Steve Dilks (Author of Gunthar- Warrior of the Lost World.)

Steve Dilks rated a book really liked it Whispers of the Goddess by David J. West (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
These are three stories set around the 1200s and the time of the Fourth Crusade. The first story, set in Constantiople, features two hard bitten rogues, Tyr, a Swedish sword wielding mercenary and Wolfram von Eschenbach, a Templar Knight who fancies ...more
Mar 26, 2026 09:11AM · 2 likes · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Whispers of the Goddess by David J. West. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Whispers of the Goddess by David J. West <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Steve Dilks rated a book really liked it Thune's Vision by Schuyler Hernstrom	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Some back cover hyperbole: 'This collection is gold. Like the best Robert E. Howard, Jack Vance, and Fritz Leiber stories blended together but at the same time coming off as original... You would have thought that a book like this could never happen. ...more
Mar 14, 2026 01:50PM · 2 likes · like · see review
Steve Dilks rated a book it was amazing Honor Among Rogues: Six Thrilling Tales of Pulp Adventure by L. D. Whitney	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Whitney’s love of the adventure pulps is apparent on every page and each story blazes with enthusiasm. My favourites are the title story, ‘Honor Among Rogues’ which has a protagonist, Ben Talon, who is like a cross between Edgar Rice Burroughs’ Billy ...more
Mar 12, 2026 10:48AM · 5 likes · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Honor Among Rogues by L. D. Whitney. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Honor Among Rogues by L. D. Whitney <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Steve Dilks rated a book it was amazing Sometime Lofty Towers by David C. Smith	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Smith has managed to write contemporary fiction that just happens to have its roots in sword-&-sorcery. Why Pulp Hero Press let this novel lapse out of print was not only their loss but almost a loss to the s-&-s genre itself. Thankfully, Brackenbury ...more
Feb 08, 2026 10:15AM · 5 likes · like · see review
Steve Dilks and 3 other people liked Neil Fulwood's review of Victims: "In this sensitive and finely nuanced work, Hutson brings his finessed literary craftsmanship to bear on the deep and abiding themes of … Who the fuck am I kidding? ‘Victims’, in which Uncle Shaunie delivers 288 pages of sex, violence and bad language" Read more of this review »
Aug 07, 2025 01:27PM · see review
Steve Dilks rated a book it was amazing The Scarlet Skull by C.E. Owston	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Well, this is a rarity. I picked it up a few years ago after hearing some good things. The author, C.E. (Chuck) Owston was active in Robert E. Howard fandom during the '70s but has long since moved on. I had totally forgotten I owned the book until I ...more
Aug 02, 2025 02:52AM · 4 likes · like · see review
Steve Dilks rated a book really liked it The Hour of the Dragon by Robert E. Howard	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
If you can find them, these Berkely editions are essential for your bookshelf. Great Ken Kelly artwork with informative intrdouctions by Karl Edward Wagner. As well as the original WEIRD TALES texts they also feature the original illustrations that a ...more
May 25, 2025 04:23PM · 6 likes · like · see review
Steve Dilks rated a book liked it Giant of World's End (World's End, #1) by Lin Carter	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
I first read this book 40 years ago when I was 12 or 13. I liked it well enough then though in the intervening years I recall very little. So, on a Lin Carter kick I find myself again re-reading THE QUEST OF KADJI and GIANT OF WORLD'S END. The former ...more
May 25, 2025 08:20AM · 9 likes · like · see review
Steve Dilks and 3 other people liked Jim Kuenzli's review of Night's Master (Tales from the Flat Earth, #1): "This book is a collection of loosely related fable like fantasy stories with dark themes. Tanith Lee—sometimes called the queen of horror fantasy or some such title, to me she can write pretty much anything and make it magical. People say this has an" Read more of this review »
Mar 18, 2025 02:23PM · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Night's Master by Tanith Lee. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Night's Master by Tanith Lee <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Steve Dilks liked Charles's review of We Are All Legends: "The character we follow through the stories is Julian, a fallen knight who believes he has failed God and will be claimed by the Devil, although, for reasons unknown, the Devil wants him to wander the world a while before taking his soul. Unlike most" Read more of this review »
Mar 14, 2025 10:14AM · see review

