S&S Roundup #46

The Latest in Contemporary Sword & Sorcery

Still traveling, so this roundup is a tad late. One of my nieces died a few months ago in her 50s, memorial service this weekend in San Antonio. Appreciate prayers for my brother and other niece. Thank you. Now for some S&S. Just rewatched LotR and Hobbit trilogies recently. So many good memes! ;-)

An Important Announcement

Speaking of prayer. In case you hadn’t heard, here’s a statement from Howard Andrew Jones. You can find out a bit more on his Facebook page.

Our prayers are with HAJ and family. Many reflections online, but here’s just one from Brian Murphy at The Silver Key.

Newish Projects and Stories

+ August 2024 Issue of Swords & Sorcery Magazine #151 features three stories - “The Scarecrow of Terryk Head” by Rab Foster; “The Hunger in the Dark” by Matthew X. Gomez; and “A Simple Job” by Josh Howard.

+ Upcoming! Parallel Universe Publications will open for submissions to Swords & Sorceries: Tales of Heroic Fantasy Volume 9 during October. (Edited by David A. Riley. See the new cover reveal on PUP’s blog, art by Jim Pitts.) And sometime before the end of the year Riley will be publishing Volume 3 of Adrian Cole’s Elak of Atlantis Trilogy: Elak, Sea Hawks of Atlantis.

+ Speaking of Adrian Cole, he is being honored with a Weirdbook Special (#48) devoted to his work. From Wildside Press: “Issue #48 is a celebration of Adrian Cole’s 50 years as an author (and his 75th birthday). It features a huge collection of original stories (and one obscure reprint) featuring his most popular characters, like Nick Nightmare, plus a new interview conducted by Darrell Schweitzer, as well as a complete bibliography. If you aren't already a fan of Adrian's work, this showcase will make you one!” (Amazon link.)

Kickstarters and Crowdsourcing

+ 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 Launching Soon! Even More Tales From the Magicians Skull - A magazine of all-new swords & sorcery fiction in the classic pulp style! At Kickstarter.

+ 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. (More on Raven God Games.)

+ TTRPG: Moss, Stone & Steel - An original medieval dark fantasy TTRPG, with an original system and low magic, sword & sorcery setting from Ramsay McGregor.

+ 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.

S&S & Genre-Adjacent Books and Series

+ The Big BasedCon Based Book Sale is over, but a lot of the books featured are still on sale. Check out the wide selection, including some S&S offerings like…

+ Erik Waag’s Skarde and The Wandering Sword series (I’m reading book 2 even as we speak!). “Skarde, brash mercenary from the far North, travels the boundless world to sate his wanderlust and his desire for coin.”

More from the Based Book Sale…

+ Chronicles of AGROTHARN (3 book series) by Milo James Fowler. “During the Hyperbolean Age of a much younger Earth, AGROTHARN the Interstellar Semi-Barbarian roamed the ancient volcanic lands in search of fame and fortune.”

+ The Hollow Realms (5 books) by Jordan Allen. “Venture forth, traveller, into The Hollow Realms. A world of dark fantasy sword and sorcery tales, taking inspiration from the pulp classics of old.” Can be read in any order.

+ Gods & Proxies by Michael Kayser. “The invisible god, El Elyon, has promised the young nation of Yacov their own homeland. Trouble is, the land is full of giants, backed up by a pantheon of gods who would rather see Yacov slaughtered to a man.”

+ Saga of the Swordbreaker (6 book series) by Kit Sun Cheah. “In the era of the Five States and Ten Corporations, the immortals of the jianghu stand head and shoulders above the masses. Li Ming aspires to join their ranks. But the world is fraught with peril…Martial cultivators constantly battle for wealth, glory and status.”

+ The Swordbringer (3 book series) by Alexander Hellene. “They killed his father, oppress his people, and threaten them with extinction . . . and one of them is his best friend.”

