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Black God's Kiss (Trade Paperback)
PZO8004

Black God's Kiss (Trade Paperback)
Paizo Publishing, LLC

5x5
Our Price: $12.99
Add To Cart
5x5 5x5

by C.L. Moore, with an introduction by Suzy McKee Charnas

First published in the pages of Weird Tales in 1934, C.L. Moore’s Jirel of Joiry is the first significant female sword-and-sorcery protagonist and one of the most exciting and evocative characters the genre has ever known.

Published alongside seminal works by H.P. Lovecraft and Robert E. Howard, the five classic fantasy tales included in this volume easily stand the test of time and often overshadow the storytelling power and emotional impact of stories by Moore’s more famous contemporaries. A seminal work from one of fantasy’s most important authors, Black God’s Kiss is an essential addition to any fantasy library.

    Contents:
  • "Where No Man Had Gone Before" (introduction by Suzy McKee Charnas)
  • "Black God's Kiss"
  • "Black God's Shadow"
  • "Jirel Meets Magic"
  • "The Dark Land"
  • "Hellsgarde"
  • "Quest of the Starstone" (with Henry Kuttner—the Northwest Smith crossover story)

224-page softcover trade paperback ISBN: 1-60125-045-2
ISBN-13: 978-1-60125-045-2

"For those who have never read the wondrous adventures of the First Lady of Sword-and-Sorcery from the First Lady of Sword-and-Sorcery... oh, gods, how I envy the dark pleasures before them," says Ryan Harvey of Black Gate magazine. Harvey's essay, "Jirel of Joiry: Mother of Us All," gives a terrific overview of the character's history and contribution to sword and sorcery fiction.

"Rich with lush description"—Dave Truesdale, Fantasy & Science Fiction magazine


About the Author

Twenty years after her death, Catherine Lucille Moore (1911–1987) remains one of the most influential female fantasy authors of all time. Born in Indianapolis, Indiana, Moore published her first story in Weird Tales in 1933, where it met with immediate success and earned praise from contemporaries such as H.P. Lovecraft. In a time when female authors were still marginalized and practically unheard of in genre fiction, Catherine hid her gender by publishing under the name C.L. Moore. She proceeded to write high-profile stories for Weird Tales and Astounding for the next decade, earning particular acclaim for her characters Jirel of Joiry, the first strong female protagonist in the sword and sorcery genre, and daring spaceman Northwest Smith. Moore met science fiction author Henry Kuttner in 1936 when he wrote her a fan letter, mistakenly believing her to be a man, and in 1940 the two were married. Together the couple collaborated on numerous stories and scripts for television shows under their own names and at least 17 pseudonyms, of which Lewis Padgett and Keith Hammond are the most recognized. In 1998 C. L. Moore was inducted into the Science Fiction Hall of Fame.

Note: This product is part of the Planet Stories Subscription.

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Are there errors or omissions in this product information? Got corrections? Let us know at webmaster@paizo.com.


<< City of the Beast (aka Warriors of Mars) (Trade Paperback) Elak of Atlantis (Trade Paperback) >>


PZO8004

Carl Meyer,

Coin avatar

Wow! What a cover! I can't wait to get my hands on this. The couple of Jirel stories I have read are just fantastic. It may be blasphemy, but I am hard pressed to determine whether I prefer Moore's or Howard's writing.

Paizo Employee Erik Mona (Publisher),

Rel avatar

Carl Meyer wrote:
Wow! What a cover! I can't wait to get my hands on this. The couple of Jirel stories I have read are just fantastic. It may be blasphemy, but I am hard pressed to determine whether I prefer Moore's or Howard's writing.

I'm not. Moore is far superior, in my opinion. That she is not better known is a crime against literature, and against sword and sorcery in particular.

I am really hoping this book finds its audience, because C.L. Moore is absolutely great.

--Erik

Carl Meyer,

Coin avatar

Well, I'll take your word for Moore's superior writing (I've only been able to read one of her stories so far). Perhaps Howard overshadowing her work is due to his sort of Kurt-Cobain-type tragic story. Maybe just because he wrote a lot more stories in the genre. Either way, I am glad I discovered her work (Thanks suggested reading lists in back of the DMG!), and I couldn't be happier to be getting the rest of the Jirel stories from Paizo.
I know you hear it a lot, but thanks, you guys are the best!

Paizo Employee Erik Mona (Publisher),

Rel avatar

I think it's definitely due to Howard publishing more stories, doing it earlier (for the most part), and doing it very, very well. I don't mean to undersell Howard at all by saying I prefer Moore. Both are exemplary authors.

