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

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

S.wagenaar wrote: "Hey S.E. I wouldn't mind a copy, but it would be too expensive to ship it to me in Canada ;)
Perhaps someone closer to home needs a copy, anyone...?"

S.Wagenaar, I had forgotten about international borders, lol! Might be cheaper to have a used bookstore send you a copy. I'll look into prices.

Greg, thanks for posting and sharing your in depth review. You jumped right into a mix of authentic REH with pastiche...(fan fiction ??) ... And your review should help future readers approach it with informed perspective.

I think I have 2 copies of Mosutha's Magic. Perhaps I can send one to a member as a gift. Any takers? I should probably hold off a few weeks and offer this as part of a group read.

Sounds like Oron will be in the next poll :)

Perikilis, thanks for sharing. Black Angel is a nice short film. Its influence on Excalibur is obvious... The trippy quest and musical score in particular. Great find.

Welcome Raphael!

Not Brak, but a related "clonan" on a pony seems appropriate to share:



http://zedew.deviantart.com/

In 2010, DeviantArt's Zedew produced "My Little Death Dealer," which posits Frank Frazetta as a secret bronie [source = Boingboing]

I think that's a list of authors who gave their opinion, not the list of Sword and Sorcery authors

S.wagenaar please report on the number of ponies Brak rides on. I'm curious if that important theme persists :)

Finished Brak the Barbarian. Jake excelled at some horror elements but undermined the fun with some cheeziness (loincloths in all locales...even ice-marshes...and he must ride a pony, always a pony--better to not walk for six months when you can do farm work saving up for a freakin' pony) and a lack of motivation (Brak himself doesn't know why he must go to Khurdisan, his self-declared prupose in life...but he'd leave a beautiful Queen and sacrifice his life to do so).

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

Kindle Pre-order now (for May 2015 Release). Paperbacks available ~June/July.

The art of dragon killing: Dragons have been eating humans for centuries. Now heroes throughout history stalk their legendary foe. Learn how to hunt, kill, and eat the wild dragon. Never before has revenge tasted so good. A literary feast for the bloody-minded.

In Janet Morris' anthology on the art of dragon killing, seventeen writers bring you so close to dragons you can smell their fetid breath. Tales for the bold among you.

HEROIKA 1: DRAGON EATERS , an anthology of heroic fiction edited by Janet Morris, features original stories by Janet E. Morris, Chris Morris, S.E. Lindberg, Jack William Finley, Travis Ludvigson, Tom Barczak, J.P. Wilder, Joe Bonadonna, Milton Davis, A.L. Butcher, William Hiles, M Harold Page, Walter Rhein, Cas Peace, Beth Patterson, Bruce Durham, Mark Finn.

About the editor: Best selling author Janet E. Morris began writing in 1976 and has since published more than 30 novels, many co-authored with her husband Chris Morris or others. She has contributed short fiction to the shared universe fantasy series Thieves World, in which she created the Sacred Band of Stepsons, a mythical unit of ancient fighters modeled on the Sacred Band of Thebes. She created, orchestrated, and edited the Bangsian fantasy series Heroes in Hell, writing stories for the series as well as co-writing the related novel, The Little Helliad, with Chris Morris.

Story Summaries: Heroes throughout history stalk their legendary foe: the Father of Alchemy entombs his own magic; dragons must not kill dragons; even a patron saint struggles when confronted by the mighty Wyght Worm; Hunting dragons, getting there is half the battle; mankind’s fate lies in a man, a child, and a dragon; holy warriors write their legend in the blood of dragons; the love of the innocent meets a dragon’s heart; one dragon hunter finds out the truth about feeding on dragon’s blood; one woman and two wolverines seek a dragon’s egg; cross the water and stop a new plague of dragons before it’s too late; bounty hunters pit their dirigible against a dragon and a flying castle; seven enemies unite to kill an ancient legend; In the bayou stews more than storm and alligators; remnants of the human race face their ultimate challenge in the bleak Arctic; when dinosaurs return, a squad of Rangers goes from dragon hunters to hunted.

You are getting me hooked, Periklis. I recently read Adrian Smith's Chronicles of Hate... and he had teamed up with sculptor Cyril Roquelaine,challenging himto make 7 sculptures in 7 days:

Here is a video: https://youtu.be/TY0LAErKZeg

Here's the sculptors website:
http://roquelaine.com/site/index.php/en/

Ken Kelly, famous fantasy artist, also sculpts.
Ken Kelly Statue page

Check out
https://www.facebook.com/sculptorshorde: A FB group This page has been created to pay homage and honor for those talented artist that breath life into the Warrior/Barbarian model figure kits.

Kostas Krasonis has some neat stuff:

Periklis wrote: "S.E. wrote: "Periklis wrote: "I read Kothar: Barbarian Swordsman a while back, mostly because it was referred to as an early influence on Gary Gygax (I think on the creation of the L..."

I'm unfamiliar with Hocking, and pastiche Conan's in general. I'd love to learn more via your comments. Please read Conan and the Emerald Lotus while its muse holds you in its snare, and return to share!

I am reading John Jakes's Brak the Barbarian. Even though I am a big supporter of Ohio authors (John Jakes lived in Kettering OH), I'm not overwhelmed yet. Story-1- was decent enough. Story-2 was lack luster in many ways.

I have a copy of Kothar of the Magic Sword in queue... and just ordered Thongor and the Wizard of Lemuria.

Probably too ambitious a task to read them all ... but in order to vote on the best clonan poll now in sessions, I feel like I need a taste of each one before voting.

Joseph wrote: "S.E. wrote: "Joseph, you are a true librarian..."
That's the nicest thing anyone's ever said to me ..."

@Joseph, I think I'll forever refer to you as "Joseph the True Librarian of the First Order"... just to maintain your self-esteem.

Periklis wrote: "I read Kothar: Barbarian Swordsman a while back, mostly because it was referred to as an early influence on Gary Gygax (I think on the creation of the Lich). Enjoyable read but quite..."

Hey Periklis! Pastiche Conans are arguably part of the "clonans" scope, though most think of "clonans" as being non-Conan Barbarians modeled after the original. As per usual rules, anything close that spurs discussion is fair game. Are you reading John C. Hocking's Conan now?

Joseph wrote: "Just read something that would count for both "obscure" and "Clonan" -- "Shadow of a Demon", the first Niall story by Gardner Fox. It appeared in Dragon Magazine #2 -- I have the ..."

Joseph, you are a true librarian. I've never heard of his Niall character. Did he emerge into something better?

Greg wrote: "S.E. wrote: "Rob, speaking of other media, I think it imperative that all members watch a video on the bad movie clones of DeathStalker. They had awesome covers by Boris Vallejo, but were the wors..."

Greg, his review is better than the movies. I like to watch it to laugh and remind myself why it is important to make quality art. The fact the movies existed is unfortunately a testament to "successful" marketing. The Boris Vallejo art implies the movies will rock; once rented/purchased, it's too late to return it.

I'm 1/3rd done with Brak the Barbarian. Blatant echoes of REH: anti-civilation themes, barbarian from the icelands now wandering. Nice overtones of Lovecraftian horror blended with some real cheese... Brak is walking in a tundra, a freakin tundra, totally naked except for a loincloth? WTH?