''Thieves' World'' is an anthology of short stories edited by
Robert Asprin
Robert Lynn Asprin (June 28, 1946 – May 22, 2008) was an American science fiction and fantasy author and active fan, known best for his humorous series '' MythAdventures'' and '' Phule's Company''.
Background
Robert Asprin was born in St. J ...
published in 1979, the first in the ''
Thieves' World
Thieves' World is a shared world fantasy series created by Robert Lynn Asprin in 1978. The original series comprised twelve anthologies, including stories by science fiction authors Poul Anderson, John Brunner, Andrew J. Offutt, C. J. Cherr ...
'' anthology series.
Contents
''Thieves' World'' is a collection of stories set in the city of Sanctuary, a dying trading city on the southern tip of a peninsula, which has become a den of thieves.
"Introduction" by Robert Lynn Asprin
:The Emperor of the Rankan Empire sends his stepbrother
Prince Kadakithis to restore order to Sanctuary, accompanied by five elite guards dubbed Hell-Hounds.
"Sentences of Death" by
John Brunner
:
Jarveena, a Yenized scribe, makes a deal with the wizard
Enas Yorl to foil the assassination of Prince Kadakithis and take revenge on a past enemy.
"The Face of Chaos" by
Lynn Abbey
Marilyn Lorraine "Lynn" Abbey (born September 18, 1948) is an American fantasy author.
Background
Born in Peekskill, New York, Abbey was daughter of Ronald Lionel (an insurance manager) and Doris Lorraine (a homemaker; maiden name, De Wees). She ...
:
Illyra, the half S'danzo seer, attempts to save a virgin bride from being sacrificed to consecrate a new temple for the gods.
"The Gate of the Flying Knives" by
Poul Anderson
Poul William Anderson (November 25, 1926 – July 31, 2001) was an American fantasy and science fiction author who was active from the 1940s until the 21st century. Anderson wrote also historical novels. His awards include seven Hugo Awards and ...
:Minstrel
Cappen Varra journeys to a magical plane to rescue his kidnapped lover, aided by adventurer
Jamie the Red.
"Shadowspawn" by
Andrew Offutt
Andrew Jefferson Offutt V (August 16, 1934 – April 30, 2013) was an American science fiction, fantasy, and erotic fiction author. He wrote as Andrew J. Offutt, A. J. Offutt, and Andy Offutt. His normal byline, andrew j. offutt, has all his nam ...
:Young thief
Shadowspawn (Hanse) becomes involved in a plot to steal the Rod of Authority from Prince Kadakithis.
"The Price of Doing Business" by Robert Lynn Asprin
:Crime lord
Jubal is lured into a trap as revenge for a death caused by his criminal network, but his life is saved by the Hell-Hound
Zalbar.
"Blood Brothers" by
Joe Haldeman
Joe William Haldeman (born June 9, 1943) is an American science fiction author. He is best known for his novel ''The Forever War'' (1974). That novel and other works, including ''The Hemingway Hoax'' (1991) and '' Forever Peace'' (1997), have wo ...
:
:Bartender and underground criminal
One-Thumb meets his fate when betrayed by a wizard in a business deal.
"Myrtis" by Christine DeWees
:Aphrodisia House owner
Myrtis
Myrtis is the name given by archaeologists to an 11-year-old girl from ancient Athens, whose remains were discovered in 1994–95 in a mass grave during work to build the metro station at Kerameikos, Greece. The name was chosen from common ancie ...
prevents the shutdown of her brothel by casting a love spell on Zalbar and revealing one of Sanctuary's deepest secrets.
"The Secret of the Blue Star" by
Marion Zimmer Bradley
Marion Eleanor Zimmer Bradley (June 3, 1930 – September 25, 1999) was an American author of fantasy, historical fantasy, science fiction, and science fantasy novels, and is best known for the Arthurian fiction novel ''The Mists of Avalon'' an ...
:
Lythande must protect a perilous secret from being discovered by a rival wizard of the same order.
Essay: "The Making of Thieves World" by Robert Lynn Asprin
Reception
Greg Costikyan
Greg Costikyan (born July 22, 1959, in New York City), sometimes known under the pseudonym "Designer X", is an American game designer and science fiction writer.
Costikyan's career spans nearly all extant genres of gaming, including: hex-based wa ...
reviewed ''Thieves' World'' in ''
Ares Magazine'' #1.
Costikyan commented that "since fantasy role-playing involves the group production of a multi-hero fantasy story, role-playing fans especially will find ''Thieves' World'' enjoyable.
..The stories themselves range from mediocre to excellent, but all are worth reading."
Colin Greenland
Colin Greenland (born 17 May 1954 in Dover, Kent, England) is a British science fiction writer, whose first story won the second prize in a 1982 Faber & Faber competition. His best-known novel is ''Take Back Plenty'' (1990), winner of both majo ...
reviewed ''Thieves' World'' for ''
Imagine
Imagine may refer to:
* Imagination
Music Albums
* ''Imagine'' (Armin van Buuren album), 2008
* ''Imagine'' (Eva Cassidy album), 2002
* ''Imagine'' (Janice Vidal album), 2012
* ''Imagine'' (John Lennon album), 1971
** ''Imagine: John Lennon' ...
'' magazine, and stated that "The result is an intriguingly different fantasy anthology. All those different viewpoints and flavours really do give Sanctuary three dimensions, if not more. Bradley's sentimentality is offset by Joe Haldeman's cynicism, Lynn Abbey's poignant mystery by Robert Asprin's shrewd morality."
''Thieves' World'' was nominated for the 1980
World Fantasy Award—Collection
The World Fantasy Awards are given each year by the World Fantasy Convention for the best fantasy fiction published in English during the previous calendar year. The awards have been described by book critics such as ''The Guardian'' as a "prest ...
.
Reviews
*Review by Don D'Ammassa (1986) in
Science Fiction Chronicle
DNA Publications was an American publishing company that existed from 1993 to 2007 and was run by the husband-and-wife team of Warren Lapine and Angela Kessler. Initially based in Massachusetts, DNA Publications relocated to Radford, Virginia. A ...
, #83 August 1986
References
{{reflist
1979 anthologies
Ace Books books
American anthologies
Fantasy anthologies
Thieves' World