S&S Roundup #61

The Latest in Contemporary Sword & Sorcery

Summer is almost here. Any adventures planned? Or are you still stuck behind your laptop attending zoom meetings? Here’s a suggestion… (grin)

Now on with the show!

Newish Projects in S&S and Adjacent

+ Valxika (6 book series) by Jerry Blaze. “Years after her regaining her freedom, the enchanting sorceress, Princess Valxika of Demir, finds herself with a new bloody adventure.”

+ Journey to Stormrest: Chronicles of Altiva: Book One by Teel James Glenn. “What awaits them is mystery, bloodshed and treachery…”

+ Reckoning Day: A Gorias La Gaul Novel by Steven L. Shrewsbury - “Is there something worse than dying?” Also check out Steven’s Bran Mak Morn: Red Waves of Slaughter from the Heroic Legends Series.

+ City of Magic (3 book series) by Susan Ann Walker - “In a mecca for mages, there are wonders around every corner…. and dangers within every shadow.”

Sword & Sorcery and Related from Tule Fog Press

+ Welgar the Cursed by David A. Riley. “Follow Welgar’s quest as he struggles to rid himself of his horrific curse, which brings death and terror to anyone close to him, friend or foe.”

+ Path of the Swordsman by Tim Hanlon. “Tim Hanlon sends his sword & sorcery hero on an adventure tour with a bloody blade – which is just the kind of tour many fans of the genre are waiting for.”

+ Fragments of a Greater Darkness by Michael T. Burke. “Ahanu Foxcloud, expatriate of the Mahkah people, seeks answers to his past while forging his own future.”

+ The Eternal Assassin Chronicles: The Lives & Times by Andrew Darlington. “A series of tales built around the time-spanning figure of Adsiduo Sicarius, assassin éternel.”

+ Razored Land by Charles Allen Gramlich - a post-apocalyptic science-fantasy. “The day after The Flux hit, Jase Holland was still alive…and immune.”

+ Pale Reflection: A Collection of Dark Fantasy by Gustavo Bondoni. A collection that “delves into that darkness and forces us to stare at ourselves in the mirror to see if any trace of it resides within.”

+ Swords & Heroes – An Anthology of Sword and Sorcery – features 12 exciting tales of heroic adventure. (April 2023)

+ Swords & Heroes Quarterly (Q-1 2025) edited by Lyndon Perry.

+ ResAliens Zine Issue 8 & 9 (Sword & Sorcery edition).

+ ResAliens Zine Issue #13 (Fantasy edition).

Interviews, Reviews, Views, & News

+ SE Lindberg at Black Gate: Interviewing the Champion of Heroes, Jason M Waltz of Rogue Blades Entertainment and Foundation

+ Richard’s review of Swords & Sorceries: Tales of Heroic Fantasy Volume 10 edited by David A. Riley. Check out the whole series on Goodreads.

+ Steve Dilks reviews Giant of World’s End by Lin Carter on Goodreads.

+ The Acts of King Arthur and His Noble Knights by John Steinbeck, a review by Brian Murphy at The Silver Key.

+ Review at Rough Edges: The Tripods #2: The City of Gold and Lead by John Christopher (Samuel Youd). BTW, the review of Book 1 is here.

+ Writers! There’s a new FB group for Open Calls: Sword & Sorcery and Related Markets.

Conan, Pulps, and Classic S&S

+ Sensor Sweep: Lovecraft Manga, Manly Wade Wellman, D.C. Comics. Also, check out this birthday tribute to Manly Wade Wellman at Adventures Fantastic.

+ Deuce Richardson on Manly Wade Wellman’s Cahena: His Final, Fantastic Triumph. Speaking of Wellman, John ONeill at Black Gate says, Get it While You Can: Manly Wade Wellman’s Cahena Going Out of Print.

+ GW Thomas at Dark Worlds - What Others Think: 20 Sword & Sorcery Books

+ Conan as a Leader by Vincent Darlage at Sprague de Camp Fan

+ Robert E. Howard, Conan the Barbarian, and L. Sprague de Camp by Gary Romeo. Speaking of REH, only Two Weeks to Howard Days!

