The Broken Sword

I fell in love with JRR Tolkien in the mid-1960s. I've read many imitators, but not until reading this book did I find his equal. The book was published in 1954, 10 years before I read Tolkien. I don't know whether the two ever met or corresponded, and one is definitely not imitating the other. Instead, they both drank deeply of the same sources: the Norse eddas, and fashioned a contemporary version of that intoxicating draft. Tolkien has a softer, gentler approach to the source material. Anderson is harsher and sharper. Of the two, IMHO Anderson is closer to the originals.If you like Tolkien and want to read someone who belongs on the same shelf by right of his own merit and isn't a poor imitation, I recommend this book highly.

Back in 1954, Poul Anderson released his novel The Broken Sword. Not many have heard of it because a little book came out that year took all the spotlight… Some book called The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.And I admit, I didn’t know about The Broken Sword until a year ago. (Was slightly embarrassed, especially since I’d enjoyed a well-worn copy of the Poul Anderson short story collection The Armies of Elfland in my youth. And I’ve been aware of Anderson’s popular novel Three Hearts and Three Lions, of which I still need to read.) I found out about it after reading an excerpt of Richard K. Morgan’s novel The Steel Remains that included a quote from Sword:‘I think you look on death as your friend,’ she murmured. ‘It is a strange friend for a young man to have.’ ‘The only faithful friend in all the world,’ he said bitterly. ‘Death is the only one sure to be at your side.’I was immediately intrigued, and after reading the synopsis, reading the excerpt, I thought I’d have a go. Though before I go on, this book isn’t as kid friendly as LOTR. Sure LOTR isn’t “children’s literature”, but unlike that Hobbit tale, Sword takes a grittier tone.That’s to be expected, especially since our protagonist’s father Orm the Strong (No relation to the character King Orm from Aquaman.) is a Viking: and savage he is, raiding the coasts and surrounding lands… Unknown to Orm, one family he decides to slay is the family of a witch. The witch escapes, and puts a curse on Orm that would take his firstborn son away from the world of men.Before Orm’s child Skafloc is christened, he’s kidnapped by the Elf Earl Imric, and replaced with a troll made to look exactly like Skafloc. Thus, Imric raises the boy…And I won’t spoil the rest.The characters are what truly makes this Fantasy standout, at least in 1954. The characters do good things, and yet at the same time they’re just as capable of bad deeds as well. The elves are just as bad as the trolls at times, and the trolls are just as heroic in certain scenes. Nowadays, you can find shelves of books with characters like this, but it’s nice to read a book before that was mainstream Fantasy. Best part about Anderson is that he didn’t try to emulate Tolkien’s opus—he did his own thing.Looking at the setting, I have to say I’ve never seen anything like it. Being a story about Vikings, Elves and Trolls, one would assume the book would only be based on Norse myth and legend. He also included Celtic, Greek, Irish, and Asian myth just to name a few. I’ve read books where authors attempt to stuff everything from everywhere in a novel and seeing them fail miserably in making their tale into a coherent narrative. Anderson makes it work, and makes it look effortless. (I’ll be studying this book for years to come from a writer’s perspective.)The plot fires off at a steady clip. It may be a sixty five year old book, it still had plenty of twists I didn’t see coming, except for a few scenes—and unfortunately the ending. The ending feels like one I’ve read far too many times in other books, and in particular the Epic Fantasy subgenre. Is it a horrible ending? Not really. Just a little bit anticlimactic.Overall, I give the book 4 stars.Anderson was a writer decades ahead of his time. The Broken Sword should appeal to fans of Michael Moorcock’s Eternal Champion novels, Viking sagas, and Lord of the Rings. (GoT fans as well, and fans of Dungeons & Dragon novels.)

The Broken Sword A fantastic tale that lays the foundation of cursed swords, brave warriors, cruel scheming gods, events set in motion that take generations to play out! In modern hands, this would take twelve volumes to craft and not be half so powerful in its action and consequences!The Broken Sword brings ancient prophecies, changeling children, cursed swords, elves the likes of which modern authors shy away from in favor of crafting long lived humans who are good with bows, ancient deities whose time passes but has not yet passed! The legends of Ireland fight alongside those of the Norse, the shores of England soak up the blood of hundreds if not thousands!If you want to see where so much of fantasy afterward has drawn its strengths from, from Elric's cursed rune blade to the themes of gods playing in the lives of mortals, to the sins of incest and the clash of taboos, The Broken Sword is a must read.

