Sword & Sorcery: "An earthier sort of fantasy" discussion

Our annual group read for Sword & Sorcery Anthologies and Magazines starts now (thru Feb-2021)! Discuss here/below.
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Tales from the Magician's Skull #5: Manuel Pérez Clemente (better known as Sanjulián)
Appendix N: The Eldritch Roots of Dungeons and Dragons cover art byArik Roper
Savage Scrolls Volume One : Thrilling Tales of Sword-and-Sorcery cover art by Jesus Garcia (to be confirmed)

COOL! Awesomely done Seth!

It's a bit silly of me, but I'm doing most of my fiction magazine reading now, because Goodreads has no record of most of these magazines from the early 20th century, and so they don't count toward my reading goal. (Until recently it seems, Goodreads didn't even allow literary magazines to be included at all.) But that's really all on me, for caring about an arbitrary number that I set for myself. 😅

At any rate, I've got Sword and Planet in my queue -- a new anthology from authors previously unknown to me. I've read the first story already, "The Ghouls of Venus", and it's exactly what you'd expect in a sword and planet story. Maybe I'll continue on that one for the group. I also have this nice anthology from a Humble Book Bundle back in March, The Sword & Sorcery Anthology, which contains stories from many authors this group knows well (and has spotlighted), from the 1920s to today, but the disadvantage is that you'll no doubt have read some of them already, and that, like in most anthologies, the illustrations that accompanied their original publications are not included.

The Joy of Erudition wrote: "It's a bit silly of me, but I'm doing most of my fiction magazine reading now, because Goodreads has no record of most of these magazines from the early 20th century, and so they don't count toward..."
I enjoyed 'The ghouls of Venus' and 'Death hordes of Lemuria' quite a bit. Schlock s.f. pulp in the old school style! I'm not sure, but, despite the blurb accompanying the latter story, I suspect they might have both been written by the same writer...

@The Joy of E

The Sword and Sorcery Anthology is an excellent pick. I read it last year. Nothing wrong with “oldies, but goldies”

Yep, I quite liked The Sword & Sorcery Anthology, and along the same lines I'd also recommend Paula Guran's Swords Against Darkness (not to be confused with the Offutt anthologies of the same name).

EDIT: And which has just three stories overlapping with the Hartwell anthology.

Yes, as always a great banner; for myself, I'll probably be going with Appendix N: The Eldritch Roots of Dungeons and Dragons, although the timing might get tricky because first I need to finish the last four volumes of Kate Elliott's Crown of Stars series.

Joseph wrote: "along the same lines I'd also recommend Paula Guran's Swords Against Darkness (not to be confused with the Offutt anthologies of the same name)."

Looks good! And the title makes me think of the Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser collection titles. I love Offutt's books, but I haven't read any of his anthologies.

Steve wrote: "I enjoyed 'The ghouls of Venus' and 'Death hordes of Lemuria' quite a bit. Schlock s.f. pulp in the old school style! I'm not sure, but, despite the blurb accompanying the latter story, I suspect they might have both been written by the same writer..."

When I enjoy the author's work like that one, I don't mind if they sneak in an extra one under a different name! I liked it when Poul Anderson did that in Planet Stories Jan 1951 with Witch of the Demon Seas (loved it!) and Tiger By the Tail.

Steve wrote: "I suspect they might have both been written by the same writer..."

Shades of Lin Carter! Who in at least one of his Year's Best Fantasy Stories anthologies included not only a story under his own name, but one that was apparently him being pseudonymous.

The Joy of Erudition wrote:
"When I enjoy the author's work like that one, I don't mind if they sneak in an extra one under a different name! I liked it when Poul Anderson did that in Planet Stories Jan 1951 with Witch of the Demon Seas (loved it!) and Tiger By the Tail."

Absolutely! I have that issue, too. Bought it for 'Witch of the Demon Seas' and became a Dominic Flandry fan as a result.

I hear ya, Joy! I always read things not found on Goodreads, so I usually mentally pad my reading totals by 10. On the other hand, GR does allow me to list (most) graphic novels read, so there is that ;)

Adding books/records on GR:

Goodread's has allowed for magazines and odd-ball documents to be tracked. The issue is that a volunteer has to populate a book-record first. Anyone who has any account that is >7days old can do so here:
Link to Add Book

I've been entering records for a lot of the S&S magazines the last few years, mainly for this group.

EDIT: recall, there is a scanner on the phone App for GR which rocks. Just point it at your book/magazine's bar code and it will create a record for you...and add it to your library.


If you are even more die-hard... and want to tidy up records, you may need Librarian status.
Link to GR Librarian Info.

The Skull continues to feed us "mortal dog" readers great new tales.
Just devoured Tales from the Magician's Skull #4...review : https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Now onto #5, which has more of Adrian Cole's Elak of Atlantis amongst Herioc Fantasy Quarterly's own Adrian Simons tale. Lots of Adrian's in there (yo, Adrian?? call out to Rocky Balboa) : Tales from the Magician's Skull #5

I jumped into issue 5 of TftMS today. I’m down for Appendix N, but it’s not being released until late February (I didn’t order the limited edition cover, which I think came out earlier). I will join late in that discussion. I do plan on reading Whetstone #2 this month as well.

