Something new I am going to try here on Mighty Thor JRS, Definitive Sword and Sorcery. At least what is definitive in my opinion. I will spotlight some of the best authors and books fantasy has ever known. I can’t wait to share these amazing books, authors, and the amazing cover art and artist. First up I am going to go with Karl Edward Wagner and his Kane stories.

As I become more and more disenchanted with modern fantasy and modern fantasy authors, I find myself going back to the books and authors that got me into fantasy in the first place. So I decided to shed some light on these books and authors. I am going to try and do this on a weekly/monthly basis but we will see how it goes.

If you have some comments, suggestions, recommendations, let me know!

Are you are a modern author that writes books/stories like the ones I will spotlight here? Get in touch. I want to work with you and spread the word. There has to be something new out that I can read and love. Short stories, collections, magazines, whatever! Let me know what you got and are working on.

Thanks,

James – Mighty Thor JRS

(mightythorjrs@gmail.com)

 

Check out my other Definitive Sword and Sorcery post:

Definitive Sword and Sorcery: Elric by Michael Moorcock

Definitive Sword and Sorcery: Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser by Fritz Leiber

Definitive Sword and Sorcery: Jirel of Joiry by C. L. Moore

Definitive Sword and Sorcery: Bran Mak Morn by Robert E. Howard

Definitive Sword and Sorcery: Kull by Robert E. Howard

Definitive Sword and Sorcery: Conan by Robert E. Howard

Calling all Sword and Sorcery fans!

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Definitive Weird Fiction: Clark Ashton Smith

Definitive Weird Fiction: H.P. Lovecraft

Definitive Heroic Fantasy: The Broken Sword by Poul Anderson

Definitive: The John Carter/Martian/Barsoom tales of Edgar Rice Burroughs

 

 

 

 

 

1c216d69cb4ce6bb142be08ae14c6bd4Bloodstone (1975) – Novel

Cover Art – Frank Frazetta

 

 

In the dark swamp where toadmen croak and cower, slumbers a secret relic of the days when creatures from the stars ruled the Earth. In the booty captured in a savage raid, Kane discovers a ring, a bloodstone, which is key to the power that lies buried, inactive but not dead, within the forest.

Now Kane, whose bloody sword has slashed and killed for the glory of other rulers, can scheme to rule the Earth – himself!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

346ac2e5722380ed431117af462d99f5Dark Crusade (1976) – Novel

Cover Art – Frank Frazetta

 

Kane the Mystic Swordsman encounters an ancient cult of evil. The cruel cult of Sataki has come to life again, and Orted Ak-Ceddi, a daring outlaw, is its prophet. Orted knows he must have a powerful cavalry to launch a new drive – and Kane is the man who can command the conquest. But Kane intends no final victory for the Forces of Darkness – he intends to rule the earth himself!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

000kaneDarkness Weaves (1978) – Novel

Cover Art – Frank Frazetta

 

Once Efrel was the beautiful consort of a king. Now she is a hideous creature who lives only for revenge. She has allies to aid her, but only Kane, the Mystic Swordsman, can rally her forces for battle. Only he can deliver the vengeance she has devised in her knowledge of black magic.

 

 

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5dbe20bddf6e2eb5e469b586b63aebcdDeath Angel’s Shadow (1973) – Story collections

Cover Art – Frank Frazetta

 

A quest that took Kane into forbidden wastelands, and tested his killer skills against the most brutal forces ever summoned against a single man. Kane knew he’d lost his strength, and perhaps his soul, when he entered the erotic web of the vampire. . . .

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

034ea6df774f1958aaf4e7e4394d6c92--frank-frazetta--moviesNight Winds (1978) – Story collections

Cover Art – Frank Frazetta

 

Where once the mighty Kane has passed, no one who lives forgets. Now, down the trails of past battles, Kane travels again. To the ruins of a devastated city peopled only by half men and the waif they call their queen. The past, future, and present are all one for Kane as he travels through the centuries.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

95dd3d3b183823f6c4a0fcb51bb8af49The Book of Kane (1985) – Story collections

Cover Art – Jeffrey Jones

 

The Book of Kane is a collection of fantasy short stories by Karl Edward Wagner featuring his character Kane.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Art by Les Edwards

kanecompletesmall

Covers for the new Kane books by Centipede Press.

http://www.centipedepress.com/

 

 

 

 

Karl Edward Wagner (12 December 1945 – 14 October 1994) was an American writer, poet, editor and publisher of horror, science fiction, and heroic fantasy, who was born in Knoxville, Tennessee and originally trained as a psychiatrist. He wrote numerous dark fantasy and horror stories. As an editor, he created a three-volume set of Robert E. Howard’s Conan the Barbarian fiction restored to its original form as written, and edited the long-running and genre-defining The Year’s Best Horror Stories series for DAW Books. His Carcosa publishing company issued four volumes of the best stories by some of the major authors of the so-called Golden Age pulp magazines. He is possibly best known for his creation of a series of stories featuring the character Kane, the Mystic Swordsman.