Persevering despite pain and struggle
The strongest theme in the novel is persevering despite the pain and struggle that the characters have experienced in their lives. In Leiber's novel, Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser's wives have both been murdered by the Thief's Guild both were once a part of. Even though they have lost their life partners and the loves of their lives, the two persevere and go on some of the most unique and fascinating adventures known to man. They are, in other words, able to live their life and able to persevere despite dealing with unimaginable and incredible loss. In this theme, the novel provides an important message to its readers: no matter the situation and no matter what things one might be dealing with, one has got to continue to persevere and live their life as fully as they can.
Religion is not what it seems
A fairly whimsical and violent theme in the novel is that religion is not what it seems. In one of the short stories contained in the novel entitled "The Seven Black Priests," Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser come face-to-face with a group of priests who frequently murder people. In fact, a core tenant of their religion is their fondness for murder. In that way, the description of the priesthood is a subversion of audience expectations and illuminates to the audience that everything (including religion) almost always has something beneath its surface which is not what most people would expect. In that sense, the tale of the seven murderous priests is a warning to readers that they should be skeptical of anything in their life, whether it is something like their vocation or religion itself.
The importance - and unbreakable bond of – friendship
Many readers can pick out important themes in the novel. Most would say that one of the most powerful, and important, themes in the novel is the importance of (and unbreakable bond of) friendship. In the novel, Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser become friends after dealing with the unspeakable, unimaginable losses of their wives. Initially adrift and consumed with their anger and grief, the two eventually find each other, and create a friendship with one another. That enduring friendship forged in the hardest of times allowed the two to escape their grief and begin to function as normally as they could again.
