(And yatta! I *finally* get to cross this giant doorstop of a book off my 'To Read' list!!!) ( ) There was one absolute laugh-out-loud moment ('where is the jug?') that still has me grinning :-).Īn amiable conclusion to the First Book of Lankhmar omnibus, with some gripping action sequences (I'm thinking particularly of the trek up the mountains here) and some nicely atmospheric sections, laced through with Leiber's particular brand of humour. I think it's a case of both the writing getting better as the author goes along (certainly it's more infused with his sly sense of humour, and he's beginning to play more with the possibilities of his world), and me becoming more accustomed to his characters and style.

I think I'm beginning to acquire more of a taste for these Lankhmar books. While a lot of it is fairly standard sword and sorcery stuff, there were some nicely imaginative sections, and a few bits made me grin. I wasn't particularly happy with the very ending, but given the time it was written, I won't hold it too much against it.Įnjoyable second book in the Lankhmar series.

I may be damming it with faint praise here, but at least A) it's not as dated as many from that period, and B) it's not as self-important as many from that period! It knows how to have some fun, and I quite enjoyed the time I spent with the two likeable protagonists. Reasonably entertaining early sword & sorcery from the Fantasy Masterworks series.

Lean Times in Lankhmar by Fritz Leiber