Book Nook: Lest Darkness Fall

[David Flin]

A new series, of book reviews of AH books, both SLP and non-SLP books.

The first in the series is the classic work by L Sprague de Camp, Lest Darkness Fall.

Comment here.

 

[Charles EP M.]

Now got a mental image of a guy thrusting his sword by accident and everyone on the battlefield freaking out, "WHAT MADNESS IS THIS"

 

[Stateless]

Now got a mental image of a guy thrusting his sword by accident and everyone on the battlefield freaking out, "WHAT MADNESS IS THIS"

Two armies wearing mail encounter each other. They slash away at each other for a bit, don't penetrate each others mail, then stand around looking embarassed until the Renaissance.

 

[Thande]

Really want to read this at some point, I enjoyed his "The Wheels of If" (which is arguably even more of an AH work, if less influential perhaps).

 

[Jared]

Two armies wearing mail encounter each other. They slash away at each other for a bit, don't penetrate each others mail, then stand around looking embarassed until the Renaissance.

Those were the Dark Ages, so people couldn’t see well enough to thrust a sword accurately, and to slash wildly in the blackness instead.

 

[Stateless]

Those were the Dark Ages, so people couldn’t see well enough to thrust a sword accurately, and to slash wildly in the blackness instead.

I'm the same with my night-time toilet visits.

 

[Redolegna]

Two armies wearing mail encounter each other. They slash away at each other for a bit, don't penetrate each others mail, then stand around looking embarassed until the Renaissance.

And also what are spears and pikes.

 

[ChrisNuttall]

Nice review

I mean to explore this book in more detail at some point - it was a great inspriation to me.

Chris

 

[IanBertram]

I read this, donkeys years ago, but nothing stuck! I also have 'The Incomplete Enchanter', which I believe to be the source for the basic concept in Heinlein's 'Number of the Beast.' It isn't AH, but a fun read.

 

[RyanF]

"Sir, what if instead of slashing and hacking the enemy with our swords we stick them with the pointy end?"

"Get your mind out of the gutter, Flavius!"

 

[Warthog]

Ok that was fun, and I haven't even read the book. But the future tech as difficult, not always successful sounds like a more solid take than some.

Look, it's got a pointy end. Why give it a pointy end if it's not going to be used?

Very very funny

Obligatory Game of Thrones Season 1 reference.

Really want to read this at some point, I enjoyed his "The Wheels of If" (which is arguably even more of an AH work, if less influential perhaps).

That's a great work. Very readable, nice adventure story, I really enjoyed it and what felt like fairly complex world building. Also liked Turtledove's sequel.