The Swords of Lankhmar by Fritz Leiber book review
The rats are the problem. They employ deception and magick at all levels.
The illuminated rats are lying to us.
The illuminated rats are hiding among us.
The illuminated rats must be exterminated.
Enter heroes. One of them a mighty tank type who enjoys the lovely bones of female ghouls, the other a mouser who enjoys the company of shaven chamber maids in the nude.
Mix in a ship, a castle, and underground ratworks, and you have this humdrum replacement story by Fritz Leiber.
Congrats.
Some of my highlights:
Lankhmar Book 5: The Swords of Lankhmar by Fritz Leiber
Book last read: 2023-02-12 20:02:01 Percentage read: 100%
Chapter 0: Start Annotation Chapter progress: 5.31% Highlight: and the great jewels that at night are the stars all orderly afloat on the bubble’s inner surface. Notes: Lights on dome.
Chapter 0: Start Highlight Chapter progress: 6.19% Highlight: No traffic with child-like women?
Chapter 0: Start Highlight Chapter progress: 7.52% Highlight: Alas, sir, the sun mislikes me,” she answered prettily.
Chapter 0: Start Annotation Chapter progress: 10.18% Highlight: The Mouser wondered if for men also there was an inner circle of Thirteen. Notes: Illuminati banking family lizard reference.
Chapter 0: Start Highlight Chapter progress: 10.62% Highlight: What world is this,
Chapter 0: Start Highlight Chapter progress: 11.06% Highlight: I believe we live in the jewel-ceilinged skull of a dead god.
Chapter 0: Start Highlight Chapter progress: 15.93% Highlight: I’m but a girl, unused to problems of war and rapine,
Chapter 0: Start Annotation Chapter progress: 16.37% Highlight: Thirteen rats with the minds of men rule the whole rat race. Notes: Illuminati family reference.
Chapter 0: Start Annotation Chapter progress: 16.37% Highlight: Let me but strip off that cloaking ermine smock and I’ll show you a white-furred body and ten small black dugs instead of proper maiden breasts!” Notes: She’s a rat.
Chapter 0: Start Annotation Chapter progress: 27.43% Highlight: I never interfere with another person’s pleasures or pains, since it’s hard to be certain which are which, Notes: S&M face mask cult.
Chapter 0: Start Highlight Chapter progress: 29.2% Highlight: But I tell you I won’t endure it. This time we’re going to do things my way for a change!
Chapter 0: Start Highlight Chapter progress: 32.3% Highlight: At his right a beauteous girl, or more likely two, since there was a sweet strong farm-smell coming to him under the sheets; and what is juicier than a farmer’s (or cattleman’s) redhead daughter?
Chapter 0: Start Highlight Chapter progress: 33.19% Highlight: the women of the Eight Cities are revered by their men and may do what they wish, no matter how licentious. But woe betide the outlander who puts this into words.
Chapter 0: Start Highlight Chapter progress: 48.23% Highlight: A shortage of candles developed, while lamps and lanterns were priced almost out of sight.
Chapter 0: Start Highlight Chapter progress: 53.98% Highlight: he was not dealing with ordinary or even extraordinary rats, but with an alien and hostile culture of intelligent beings,
Chapter 0: Start Annotation Chapter progress: 56.64% Highlight: Why, oh why, he asked himself, was it only that watching a whipping could soothe him? Notes: Bill Gates
Chapter 0: Start Highlight Chapter progress: 59.73% Highlight: He gave her a wink, tossed the bottle aside, and confidently awaited the emergence of his anti-rat powers, whatever they might be.
Chapter 0: Start Highlight Chapter progress: 64.16% Highlight: Idiots! Opium-chewers! Nibblers of hemp! Out of my way!
Chapter 0: Start Annotation Chapter progress: 69.91% Highlight: glorious Council Chamber and the other members of the Supreme Thirteen. Notes: Illuminati ref.
Chapter 0: Start Highlight Chapter progress: 73.89% Highlight: I am not your wizard.
Chapter 0: Start Highlight Chapter progress: 76.11% Highlight: Putting his horror out of mind, for it is a singularly useless emotion,
Chapter 0: Start Highlight Chapter progress: 78.76% Highlight: The inter-breeding has also resulted in many rats with human-like hands and minds.
Chapter 0: Start Highlight Chapter progress: 80.09% Highlight: the conquest of other universes beyond the waters of space!
Chapter 0: Start Highlight Chapter progress: 83.19% Highlight: he watched a double squad of guardsmen cross hurriedly through the moonlight, going south on Whore Street in the direction of the South Barracks.
Chapter 0: Start Annotation Chapter progress: 83.19% Highlight: Had they shut up themselves and their gagged victims in the silent houses for some rite of mass torture in darkness? Notes: CDC
Chapter 0: Start Annotation Chapter progress: 89.38% Highlight: they have been secretly guiding the interests and growth of man for some time Notes: Replacement invasion philosophy.
Chapter 0: Start Highlight Chapter progress: 91.15% Highlight: Predictably, the folk of Lankhmar were more afraid of their own gods come to their rescue than of their foes.
Chapter 0: Start Annotation Chapter progress: 92.48% Highlight: “They’ve come to slay us all! It’s the revolution!” Frix Notes: glory!
Chapter 0: Start Annotation Chapter progress: 92.48% Highlight: That one”—he pointed at Hisvin—”is in league with the rats. Indeed, he is by blood more rat than man. Under his toga you’ll find a tail. I saw him in the tunnels below, member of the Rat Council of Thirteen, plotting your overthrow. Notes: U know who.
Chapter 0: Start Highlight Chapter progress: 95.13% Highlight: I’ll be your humblest slave-girl, my only hope that some day I’ll be your most favorite too.”
