Sword & Sorcery: "An earthier sort of fantasy" discussion
Group Reads
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2016 Jan-Feb Anthologies
Mod
Heroika 1: Dragon Eaters edited by Janet E. Morris ; Designed by Roy Mauritsen with "St. George" engraving by W.Roffe after a medallion by W.Wyon, published in the Art Journal, 1850.
Weirdbook 31 edited by Doug Draa; Front cover Dusan Kostic (Stephen Fabian’s back cover is shown here) 2015
Blackguards: Tales of Assassins, Mercenaries, and Rogues edited by J.M. Martin cover by , Arman Akopian 2015.
Having difficulty choosing?
(1) . The group read Poll results offer a representative selection (link)
(2) Also browse a partial collection in our bookshelf (this is not rigorously maintained but may spark an connection):. Books in the group shelf marked Anthologies. (Feel welcome to add or update the meta data).
(3) There are many. Check out these great listings by GW Thomas:
(a) Anthologies and contents of each - 1963-1985
(b) Anthologies and contents of each - 1986-2008
Mod
After hearing about this group read, the editor sent me ePub, PDF, and mobi version of Weirdbook 31 to distribute.
Want a complimentary Review Copy? Just message me somehow...I'll need an email to send the document.
Right now, the anthologies I have on the shelf go back some 30+ years. Time to hunt down something more recent..,
Mod
Sure thing Jack.
Looks like I may have started up my current read a bit early... Might pick up another anthology next month too, maybe something newer.
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(1) Ebook Click this link to complimentary ebook review copies on Netgalley.
(2) Audio Book: Audio Book - Heroika Dragon Eaters sample (read by Rob Goll). Perseid Press has offered a limited number of free audio books via Audible.com. If interested, just message me and I'll ensure you get a coupon code.
I'm biased toward liking this one since I contributed a story. It covers 17 perspectives on killing dragons across time, from ancient history through the civil war in North America.
Mod
Fletcher's ongoing reviews of Heroic Fantasy Quarterly (Blackgate) remind us that Sword & Sorcery anthologies have web formats too.
Anyone here follow Heroic Fantasy Quarterly?
Heroic Fantasy Quarterly is an ezine dedicated to publishing short works of heroic fantasy. More than that, through both prose and poetry we hope to hearken an older age of storytelling – an age when a story well told enthralled audiences. Traits of great oral storytelling survive the ages to influence treasures of literature, the pulps, radio plays, late-night game sessions, and now Heroic Fantasy Quarterly.
Finished of Swords Against Darkness IV recently and banged up a review for each story:https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Overall a fantastic instalment in the series with great variation in authors and stories. De Lint and Paxson's stories were my favourites, but I also really enjoyed Saunders', Lumley's, Card's and Linzner's stories. I mean really the whole bunch was pretty great other than Swycaffer's insipid story and Anderson's odd essay.
Recently finished Gerald W. Page and Hank Reinhardt's Heroic Fantasy, and my opinion is that you can either seek out this excellent collection, or you can skip a step and go right to the authors and their series: Adrian Cole's The Voidal, Tanith Lee's Cyrion, E.C. Tubb's Malkar (Did you know he wrote sword and sorcery? I didn't), Charles Saunder's Imaro, Darrell Schweitzer, F. Paul Wilson, Don Walsh, and so forth. This book is a gateway drug to more to-read items.
I feel that's sort of the way with many anthologies, a great way to introduce authors and their works to people who otherwise may have bypassed them. I had no idea F. Paul Wilson wrote heroic fantasy, thought he was pretty much strictly horror.
Dan wrote: "I had no idea F. Paul Wilson wrote heroic fantasy, thought he was pretty much strictly horror. "I think "Demonsong" is a prequel short story to the Secret History of the World series. You can grab it online:
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/...
Jack wrote: "I just finished a Darrell Schweitzer book and am interested to see his work in the anthology. "It looks like you already have. "The Riddle of the Horn" was in We Are All Legends.
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http://rleebyers.livejournal.com/1292...
hey all, read and thoroughly enjoyed (well, not so much the final entry, so 99% enjoyed) HFQ's Best of Our First Years anthology. not only is it a great compilation of many of their best tales, it's a great sample of the fun S&S being written today. I recommend it as well worth the reading time, well worth adding to the personal library. and if you don't read HFQ online regularly, you should.
