Jason Waltz > Recent Status Updates

Chappell - "The Crossroads in the Forest" has a great doublecross, a horrible jest of a doublecross betrayal, and predictable betrayal. It ends much better than it begins, for Talon is a dick. Cleverness abounds, but so does overwriting.

Emery - "Schism of Spectres" is Phil working his magic again. Deadly, marvelous imagery, terrific foes in the barbaric burning wicker men AND the deadly swordmasters, and finally leaving me wondering just a bit about what I'd read.

Graham - "Sorceries in Assabarr" gives a grand ol' S&S tale that improves as it progresses. Fun to play with Welgar again.

Batteiger - "Unhallowed Tombs" was deadly fun. Features a driven protagonist who knows what he wants and where to get just that. Pretty dark.

Frame - "Pitiless" was a vicious read with a dangerous protagonist in an interesting position.

Ginther's "Red" delivers a great heroine, a thrilling tale, and a modest climax.

"The City of Silence" from Steele is quite drawn out, yet delivers a stalwart hero in a desperate battle.

Hart's "Chain of Command" was clever and enjoyable.

Finally reading the first of this series. Lines' "The Mirror of Torjan Sul" was rather fun. Dilks' Bohun is indomitable as always in "The Horror from the Stars" and the action was heavy, though the segmented denouement was too many and too long.

Sure is a lotta dust in this place, getting in my eyes and all. Gotta do something about that.

Impressive character this Coleridge has become. Indomitable as all hell and definitely very mercenary in his motivations AND he's all about personally handling his troubles up close and tight.

Barron's style grew in me. Some great lines and some odd ones, though the great are now outweighing the other. Evocative writing.

I have been excited to read this book for a while, and finally got it after ordering it a while back. Got to say, did not begin quite like I would have imagined. Interested to see where this goes.

Ups n downs in this one.
Peloquin's tale features a worthy hero in a predictable tale that dragged on and on.
Sullivan wrote another fun escapade in his duo's adventures, though after much buildup it sort of tapered to an insufficient end.
Kang wrote a rather cool tale with two promising characters, then turned it into a question fest and advertisement for a novel.

My oh my does Willie like to blab.

Wow. Somber. Evocative. Quite touching.

Finally found my own copy in the wild. First time reading something I've long heard about. Fascinating, actually, story and art. They compliment each other well.

"It got easier, the shooting and killing. Less panic, more professionalism, if thus it may be said." Straight from the Vietnam vet's mouth.

Sorta prescient, this 1972 story of Cook's. Mystery is hot and heavy on who the spy amongst them is. Our protagonist finally had some balls and managed to *do* something other than waffle. Sure am glad Cook did not continue writing like this first novel.

Well, seems we're making some progress now. Lots of subterfuge and our protagonist is not the smartest fella.

"By this Axe I Rule" is probably the best Kull story by far, though "Kings of the Night" is my favorite. Regardless, this is Kull's story, his moment, before he's merely a shadow most often saved by others. I can not only hear his roar but feel it in my bones when he declares, "I am the law!" Though I guess I do hear it in Sly's voice ;)

Fascinating and melancholic. Very interesting and cool look at the person, the life, and the impact of KEW. Not sure the 50 pages of other people's fiction I'm starting should be here. Karl's introductions, sure, but I'd rather have a couple dozen more of those than these stories he didn't write.

Gomez' "A Gentleman of Blades" is quite fun and a pretty darn good introduction to his protagonist. Enjoyable fights, danger, and subterfuges.

Shelnutt's "The Spider's Eyes" finally introducese to the duo, nay trio, of fun characters I've read of in 2 previous tales. Teach me to read issues out of order! Fun story of the fun meeting of these two.

"Cat's Claw" was... interesting. Youthful exuberance can be fun, sometimes.

"The Battle of Raven Kill" shivers me timbers now just as much as it did 15 years ago. Oth is one determined fella, possessor of an indomitable attitude.

“I will not die here tonight" is a thrilling declaration that generates some of the most powerful of emotions. It is also pretty much the moment I chose this story for RETURN OF THE SWORD.

Part 3 of Kane's "Adventures in Exile" opens this issue with a decent bang. Our heroine is rather an impressive survivalist, but I do find my disbelief in her prowess with an axe against a mass of massive spiders, uh, a bit difficult to suspend.

Meh, "The Cult of Azroth" and Shreve are rather paint-by-number juvenile this go 'round.

Price's "Blue Warlords of Lemuria" is a hoot. A total recall of 70s (and earlier) Sword & Sorcery/Planet/Sandal. Fun action, great description, appropriate touches of humor. Oh, and nicely sorcerous and somewhat bloody.