This lecture discusses key ideas from the 20th century American science fiction and fantasy author Poul Anderson's essay "Of Thud And Blunder", which begins by parodying a passage of swords and sorcery fantasy. While making exceptions for L. Sprague de Camp, Fritz Leiber, and J.R.R. Tolkein, Anderson criticizes many of the heroic, historical, or swords & sorcery fantasy fiction for engaging in bad storytelling. He charges them with oversimplifying, not engaging in needed research, and not devoting thought or common sense to their story writing. 

He discusses a number of different matters that a fantasy author should attend to, including: social classes and the lives of producers, the nature of pre-modern cities, diseases and sanitation, politics and religion, travel by land and water, and arms, armor, combat, and poisons.

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Read Of Thud And Blunder - https://www.sfwa.org/2005/01/04/on-thud-and-blunder/

Poul Anderson - Of Thud And Blunder - Sadler's Lectures

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