I read [b:Swords Against Death|218716|Swords Against Death (Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser, #2)|Fritz Leiber|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1441810943s/218716.jpg|1807521] in high school, in Hungarian. That is the second book of this series. I do not have very good memory, which is why I like to write up my thoughts after reading a book. But I recall it was enjoyable. It was cliché fantasy in its outline, but had a lot of creativity in the details, making it a unique experience. The only actual detail I remember is that it had furry arctic snakes. I think that captures its approach well.

So I was happy when I figured out what this book was. (I did not remember the title, just the furry arctic snakes.) I decided to re-read it. I am not sure which book I had read, so I am going in order. But it is probably the second book.

It is hard to rate this book, partially due to nostalgia coloring my thoughts. It has a number of attributes that must put off readers. It is about two guys. Women are to be won and lost. Names are all ridiculous. "Fafhrd" is on the cover, but "Urgaan of Angarngi" is also a good example. There is a lot of bloodshed and cruelty with little thought given to it, but also a lot of humor. A lot of clichés (the goal can be as simple as finding the treasure), and awesome details (arctic snakes). Every character is eloquent to the point that you need a dictionary to read it. It is hard to decide how serious the whole thing is meant to be.

Multiple points are illustrated by this dialog, when the northern barbarian and the street urchin meet:

Fafhrd stopped, again wiped right hand on robe, and held it out. "Name's Fafhrd. Ef ay ef aitch ar dee."

Again the Mouser shook it. "Gray Mouser," he said a touch defiantly, as if challenging anyone to laugh at the sobriquet. "Excuse me, but how exactly do you pronounce that? Faf-hrud?"

"Just Faf-erd.”

I think in the end it is awesome that the book does not try to fulfill expectations. For example, if you have a series of books of the adventures of two characters, one a hugely tall northern barbarian and the other a diminutive street urchin, you would expect them to contrast each other, right? Instead, they are pretty much the same. Both are gentlemen thieves and brilliant swordsmen. It is just their appearances that distinguish them. I have yet to find a situation where they are not interchangeable.