Mod
Thanks Jason for sharing about: The Best of Heroic Fantasy Quarterly.
I have yet to check out their site regularly, which has gotten good reviews. It is pretty cool they are compiling anthologies.
I'm thinking I might pick up Swords & Dark Magic to read at home. I have the signed limited edition from Subterranean Press, and I don't think I'll be taking that to work with me to read. Lot's of great authors in the ToC.
Mod
I thought that one had some great stories in it; and the SubPress edition is beautiful.
Mod
Grimdark Magazine Issue #6
GdM 6 Link
"Issue #6 is dedicated to our colleague, friend, and fellow grimdark enthusiast Kennet Rowan Gencks, who unexpectedly passed away on the 6th of November, 2015.
Fiction:
At the Walls of Sinnlos by Michael R. Fletcher (a Manifest Delusions short story)
A Fair Man by Peter Orullian (a Vault of Heaven short story)
Twelve Minutes to Vinh Quang by T. R. Napper
Excerpt: Blood of Innocents by Mitchell Hogan
Non-Fiction:
The Grimdark Villain by C. T. Phipps
A review of Larry Correia's Son of the Black Sword (review by Malrubius)
An Interview with Aliette de Bodard
Publisher Roundtable with Tim Marquitz, Geoff Brown, Katie Cord, and Shawn Speakman
A Review of Dishonoured by C. T. Phipps
Art:
Hassebrand by Jason Deem"
^Despite my previously voiced displeasure with name "grimdark", though I had more of problem with the name for a subgenre than a magazine title, I have to say this greatly interests me. Do they print physical magazine or is it strictly an e-publication?
Mod
Just electronic....
"Grimdark Magazine IssuesGrimdark Magazine is available on Kindle (.mobi), iBooks/Nook/ (and all other ePub devices), and as a PDF - all from GrimdarkMagazine.com! "
http://grimdarkmagazine.com/
S.E., maybe you can fix this, as I seem to be unable to effectively create the proper links from my phone, but this is the HFQ Best of version on Goodreads my review is on: The Best of Heroic Fantasy Quarterly: Volume 1, 2009-2011 http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/27...
I reviewed Swords & Dark Magic for Black Gate Magazine online, oh, back in 2010 I think. lots of great authors, lots of great stories, not so much S&S, in my view.
Mod
Jason, glad to help. Here are direct links to your two topics:
Black Gate: A review of Swords & Dark Magic: The New Sword & Sorcery by Jason Waltz.
Goodreads review of The Best of Heroic Fantasy Quarterly: Volume 1, 2009-2011 by Jason Waltz.
Jason M wrote: "I reviewed Swords & Dark Magic for Black Gate Magazine online, oh, back in 2010 I think. lots of great authors, lots of great stories, not so much S&S, in my view."Kind of what I figured. I imagine there will be a few solid S&S instalments, and much else will be other forms of fantasy, maybe with hints of the S&S ethos. Really, I'm okay with that. Even most of the older anthologies, like Swords Against Darkness for example, were more or less the same way.
Just finished reading Swords Against Darkness last night. Although that is probably my third time through the book over the years I always enjoy the stories very much. I checked out those links at the top of the discussion S.E. and thanks for those. I have read a few of them but now I have more books to put on the to find list! Now to find something else to read, to many choices.
Mod
I should go back and try Swords Against Darkness again one of these days. I always found myself more drawn to Flashing Swords! #1.
I liked them both. Flashing Swords! tended to have the bigger names more consistently, but I liked the variety in Swords Against Darkness. Also Flashing Swords tended to have longer novella length entries, which gives more room for story development and a more epic scope. While Swords Against Darkness tended to be more short story length (with the odd longer entry), and I liked that too. I often read on my commute to and from work, so it was nice to be able to read and digest a full story or two on my way.
Mod
Yep, that's pretty much exactly the comparison I'd make. I think my personal preference was just for fewer, longer stories in Flashing Swords vs. more shorter stories in Swords Against Darkness. Definitely need to revisit both series at some point (after Blackguards).
Just started the new Weirdbook thanks! I saw that Weirdbook was getting the reboot a little while ago while browsing Amazon and read the first few pages.I met Paul Ganley a while back at EerieCon '99 such a nice guy. I went to meet my #1 horror writing icon Brian Lumley who was the guest of honour that year. I came back from that trip with a huge appreciation for the stuff Ganley published. I always wanted to check out Weirdbook and missed that boat. I'm sure I would have loved it. I am not missing this new one!
