Jason Waltz > Recent Status Updates

"The Gothic Touch" is just plain fun. It's like Wagner is writing tongue-in-cheek and just letting Kane play with Elric. It's probably my favorite Elric story.

The interview with the creators of the KEW documentary was very cool.

Adrian Cole takes a look at Karl's Bran Mak Morn novel in "Karl Mac Morn." Decent examination of Howard and Wagner styles and storytelling.

Mancour closes the anthology with "Mission of Mercy" whose surprise is well-delivered. It's difficult to hide what's coming for long, but I think he did it well. Not much action, a story-within-a-story, but fit the theme nicely, unlike some of the other stories.

Editor O'Connor's story "A Simple Thing" is simple but decently told. And yes, it's by the editor. It's in the top half of the stories, but though it doesn't cheapen the volume, it certainly does not increase its value. Which, often enough, holds true of many an editor-included story across anthologies.

Pleasing thus far.

Bloody and broody.

"Ghost of the White Wood" by Andrews is fun, well-paced, and kept me engrossed so as to lose a sense of time. I like the duo heroines' attitude, companionship, and perseverance. Good story. That's several in a row...may just save this anthology.

Another cool read in Dalglish's "The Ax of Lahareed" (though she was already the Ax before coming to this city and will presumably continue to be the Ax after leaving it). Cool action, vicious battle, dark sorcery, evil religions, fierce warriors with attitude! I liked this story though it did feel part of a larger whole...which could be cool to read.

First things first: fascinating author choice here. I had no name recognition so I went straight to the author's bio and wow. I'll be looking his children's books up at work, but never would have put he and Conan together. Let's see how this turns out.

Still don't really know why other writers' stories were included in a book about KEW, but I did enjoy Schow's "Bunny Didn't Tell Us" - a funny horror story. Wagner's intros to each story are marvelous as ever.

Cool characters diminished by childish over-writing and over-stuffing the story with Every Cool Idea (TM). "Sword in the Shadows" also could have used a harder edit.

Finally another story worthy of this beautiful package: "Sons of Nightfall" from Quaintrell is a good adventure with a fierce fight between superbly skilled swordfighters. There's a decent hero too, and I'd read more of him. Though his denying medical attention at the end probably means he doesn't have any more stories. That was the only nonsensical bit.

Really elegant writing. There's a calmness to this storytelling that lulls and soothes even while the tension builds.

Beautiful beginning, lyrical, poetic, reminiscent.

And Brennan's story is exactly what this book promised. "Pearl's Price" is an intricate weave of readings and doings, pasts and futures, costs and rewards. Clever idea, requires paying attention.

Barker's "Dead Run" is a wasted story. Wasted a perfectly promising and strong opening and setup and character build for a dumb genre switch. Wasted space in this anthology.

Teel James Glenn always shares exciting stories. His "A City of Phantoms" (part 1) is no different, filled with fierce battle, defiant heroes, dangerous magics...and lots of need for grammatical correction, unfortunately. It's the first serial in CQQ, and I think that's a fine addition to their zine.

Odom brings a Christianity-based tale in "Perilous, from behind the Stars." Unexpected but not that unusual. Message delivered.

Davitt shares a very interesting world with some cool ideas: post-apocalyptic other planets with mutated and natural denizens. Her duo works well, though I was actually more interested in the lone human living among an insectoid clan. The enemy offers an equally interesting backstory as well.

"Knight's Final Light" by Bosley was an interesting take on the aftermath of a battle between Good and Evil.

Olson's "The Juju Man of Xocar" was delightfully awesome! Great set of characters, each with understandable motivations. Dar is mostly quiet in this story but no less powerful in his impact upon its outcome. This duo leads to some interesting future tales.

Well "Tabula Rasa" is not the kind of story I anticipated when I backed this anthology. I sure hope there isn't more like this ahead.

So this section "By the River" is become the lamest - sure hope it does not continue in this vein. A chapter of repetition, telling the same things and asking the same things over and over. Also some odd POV jumbles.

"Madness" was good, just not quite as "Fears." Nice, sad touch, to make it be Bruce who asked his mom to wear her pearls that momentous night. These have been good set-pieces on the make-up of The Batman.

Change is afoot ... Where shall we head next? What shall we learn next?

Very cool explanation on why knowing fasting is of good value. Siddhartha is an interesting character but I'm glad this is a short book.

"Swords of the Purple Kingdom" is eloquently told, a rather beautifully written sordid tale. Scene is set wonderfully; atmosphere, persons, attitudes, thrilling undercurrents artfully rendered by Howard to really put us there. Sensory touches and strong description really brings the dark and desperate night alive. One of the best Kull tales. Followed by an interesting poem pitting Kull against the age before man.

"Fears" was quite good. Nice examination of what could entice Bruce to forego a night as The Batman.

A very insightful father made a wonderful statement of trust in his son despite the son abandoning the chosen path.