Sword & Sorcery: "An earthier sort of fantasy" discussion

Thinking ahead, since a poll is due soon to figure out groupreads for May-June. Ideas?

How about topics that resonate with COV19 virus?
i.e, Swords & Pestilence?

Any S&S books come to mind that are diseases based?

In your very own words "Lords of Dyscrasia explores the choices humans and their gods make as a disease corrupts their souls, shared blood and creative energies." : )

Brian wrote: "In your very own words "Lords of Dyscrasia explores the choices humans and their gods make as a disease corrupts their souls, shared blood and creative energies." : )"

LOL. I wasn't even thinking of Dyscrasia. But kudos to you for being kind. I wish you immunity from evil sorcery, blood diseases, etc.

LOL. I wasn't ..."

Thank you for the blessing! And may the Golem Doctor never set eyes upon you.

Brian wrote: "LOL. I wasn't ..." Thank you for the blessing! And may the Golem Doctor never set eyes upon you."

Doctor Grave haunts me all the time!

So, to steer this away from me accidentally self-promoting in times of a crisis... certainly, there are other S&S out there that have a theme/focus on disease (great plague inspired?). I am having trouble thinking of them.

Something like a contagious Zombie pandemic --- medieval style (instead of contemporary milieu).

Scott Oden’s new Grimnir book is about the Black Plague...but that won’t be available for a while 😆
I honestly cannot think of any S&S that features plague/pestilence as a major theme...

Blade of Tyshalle by Matthew Stover is the only one that comes to my mind. His entire Caine series is awesome.

The Acts of Caine series was grimdark before the term was coined.

Barbara Hambly has her Darwath series. There isn’t a plague, but the humans have to hunker down and hide after dark.

Richard Lee Byers has his novella Arrival. I believe it’s called the Taint?

Of course none of the ones I mentioned are strictly S&S

The thing about disease is that, on the whole, it does not lend itself to action and adventure.

Fighting a cult that's summoning disease demons, but not the disease itself.

Mary wrote: "The thing about disease is that, on the whole, it does not lend itself to action and adventure. Fighting a cult that's summoning disease demons, but not the disease itself."

Agreed Mary, conflict vs. abstract disease is not as engaging as vs. a character.

@Richard, is the whole Caine series about a disease? Just one volume?

Just Blade of Tyshalle. A modern vaccinated disease gets released in a alternate world where magic works. And it’s done to clear the way to rape the world of its natural resources. Surely I’m not the only one in the group who has read this...?

Gotrek & Felix: The First Omnibus with its focus on skaven comes to mind.

Clint wrote: "Gotrek & Felix: The First Omnibus with its focus on skaven comes to mind."

Yeah, the Old World is riddled with disease, rat-men and Chaos-spawn.

And since we are polling ideas in general

How about light, fluffy, escapist S&S? Comic, probably.

Or isolation. That's another big one.

Peter Fugazzotto’s novella Skin comes to mind. Or Tanith Lee’s Companions on the Road.

@ Mary, great idea to maintain levity
@ Richard, yes Skin!

Bloodborne: The Death of Sleep
Bloodborne: The Veil, Torn Asunder: 4
Bloodborne: A Song of Crows
Bloodborne Vol. 2: The Healing Thirst

Actually, not to pick scabs here... but John C. Hocking's "Conan and the Living Plague" would have been perfect.

Still upset, like many, about that book's publication hurdles.

https://www.amazon.com/Conan-Living-P...

Thanks to the members here like Mary, Richard, Clint, Stan, Joseph, Brian and Jack for the ideas.
I took a stab at a poll

The two month June-July groupread poll welcomes everyone here to bond some more. Six themes, the top two will get attention. Please vote and join us! Stay connected. Link - click here to vote on the poll

- Pestilence
- Isolation
- Whimsical Escapism
- Movie Novelizations
- Any Swanland cover
- Lost Lands

@Joseph/Master Ultan, would Tales of Zothique count as a "lost land tours" book?

Hmmm … Technically it's far future, not distant past, but the shape of the continent has changed over the eons so yes, I'll allow it.

Especially because Clark Ashton Smith.