Just finished the first story Chivaine and heading off to the City in the Sands.
Mod
Sean, very glad to see you back. It was because of your influence many of us re-discovered Brian Lumley's Shad yarns (Primal Land series). Looking forward to hearing your take on Weirdbook 31.
Finally picked up Swords & Dark Magic, just barely started.
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Making solid progress into Swords & Dark Magic. I'm really enjoying it so far. I think it does a good job of demonstrating what Sword & Sorcery represents to each particular authors, even if much of it is not the traditional form of S&S. To be honest though the variety of stories is great, and reminds me of the previous anthology I had read, Swords Against Darkness IV, which is mostly dark fantasy, but not necessarily Sword & Sorcery.The title may be a bit misleading, but really, what's in a name?
Mod
My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Personal Favorites: S.R. Cambridge’s "The Betyár and the Magus" blends magic into western-European history—great characters and setting. Equally entertaining & well written was Shawn Speakman’s dose of druidic/Celtic lore; his "The White Rose Thief" made me aware of “Rosenwyn Whyte” a musician with a dark past which I am anxious to read more about. Tim Marquitz ’s "A Taste of Agony" got me intrigued about the “outlaw, eunuch assassin Gryl”, even though the story’s mission was obscure. Anthony Ryan’s "The Lord Collector" offered it all—an intriguing world of assassins, dark magic, and interesting characters.
Will be switching gears to read Weirdbook 31 now.
S.E. wrote: "Agreeing with Joseph: Blackguards: Tales of Assassins, Mercenaries, and Rogues is great anthology for those interested in rag-tag criminals and dark fantasy (most here I presume). ..."
Thank you kindly, my blaggardly friend. Blackguards was indeed a labor of love, and I'm pleased as punch you enjoyed it enough to post such a glowing review and friend me on FB! Stay tuned for more crowdfunded anthologies.
Mod
Curious, Dan, on the differences you see in Swords & Dark Magic: The New Sword and Sorcery versus traditional S&S. Do the stories at least have swords and sorcery in them?
It occurs to me to ask if anyone knows of an all lady-author antho. I'm not sure if anything like that's been done but considering how encyclopedic some of you fine folks are, maybe you could point me in a direction.
Mod
The Mercedes Lackey Sword and Sorceress series comes to mind. I think that was mostly ladies.
etc.I think #3 was actually all women authors:Sword and Sorceress III
Hell yeah! That series is still on going. A new one came out last year. Thanks, dude.
Mod
You were commenting as I was editing :). I think #3 was actually all women authors:Sword and Sorceress III
Here is the link to the whole series:
https://www.goodreads.com/series/5498...
"Marion Zimmer Bradley's Sword and Sorceress series has always featured the best in contemporary women's fantasy! These original stories of brave, talented, and heroic women will take readers through enchanted realms of the imagination into danger both physical and mystical, where the only way to survive is through the power of sword and spell. "
I know she billed at least one anthology as all female only to learn later that one author was a guy. When asking for author's biographies, she always asked us to indicate whether we were male or female if our names weren't clear. (Me? I was in Sword and Sorceress XI, Sword And Sorceress XIV, Sword and Sorceress XV, Sword and Sorceress XVI, and Sword and Sorceress XVII. 0:)
Mod
I would be excited for that. I'm trying to read women only this year.
Sword & Sorcery: "An earthier sort of fantasy"
Books mentioned in this topic
Curses And Wonders (other topics)Weirdbook 31 (other topics)
Swords & Dark Magic: The New Sword and Sorcery (other topics)
The Lies of Locke Lamora (other topics)
Swords & Dark Magic: The New Sword and Sorcery (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Caitlín R. Kiernan (other topics)Scott Lynch (other topics)
Mercedes Lackey (other topics)
Tim Marquitz (other topics)
Shawn Speakman (other topics)
More...
Looking for one? There are many. Check out these links:
Great listings by GW Thomas:
(a) Anthologies and contents of each - 1963-1985
(b) Anthologies and contents of each - 1986-2008
Browse our group's "Anthology" bookshelf
Feel welcome to add books to the list!