In 1939, that's right 1939, the author, Fritz Leiber, published the first "Fafhrd and The Gray Mouser" story. The stories and short novels have been in print ever since--my high school library today circulates with fantasy readers eight collections of the "F & M" stories-- beginning with Swords And Deviltry: Book 1 . If you don't know it, Fritz Leiber invented the "Sword and Sorcery" subgenre. Besides entertaining millions of readers, the two characters have influenced at least three or four generations of fantasy writers.
Fafhrd is about seven feet and Mouser matches his name being small. Their barbaric, swashbuckling world called Nehwon radiates from a teaming city called Lankhmar. No, they are not super heroes with magical powers or possess super human strength like their pulp rival, Conan the Barbarian. Fafhrd and Mouser use brains and guile over mere brawn. For me and millions other kids, that was part of their attraction. Many readers more easily identify with this fantasy team because they are closer to us mere mortals.
When Dark Horse published this slick "graphic" edition of Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser in 2007 (previously published by Marvel comics), my curiosity won out. Although a skeptic and purist, I was pleasantly surprised. As I hoped, the book begins with the famous, "Ill met In Lanhkmar" story that first brought the duo together. The text seems true to the stories and the combination of dark, muted Gothic and stylistic thirtyish art deco COLOR illustrations both contribute to the narrative and are compatible with the setting and tone of S & S. Based on my librarian experience, this graphic treatment acts as a good teaser for stimulating interest in the "print" Fafhrd & Gray Mouser books also published by Dark Horse and which should be in every fantasy collection.
Fortunately, with fantasy being so popular, especially with YA readers, another generation has the pleasure of experiencing Fafhrd and the Mouser. Without revealing their ancient, seventy years origins, I've been successful at transporting some YAs to Lankhmar. As the sci fic writer and critic Harlan Ellison wrote of Leiber's twosome: "...they make most of today's fantasy fiction look plodding and dull." Both print and graphic editions are recommended. Recommended by Robert L. Hicks, Librarian.
