Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser by Fritz Leiber
Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser is a series of fantasy stories featuring two iconic characters: Fafhrd, a tall barbarian from the north, and the Gray Mouser, a small, dark man of ambiguous urban origins. Their adventures unfold primarily in the city of Lankhmar and across the broader world of Nehwon, showcasing their exploits as formidable swordsmen and roguish heroes. The series, which spans over four decades, comprises thirty-six short stories and one novel, "The Swords of Lankhmar," and is characterized by themes of friendship, adventure, and magical interventions from their supernatural patrons, Ningauble of the Seven Eyes and Sheelba of the Eyeless Face.
The tales typically follow a structure where Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser confront various villains and thwart dark plans, although not all antagonists are defeated outright. Their strong bond is a central element of the narrative, enduring through romantic entanglements with women from Rime Isle, yet always prioritizing their camaraderie. The duo's escapades blend humor and danger, providing readers with a rich tapestry of fantasy adventure that has left a lasting impact on the genre. The series concludes with the two still inseparable, hinting at further adventures that remain unexplored.
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Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser
First published:Swords and Deviltry (1970), Swords Against Death (1970; expanded from Two Sought Adventure, 1957), Swords in the Mist (1968), Swords Against Wizardry (1968), The Swords of Lankhmar (1968; part as “Scyllas Daughter” in Fantastic, 1961), Swords and Ice Magic (1977), and The Knight and Knave of Swords (1988)
Type of work: Stories
Type of plot: Fantasy—magical world
Time of work: Slightly before 200 b.c.e. to about one thousand years later
Locale: Nehwon, a universe in a bubble
The Plot
The Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser series was written over a period of at least four decades as thirty-six short stories and one novel (The Swords of Lankhmar). The stories form a coherent whole: the adventures of two of the greatest swordsmen and greatest rogues any world has ever known. The first three books were collected as The Three Swords (1989) and the second three as Swords Masters (1990).
Fafhrd is a tall northern barbarian, and the Mouser is a small, dark man of uncertain but urban origin. They share a common attitude toward life because they are the sundered halves of an even greater hero from ages past. They meet as youths in fabled Lankhmar, the most cosmopolitan of the many cities of Nehwon, and instantly become friends. (Actually, this is their second meeting but their first “on camera.”) Their friendship appears destined to last a lifetime. Thirty-four of the thirty-seven stories in this series chronicle their joint adventures; the first two occur before the two meet, and the third is the tale of their meeting. These adventures cover much of Nehwon and even part of the ordinary world. Fafhrd and the Mouser save Lankhmar many times, and the world itself more than a few, but many of their adventures are the sort that would naturally befall a pair of reckless wanderers in a world full of magic, mystery, and danger.
The two rogues have two magical patrons, neither of whom is human. Ningauble of the Seven Eyes and Sheelba of the Eyeless Face appear to be self-appointed protectors of Nehwon, occasionally sending the cavalry (in the form of Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser) to avert some catastrophe.
Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser encounter many women romantically over the years and care about more than a few deeply, but their friendship for each other always comes first. This is clearly true even in the last two books, when they make long-term attachments to two ladies of fabled Rime Isle (Fafhrds love is Afreyt; the Mousers is Cif).
Most of these stories have the typical structure of an adventure story: Evil entities have designs that should be thwarted. Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser discover these designs, either by accident or otherwise, and oppose the villains. Not all the villains are killed, but their nefarious plans are rendered, at best, only partially successful. A few opponents come back to fight in subsequent stories, but there is no “evil mastermind” analogous to Fu Manchu or Professor Moriarty. Death, the Power of the Shadowlands, comes closest, with the sorcerer Quarmal, Lord of Quarmall, a distant second. At the series end, the two swordsmen, now middle-aged, are still firmly attached to each other and to their lady loves. It is clear that they were intended to have more adventures.