There are a number of birthdays today (September 24). I’ve been slammed this week with the first exam of the semester, general job responsibilities, and more emails from students who didn’t bother to read their syllabus than you can shake a stick at. (I’d like to hit a few of them with a stick.)
Which is to say that I’ve not read anything to review for this post. Consider this just information and informal recognition.
Horace Walpole (1717-1797) was the author of the early Gothic novel The Castle of Ortranto.
Charles Birkin (1907-1985) primarily wrote short stories, often involving a twist. The ones I’ve read have been a mix of fantasy and contes cruel.
Howard Wandrei (1909-1956) wrote short fiction, much of it published in Weird Tales, Astounding, and Black Mask.
John Brunner (1934-995) is best remembered for the novels Stand on Zanzibar and The Sheep Look Up. He wrote a number of science fiction novels and short stories. Brunner is someone whose work I need to read more of.
David Drake (b. 1945) is the author on this list I’ve read the most by, and is probably the one most familiar to regulars readers of this blog. Drake is a master of mil sf, space opera, and fantasy, including sword and sorcery. If you read anyone on this list, it should be him.
John Kessel (b. 1950) has written mostly short length science fiction. I first read his work in some collaborations with James Patrick Kelly from F&SF back in the 80’s. While I’m more partial Kelly’s solo work than I am Kessel’s I’ve still enjoyed his work over the years.
So those are the birthday’s today that are the most significant in my world.
From one academic to another – I know exactly what you mean. I even wear a t-shirt on day one that reads, “It’s on the syllabus!” and students still ask me questions that are answered by the syllabus.
Anyway, I have a favor to ask. I am familiar with David Drake in a cursory manner, but have never read one of his novels. In the sword and sorcery area, what would you recommend I start with?
Thanks!
I have answered more than one email with “The answer to your question is in the _____ line of the _______ paragraph in the email you’re replying to.”
If you like Manly Wade Wellman, I would suggest Old Nathan. It’s an episodic novel set in the Appalachian mountains in the early 1800s. It’s not exactly sword and sorcery, but it’s very much an homage to Wellman. Most of Drake’s S&S work has been at shorter lengths, so I would suggest the collection Night and Demons. If you like epic fantasy, which I am considering to be different from S&S due to the scale and size of the cast, then the Lord of the Isles series would be a good place to start. Drake’s novels are mostly science fiction, with an emphasis on space opera and mil sf. I’ve not read his few stand alone fantasy novels, so I can’t recommend one based on my own reading. I’ve liked nearly everything of his I’ve read, for what that’s worth.