I am reading Peter Bebergal's APPENDIX N. and Charles Gr

ayson's NEW STORIES FOR MEN.

Read and reviewed issue 5 of Tales from the Magician’s Skull.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

The latest release from DMR Books
The Avenger from Atlantis

I know nothing about Edmond Hamilton. @Richard, you'll have to educate me

So, I am in fact going with Sword and Planet for this. It's got swords, it's got sorcery, it's got the fighting heroes and the S&S-type romance. The second story, "The Mechanical Dragon", is more developed as a narrative than "The Ghouls of Venus", which was painted with broader strokes, and both have been enjoyable in their own ways. This one has some pretty fantastical and dynamic desert imagery.

I wouldn't rule out picking up another anthology or magazine after I finish this.

I just finished The Hyborian Heresies.

The Hyborian Heresies by Dale E. Rippke

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


An engaging collection of essays on the Conan stories and REH's Hyborian Age. I'd had this book for awhile, and I'm sorry that I didn't read it sooner. Rippke has done some excellent work in pouring through the stories to pick up bits of information on topics and mysteries of the Hyborian Age, such as pre-human Stygia, Acheron, and the green-stone cities. I don't always agree with the conclusions he reaches, but I enjoyed the evidence he marshaled along the way.



View all my reviews

So far for this group read, I have read Tales From the Magician’s Skull #5, Whetstone #2 and I am now one story deep into Savage Scrolls. Anthologies and zine reading are my favorite consumables.

@Seth, I’m always hesitant to read stuff by people I know, it’s a deep rooted fear that is typically preceded by “please subscribe to my poetry blog”; however, I enjoyed your short story in Whetstone, and overcame my apprehension. I plan on reading more of your stuff.

Clint wrote: "So far for this group read, I have read Tales From the Magician’s Skull #5, Whetstone #2 and I am now one story deep into Savage Scrolls. Anthologies and zine reading are my favorite consumables.
..."

One fun part of reading anthologies is finding some fresh, new voices. Since you are reading so many zones/books, your TBR pile is going to be overflowing. Plenty of author-readers are in this group. Too many to mention actually. So you'll have a tough time avoiding works from those you know.

Thanks for the kind words. Most of my work is often too dark/weird for people's taste, since it leans way into alien/evil-sorcery than "earthy"-melee. I blame my muses. Anyway, glad you are cool with it. It would absolutely cool if you didn't like it too.

I've been enjoying the serialized stories across the issues of Tales from the Magician's Skull (i.e., from Enge, Hocking, Cole). My TBR pile has 4 other anthologies... calling to me. Need more time.

@Clint, looks like you have a fan letter published in Tales From The Magician's Skull #5. Super cool.

I owe another for this latest issue

Where can I purchase Tales From the Magician’s Skull #2 & #3? Are the just not available?

@Richard, DtivethruRPG has PDFs of them at https://www.drivethrurpg.com/m/produc...

otherwise, Goodman Games stores has some...https://goodman-games.com/store/?s=ta...

Thank you, Seth.

Over in the Currently Reading thread, the classic Ghor, Kin Slayer: The Saga Of Genseric's Fifth Born Son came up. I tried to redirect conversation here, since it is (by most definitions) an Anthology.

I supply my review to Ghor that explains why it soured for me. (https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...).

My key response: "Actually, the first few tales had me hooked. Then I came upon Michael Moorcock's contribution and couldn't get over his over-the-top, misogynistic introduction of the female Shanara. I was really disappointed in this, since it poisoned the tone of the subsequent chapters…and I had expected more professionalism and better style from the creator of Elric (in which he better balanced violence/weirdness/machismo). But the collection serves as a great sampling of legendary authors. Get it for historical interest if nothing else"

S.E. wrote: "Over in the Currently Reading thread, the classic Ghor, Kin Slayer: The Saga Of Genseric's Fifth Born Son came up. I tried to redirect conversation here, since it is (by most definiti..."

Thanks for the explanation on the Moorcock story. That is unfortunate.

Seth my response was like yours. From my Goodreads review:

t's a brilliant choice of direction from the set-up Wagner and Tierney have given him, and is also a "course-correction" from the simply awful chapter by the famed Michael Moorcock, whose entry comes out of left-field, makes the already hard-to-like Ghor simply unpalatable, and shows zero interest in maintaining the feel of Howard's Hyborian Age setting. In fact, the Moorcock entry is astoundingly bad, almost reading like a deliberate sabotage (and considering his penchant for being an 'infant terrible' towards legendary authors, perhaps it was). Anyway, Saunders nearly saves the day and then, the usually on-target Darrell Schweizter appears at the midpoint and introduces several plot elements that take the train veering wildly, and sets up Brian Lumley (as was his want with anything Lovecraftian) to take it completely off the rails.

