Getting harder to keep up with all the S&S news! I know I missed a lot, so if you have any updates you want included in the next roundup, please let me know. Now on with the show! By the way, what’s your writing style?
Newish S&S and Adjacent Projects
+ BladeSpell: A Rogan Novel by Steven Shrewsbury. “On the east coast of antediluvian Africa, the warrior Rogan escapes the gallows via the magicks of a wizard [who] professes to be the spirit of Jezebel Lilith, a mage that has traveled back in time to learn the location of an enchanted sword.”
+ Thorgil Bloodaxe: The Vultures of Khurasan by Ralph E. Laitres. “The Vultures of Khurasan takes you on a glorious sword-and-sorcery adventure alongside Thorgil and his warriors, with page after page of never ending action, accompanied with illustrations by the renowned artist Pablo Marcos.”
+ Mad Shadows (3 book series) by Joe Bonadonna. “The adventures of Dorgo the Dowser pit him against sentient shadows, duplicitous women, unscrupulous men, a criminal underworld of humans and semi-humans…vengeful vampires, raging werewolves, and the most unique pair of jewels you’ve ever heard of.”
+ Divine Tales of Doomed Outcasts by D J McNulty. “A dark-crafted epic filled with graphic action, dark fantasy humor, and brutal savagery. This grim fantasy tale reads fast and leaves you turning pages even faster!”
+ Dreamer, Awake! by Liam Q. D. Hall. “Roused from mind-slavery, a woman finds her life bloody and bleak. Her quest is revenge on one hand and identity and belonging on the other.”
+ Insurgent, edited by Dewi Hargreaves. Featuring stories by: Vivian Chou, Brian D. Hinson, S.E.M. Ishida, Josie Jaffrey, Douglas Jern, Brad Kelechava, H.R. Laurence, and R.E. Sanders.
And in the News…
+ “It is with great sadness that we tell you of the passing of Janet Morris, Perseid’s co-founder and guiding literary light.” From In Memoriam at Perseid Press. Check out all of Janet’s books at their website.
+ Newsletter and Free Novelette, Bastian's Familiar, from fantasy author Susan Ann Walker.
+ From J Manfred Weichsel on his FB page… “The hardcover proof of Sword & Scandal arrived yesterday. I looked it over, and it is perfect, so I am going to send the hardcover to backers today. This book is a thing of beauty. You want it! You want it so bad!!! On sale November 12th!!!” Includes the following stories…
The Gateway of Pleasure by Jim Lee
Shaven Beards by Ross Baxter
The Snow Princess by Pip Pinkerton
Vermina's Creature by Bitter Karella
The Baron with a Thousand Cats by Gary Every
Windblades by C. L. Werner
Flesh and Ink by Rebecca Buchanan
Confessions of a Wicked Harpastum Player by J. Manfred Weichsel and Alexander Joyner
Kai-zur the Godless by David Carter
Abduction from the Seraglio by David J. West
The Harem of Al’Azeri by Jasiah Witkofsky
He Who Sows by Austin Worley
Kickstarters and Crowdsourcing
+ Just Launched! Even More Tales From the Magicians Skull - A magazine of all-new swords & sorcery fiction in the classic pulp style! Featuring the following stories:
Shards of the Obsidian Heart by Shawn Alisea
City of Darkness and Thread by Stephen Wilson
The Thing in the Sword by Anton Kromoff
Night of the Poisoner by Klayton Kendall
Children of the Crown by Mario Carić
Dakagan & the Gallakra by William Hartley
This is Not a Place of Honor by Andrew Kozma
Safe Passage by Cullen Bunn
The Shortcut by JD Jordan
With illustrations by Chris Yarbrough, Anton Kromoff, Aaron Palsmeier, Daniel Gete, Ger Curti, Jake Allen, and the Skull Himself.
+ A Dream of Swords: A book collecting 100 monotone water colored drawings of swords from museums in Paris, London, Leeds, and NYC from Chris Schweizer.
+ Coming soon! The Known World of Aterra: The Prisoner of Ruhak Tower - a fantasy adventure novella from Grayson D. Sullivan.
+ Also coming soon, and RPG: Secret of the Whispering God - A Sword & Sorcery Adventure for DCC from Jeffrey Jones.
+ Coming October 1: Queen Mabs Palace - Patrick Stuart and August Lake Cartland are creating a historical sci-fi picaresque adventure tragedy illustrated novel.
+ RPG: Reaver - Sword & Sorcery Role-Playing Game. Merging a unique die-chain mechanic with a deadly ancient-world setting to bring you heroic adventure with more grit and less gonzo! From Joseph Salvador. 12 days to go.
