Swords Against Death, by Fritz Leiber, is the second collection of short stories based on unlikely heroes Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser. Compiled in 1970, it’s essentially the same book as an earlier collection titled Two Sought Adventure. Three stories have been added to this version, making the total count ten, each sweeping the reader from the seedy streets of Lankhmar to the far reaches of mystical Nehwon.

Surviving the tragic events told in Ill Met in Lankhmar, Swords of Death places Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser into adventure after adventure, searching for elusive inner peace after the loss of their true loves.

Fafhrd is a tall young barbarian from the northern Cold Wastes, armed with his wits and weapons: Graywand and Heartseeker. The Gray Mouser is small, a wizard of middling skill, but a master thief and accomplished swordsman, armed with Scalpel and Cat’s Claw. Thieving to survive, they replace their weapons whenever broken or lost, always using the same names over.

The tales in Swords of Death are of varying quality. What follows is a brief synopsis, including comments.

The Circle Curse

"The Circle Curse" reads like an outline, containing enough material to create an entire series of new adventures. As a story it’s ultimately unsatisfying, serving only to bridge events from Ill Met in Lankhmar to the subsequent narratives presented here. Key is Fafhrd and The Gray Mouser’s initial meeting with Sheelba of the Eyeless Face and Nigauble of the Seven Eyes, wizards they come to serve in subsequent tales.

The Jewels in the Forest

Fafhrd and The Gray Mouser seek the treasure house of Urgaan of Angarngi in an idyllic valley south of Lankhmar. What they discover is seemingly deserted, though it exudes an aura of evil. Soon, they realize they are not alone. Jewels in the Forest is an excellent story of horror and mayhem, featuring an unexpected adversary, and the first tale of the two heroes ever published.

Thieves’ House

Thieves’ House is another great tale involving theft, a double-cross, and ancient terrors best left undisturbed. This story is gripping, humorous, and eerie. One of Leiber’s best.

The Bleak Shore

"The Bleak Shore" reads like two disparate stories. The first half is little more than a synopsis narrated by a third party, serving to gloss over a long passage of time. The second half has Fafhrd and The Gray Mouser dealing with the object of their journey. Unfortunately, the climax is somewhat anti-climatic, making this a rather weak effort.

The Howling Tower

An ominous tower far from Lankhmar forces The Gray Mouser into a race against time as he attempts to rescue Fafhrd. The Howling Tower is well-told, though the action is only mildly gripping.

The Sunken Land

The chance discovery of a mysterious key in the vast Outer Sea leads Fafhrd to a ship occupied by silent warriors searching for the lost land of Simorgya, rumored to be the home of mighty magicians. This is one of Leiber’s best tales, mixing equal amounts of action, mystery, and horror.

The Seven Black Priests

Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser journey across mountains known as the Bones of the Old Ones, beyond the Outer Sea, where they spy a green hill isolated among the Cold Wastes. From the mysteriously-shaped rocks they recover a diamond. On the return journey they fend off the guardians of the hill, called The Seven Black Priests. However, that’s the least of their problems. Though the story begins slowly, it picks up when Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser attempt to escape pursuit. The prose is tight, the action quick, and the magic dark and ominous. One of Leiber’s better stories.

Claws From the Night

Something is terrorizing the women of Lankhmar, stealing their precious jewellery. Fafhrd and The Gray Mouser take advantage of the situation until a close call spurs them to investigate a long abandoned tower. In it, they find more than they bargained for. This is easily one of Leiber's best stories, though the twist ending can be spotted well in advance.

The Price of Pain-Ease

Like The Circle Curse and The Bleak Shore, this story reads like a treatment, ultimately lacking excitement or adventure. And like the other two, it has many wasted ideas that could have been explored in more detail. All in all, another weak effort.

Bazaar of the Bizarre

Suddenly appearing on the streets of Lankhmar, the Bazaar was home to countless treasures. But was everything as it seemed? The Gray Mouser certainly thought so, but Fafhrd and the unlikely combination of Sheelba of the Eyeless Face and Nigauble of the Seven Eyes thought otherwise. Bazaar of the Bizarre is an uneven blend of humor, satire, and action, nicely told, but ultimately unsatisfying due to its inherent play for laughs.

As expected, Leiber’s writing is masterful, gripping, and descriptive. He paints a scene like an artist works a canvas, imbuing his characters with depth, passion, and humor. Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser stride through Lankhmar’s maze of streets facing danger and adversity with determination and stubborn perseverance. Leiber’s world of Nehwon is strange and quirky, not for the faint of heart.

Perhaps the best praise afforded to Fritz Leiber is his ability to pack more story-telling power into one of his short narratives than many of today’s fantasy authors can accomplish in a bloated 600-page novel.