S&S Roundup #56

The Latest in Contemporary Sword & Sorcery

Time for another roundup. If I’m missing any links, projects, interesting podcasts or videos, or any S&S related news, just mention it in the comments. Feel free to share for the good of the community. If you’re into Reddit, check out r/SwordandSorcery. Or (or in addition) you may want to join the Sword & Sorcery Tavern on Discord.

Now, on to Scandinavia!

A Few New Projects and Releases

+ Savage Realms Monthly - January 2025: “A collection of dark fantasy sword and sorcery short adventure stories.”

+ Blade of the Wanderer (Scars of Magic Book 1) by Steven Raaymakers. “The chronological short stories of Esterra Stake. Tractwalker. Mercenary. Exile.”

+ We Laugh At Death by John R. Fultz. “A shadow war rages in the venerable City of Masters, a conflict born of blood and sorcery, stabbing at the heart of the world's greatest empire. When…Vaad Yaro discovers a conspiracy of sorcerers plotting to depose the Scaleborn Empress, he must join or die.” (Book 3 of the Scaleborn Series.)

+ Blades of the Boneless: A Swords & Sorcery Story (The Brutal Sword Saga) by James Alderdice (David J. West). “Young maiden Perina escapes from a cruel dungeon and makes her way to King Gathelaus and reveals that he must defeat a mysterious foe that has become a tyrant ruling over a far-flung fiefdom.”

+ A Study In Scarlet Swords by Dylan Doose. “In the cursed swamps of Rotmoor, a new terror stirs. They are called the Red Folk—silent specters rising from the sodden earth to strike without mercy, leaving only ruin and despair in their wake, and no blade or prayer seems enough to stop the creeping dread.”

+ The Siblings (2 book series) by Rick Hannah. “10 jewels were fashioned to enhance, protect, extend and heal. 10 jewels for 10 children. Children who must grow up and bear a heavy burden. Warriors, seers, sorcerers, rulers, conquerors...”

+ Check out the latest in Sword and Soul from MVmedia - especially Eda Blessed - Ki Khanga Adventure by Milton J. Davis.

News, Reviews and Relevant Views

+ Celebration of Life Service for Howard Andrew Jones (1968 - 2025) on Saturday, February 22, 2025, at the Ziemer Funeral Home North Chapel, Evansville, IN.

+ Spiral Tower Review: "Do I look like a slave to you, dog?" Steve Dilks' Bohun: The Complete Savage Adventures and Heroic Tenacity.

+ Reading Sword-and-Sorcery to Make the Present Less Real - Jason Ray Carney on whether it’s justifiable to read sword-and-sorcery today. (February 19, 2022)

+ Patron Book Club joins us to discuss James Enge’s “Blood of Ambrose”.

+ Ridley Scott’s Gladiator 2 Becomes Streaming Success Following $460M Box Office

+ For the Sword & Sandal writers among us... I'd like to know the end of the story!! Fraud, forgery and sedition: 1,900-year-old papyrus records Roman trial against Jews: Trial notes from 1900 years ago on papyrus involving slavery and fraud. “While the text does not indicate how the trial ended and what happened to Saulos and Gedalias...”

+ New Story (#18) from Swords & Heroes eZine. This week we feature "The Carrion Knight" by Thomas Grayfson. A short but vivid tale of dark fantasy.

Barbarians and the Pulps

+ Sensor Sweep: Planet Comics, Elric, Edgar Rice Burroughs - at Castalia House.

+ Roy Thomas’ Barbarian Life - from Jeffrey Talanian at Black Gate.

+ Review: The Averoigne Chronicles by Clark Ashton Smith - from Phil Sawyer.

+ An interesting personal insight into Moorcock’s inspirations - from Brian Murphy.

+ O Hairy Man! The Visual History of the Sagoth - Parts 1 & 2 at Dark Worlds. Also, check out G. W. Thomas’s new release, Strange Adventures.

New from Tule Fog Press

• Welgar the Cursed by David A. Riley (Amazon US and Amazon UK)

• Eternal Assassin Chronicles by Andrew Darlington (Amazon US and Amazon UK)

• Path of the Swordsman by Tim Hanlon (Amazon US and UK and Australia)

• New Western: Rising from the Ashes by D. M. Karder (I know, not S&S, but heh.)

Videos, Podcasts, and Crowdfunding

• Monsters, Madness and Magic Podcast - EP#304: On the Sins of Salem - An Interview with Marilynne K. Roach (Feb 4)

• Paperback Warrior Podcast - Episode 113: Bill Gulick, western writer (Feb 3)

• Strange Shadows - SS3 020: The Plutonian Drug (Feb 2)

• Baen Free Radio Hour - BFRH 2025 01 31: Sean Hazlett interviews Jamie Ibson on Depth Charge; and Tinker by Wen Spencer, Part 83.

• The Cromcast - S21 E4: The Last of the Mohicans & The Revenant (Dec 21)

• Rogues in the House - “A Fellowship of Rogues” (Dec 12).

• Dungeons & Damsels - “Soldier, Arrow, Horse” (Part 4 of 4, Nov 29)

And on YouTube…

• Rogue Blade Presents “24 in 42” - latest episode with Jason Durall.

• Michael K. Vaughan’s latest - Otto Penzler’s The Big Book of Adventure Stories and The Supergirl from Krypton.

• Skallagrim’s recent videos include: Rating History, Parts 1 to 3:

  1) Stick, Nunchucks, Short Flail, Meteor Hammer

  2) Quarterstaff, Cudgel, War Flail, Flanged / Bar Mace

  3) Mere, Spiked Ball Club, Maul, Goedendag, Tetsubo

Some Crowdfunding Projects

• Complete Mongoose and Meerkat: “Collecting the complete adventures of Mongoose and Meerkat in a single prestige volume.” From Cirsova (20 days left)

• Sîan: Thief of Khor-Shavarah #1 - A Double-Sized Sword & Sorcery Comic by Craig A. Taillefer. (1 day left)

• SwordRealm Graphic Novel Saga Issue #1 (Launching Soon)

• Reign of Dragons: Illustrated Hardcover Anthology (Launching Soon)

• Realm Travelers - A Fantasy/Adventure Anthology (Launching Soon)

• Tales from the Turning Leaf Tavern - “An anthology of fantasy stories that take place in and around taverns, with included recipes.” (3 weeks left)

• Jungle Scandals: an anthology of NSFW jungle adventures from J. Manfred Weichsel. (2 weeks 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. (ends April 29)

• Green Hornet Epic Anthology - Timothy Zahn & Kevin Anderson - “Follow the exploits of the Green Hornet and Kato in this anthology featuring top writers in sci-fi and fantasy.” (recently funded)

Markets For Writers

• Heroic Fantasy Quarterly is currently OPEN for submissions from February 1 to March 15th.

• These markets seem to be always open: Swords & Sorcery Magazine // Savage Realms Monthly // BFS Horizons // Schlock! // Swords & Heroes // Peasant Magazine // Iron Age Media // Do you know of any others?

• Raconteur Press - Open Calls for 2025 Anthologies.

• Raven Tale Publishing is open for ‘Creature Feature’ novellas.

• FB page: Open Submission Calls for variety of genres. (Must join the group.)

• Robert’s Recurring Nightmares (see guidelines here) Deadline: March 31, 2025.

• If I Die Before I Wake, Volume 10: Tales of Cryptid Chaos Deadline: Feb 20, 2025.

• General List of Sci-Fi And Fantasy Magazines and Journals for Short Stories.

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Until next time, keep swinging! - Lyn Perry