Steve Dilks rated a book really liked it

Whispers of the Goddess
by David J. West (Goodreads Author)

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

These are three stories set around the 1200s and the time of the Fourth Crusade. The first story, set in Constantiople, features two hard bitten rogues, Tyr, a Swedish sword wielding mercenary and Wolfram von Eschenbach, a Templar Knight who fancies ...more

Steve Dilks rated a book really liked it

Thune's Vision
by Schuyler Hernstrom

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Some back cover hyperbole:
'This collection is gold. Like the best Robert E. Howard, Jack Vance, and Fritz Leiber stories blended together but at the same time coming off as original... You would have thought that a book like this could never happen. Some back cover hyperbole:
'This collection is gold. Like the best Robert E. Howard, Jack Vance, and Fritz Leiber stories blended together but at the same time coming off as original... You would have thought that a book like this could never happen. You were wrong!'— Jeffro Johnson
'Hernstrom hasn't just picked up the fallen swords of Howard and Vance. With them, he carves out his own savage kingdom. Sword and Sorcery is not dead, friends. It was simply waiting for its new champion... ' – Daniel J. Davies.
High praise indeed, written by some guys I've never heard of, but the sentiment is sincere. I'm aware that this is an earlier collection bolstered with newer stories so I came in expecting some rougher round the edge moments. Before I delve into the yarns themselves, special mention must be made of the gorgeous cover by J.M. Blanchet. The design is a collage based on the opening story of the book.
On to the contents— some of these stories appeared in various publications before being collected, although there is no acknowledgment of that inside.
‘The Challenger’s Garland’ takes from the same exact Lord Dunsany influence that another indie s-&-s writer, John R. Fultz, utilized for his story, ‘Chivaine’ which was published in that author’s collection, WORLDS BEYOND WORLDS (DMR Books, 2021). Both stories seem hewn from the same prosaic template. If asked, I would be hard pressed to say which one was the better of the two. The good news is that both are equally excellent.
Unfortunately, I was disappointed by the next two stories. I can’t say I cared much for either ‘Athan and the Priestess’ or ‘The Movements of the Ige’. Both seem like earlier attempts at stories that explore similar themes more successfully in his later collection, THE EYE OF SOUNNU (DMR Books, 2020).
‘The Ecology of the Unicorn’ might draw parallels with either Dunsany or Clark Ashton Smith but it’s also the sort of thing L. Sprague de Camp was doing for the magazines during the ‘40s and ‘50s. Humourous fantasy written with a certain degree of charm and easy wit.
Which brings us to the longest piece in the book. ‘The Saga of Adalwolf’ is among the best I've read by Hernstrom. A Nordic revenge tale, I couldn’t help but think of Robert Eggers’ movie THE NORTHMAN while reading it; there’s a magic weapon, Odin and an obvious nod to the old sagas. Despite the parallels, this story was published five years before the movie came out so it’s no copy. I'm sure Robert E. Howard himself would have been impressed with this one. It’s not derivative of his style or any other writer I can pinpoint although it’s immersed in the ‘great Northern thing’ that the likes of Haggard and Anderson dabbled in. Blood, honour, magic, greed and doom. All wrapped up in 56 glorious pages. Great stuff.
“The Palace of the Androgyne,” takes the influence of Clark Ashton Smith and Jack Vance to a logical conclusion with colour and invention. As with ‘The Ecology of the Unicorn’ though, it is done without the signature prosaic language of those authors.
“Alien Mercy” felt like he was trying something different. The denouncement fell flat. Weakest story in the collection and could easily have been omitted.
Mortu and Kyrus return in ‘Servants of the War-God’. This is the third story featuring the duo. A second lesser known, story, ‘The Judgement of Daganha’ appeared in THE PENULTIMATE MEN (Pilum Press, 2020). That story seemed similar in structure to their first published outing, ‘Mortu and Kyrus in the White City’. I was hoping that their adventures weren’t going to adhere to something formulistic and this novella dispels my initial fears of that. Left over alien science from a far forgotten age figure prominently here as Mortu taps into his own racial memory and Kyrus finds a link to his Christian faith in the most unexpected of places. Plenty of imaginative encounters propel the narrative although still a lot of unresolved issues regarding the main characters, particularly the peculiar curse afflicting Kyrus. Fun as the pair’s adventures are, a little more sketched in character detail with each succeeding story would go a long way to bolstering what else is on display. I spotted a couple of typos and an inconsistency of weapon that Mortu is wielding in the final fight but these are minor niggles.
Overall, an enjoyable and colourful ride through the imagination of a writer whose enthusiasm in breathing new life into the golden age of SF and fantasy make him a joy to read.
Highlights— ‘The Challenger’s Garland’, ‘The Ecology of the Unicorn’, ‘The Palace of the Andrognye’, ‘The Saga of Adalwolf’. ...more