..."That is the law of life, even in faerie."Dark fantasy. Shakespearean, at times. Told less in the manner of a conventional story and more like a myth. It's influence on Moorcock is unmistakable, especially on that writer's signature character who was, in turn, an incredible influence on the genre. It was a good story but for whatever reason, it came across as underwhelming. Perhaps it was mismanaged expectations; perhaps it was the sheer number of subsequent tales that flooded the fantasy market which are entirely derivative of this one. Whatever the case, “The Broken Sword” is a good, quick read... but not quite the caliber of book I had anticipated.Recommended for: fans of fantasy, especially 'classic' or influential fantasy; those who like it dark; readers looking for modified myth.“Hard will the war be, but- my sword carries victory.”'Aye, well I remember this blade. I forged the powers of ice and death and storm into it, might runes and spells, a living will to work evil.' He grinned. 'Many heroes have owned this sword, because it brings victory to the wielder. There is naught on which it does not bite, nor does it ever grow dull of edge. Venom is in the steel, and the wounds it gives cannot be healed by leechcraft or magic or prayer. Yet this is the curse on it: that every time it is drawn it must drink blood, and that in the end, somehow, it brings the bane of him who uses it.'“Tall and stately and utterly beautiful were the women of the Tuatha De Denaan, for they were goddesses born. There were no words to tell of their radiant loveliness. Yet even in that company, Fard stood out.”'And the sword- Skafloc, if that broken sword is made whole again, a terrible power will be loose in the world. It will work unending woe.'“Their hardest fight was on a desert shore with a troop of exiled gods, grown thin and shrunken and mad in their loneliness but still wielding fearsome powers.”

This is a great book in its own right - holds together well and uses a lot of Celtic/ Nordic mythology but ties it into a modern fantasy style novel. Apart from thoroughly enjoying this in its own right, it's also really interesting to read as a big fan of Mike Moorcock as it clearly influenced him - some of the key themes from this book turn up throughout the Eternal Champion books.

If you like fantasy, you should definitely read this. I was impressed by Anderson's efficient synthesis of fantasy, history and European folklore and myth. There is more 'human interest' than in Tolkien, and the writing is at times excellent - I'm thinking in particular of Skafloc shape-shifting, and the elven sword-dance, but there are many other brilliant passages. Unfortunately there are times, particularly during the big sea battles in the middle, where it loses its magic and becomes boring. Still well worth reading though.

I have to admit that though I have read more fantasy novels than can possibly be good for a grown man, this was my first read of this classic written at the same time of LOTR's.It has made me re-evaluate some of my beliefs such as GRR Martin, Erikson and a few others invented the 'darker' and gorier branch of fantasy! They didn't Anderson did.Having now read it I see why so many authors credit Anderson as an inspiration to them. Back in the 1950's this book must both have been groundbreaking and quite shocking. If Tolkien is the Beatles then Anderson is the Rolling Stones! more raw, edgy and dangerous but perhaps not as widely celebrated.Anyway the book! First off it is relatively short (275 pages) and yet soo much is crammed in. Anderson tells you the story as though he is an ancient nordic story teller with his audience sat round the fire with a horn of meade. True saga style. The quicker the reader grasps this the better as there will be no riding behind the eyes of the heroes or pages of motives and feelings. In fact you could even argue there are no heroes just competeing factions.Anderson sets the action in our world as man and the 'White Christ' is starting to sweep the land of faerie from the world. Despite this the war which makes for the bulk of the story is between the Trolls and the Elves. Into this war is dragged a human hero who must contend with the meddling of the God's, the fate weaving of the norn's, frost giants, falling in love and discovering who he is and where he came from!Anderson manages to weave together actual history, faerie legend, nordic culture, the Gods and a sweeping story of envy, lust, violence, vengeance and love and I repeat all in about 275 pages!Given the historical importance and clear conduit to modern fantasy status as well as the fact it is a mini masterpiece it had to be a 5 star rating.

I highly recommend all of Poul Anderson's books, especially  Three Hearts & Three Lions (Fantasy Masterworks) , this is the second of his books I've read and I'm currently reading  Midsummer Tempest (Orbit Books)  and I have  Twilight World  (science fiction) in my to be read pile. Anderson can not disappoint.This book has especially strong character development, hero or villain you really do become engrossed by each and there is a very strong plot, the pace is excellent and the book never dips. As a tribute to norse and anglo-celtic mythology and storytelling its absolutely wonderful. I also think that Anderson is among a precious few who has been able to really convey the cruel and threatening nature of faerie beings such as elves and trolls or the existence of a faerie realm in tandem with our own.The story is that of an epic, featuring both the faerie realm and human realm, it is in some ways a tragedy with the curse of a witch working itself out on the protagonists, it is also the tale of a changling and an epic struggle between elves and trolls with implications for the human realm. All the elements of very good fantasy are here, magic, heroes, villains, magical weapons, mythical beasts and creatures.Worth mentioning is some really excellent poetic dialogue, worth reading for alone and which really comes into its own when featured in a ritual in which the spirits of perished ancestors are called back from the grave atop a burial mound. Highly recommended to fans of the fantasy genre, this is as good as Lord of The Rings, easily, highly recommended to fans of Poul Anderson (in my opinion his second best book after three hearts, three lions). Three Hearts & Three Lions (Fantasy Masterworks)Midsummer Tempest (Orbit Books)Twilight World

The Broken Sword has the honour of being the first Poul Anderson book I have ever read and I am now thankful to the person who recommended it to me.At the the outset I did initially think I wouldn't be able to get into it due to some old fashioned word usage here and there. However, once I had managed to get over that the story fair flew by. The best way I could describe it is an epic tragedy on a small scale. And by that I mean for the amount of pages written, Anderson packs in a fantastic tale. Elves, trolls, goblins, Christians, pagans, gods, men, it's got the lot.The biggest disappointment for me is, how on earth have I not come to read this twenty odd years sooner!! Got a lot of catching up to do now.