Thieves’ World, Book 7: The Dead of Winter

Thieves’ World, Book 7: The Dead of Winter (1985) Robert Asprin and Lynn Abbey

More than halfway through now. Luckily, there were lighter stories to counteract the darkness of Janet Morris’ story.

Dramatis Personae by Lynn Abbey
Introduction by Robert Lynn Asprin
Hell to Pay by Janet Morris
The Veiled Lady, or A Look at the Normal Folk by Andrew Offutt
The God-Chosen by Lynn Abbey
Keeping Promises by Robin W. Bailey
Armies of the Night by C.J. Cherryh
Down by the Riverside by Diane Duane
When the Spirit Moves You by Robert Lynn Asprin
The Color of Magic by Diana L. Paxson
Afterword by Andrew Offutt

The Ace reissues with the covers I prefer have a Dramatis Personae by Lynn Abbey in the front of most volumes. Not sure when they started with the reissues, but they’re here in book 7. This was particularly helpful if you were unable to find earlier versions, and didn’t know who everyone was. (That’s how I was–it was years before I got my hands on the earliest versions, since I was haunting used books stories for copies.)

Introduction by Robert Lynn Asprin gives us Hakiem and Jubal discussing the current situation in Sanctuary. In short: not good, and getting worse.

Hell to Pay by Janet Morris brings the original Stepsons back to Sanctuary to clear their barracks and their name of the bumbling fools who they left in their place. As these replacements were their own idea, the bloodbath seems a little harsh, but this is Thieves’ World, and if anything there is common, it’s bloodshed. However, there is a fascinating scene between Niko, Molin, and the storm children, told from Niko’s point of view.

The second story, The Veiled Lady, or A Look at the Normal Folk by Andrew Offutt, is not a Shadowspawn story, but it still has that ineffable something of an Andrew Offut story. A veiled woman comes to town, and the owner of Sly’s place seems to be who she’s looking for.

And, of course, Sweetboy, who is missing Notable.

Any cat expressed itself or at least acknowledged noises or its name with movements of its tail, often merely the tip. A tailless cat, if not a cripple, was at least the equivalent of a human with a severe lisp. Sweetboy, however, seemed unaware of his lack and expressively moved what he had. He even manged to make it obvious when he was not just moving the thumb-length stub, but lashing it.

The God-Chosen by Lynn Abbey gives us Molin Torcholder and the storm children, but what makes this story so fascinating is we see the same scene as was told in Hell To Pay, from Molin’s point of view. This is also the first story where we see Molin in anything even close to resembling a positive light, which is one of the things that makes me enjoy the story so well.

“I have often wished to greet you,” he greeted her, lifting her tiny hand to his lips after the custom of Rankan gentleman.
“That is a lie.”
“I have wished for many things I never truly wanted to have, My Lady.”

I think that exchange right there salvaged Molin for me.

Keeping Promises by Robin W. Bailey is Chenaya story, and I don’t like her any better in this story than I did the first, although she does have the first glimpses of sense here. Too bad it’s not fast enough to stop her from causing more damage.

Armies of the Night by C.J. Cherryh is a strange story. Like Janet Morris, her stories are very dark and wander afar. Yet, there is always something that catches at my memory.

He blinked at the black-clad figure who walked forward to meet him. She was always so much smaller than he remembered. She towered in his memory.

Down by the Riverside by Diane Duane is one of the stories that I’m never sure I enjoyed, but damned if bits of it don’t stick with me. Especially this bit about Tyr, written from the dog’s point-of-view.

For a moment she couldn’t see where the tall one was. Then the horses separated, and Tyr whimpered and sniffed the air. She caught the tall one’s scent. But to her horror it did something she had never smelled it do before: it cooled. It thinned, and vanished, and turned to meat.

That is the most striking portrayal of a death I think I’ve ever read.

When the Spirit Moves You by Robert Lynn Asprin is a short story about the Hell-Hound Zalbar, trying to set the ghost of his friend and companion Razkuli to rest. It also does a lovely job referencing the previous story.

The final story is The Color of Magic by Diana L. Paxson. Again, Lalo’s gifts bring him noting but trouble. The picture he drew of Niko (back in the first story) comes back again to haunt him, and now that his gift is becoming known, he is becoming a target for the Powers in Sanctuary, who seek to use him.

Afterword by Andrew Offutt is an amusing, rambling look at what writing these stories was like.

I do believe this volume, for all the darkness, has some of the most memorable stories, with many characters finally starting to rise to their potential.
Rating: 8.5/10

Published by Ace Books

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