We all know what this is. It's probably what attracted us to Fantasy in the first place. Pure magic and medieval societies which have not progressed technologically beyond swords and armor. Mostly. And usually the heroes don't need guns, because they have nasty wizards or little girls with magic wands backing them up.
Swords and Sorcery is fantasy in a primitive setting, where problems must be solved with both violence and magic. The archetype of the genre is Robert E. Howard's Conan, but the field, while littered with grey Conan wannabes, is capable of much originality. Adventure and confrontation are key words to the genre.
- Conan the Barbarian by Robert E. Howard
- The Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan, comprising:
The Eye of the World
The Great Hunt
The Dragon Reborn
The Shadow Rising
The Fires of Heaven
Lord of Chaos
A Crown of Swords
The Path of Daggers- Frost Flower and Thorn by Phyllis Ann Karr
- The adventures of Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser, by Fritz Leiber:
The Swords of Lankhmar
Swords and Deviltry
Swords Against Death
Swords in the Mist
Swords Against Wizardy
Swords and Ice Magic- Jirel of Joiry by C. L. Moore
- The Witch World series by Andre Norton, comprising:
Witch World
Web of the Witch World
Three Against the Witch World
Warlock of the Witch World
Sorceress of the Witch World
Spell of the Witch World
Trey of Swords
Year of the Unicorn
The Jargoon Pard
The Crystal Gryphon
Zarsthor's Bane- The Sunrunner Series by Melanie Rawn, comprising:
The Dragon Prince
The Star Scroll
Sunrunner's Fire
Stronghold
The Dragon Token
Skybowl- The Sword of Bedwyr by R. A. Salvatore
- Jurgen, The Cream of the Jest, The Silver Stallion and Figures of Earth by James Branch Cabell
- The Belgariad by David Eddings
- The Worm Ouroboros, Mistress of Mistresses, The Mezentian Gate, and A Fish Dinner in Memison by E. R. Eddison
- The Deryni/Camber of Culdi series by Katherine Kurtz, comprising:
Camber of Culdi
Saint Camber
Camber the Heretic
Deryni Rising
High Deryni
The Bishop's Heir
The King's Justice
The Quest for Saint Camber- A Wizard of Earthsea, The Tombs of Atuan and Beyond the Farthest Shore by Ursula K. LeGuin
- The Well of the Unicorn by Fletcher Pratt
- The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion by J. R. R. Tolkein
And many others!