As a modern allusion, Schweitzer and Lumley are the Rian Johnson to Wagner-Tierney-Saunder's JJ Abrams; the former looking to show their clever auctourship while the latter trying to build something that is an homage to its predecessor. It falls to Marion Zimmer Bradley, an author whose work I generally despise, to pull together a coherent conclusion, and to my shock she does. She can't change what has gone before, but the tone and its sad, mournful conclusion, clearly harkens back to the set-up provided by Howard and Wagner, and is fitting with the feel of the Norse sagas the tale is meant to emulate. Sadly, Richard Lupoff then adds an epilogue, that transforms the nearly silent narrator so completely, and introduces irrelevant and ludicrous details about James Allison's present that suggests he never read the Howard piece at all. It's a wretched ending to an already problematic narrative.

Personally, I thought the whole thing was rubbish. The story is actually wrapped up in the first three parts and not really well at that. Wagner glosses over Genseric's disability with an off hand 'it miraculously got better on its own' line which set the tone for more silly stuff to come. As round-robins go they can either be fun or a chore. This was the latter.

speaking of chores...finished BARBARIAN CROWNS II. Don't read it. Sorry. I'm back 2 my other anthologies now.

Gregory wrote: "Seth my response was like yours. From my Goodreads review: t's a brilliant choice of direction from the set-up Wagner and Tierney have given him, and is also a "course-correction" from the simply ..."

@Greg, @Steve,
It is oddly refreshing to hear others' candid impression on "Ghor." With the list of authors combined with extending REH's character, it is certainly a huge draw for aficionados. At least those who track it down will know what they are getting into. Thx for sharing.

and @Jason, lol. even more candid feedback! That one was pretty low on the TBR....will likely stay buried.

Jason M wrote: "speaking of chores...finished BARBARIAN CROWNS II. Don't read it. Sorry. I'm back 2 my other anthologies now."

I felt similarly about most of Sword and Planet, but the first three stories and the last one are decent.

@Jason, I DNF’d Barbarian Crowns II.

Empress of Dreams

Started Appendix N: The Eldritch Roots of Dungeons and Dragons. Bonus points for having an actual AD&D-style blue ink dungeon map on the endpapers!

Joseph, you have the Deluxe edition? I think Jason Waltz did. I'm waiting on the standard one.

Joseph wrote: "Started Appendix N: The Eldritch Roots of Dungeons and Dragons. Bonus points for having an actual AD&D-style blue ink dungeon map on the endpapers!"

Oooh! Sometimes I still gaze nostalgically at my copy of the Caves of Chaos map.

S.E. wrote: "Joseph, you have the Deluxe edition? I think Jason Waltz did. I'm waiting on the standard one."

Yep, I splurged.

Jason wrote: "Joseph wrote: "Started Appendix N: The Eldritch Roots of Dungeons and Dragons. Bonus points for having an actual AD&D-style blue ink dungeon map on the endpapers!"

Oooh! Sometimes ..."

Same!

I accidentally received an extra copy of Tales From The Magician's Skull #5. Anyone in the US want it? I can send it if I get a post address (sending international isn't cost effective).

btw, I jealous of you Deluxe N owners.

@Seth

If that issue 5 is still available I’ll take it. PM me with FB messenger to arrange payment and my address.

I'm a lil disappointed with myself.. Yes, I did get the Deluxe N and absolutely love it (have not read yet).. Total cost to get it here $50 no problem. But then I saw a Signed Copy on Amazn for $50 and thought "oh heck, I have it already" and "probably soft cover" and passed. About a day later it was gone. I particularly collect signed fantasy books Dang It! And I could have easily moved my unsigned copy but nooooo. i balked. It was hardcover- And I admit that I have a 'balking problem' too!

Making my way through Savage Scrolls.

“Born of the Serpent” by David C Smith. A new Oron tale! It’s an adventure filled tale that has shadows of Kull.


“Under the Basilisk Moon” by Fred Blosser. Savage Scrolls opened with an Elak story by Adrian Cole. Cole’s Elak stories are gaining lots of traction with S&S readers. Fred Blosser brings another Henry Kuttner hero to life, Prince Raynor. I’m not a huge fan of Cole’s Elak stories, but I enjoyed Blosser’s Raynor story. I’ve read a good bit of Blosser’s non-fiction. It was refreshing to read his fiction. I hope he does more of these.

Side note, soon I need to re-read Kuttner’s Elak and Raynor stories. I have a volume that collects them all from Paizos Planet Stories series.

Clint wrote: "Making my way through Savage Scrolls.

“Born of the Serpent” by David C Smith. A new Oron tale! It’s an adventure filled tale that has shadows of Kull.


“Under the Basilisk Moon” by Fred Blosser..."

Hello. Just wanted you to know on Amazon Fred Blosser has 4 short ebooks of fiction. They are in REH style and one is 3 stories he wrote based on Prince Raynor but with different names.

@David. Thank you. I will look into those.

And Appendix N: The Eldritch Roots of Dungeons and Dragons was a pretty great anthology. A lot of it was stories I'd already read, but I can't hold that against the editor.