The Best of Sword-and-Sorcery from The Bride of Cyclops Con Panel Discussion
The Best of Sword-and-Sorcery from The Bride of Cyclops Con Panel Discussion Back in October Goodman Games held a weekend-long virtual convention, The Bride of Cyclops Con! Tales From the Magician’s Skull was of course in attendance, taking part in several round table discussions from writers, editors, critics, and fans that ran the gamut of topics in fantasy fiction and publishing. And, thanks to the Skull’s potent...
Brian Murphy’s Flame and Crimson: A History of Sword-and-Sorcery
Brian Murphy’s Flame and Crimson: A History of Sword-and-Sorcery by Bill Ward In Flame and Crimson (2019) Brian Murphy has crafted no less than the first book length history of the sword-and-sorcery genre, from its origins and antecedents right down to its reflection in the popular culture of the present day. It is a work both indispensable and long overdue, one that fills a gap in our collective bookshelves while establishing...
Hocking’s Seven Short Shudders
Hocking’s Seven Scarce Shudders by John C. Hocking More short stories of the supernatural that chill to the bone. My original list of seven shuddersome short stories from last month highlighted some of the best supernatural work I’ve read, but I limited myself to tales that could be found with minimal effort and expense. This list is not so merciful. Here are seven superlative horror yarns that deliver distilled...
The Gothic Tradition and Sword and Sorcery
Gothic Fiction and The Transgressive Supernatural, or, The Sword and Sorcery Protagonist Has a Sword! by Jason Ray Carney Sometime around 1790, something intangible happened. Trying to settle on any single definitive event is like trying to determine exactly when a pot of water began boiling. It can’t be done. The most we can do is point to a few bubbles: Immanuel Kant boldly defended the scientific method with his Critique of Pure...
Check Out Gaunt and Bone at Beneath Ceaseless Skies
Check out Gaunt and Bone at Beneath Ceaseless Skies If you enjoyed the weird magic and adventure of “What Lies in Ice” from Tales from the Magician’s Skull #1, be sure to check out Chris Willrich’s new tale of the poet Persimmon Gaunt and the thief Imago Bone, free to read at Beneath Ceaseless Skies. In this novella-length story, “Eyetooth,” Gaunt and Bone are still figuring out their partnership when they stumble upon a key...