this book takes forever to start. It's not until the third act that each story moves and gets cool. This actually reminds me more of Conan stories than Lord of the Rings. Like I said, it was close to four stars and now I want to read the other books.

Leiber first published in the late 1930s. This is relevant as culturally I doubt anyone would label this story as misogynistic, although that’s how it hit me. All the females are horrible. In fairness, the males are caricatures although the main characters at least come across as likable. This has the feel of something written for young adult males - if you don’t mind their settling on an image of women as creatures who always nag, control their men and only have their own self interests at heart. It was unfortunate that the main characters deteriorate from highly observant, perceptive and capable to drunken louts that do not even perceive what the Thief’s sorcerer is up to - although so blatant, every reader does.

Given how early he was on the sci-fi / fantasy publishing timeline and that this series has Hugo and Nebula Awards, I feel as though I should continue to read the trilogy I’d bought. But, for now, I’m putting it down.

I'm sorry, I have nothing good to say about this. ETA let it not be said I don't listen. I will say something nice. I can see in this the seed that so many people watered into the staple of troupe based fantasy and I understand the draw of the band of brothers story.

Okay, back to my rant, now that I am chastened. At best I'd say it's amateurish wish fulfillment, smut of the swashbuckling variety. Please only continue reading if you're looking for a good rant. Otherwise, allow me to politely disclaim this was not my favorite, and have a great day.

CONTENT WARNING: (just a list of topics)

Spoiler

extreme misogyny, torture, domestic violence, loss of loved ones, headache-inducing fight scenes, arachnophobia.

Biggest offenders:

-The treatment of women. Zero agency. None. All women are users, vile, petty creatures whose only real powers are sex and riling their men to stupidity and violence.

-The writing. Adverbs loom hugely throughout this deceptively short book. There are meaningless phrases throughout like "It was indefinable. No not quite, *then defined*." or "But the unexpectedness seemed more intense now." And let us never forget the great backhanded uppercut debacle.

-Trite. If I gave you a three sentence summary, one for each "story" in this book, you could write the whole thing yourself. There were no surprises, and the loathsome interactions made it a chore for me to read, rather than giving me that feeling of pleasant expectation that comes from new attempts at classic tales.

-The protagonists would be more endearing hanged. Seriously. They're such assholes! I wish them zero happiness in life based solely on their origin stories. I'm angry their women (real spoiler)

Spoiler

got fridged

for them to be this miserable, but I take some solace in the knowledge that they deserve only the worst. I hope Leiber continued to beat the ever-living tar out of them in subsequent stories. And it will have to remain a hope because I hope my brain is never stained with this duo again.

I started skimming after the home invasion fantasy in the first story, and still this short book took too much of my energy. No good for me. Sorry! 1970s genre fiction tends to do this to me. There's something willfully malicious in the way it seeks to impersonate the fiction from the 50s and 60s that inspired it, a sort of fetishizing of the loutishness of men and the nagging docility of women that makes every "victory" make me roll my eyes and every embrace feel a bit like assault, or maybe a crusty sock. It is crude, it is obvious, and it's behind me thank God.

I originally heard about the Fafhrd and Gray Mouser stories reading Michael Moorcock's "Wizardry and Wild Romance";I was very impressed by Moorcock's love for Leiber's sword & sorcery short stories and instantly knew I had to read them as well. I loved the characters: the smart barbarian who longs for civilization and the cunning rogue who's tempted by dark magic. The little brushes of horror here and there were a stroke of genious and I particularly liked the way the two separate stories come together in "Ill met in Lankhmar". In sum, some of the best and most classic sword & sorcery written, it still remains fresh and enjoyable. I'll definitely be reading mor of Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser's adventures.

This collection is part of Leiber's long running series featuring Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser that began in 1939. The stories are arranged by internal chronology, not by publishing dates, so here we have two solo adventures before the two met and then their first team-up. Leiber was prolific in many different genres, but excelled in these kinds of heroic fantasies. In fact, Leiber coined the term "sword and sorcery" in 1961. These tales are filled with picturesque descriptions of characters, settings, and actions.

"Induction" (Two Sought Adventure, 1957 - short story)
3 Stars
This is not so much a story as it is an introduction to the geography and politics of the medieval fantasy world of Nehwon.

"The Snow Women" (Fantastic, April 1970 - novella)
1971 Hugo Award finalist (withdrawn)
4 Stars
This is Fafhrd's origin story. He is a tall, muscular 18-year-old dripping with testosterone in the frigid north. A traveling theater company stops at Cold Corner and Fafhrd becomes enamored with one of the actresses. This does not sit well with his girlfriend and some of the elders in his tribe. Conflict ensues and Fafhrd chooses to set out on adventure. Leiber chose to withdraw this story from Hugo Award consideration in favor of "Ill Met in Lankhmar".

"The Unholy Grail" (Fantastic Stories of Imagination, October 1962 - novelette)
1963 Hugo Award finalist - Best Short Fiction
3 Stars
This is the Gray Mouser's origin story. He is a short, skinny youth who is a wizard's apprentice. He incurs the wrath of the local duke for daring to fall in love with his daughter. The duke captures and tortures the Gray Mouser, but he manages to escape, setting off on adventure.

"Ill Met in Lankhmar" (The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, April 1970 - novella)
1971 Hugo Award winner and 1971 Nebula Award winner
4 Stars
Leiber's second Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser story published in the same month as "The Snow Women"! This story tells how the two adventurers first met and the tragedy that bonded them together. Leiber paints marvelous word pictures in a fun tale that is essentially an action/adventure without too much introspection, although the ending is fairly melancholy.

This is the best sword and sorcery book I've ever read, 2 novellas and a short story, 4 1/2 stars the 2 novellas I'd rate at 5 stars and the short story 4 to 4 1/2 stars.
Character List

Spoiler

Swords and Deviltry Book 1 Lankhmar

Fafhrd near seven-foot height, barbarian from the Cold Waste
Mouser childlike stature, gray garb, mouseskin hood, dainty rapier
The Snow Women 5 stars
Snow Women were reputed to wield mighty magics
Mor - Fafhrd's mother
Vlana a culture dancer
Mara betrothed to Fafhrd
Hringorl a pirate chief.
Vellix the Venturer.
Nalgron Fafhrd's father

The Unholy Grail 4 1/2 stars
Duke Janarrl
Ivrian, the Duke's daughter
Glavas Rho, a wizard
His young apprentice, Mouse

Ill Met in Lankhmar 5 stars
Fissif and Slevyas, members of the Thieves' Guild
Jengao the gem merchant
Gray Mouser and Fafhrd
Mouser's woman Ivrian
Fafhrd's woman, Vlana
Krovas, Grandmaster of the Thieves
Slivikin evil witch-beast
Hristomilo Krovas's warlock

One of the issues with these adventure story compilations is that they always go to the "beginning" instead of starting us with where the characters were introduced and Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser suffer the same fate. The story of Fafhrd leaving the cold barbarian lands is fine but not fun. Same with Mouse becoming The Grey Mouser. These characters are better when they are together and only the last tale accomplishes that. It is not the best one either. I am really excited to get to more of their stories together.