Swords Against Darkness IV

Swords Against Darkness IV is an anthology of fantasy stories, edited by Andrew J. Offutt, the fourth in a series of five anthologies of the same name. It was first published in paperback by Zebra Books in September 1979, and reprinted by the same publisher in 1981; a Canadian reprint was issued by General Paperbacks, also in 1981.

Summary
The book collects eleven short stories and novelettes and one essay by various fantasy authors, together with a foreword in two parts and a "special word" by Offutt.

Contents

 * "Foreword - In Two Parts" (Andrew J. Offutt)
 * "Mai-Kulala" (Charles R. Saunders)
 * "At the Sign of the Brass Breast" (Jeff P. Swycaffer)
 * "The Reaping" (Ardath Mayhar)
 * "The Ballad of Borrell" (Gordon Linzner)
 * "Deux Amours d'une Sorciere" (Tanith Lee)
 * "Of PIGS and MEN" (essay) (Poul Anderson)
 * "Cryptically Yours" (Brian Lumley)
 * "Dedication: A Special Word" (Andrew J. Offutt)
 * "The Dark Mother" (Diana L. Paxson)
 * "Wooden Crate of Violent Death" (Joey Froehlich)
 * "The Fane of the Grey Rose" (Charles de Lint)
 * "Sandmagic" (Orson Scott Card)
 * "The Edge of the World" (Manly Wade Wellman)

Reception
The anthology was reviewed by David Dvorkin in Science Fiction & Fantasy Review, November 1979, Orson Scott Card in Science Fiction Review, February 1980, and Lin Carter in The Year's Best Fantasy Stories: 6 (1980).

Awards
The book was nominated, together with the succeeding volume, for the 1980 Balrog Award for Best Collection/Anthology.