+ At Fund My Comic: A Saga of Sunsets - “A gritty fantasy Viking adventure filled with orcs, flying longships, magic & family.” From A.C. Pritchard, with art by Luke Stone.
YouTube Channels
Rogue Blade Presents “24 in 42” - Latest interview features Adrian Cole.
Michael K. Vaughan (reviewer) - Latest episode covers some Conan books.
Erik Waag - Home of Old School Sword and Sorcery. Iron Age guy.
Skallagrim - Educational entertainment featuring historical arms and armor.
Jay Requard - Pondering The Orb’s latest video: Fafhrd & The Gray Mouser Fight Together Again!
Fantasy Bound - Malus Darkblade, Vol 1, The Daemon's Curse Chapter 12
Production Diary for Pendragon Cycle - Week 16, final production diary from the Daily Wire+ as they filmed the story based on the books by Stephen Lawhead.
4 years old, but an interesting video: Sword Master Rates 10 Sword Fights From Movies And TV | How Real Is It? from Insider.
A video review of Titan book’s recent Conan release by S.M. Stirling from Dragon’s Teeth.
Conan and the Pulps
+ Top Ten Fantasy Fight Scenes (1980-1985) from G. W. Thomas at Dark Worlds. Also, Werewolves of the Golden Age (1954-1955).
+ Conan the Barbarian #18, The Savage Sword of Conan #6, and more from ComicBookMovie.com.
+ Review from James Reasoner at Rough Edges: Conan the Barbarian: Thrice Marked for Death - Jim Zub and Doug Braithwaite.
+ A review by Matthew Isleman at DMR blog: The Best of Jules De Grandin by Seabury Quinn. “When the best is mediocre.”
+ Fire and Ice #3 previews at Dynamite.com.
More Reviews…
+ Lord of a Shattered Land by Howard Andrew Jones: A review from Brian Murphy at the Silver Key.
+ Also, Neither Beg Nor Yield, published by Rogue Blades, a review by Brian Murphy.
+ At Rogues in the House, Brian covers Weird Tales of Modernity by Jason Ray Carney: Elevating the artistry of the Weird Tales Three.
+ “I finished Blood on the Blade: Ten Tales of Slashing Swords and Sinister Sorcery the other day, and I thought I'd drop a quick review.” from Eli Freysson on FB.
Roundups & Podcasts
Sensor Sweep from Castalia House (Sept 23)
Just the Axe, Ma’am from Kevin Beckett (#13.5, Sept 14)
The Cromcast - Season 20 Episode 2: Elric of Melniboné, Part 2 (Sept 9)
Rogues in the House - Matt and Deane Get a Stew Going (Aug 28)
Dungeons & Damsels - “Soldier, Arrow, Horse” (Part 2) ~ S4E8 of the Dungeons & Damsels fantasy adventure series (Sept 21)
Monsters, Madness and Magic Podcast - EP#278: Rebel of Earth - An Interview with Jean-Pierre Abboud. “Join Justin as he chats with musician Jean-Pierre Abboud about the Canadian heavy metal scene, science fiction, writing stories, Traveler, and more!”
Strange Shadows - SS3 015 The Empire of the Necromancers (Sept 22) “Join us in far-future Zothique as we discuss The Empire of the Necromancers! We talk magic circles, cocaine, Benny Hill, D&D, Frankenstein, and give a brief history of necromancy. Plus HPL at the cinema.”
The Worldshapers - Episode 183: John Brady McDonald (Aug 26)
Baen Free Radio Hour - Latest episode is Sept 20.
For Writers
Schlock! is now open to all submissions. For guidelines, visit here.
Peasant Magazine - submission guidelines are here.
Swords & Sorcery Magazine - new guidelines page is here.
Swords & Heroes E-Zine will open for subs in October.
Savage Realms Monthly has submission guidelines here. (send only first 3 pages)
BFS Horizons writers’ guidelines are here.
Upcoming! Parallel Universe Publications will open for submissions to Swords & Sorceries: Tales of Heroic Fantasy Volume 9 during October.
NEW to this list: Raconteur Press Call for Submissions (via Substack)
I’m sure there are more open markets - if you have a tip, send it my way, thanks!
That’s a wrap! If you want to join an online S&S community that shares a lot of news, you’ll want to be in the Discord channel, Sword & Sorcery Tavern. If you need an invite, let me know. In the meantime, enjoy this free coloring page from Gilead.
Oh, and if you want to support this endeavor, please visit my indie platform, Tule Fog Press…and buy the books! (grin) Until next time, keep swinging. - Lyn Perry
Thanks for the 24 in 42 videocast listing! And I'm most likely a Neutral Pantser, though I do occasionally know my endings in advance.