The Unholy Grail
The Unholy Grail is a sword and sorcery novella by Fritz Leiber, recounting the earliest adventure of the Gray Mouser.
First published in 1962, it is the nature of a prequel, as Leiber had by that time been chronicling the pair's adventures for thirty years. The story forms part three of the collection Swords and Deviltry.
Plot summary
In the forested realm of Duke Janarrl, magic is forbidden. However, Glavas Rho, an exiled wizard, still practices his craft in a forest glade protected by enchantments. His young apprentice, Mouse, still wavering between an allegiance to black or white magic, returns after a long quest, but finds his master dead and their house destroyed. Enraged but saddened, Mouse is arrested by the Duke and his followers. Fortunately, he escapes by invoking a spell which confuses any followers. He also casts a spell on the Duke that will slowly kill him.
Badly wounded, Mouse is discovered by Ivrian, the Duke's daughter, who has also been secretly studying with Glavas Rho. He blames her for betraying him and Glavas Rho. Suddenly, they're both captured by Janarrl, who has Mouse tortured inside the farthest dungeon of his castle. Using the blackest of black magic, in the knowledge that it may rebound on him, Mouse manages to aim a spell at the Duke, using Ivrian as a focus. The Duke dies, his followers flee, and the couple quickly escape into the night.
Reception
"The Unholy Grail" was a finalist for the 1963 Hugo Award for Short Fiction.[1]
The SF Site considered it "exciting".[2]
References
- v
- t
- e
- Conjure Wife (1943)
- Destiny Times Three (1945)
- The Big Time (1961)
- The Wanderer (1964)
- Tarzan and the Valley of Gold (1966)
- A Specter Is Haunting Texas (1969)
- Our Lady of Darkness (1977)
Gray Mouser
- Two Sought Adventure (1957)
- Swords and Deviltry (1970)
- Swords Against Death (1970)
- Swords in the Mist (1968)
- Swords Against Wizardry (1968)
- The Swords of Lankhmar (1968)
- Swords and Ice Magic (1977)
- Bazaar of the Bizarre (1978)
- The Knight and Knave of Swords (1988)
- Swords Against the Shadowland (Robin Wayne Bailey) (1998)
collections
- Night's Black Agents (1947)
- The Best of Fritz Leiber (1974)
- The Book of Fritz Leiber (1974)
- The Second Book of Fritz Leiber (1975)
- Heroes and Horrors (1978)
- "Coming Attraction" (1950)
- "A Pail of Air" (1951)
- "The Moon is Green" (1952)
- "The Unholy Grail" (1962)
- "Bazaar of the Bizarre" (1963)
- "To Arkham and the Stars" (1966)
- "Gonna Roll the Bones" (1967)
- "Ill Met in Lankhmar" (1970)
- "The Snow Women" (1970)
- "Midnight by the Morphy Watch" (1974)
- "Belsen Express" (1975)
- "Catch That Zeppelin!" (1975)
- "The Terror from the Depths" (1976)
- Weird Woman (1944)
- Night of the Eagle (1962)
- Witches' Brew (1980)
- The Girl with the Hungry Eyes (1995)
- Bibliography
- Fritz Leiber, Sr. (father)