+ Clouds Aflame by M. J. Piazza (Christian historical fiction) - “In a desperate attempt to save their home [from Norse invaders], Lukas teaches Alynn how to wield a sword. She vows to fight off the Norse alongside him. If they win, she gets the home she's always wanted. If they’re defeated, she faces death—or worse, slavery.”

+ Do you know the series Rock Band Fights Evil by D. J. Butler? Check it out at WildFire Press. Eight in the series so far, ebooks at $2.99. (Also on Amazon.)

YouTube Channels

• New project from Rogue Blades - 24 in 42 just launched last Thursday. First interview is with Jeff Stewart. Check out Rogue Blades Presents!

• The Robert E. Howard Show from Michael K. Vaughan, one of his latest podcasts features Howard Andrew Jones’s works. A tribute.

• Erik Waag - Home of Old School Sword and Sorcery. Iron Age guy.

• Skallagrim - Educational entertainment featuring historical arms and armor.

• Jay Requard - Fantasy Author & Pondering The Orb!

• War of the Rohirrim Official Trailer BREAKDOWN from Nerd of the Ring.

• Fantasy Bound is a small international study focused on creating and producing professional audiodramas and audiobooks of short fiction stories.

• Production Diary for Pendragon Cycle (collection of behind the scenes videos) The series, based on the books by Stephen Lawhead, should be coming to Daily Wire + later this year.

News, Reviews, and Pulp Views

+ REH’s Swords of Shahrazar from Bob Byrne at Black Gate. Also, A Master of his Art: Rattle of Bones and Other Terrifying Tales by REH from Jeffrey Talanian.

+ Joe Jusko's 'Savage Sword' Covers from Deuce Richardson at DMR Books.

+ The Adventures of Conan: A Sword and Sorcery Spectacular from Gary Romeo.

+ Some Odd Bronze Age S&S Comics III from G. W. Thomas at Dark Worlds.

+ At Star Wars, a tribute to James Earl Jones (1931-2024).

+ Interview with Michael Moorcock at Hound Dawg.

+ Savage Realms Monthly, September 2022, Issue #15 reviewed by Dale Russell. Issue #16 is reviewed here. On Goodreads.

+ “A Book of Blades” from Rogues in the House Podcast, reviewed by J. W. Wright.

Roundups & Podcasts

• Sensor Sweep from Castalia House (Sept 9)

• Just the Axe, Ma’am from Kevin Beckett (#13, Aug 30)

• 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 1) (Aug 15)

• Monsters, Madness and Magic Podcast - EP#276: Sign of the Witch - An Interview with Eduardo Sanchez (Sept 8)

• Baen Free Radio Hour - Latest is Sept 6

• Strange Shadows - SS3 014 The Immortals of Mercury (Sept 8)

• The Worldshapers - Episode 183: John Brady McDonald (Aug 26)

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.

• I’m sure there are more open markets - if you have a tip, send it my way, thanks!

Finally, if you want to catch up on Swords & Heroes Ezine, here are the stories. If you want to show your support and haven’t read the initial anthology, Swords & Heroes, it’s on Amazon. Also, I have 4 paperback copies available for $18. Contact me if interested.

• Story #1 - June 4 - “A Hiss from the Mound” by B. Harlan Crawford

• Story #2 - June 11 - “Korvix and the Heart of Darkness” by Matt Hilton

• Story #3 - June 25 - “Playing With Fire” by Geoff Hart

• Story #4 - July 9 - “Eye of the Beholder” by Charles Allen Gramlich

• Story #5 - July 23 - “Call of the Wyrd” by Teel James Glenn

• Story #6 - Aug 6 - “The Forbidden City of Cyramon” by David A. Riley

• Story #7 - Aug 20 - “A Crown of Crimson and Silver” by Chris Hall

• Story #8 - Sept 3 - “Queen of the Shifting City” by Tim Hanlon

Until next time, keep swinging!