tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2239062544101975016.post8397517654726660920..comments2024-03-28T14:05:25.134-07:00Comments on Sacnoth's Scriptorium: ADEPT'S GAMBIT (Leiber & Lovecraft)John D. Rateliffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12324926298336489295noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2239062544101975016.post-75463812488840443052014-06-10T07:43:23.221-07:002014-06-10T07:43:23.221-07:00I actually enjoyed Bailey's take, I felt he di...I actually enjoyed Bailey's take, I felt he did a good job of writing a Lankhmar tale without trying to make a Leiber pastiche. But he didn't quite capture the essence of the Twain, I agree. And I am a bit biased in his favor, since I've interacted with him quite a bit personally on the Thieves World yahoogroup. (love to see your take on those books) I see on his page a second volume was planned, no idea what happened to it. <br /><br />I guess I am just getting older, rereading the series I was rather annoyed with the Twain by the last few books. I wish Leiber had written more swashbuckling tales and fewer Lovecraftesque mood pieces. Paul Whttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14620026998861471269noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2239062544101975016.post-30293137878421541892014-06-07T20:09:02.564-07:002014-06-07T20:09:02.564-07:00Dear Paul
I'd put the Robin Wayne Bailey book...Dear Paul<br /><br />I'd put the Robin Wayne Bailey book out of my mind, and had almost forgotten what a crushing disappointment it was -- first the long wait for the book and then it's using some of the weakest stories in the series as its starting point. It mainly proved just how hard it is for lesser writers to imitate those with distinctive style and vision.<br /><br />--JDRJohn D. Rateliffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12324926298336489295noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2239062544101975016.post-72083301049518308282014-06-06T11:46:59.158-07:002014-06-06T11:46:59.158-07:00Ugh... yes, it reminds me of Heinlein as well. Ro...Ugh... yes, it reminds me of Heinlein as well. Robin Bailey was chosen to continue the series but I think he just did one novel. Perhaps because this reread was in audiobook form (yes, I consider unabridged audiobooks to be 'reading' :)) I was just very struck by the lack of swordplay and rational plot. Though to be fair, I think you can always detect the influence of Lovecraft on Leiber. I loved the importance he attached in Adept's Gambit to the Twain's ability to laugh in the face of horror. Humor is definitely lacking in Lovecraft's work. Paul Whttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14620026998861471269noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2239062544101975016.post-23972882156138125422014-06-06T09:56:13.460-07:002014-06-06T09:56:13.460-07:00Dear Paul:
RIME ISLAND is great for its ground-br...Dear Paul: <br />RIME ISLAND is great for its ground-breaking depiction of sword-and-sorcery heroes hitting middle age and thinking about settling down. But I agree that the final stories about The Curse of Smalls and Stars, or The Mouser Goes Below, are indeed a mite on the peculiar side. Think of it as Leiber's 'Heinlein period' (though that's not really fair to Leiber).<br /><br />Dear David, <br />I agree, esp. given that Lovecraft gets all worked up over Leiber's having created a Mythos tome called the Doudecahedron* of Artemisorus; HPL goes on for quite a while about how Leiber can't call a character 'Artemisorus': it's got to be Artemidorus, that being the historical spelling. Me, I think use of nonstandard spellings is a good way to suggest corruption of transmission and/or vernaculars over retrograde classical usages.<br /><br />*familiar to every D&D player, though we just call it a d12. sorry I don't have a copy of ADEPT'S GAMIT with me (I'm typing this on the road) and so can't reproduce Leiber's exact deliberate mis-spelling of doudecahedron<br /><br />--JDR<br /><br /><br /><br />John D. Rateliffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12324926298336489295noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2239062544101975016.post-66575975120990860852014-06-05T09:51:17.875-07:002014-06-05T09:51:17.875-07:00I guess it's a good thing that Lovecraft never...I guess it's a good thing that Lovecraft never saw "Xena, Warrior Princess."David Bratmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08090662884600828582noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2239062544101975016.post-37514689221982857302014-06-05T07:07:36.799-07:002014-06-05T07:07:36.799-07:00have you read his last Lankhmar book, The Knight &...have you read his last Lankhmar book, The Knight & Knave of Swords? I'm rereading it now as the conclusion after rereading the entire series. I'm disappointed. There is almost no 'swords' in it, and a fixation on erotic matters that is fairly extreme (and often distatseful). There is almost no plot, the entire thing is very odd, it reminds me far more of Lovecraft's Dreamlands tales then it does any sort of traditional sword & sorcery style. Paul Whttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14620026998861471269noreply@blogger.com