I discovered Fritz Leiber, Mike Mignola, and sword-and-sorcery at the same time. I was a teenager in the suburbs of Houston when I picked up the collection Ill Met in Lankhmar by White Wolf Publishing at a Barnes and Noble. This was a double collection that includes Swords and Deviltry and Swords Against Death. I had heard of Leiber’s Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser tales in some SF magazine and was interested in reading them. I was immediately struck by the cover by comic artist Mike Mignola. Years later, now living in Colorado, I would pick up a collection of Hellboy stories and become a fan of Mignola’s comic work.

I was in the habit of reading books at Barnes and Noble in the seats that they provide. I’m not sure that is entirely honest. For the record, I now buy books before I read them. Anyway, honest or not, I read the title story “Ill Met in Lankhmar” and it was a revelation. It was probably the first sword-and-sorcery story I read. It mixed action, horror, humor, and genuine pathos. Mike Mignola’s cover and interior illustrations seemed perfect for the stories. To the point, when I read the stories I see them animated in a style similar to Mignola’s.

This was one book I had to own. I bought it. I would later buy the second collection Lean Times in Lankhmar which included Swords in the Mist and Swords Against Wizardry. About the time I moved from Texas to Colorado, I found my new local library contained many works by Leiber. I checked out The Swords of Lankhmar and Swords and Ice Magic. These, I believe, had the Jeff Jones and Michael Whelan covers which were certainly good but I prefer the Mignola. They also had a copy of The Knight and Knave of Swords with a cover picture of the Twain that looked nothing like them. Fafhrd, at least I assume it was Fafhrd, was blond and clean shaven. The Mouser had a beard. I hated it. Certainly not up to the standards of Whelan or Mignola.

I also picked up a copy of Howard Chaykin and Mignola’s comic adaptation of Ill Met in Lankhmar at a comic shop.

I eventually got my own old paperbacks of those two books with Whelan covers, but I really wanted Return to Lankhmar by White Wolf Publishing. The thing is I do not usually care about the design of the books, but I really wanted that version. By this time, the books were rare and could only be gotten at high prices. I was content with the Whelan covers for awhile. Then I found Return to Lankhmar in the sale section of the library for about a buck. I think it might have been fifty dollars online. I bought it. Reread the books in the new volume (making it three times.) I also kept the ones with Whelan covers because I still liked them.

Even more years went by and the prices of these books on Amazon went up. I searched bookstores for Farewell to Lankhmar, White Wolf’s collection of The Knight and Knave of Swords. It never appeared on any shelves I checked.

Eventually, I received a fifty dollar gift card from my local independent bookshop. I realize that they might be able to get me a copy of Farewell. (I had previously picked up two of Karl Edward Wagner’s Kane books with Frazetta covers) They found one that was a price, with gift card, I was willing to pay. I ordered with some trepidation since the seller did not go in details about the condition of the book. It was possible I would have to pay for a ratty version. (Whether they could send it back depended on exactly how it was damaged.)

A week passed and my copy came. After work, I went to the bookshop. I was relieved to find it was, while not perfect, in very good condition. I bought it.

As I said, I’m not usually particular about the edition I read but I felt like the circle had closed.