In exploring another nonfiction title for RBE, there arises a question or two about our favorite genre - Sword and Sorcery (S&S). Answers to these questions will not become Holy Text; they will, however, assist in narrowing scope. So I post these thoughts in hope y'all will ponder and reply with astuteness, clarity, and perchance a wee bit humor as we pursue defining the nature of another outstanding RBE release.
If the genre S&S was not officially titled until 1961 by Leiber and Moorcock (who had been writing it till then), yet he who they credit as the Father thereof (namely Robert E. Howard) was writing it (without overlapping these two yet alongside others credited with influencing the shape of the genre) during the 1920s-30s (whilst under the influence of those acknowledged as his writing inspirations and mentors), when exactly is considered the birthday of S&S? Contemplating all the above, it seems to have been a labor worthy of Guinness Book.
Why exactly are these two authors Fritz Leiber and Michael Moorcock commonly lumped together with Robert E. Howard as the creator-fathers of S&S? Simply because they named the genre?
Answering these two questions will help answer this third, namely: Who can qualify for inclusion in RBE's concept title FOUNDATIONS OF S&S?
There may be further questions to discuss as we delve into these, but getting a handle around those first two will greatly help me reign in the concept I am designing. Mucho thanks all around -- this will definitely be a conversation to study.
#swordandsorcery #RobertEHoward #FritzLeiber #MichaelMoorcock #GuinnessBook #FoundationsofSwordandSorcery #ClarkAshtonSmith #PoulAnderson #RafaelSabatini #AMerritt #HPLovecraft #LordDunsany #CLMoore #CharlesSaunders #KarlEdwardWagner #LeighBrackett #GlenCoook #AlexandreDumas #HaroldLamb #JessicaAmandaSalmonson