+ Where to start with Conan the Barbarian Comics (full guide via the Howard-Verse)

+ Review of Savage Sword of Conan #1 – Conan and the Dragon Horde. Also catch Nola Bert’s review of The Savage Sword of Conan #6. The whole series on Goodreads.

A Few Crowd Funded Projects

+ Funded! Late Pledge Available: A Summer of Sci-Fi & Fantasy: Vol 4 (Short Story Anthology) - We're back again this summer with another much-loved anthology. Packed to the brim with undeniable fantasy and science fiction!

+ The Few and Cursed: Ink & Shadow Artist Edition (TPB) - Gorgeous trade collecting the first six issues of the acclaimed series in full B&W preserving Fabiano's original inks. (7 days left.)

+ 7 Days to Go! 365 Infantry: Ride for 2025 - 365 INFANTRY is an action-packed sci-fi magazine from the high-octane mind of Jacob Calta, illustrated by the gifted hands of Kevin John Jacob, caught somewhere between Blade Runner, Mad Max, Heavy Metal Magazine, and the hero pulps of 30s and 40s. (The Shadow, Doc Savage).

+ Silver Buster, Volume 1 - Fusing with a living metal being, Jeff turns into Silver Buster! In this tokusatsu-inspired novel, he fights against alien mercenaries.

+ Space Opera Stories - Four Heart-Pounding Volumes of Pulp, Plasma, and Planetary Chaos. (This is my latest project from Tule Fog Press.)

+ Realm Travelers - A Fantasy/Adventure Anthology: “Explore different worlds in the 6 thrilling stories full of action, drama, mystery, and horror!” (launching soon)

+ Via Backerkit - The World's Largest Dungeon is a 1,600+ page, four-book behemoth megadungeon. Over $500,000 raised!

Some Podcasts and Videos

• Monsters, Madness and Magic Podcast - EP#327: Taking Hold of the Flame - An Interview with Geoff Tate.

• Paperback Warrior Podcast - Episode 119 - Eric explores the infamous Amityville murders.

• Strange Shadows - SS3 027 CAS Reviews. Tim runs through some reviews of Smith's work from the likes of HPL, August Derleth, Lillith Loraine, & Benjamin De Casseres.

• Baen Free Radio Hour - BFRH 2025 05 23: Griffin Barber moderates our Feral for Fantasy line-up of authors: Wen Spencer, Kacey Ezell, Marisa Wolf, Melissa Olthoff, & A.C. Haskins on this season’s hot fantasy offerings; and One Jump Ahead by Mark L. Van Name, Part 12.

• New here: Wolf Podcast - Interviews and discussion - latest episodes feature “The Goblin” by Johan Nohr and “The Tugwort” by Lincoln Michel.

• Rogues in the House - “Sword and Planet, Finally” (Feb 12).

• The Cromcast - April 13 - Season 21 Episode 6: Dealer's Choice!

• Dungeons & Damsels - Season 4 Trailer Dungeons & Damsels ~ Samples of Scenes & Characters from Season 4.

And on YouTube…

• Erik Waag’s S&S Channel - Most recent: Rock and Roll Mercenaries: A Pulp Rock Anthology.

• Rogue Blade Presents “24 in 42” - Latest interview is with Jack Mackenzie.

• Blasters & Blades Podcast - Recent: Episode 575: The Cthulhu and Karen Series by Troy Lambert and Episode 573: The Sun Also Rises on Cthulhu by Jorah Kai.

• Michael K. Vaughan’s latest: Tomb of Dracula Revisited.

• Skallagrim’s latest: “Could a Leather Helmet Save Your Life? - Real Test: Swords, Mace, Rugger...” and “Execution by Axe or Sword - Which was Worse?”

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That’s about it! Thanks for reading and supporting this project. Check out Tule Fog Press for more to read. And tune in next week as we bring you another S&S Story - #24 - “Demon Eye” by Greg Fewer. If you missed last week’s, here’s a link to Story #23 - “A Nameless Waste of the Unquiet Dead” by Michael T. Burke.

Until next time, keep swinging!