A masterful fantasy classic, full of dashing heros, magic, and daring-do. My only complaint is that all the female characters are either damsels in distress or evil temptresses. Even for the 1950s it seems somewhat behind the times. The ending is also somewhat unsatisfying, but does not detract from the bulk of the narrative - which is well written and includes a welcome bit of humor.
Back cover:
The Sword and the Spell
A near-miss on a modern battlefield - and Holger finds himself no longer a soldier but a knight-at-arms, exiled to a realm of sorcery and magic where a bloodsome war is gathering. The enchantress le Fay would have his sword for Chaos; the swan-may would have him serve her gentler kind. At first he denies them both to return to "reality" - but it was Earth that was his exile: it is here, in the lowering dragon-smoke, that he must fight and die...
The Sword and the Spell
A near-miss on a modern battlefield - and Holger finds himself no longer a soldier but a knight-at-arms, exiled to a realm of sorcery and magic where a bloodsome war is gathering. The enchantress le Fay would have his sword for Chaos; the swan-may would have him serve her gentler kind. At first he denies them both to return to "reality" - but it was Earth that was his exile: it is here, in the lowering dragon-smoke, that he must fight and die...
How do you review a classic? Poul Anderson is an accomplished writer in the science fiction and fantasy genre and reviews of his work are spread across the internet. Three Hearts and Three Lions reads like pulp ficition, brief and enjoyable. As many have noted before, this novel was a direct and unquestionable influence on the Dungeons and Dragons role playing game. The plot involves the adventures of two warriors, a dwarf and a swan maiden who must overcome fantastic creatures and magic. These are the very elements, warriors, dwarves, magic, etc, which are the makeup of a fantasy role playing game.
This book is an old classic by Poul Anderson. The cover is a bit worn and pages are yellowed. It is a classic story -- one of the first where a modern man is thrust into a different age, an age of magic and swords -- with a Scandanavian flavor!
