Will Allen wrote with the total freedom of knowing this was for people who loved him, and with the understanding of the fantasy tradition.As a result, Swords for Hire is a fast-paced, witty nod to fantasy--observing cliches when that seems fun, blasting them when blasting them seems fun.If I hadn't known this was the only full-length work of a dying young man, I still would have enjoyed it. OK, so it's not Lord of the Rings--it's not meant to be. It's also not meant to be Princess Bride (I actually preferred Swords for Hire to PB), but is a tribute to good writing. As that, it works.