--Erik

Taldor Sir Oliver,

16 Rich Col Final avatar

Erik, I'd just like to thank you for your recommendation. Your praise of C. L. Moore's writing got me interested into buying the Fantasy Masterworks edition of her stories available in my local book shop. I expected sword & sorcery in the vein of Leiber (which I really enjoy 'cause it's as D&D-ish as it can get) or Howard (whom I find quite entertaining). Instead I got these wonderfully moody and atmospheric stories about alien worlds. It was a bit like reading Lovecraft, except C. L. Moore actually sounds like she writes in the 20th Century. :-D

I especially enjoyed "Black God's Kiss" and "Black God's Shadow" whose eerie landscape would make any Shadow Plane denizen proud. It's damn shame Moore didn't wrote more stories about Jirel of Joiry and these worlds.

Krypter,

08 Mekarumus-grotto avatar

Black God's Kiss was indeed an astounding piece of work, intricate and moody and mysterious as anything I've ever read. It had a romantic, dream-like quality leavened with the spine-tingling chill of eldritch and alien evil. Highly recommended.

rewol,

Manitou Final Hires avatar

Could someone post the contents of this book?
I've been into C.L. Moore & Henry Kuttner ever since reading "Fury" about 3 years ago (it would be nice if PS could get the rights to "Fury", though it isn't Swords & Sorcery). These Planet Stories editions are definitely welcome in that they stand up to more abuse than the vintage PB's do. Also, the artwork and design of the books are topnotch. I just received "Almuric" and "Elak of Atlantis" and I'm very pleased with them. I now plan to get about 8 more titles soon.

Paizo Employee James Sutter (Editor),

Avatar Elan avatar

rewol wrote:
Could someone post the contents of this book?
I've been into C.L. Moore & Henry Kuttner ever since reading "Fury" about 3 years ago (it would be nice if PS could get the rights to "Fury", though it isn't Swords & Sorcery). These Planet Stories editions are definitely welcome in that they stand up to more abuse than the vintage PB's do. Also, the artwork and design of the books are topnotch. I just received "Almuric" and "Elak of Atlantis" and I'm very pleased with them. I now plan to get about 8 more titles soon.

The table of contents goes:

"Where No Man Had Gone Before" (intro by Suzy McKee Charnas)

"Black God's Kiss"

"Black God's Shadow"

"Jirel Meets Magic"

"The Dark Land"

"Hellsgarde"

"Quest of the Starstone" (with Henry Kuttner - the Northwest Smith crossover story)

Hope you enjoy it!

AntAllan,

04 Heheranna Final avatar

Very cool!

Btw, who’s the cover artist?

Cheers,
Ant

Paizo Employee Lisa Stevens (CEO),

Lisa's avatar

AntAllan wrote:
Very cool!

Btw, who’s the cover artist?

Cheers,
Ant


I believe the cover of this book was done by Andrew Hou.

-Lisa

Lord Fyre (RPG Superstar 2009 Top 32),

Balor avatar

Carl Meyer wrote:
Wow! What a cover! I can't wait to get my hands on this. The couple of Jirel stories I have read are just fantastic. It may be blasphemy, but I am hard pressed to determine whether I prefer Moore's or Howard's writing.

At risk of committing literary blasphemy- and drawing the ire of many Paizo posters, but I want to ask. But, is “Jirel of Joiry” a chainmail bikini clad heroine as is kind of implied by the cover?

Lord Fyre (RPG Superstar 2009 Top 32),

Balor avatar

Lord Fyre wrote:
Carl Meyer wrote:
Wow! What a cover! I can't wait to get my hands on this. The couple of Jirel stories I have read are just fantastic. It may be blasphemy, but I am hard pressed to determine whether I prefer Moore's or Howard's writing.

At risk of committing literary blasphemy- and drawing the ire of many Paizo posters, but I want to ask. But, is “Jirel of Joiry” a chainmail bikini clad heroine as is kind of implied by the cover?

I think I found an answer.
"Interesting enough the artist who did the cover did depict her wearing a metal brassiere. In a 10 page introduction author Suzy McKee Charnas goes on at length about how Jirel does not conform to sexist stereotypes, in that light the cover is rather ill chosen. Instead of not conforming to the 1930s ideas on femininity they now submit her to ours."

Source bookspotcentral.com

Oh well. :(

Mairkurion {tm} (Pathfinder Adventure Path Subscriber),

Carlisle Pathfinder PZO 111 D avatar

I didn't dislike the cover, in itself, but it does not match the descriptions of Jirel in the stories, clothes and armor wise.

Eric Hinkle,

A 14-Viminda avatar

Mairkurion {tm} wrote:
I didn't dislike the cover, in itself, but it does not match the descriptions of Jirel in the stories, clothes and armor wise.

I agree. I thought at first that she was wearing a suit of plate mail made to fit her form (which would have looked good, made sense, and fit the way she's described), but that's not the case.

Still, at worst it's a minor flaw in an great book.

Andoran Montalve (Pathfinder Chronicles Superscriber; Planet Stories Subscriber),

Iomedae Final avatar

beautiful beautiful book... so much... that the poor book arrived new and now it appears about 20 years old after i borught it everywhere.

by the way i just added a review here and here

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