Steve Dilks rated a book it was amazing

Honor Among Rogues: Six Thrilling Tales of Pulp Adventure
by L. D. Whitney

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Whitney’s love of the adventure pulps is apparent on every page and each story blazes with enthusiasm. My favourites are the title story, ‘Honor Among Rogues’ which has a protagonist, Ben Talon, who is like a cross between Edgar Rice Burroughs’ Billy ...more

Steve Dilks rated a book it was amazing

Sometime Lofty Towers
by David C. Smith

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Smith has managed to write contemporary fiction that just happens to have its roots in sword-&-sorcery. Why Pulp Hero Press let this novel lapse out of print was not only their loss but almost a loss to the s-&-s genre itself. Thankfully, Brackenbury ...more

Steve Dilks and 3 other people liked Neil Fulwood's review of Victims:

"In this sensitive and finely nuanced work, Hutson brings his finessed literary craftsmanship to bear on the deep and abiding themes of … Who the fuck am I kidding? ‘Victims’, in which Uncle Shaunie delivers 288 pages of sex, violence and bad language" Read more of this review »

Steve Dilks rated a book it was amazing

The Scarlet Skull
by C.E. Owston

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Well, this is a rarity. I picked it up a few years ago after hearing some good things. The author, C.E. (Chuck) Owston was active in Robert E. Howard fandom during the '70s but has long since moved on. I had totally forgotten I owned the book until I ...more

Steve Dilks rated a book really liked it

The Hour of the Dragon
by Robert E. Howard

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

If you can find them, these Berkely editions are essential for your bookshelf. Great Ken Kelly artwork with informative intrdouctions by Karl Edward Wagner. As well as the original WEIRD TALES texts they also feature the original illustrations that a If you can find them, these Berkely editions are essential for your bookshelf. Great Ken Kelly artwork with informative intrdouctions by Karl Edward Wagner. As well as the original WEIRD TALES texts they also feature the original illustrations that accompanied them.
As for the novel itself though, I risk losing my Conan fan club card by announcing that this is not Howard at his best. The are some well written passages but overall it lacks atmosphere and relies too much on coincidence instead of a proper plot mechanation. Conan vanquishes everything that comes across his path all too easily. Tension, something which Howard excelled at, is largely missing. At times the writing borders on parody. The scene with Zenobia when she discovers our Cimmerian King chained in the dungeons below Belverus, for instance, is like a badly written Harlequin romance. She professes her undying love for him because she saw him brielfy when he was riding his horse on a state visit to the city. 'Here's the keys I stole from the jailer!' 'Here's a big knife you'll undoubtedly need to kill the giant man-ape that's lurking in the corridors!' 'Ive managed to procure you a horse and it's waiting for you at a fountain at the side of the city!' All this in one night from a simple slave-girl who never thought to do this for herself the whole time she was there. The whole sequence is just awkwardly put together. She's nothing more than a cipher in order for Conan to escape. So Conan escapes, kills a mercenary (who was conveniently waiting by the horse), dons his sword and armour then rides off disguised as a free companion. Later on, he's knocked unconcious, wakes up on a ship then literally seconds later, he's killed the captain, freed the slaves from their oars (who sailed with him in the good old days) and killed the crew. 'On to Stygia!' Arrives in Stygia, kills a giant snake that's wandering the streets with a single slash of his knife.
There's a lot of padding and stitching together to make up the important scenes which are made up from two earlier Conan novelettes, 'Black Colossus' and 'The Scarlet Citadel'. It's not surprising Howard used these as a springboard from which to work as they are both fantastic stories. Originally he intended the novel for the British hardback market. But both those earlier stories are excellently written—full of tension and atmosphere, things I find mostly lacking in THE HOUR OF THE DRAGON. For all my misgivings it does have some good moments but overall I see it as a 'Conan's Greatest Hits' compilation that actually misses some of Howard's better writing. ...more

