On Awful Sentences

Lankhmar in Publication Order 8 The Seven Black Priests

The Seven Black Priests is Fritz Lieber's eighth published tale featuring Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser. It was published in 1953, in Other Worlds. Today you can find it as the 7th chapter in the second volume of the collected editions, Swords Against Death.

Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser are traveling overland in a wintry, hilly area ("the Bones of the Old Ones") when they catch the gleam of a gem twinkling in the afternoon sun. In the process of getting away with it, they are attacked by ... you guessed it ... seven black-skinned priests.

This isn't the best story, but it has interesting moments, especially the eery description of the landscape. It might best be described as one long chase scene. Also, it has the distinction of beginning with possibly the most awkward first sentence of any story I've ever read:

“Eyes like red lava peered from a face black as dead lava down the sheer mountainside at the snowy ledge that narrowed off into chilly darkness barely touched by dawn.”

If you want a much better, but spoilery description, read this: http://dochermes.livejournal.com/6598.html.