Who Would Like This Book:
If you're a fan of gritty, imaginative fantasy in the spirit of Jack Vance or Fritz Leiber, you're in for a treat! Nifft the Lean is packed with vividly weird settings, slimy monsters, and ingenious adventure, all narrated by a roguish anti-hero with a knack for tall tales. Michael Shea's world is detailed and lush, with each of the four stories immersing you in strange landscapes, demonic dangers, and oddball cultures. Lovers of dark, baroque fantasy and those who appreciate a literary, almost decadent style will find a lot to savor here.
Who May Not Like This Book:
If you prefer strong character development or tightly plotted novels, you might find this collection uneven. Some stories focus more on atmosphere and bizarre world-building than on Nifft himself, turning him into a vehicle for tour-guiding the weirdness rather than a deeply explored protagonist. Readers who aren't fans of classic sword & sorcery or who dislike heavily descriptive, horror-tinged fantasy may not enjoy the ride. The gruesome, sometimes grotesque imagery is also not for the squeamish!
About:
Nifft the Lean is a collection of four longish tales set in a far future dying Earth where science and magic have merged, and demons and aliens stalk the land. The stories follow Nifft, a self-aggrandizing rogue with a flair for words, as he recounts his various thefts, rescues, and daring schemes through the narration of his good friend Shag Margold. The writing style is described as a mixture of Vance, Leiber, Moorcock, and Clark Ashton Smith, offering a blend of fantastic elements and touches of realism. Each story takes the reader on detailed guided tours through hell and otherworlds, filled with bizarre creatures and dark wonders.
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Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings
The book contains vivid and graphic descriptions of horror elements, including violent and grotesque imagery.
From The Publisher:
Follow the adventures of Nifft the Lean, the master thief whose felonious appropriations and larcenous skills will lead through Stygian realms to challenge your most lurid fantasies and errant imaginings.
Places where horror, harm and long eerie calms flow past the traveller in endless, unpredictable succession. Travel the man whose long, rawboned, sticky fingers and stark length of arm will lead you down to the vermiculous grottos of the demon sea, to stand beneath the subworld's lurid sky and battle monsters who seem the spiritual distillation of human evil itself!
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Nifft the Lean?
About the Author:
Michael Shea (1946-2014) was an American fantasy, horror, and science fiction author who lived in California. He was a multiple winner of the World Fantasy Award and his works include Nifft the Lean (1982) (winner of the World Fantasy Award) and The Mines of Behemoth (1997) (later republished together as The Incomplete Nifft, 2000), as well as The ARak (2000) and In Yana, the Touch of Undying (1985).
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