First published in 1970 by Ace Books, Swords Against Death is author Fritz Leiber's collection of short stories. Comprised of ten separate, but connected, stories, Swords Against Death follows Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser as the two heroes travel across the world of Nehwon, finding adventure everywhere they go.
The first short story of the novel, titled "The Circle Curse," follows Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser after they have lost the loves of their life because of their mistakes. Because of their tragedy, the two vow never to return to a town called Lankhmar, the place where their loves die. Eventually, they determine that their vow would be pointless.
In the next short story in the novel "The Jewels of the Forest," the duo embark on a quest for treasure. But when they arrive at the place where the treasure is, the dwelling has strange and unique defenses - defenses which confounded them both.
Upset and disappointed, Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser go after the Thieves Guild responsible for the deaths of their loves. But the Thieves’ Guild fights back against the two. After their situation with the Guild is resolved, the two try to forget about things and go on a journey together to a faraway land. An enchanted land. That journey is chronicled in the next short story, titled "The Bleak Shore."
On their aforementioned journey, the two come face-to-face with a stranger that was haunted by a dastardly beast (as described in the next short story, "The Howling Tower.") On that same journey, the two dangerously travel to the Nehwonian version of Atlantis. They must contend with a number of difficult challenges and people (in "The Sunken Land," the next short story).
Separately, the two get into a conflict with a group of priests who oftentimes murder people. In fact, their murdering people is a hallmark of their priesthood ("The Seven Black Priests"). Shortly after their encounter with the murderous priests, the two travel to Lankhmar, where they find a magical plague affecting the town (as described in "Claws from Night"). The two must contend with the plague and cure the ailing town.
In "The Price of Pain-Ease" and "Bazaar of the Bizarre," the final two stories of the novel, the two finally part with their dead loved ones - loved ones that have been killed by the Guild which they had previously been a part of. However, in doing so, the two must investigate a mysterious shop that holds more than it ought to and more than it bargains for.
