Jason’s Comments (group member since Jan 16, 2013)

Jason’s comments from the Sword & Sorcery: "An earthier sort of fantasy" group.

Upon a Dark of Evil Overlords, Steven Erikson

Finished my second anthology of the months. BLOOD ON THE BLADE out-rocked SAVAGE SCROLLS by a strong margin.

Awesome, Oliver! "Cold Light" is terrific, a powerful tale wonderfully told! I shall give a listen.

Day of the Stranger, something I've always wished to read. Rediscovered the photocopied version gifted to me, but still in the market for a physical copy. RBF would certainly love to republish this...

Howdy y'all! Thought I'd respectfully ask anyone who has read ROBERT E. HOWARD CHANGED MY LIFE to consider nominating it, its cover artist, and any of its contributing authors for an REH Award at https://rehfoundation.org/2022-nomina...

Thanks, Clint! I am grateful for your enthusiastic appreciation. I think it a monumental collection and hope more people find the time to read and engage with it. By the by, the book can be nominated for an REH Award through the end of January. https://rehfoundation.org/2022-nomina...

I hear you, Christian. It is amazingly un-amazing what some folks will do. Anyway, you have many more memorable essays ahead - thank you for reading this book.

whoo-hoo, a very merry Christmas list indeed! while not so much a haul, I did land a beautiful condition copy of a book I've wanted from among the list of books once upon Bob Howard's bookshelves, though the original edition was a bit beyond me, so I got the 1952 hardcover reprint of TRIGGERNOMETRY by Eugene Cunningham.

Calibre can convert PDF to whatever you like. https://calibre-ebook.com/download

Blood on the Blade https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B09MSX13R...

Well-met, Mario! Illustrious acceptances news. Looking forward to your input as it appears - a common interaction from many of us, so no pressures.

Yes indeed, Joe & Howard wrote terrific definitions for S&S, and RBE has pretty much followed them on its genre page since the start. I'm slowly reading Murphy's book, so no comment there yet.

I've been considered a S&S 'strict adherent' or 'purist' in the past. Doesn't bother me in the least. While for me Conan and REH's cast of similar characters and their respective tales are the epitome (not saying ideal, but I sure do like 'em best!) of S&S, I don't have to have mimicries to call something S&S.

To me, S&S is an attitude.

Not a setting or weaponry. Neither epic or high fantasy or the historical fantastical written darkly or grimly (here's looking at you GRRM) nor the current party favorite grimdark (gag) written without hope.

The attitude is one of burning desire to live, love, slay, repeat through the pursuit of wine, wealth, wenches, and warfare. With a good-natured rogue's sliver of a heart. Nothing more or less.

This is why for me REH's Solomon Kane is not S&S and why the early Indiana Jones is. Why WWF's Macho Man & Hulk Hogan, Riddick, Snake, the Pale Rider are. Would I prefer a Conan-esque figure in a Conan-ish tale? Probably, and that's probably why I love Steve Goble's Calthus so much. Do I have to have Conan copies in derivative stories? Nope.

Give me that S&S attitude in a hero living a life of damning the torpedoes, full speed ahead with the off chance - though more likely than not - of tossing away the gains of the story to save a life in the end.

That's the best S&S storytelling for me.

wowz, got into that one fast Richard!

thanks David! here's US link
Swords & Sorceries: Tales of Heroic Fantasy Volume 3 https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B09L1F3CL...

Seth, will you be keeping tabs on when this book can actually be ordered?

Cool news, Steve, thanks!

interesting! sorta came outta the blue. nice line up of names and a great antho title.

Thanks for the reminder boys! I did not get to The Best of Leigh Brackett as intended, but I did read The Last Days Of Shandakor (...I know, I know, far shorter, give me a break!). I enjoyed it, here's what my review says:

'Entertaining and clever, dramatic and endearing. Typical space-faring Earthman discovers something curious, learns fabulous things, then rues the day he spoils it all. Great story that contains some profundity and yet ends like the majority of its era's comrades: human bemoaning the loss of something alien once grand. Best line of the tale aptly defines the last decade, most especially these last 2 years: "We learned to reason. Man only learned to talk."'

I am a terrible member but this group is probably the best group/forum I'm part of online. I learn a ton here, both historical and personal, and I appreciate all of it. I acknowledge I do not contribute an equal share. I am so super impressed by Seth's continued care of us, love his banners (cool news on that Pinterest page!), and am always awed by his thorough commentary. I don't have that kind of energy - online. Get me in person over a coffee or rum and I'll wax long if not eloquent all night! Seriously, I attribute much of my lax involvement to technology: I'd say 90+% of my Goodreads activities are conducted via my phone and this Goodreads app is horrendous. I have lost uncountable reviews, can't find or do much of what I try, and in frustration quit. Yet some of my favorite daily emails are the Goodreads notices from this group.

Though I am a poor participator in Group reads, I do like our current process. I'm sure after all this time it is challenging to find themes or topics, but we can figure that out.

To all of you: thank you so much for doing all of this!

I lean toward reading Andersson first, but since I have The Best of L.B. on my shelf and Howard Andrew Jones is always swearing by her work, I think I'll finally read it.