S.E.’s Comments (group member since Nov 01, 2012)

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

Just wrapped up Peter Fugazzotto's Skin, a horror Sword & Sorcery short.

My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

It is just a short story (read in 1-2hrs), but it is inexpensive/free .... very timely for Halloween.

Mary, you are reading that series fast!

Ok, Posted my review on Port of Shadows.

I'm glad to have read it, and will likely read Shadows Linger eventually (already own it), but otherwise concur with Jack and Joe that it would be best read after reading more of the series.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Since Croaker is in effect a journalist, and his story shallow and obscure, I shamelessly use the term Fake News to describe the story.

True Mary, but we’ll take any discussion. So try to choose something Elfy... but since Dunsany’s book is a highlight...We’ll welcome discussion on his other work.

Welcome Jarod and Ken! Nice intro’s.
We’ve a very civil bunch of authors and readers here, who fantasize about being barbarians.

We never stop a conversation, so many topics kindle slowly over years.... while others come and go.

Browse the folders and jump in.

We’ve 2-month 2-topic groupreads that are popular.

Ken, are you looking for book/story suggestions? Just start a new thread and ask.

Cheers, Seth

Spoiler question .... re: the meaning behind the Port of Shadows

(view spoiler)[So the whole Port of Shadows is an ambiguous conflict/concept to figure out.

So the idea is: "if the Lady had spoken truly, Tides Elba was a threat to the whole world. She could become the port through which the hideous shadow known as the Dominator could make his return"

Why/how would the Dominator come back to life via the necromancer's bloodline? The Dominator knew more about life/death magic and was from a different bloodline ... so his connection seemed very weak. Would have been nice to have more direct evidence of the Dominator in the past-timeline-chapters.

Anyway, Croaker seems to be tainted. He mysteriously mates with one of the Tides Elba incarnations (or at least a relative/sister: Mischievous Rain), has boy child with her (in another time, WTF?) who uses SHADOW magic. So could Mischievous Rain (or her son) be a/the Port of SHADOWs? I would have enjoyed more on what was going on there. No one else uses/creates Shadows. And hey, would it not be interesting if Croaker opened the Port of Shadows? Yes... but that was not explored.

Instead ....

Croaker claims that they won at the end: "We had won. The Port of Shadows would never open … unless one of those fat bellies there contained a boy."
Isn't the Port of Shadows merely the son of one of the Tides Elba, sister, Liassa? Precious Pearl was a boy (Liassa's son) ... did he not qualify? He was sitting right there as an old man at the end in front of the Taken and Croaker. I suspected a weird Game-of-thrones murdering of all the women... and killing Precious. But no... tension or consistency again. I expected the Dominator to manifest somehow, perhaps as a young boy at least that required confrontation.

In a mysterious story, I would not expect full clarity... but I do expect certain conflicts to be played out. I must be missing something.

(hide spoiler)]

Im curious if readers who had already read a bunch of Black Co books thought they gained new insight from Port of Shadows.

Thoughts?

Joseph, Lol. Well I already own the next two (ie 2,3 of the original set) so Ill probably give them a try.

Just wrapped up Port of Shadows. Started really strong...(first 1/3rd) then left me more confused than impressed. Kept waiting for a punchline (or few competing ones), but was just served a mess. Need to review soon. Remarkably little tension, conflict, or consistency.

I’ve only read the first book. So chronologically I am on track, but perhaps I would be more excited to continue if I had skipped this.

Video Game Blacksmith Struggling To Compete With Random Chests Full Of Free Armor All Over Kingdom

https://entertainment.theonion.com/vi...

"DRAGON’S KEEP—Admitting that the troves of valuable items scattered everywhere made it difficult for him to put food on the table, video game blacksmith Torg Nailbender was reportedly struggling Monday to compete with all the random chests full of free armor all over the kingdom. “It’s hard to make a buck when all any potential customer has to do is wander through the woods or a nearby dungeon and pick up a bunch of armaments totally gratis,” said Nailbender, noting that the swords, shields, and crossbows were readily available and frequently more powerful than the ones he could provide. “It’s not fair that I have to slave away for hours to construct a dagger or two, but any jerk can just stumble into a whole set of scimitars brimming with enchantments. The market is completely saturated. And that doesn’t even begin to account for the fact that there’s another blacksmith just like me in every adjacent town so my entire clientele consists of people who just happen to be passing through.” Nailbender added that his economic burden was further exacerbated by customers already flush with treasure coming to his smithery and forcing him to buy their weapons for fifty gold pieces each."

You can start creating anywhere in the story your muse inspires. Then you can order the chaos for your reader later.

Jason, I reserve the right to call you Wilt hereafter

SWORD and SOUL fans, read this!

I love Dunsany but never read “Elfland”.... now is the time

Banner credits:
The King of Elfland's Daughter - cover art by John W. Waterhouse La Belle Dame sans Merci (1893).
Nomads of Gor Boris Vallejo 1976



Topic 1: Dunsany's 1924 classic: The King of Elfland's Daughter (or any Elf or Dunsany) - Link to discussion

Topic 2: Sword n Planet - Link to Discussion

Sword and Planet.
Gor?
Dray Prescott series?
John Carter?

Have at it.

Well, the poll topic that won was for "Elves", with The King of Elfland's Daughter being a highlight.

We are not strict here, so if you just want to report in on a Lord Dunsany read, or some other book on elves.... that's fine.

For those that like a focus, we suggest (re)reading the 1924 classic The King of Elfland's Daughter.

Which one is you Jason? And can you decode others?


TUDÈLE LAGLEIZE: Unblemished by too pedantic a regard for the truth

SLEEPY EYES: Overcome with ugliness

FANCY PRANCE: Even if I die in the gutter I have to fall forward

GUUST NOLET: Cross-dressing in plain sight

HIKA NOLET: Redheaded cross-dressing demon whisperer These sisters had been seriously nasty. Hika may have fallen to friendly fire

FLEA HJALTI: Inflexible Irresolution

DROUGHT: Evil is hard work

INGRATH BAT: A cowbird’s egg in a nest of lies

FADE SHULABAT: A Child of Mist and Darkness

MINKUS SCUDD: Put to death with special indignity Executed, not slain by enemy action, for criminal stupidity

OTTERS: The proud do not endure

THREE APPLES: We are none of us infallible, not even the youngest among us

WILT: I do not think that he will have been improved by death

COPPERHEAD: He heard the stars

SERGEANT POOR: Getting on with the ass-kicking

MISTRY: Worn weak with lack of wonder

BACHIMEN: He had to blink

Hmmmm... Karl Edward Wagner’s Kane novels like Bloodstone comes to mind.... maybe Rypel’s Gonji series... or Cook’s Black Company

Cool. Keep fighting the good fight!