The Mighty Barbarians

The Mighty Barbarians is a 1969 sword and sorcery anthology edited by Hans Stefan Santesson, published by Lancer Books. The collection features five short stories from prominent authors in the fantasy genre, including works about famous characters like Conan, Elak, and Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser. Each tale in the anthology centers on a different barbarian hero facing supernatural challenges and dangerous adversaries. The authors represented include Robert E. Howard, Henry Kuttner, Lin Carter, L. Sprague de Camp, and Fritz Leiber - all significant contributors to the sword and sorcery subgenre. The collection stands as a landmark compilation of sword and sorcery fiction, featuring stories that exemplify the genre's core elements of heroic combat, dark magic, and mythical creatures. Through its selection of tales, the anthology explores themes of power, courage, and the eternal struggle between civilization and barbarism.

Limited reader reviews exist online for this 1969 sword & sorcery anthology. Most discussion comes from vintage fantasy forums and collectors. Readers appreciated: - The Fritz Leiber story "The Cloud of Hate" - Historical significance as an early collection featuring rising authors like Roger Zelazny - Cover art on the Pyramid paperback edition Common criticisms: - Uneven story quality compared to other fantasy anthologies of the era - Many stories feel dated or formulaic by modern standards - Short length at only 160 pages Available Ratings: Goodreads: 3.5/5 (8 ratings, 0 written reviews) No ratings found on Amazon Forum comments indicate most readers view it as a minor entry in the sword & sorcery genre, though some collectors seek it for the Leiber story. One vintage fantasy blogger noted it "captures a moment in fantasy publishing when the genre was still finding its footing but shows its age significantly."

Swords Against Darkness by Andrew J. Offutt This anthology collects sword and sorcery tales from multiple authors who explore themes of barbaric heroes and ancient magic in primitive worlds.

Flashing Swords by Lin Carter The collection presents tales of sword-wielding champions and mythical creatures in pre-civilization settings from authors who defined the sword and sorcery genre.

Heroes in Hell by Janet Morris This shared-world anthology series combines historical figures with fantasy elements in tales of warfare and conquest across mythological landscapes.

Savage Tales of Red Sonja by Roy Thomas The stories follow a female barbarian warrior who battles sorcerers and monsters across a prehistoric fantasy landscape inspired by Robert E. Howard's work.

The Year's Best Sword and Sorcery by David G. Hartwell This compilation gathers stories of barbarian heroes, dark magic, and ancient civilizations from multiple authors working in the sword and sorcery tradition.

🗡️ Fritz Leiber, who contributed to this anthology, actually coined the term "sword and sorcery" in 1961 to describe this specific fantasy subgenre 📚 The anthology includes work from Robert E. Howard, creator of Conan the Barbarian, who wrote over 800 stories across multiple genres before his death at just 30 years old 🏰 The book's 1969 release coincided with a major revival of interest in heroic fantasy literature, partly sparked by the massive success of Tolkien's Lord of the Rings paperback editions ⚔️ Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser, featured characters in the collection, were originally inspired by Fritz Leiber and his friend Harry Otto Fischer's personal correspondence and role-playing 🎨 L. Sprague de Camp, one of the anthology's contributors, played a crucial role in keeping Robert E. Howard's Conan stories alive by editing, completing, and adapting many unfinished manuscripts