The stories, novellas, and novels in Return to Nevèrÿon’s four volumes—this one being the 1st, originally published in 1977—chronicle a long-ago land on civilization’s brink, perhaps in Asia or Africa, or even on the Mediterranean. Taken slave in childhood, Gorgik—the central character of  “The Tale of Gorgik”, and an important figure in the whole saga—gains his freedom, leads a slave revolt, and becomes a minister of state, finally abolishing slavery. Ironically, however, he is sexually aroused by the iron slave collars of servitude. Does this contaminate his mission — or intensify it? In not such a different spirit, “The Tale of Potters and Dragons” introduces the anthropological turn into sword-and-sorcery literature. Yep. Presumably elaborated from an ancient text of unknown geographical origin, the stories are sunk in translators’ and commentators’ introductions and appendices... Plus, in this edition, an introduction by the eminent Leslie K. Steiner.