Steve Dilks rated a book liked it

Giant of World's End (World's End, #1)
by Lin Carter

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

I first read this book 40 years ago when I was 12 or 13. I liked it well enough then though in the intervening years I recall very little. So, on a Lin Carter kick I find myself again re-reading THE QUEST OF KADJI and GIANT OF WORLD'S END. The former I first read this book 40 years ago when I was 12 or 13. I liked it well enough then though in the intervening years I recall very little. So, on a Lin Carter kick I find myself again re-reading THE QUEST OF KADJI and GIANT OF WORLD'S END. The former did not impress me but WORLD'S END I found myself enjoying immensely.

All Carter's wild imagaination is on display. He makes no bones about taking inspiration from A.E. Van Vogt's THE BOOK OF PTATH. I can see the invention of L. Frank Baum's OZ in here, too. The far-future is a chaotic place. Ganelon Silvermane is a construct, created by a forgotten race and kept in the Time Vaults to be awakened at a time when the earth is in need of him. He's a forerunner of He-Man, Thundarr, and all those Saturday morning cartoon heroes. If you enjoyed any of them then this novel will probably tick a lot of those nostalgic boxes, albeit on a slightly more mature level.

My one gripe is there are not enough action sequences for Silvermane to get his teeth into. There are a couple, and quite bloody, just not enough. The side characters that join him on his quest (a reluctant wizard and an amazonian warrior-woman) are worthy companions. Ganelon's quest is to save the earth from the falling moon but the plot is perfunctory. It's more about the wild journey and the encounters our heroes come across in this far-flung future age with its half remembered technologies and strange peoples.

My favourite part is probably the prairie pirates and their wheeled ships that sail the slipstreams of the grasslands. Indeed, this whole sub-plot makes for an entertaining story all its own. The wondrous city in the latter half is also a highlight with its descriptions of alien technological advancement, a senile nigh-immortal ruler, rusted run-down robots, and the wreckage of wars fought long ago.

GIANT OF WORLD'S END is sword-&-sorcery leaning deliberately to the side of Science-Fantasy. Or the other way round. It doesn't matter. It's a gonzo mash-up that just works for sheer fun. The end is quite satisfactory. Had it been slightly heavier on the action, I would have rated it higher although I'd give it a 3.5 stars. Carter wrote this then later revisited with a bunch of prequels. I tried reading them but never got the same vibe as I did from this one. As a stand alone, I'd recommend it as one of Carter's better books. ...more

Steve Dilks and 3 other people liked Jim Kuenzli's review of Night's Master (Tales from the Flat Earth, #1):

"This book is a collection of loosely related fable like fantasy stories with dark themes. Tanith Lee—sometimes called the queen of horror fantasy or some such title, to me she can write pretty much anything and make it magical. People say this has an" Read more of this review »

Steve Dilks liked Charles's review of We Are All Legends:

We Are All Legends by Darrell Schweitzer

"The character we follow through the stories is Julian, a fallen knight who believes he has failed God and will be claimed by the Devil, although, for reasons unknown, the Devil wants him to wander the world a while before taking his soul. Unlike most" Read more of this review »

Steve Dilks’s Followers (44)

Steve’s Bookshelves

Steve’s Friends (41)

Steve Dilks

Goodreads Author

Learn more
Ask the Author

Popular Answered Questions

Combine Editions
Steve Dilks’s books

0 posts
Steve Dilks's Blog

rss
Steve’s Recent Updates

See a Problem?

Preview — Whispers of the Goddess by David J. West

See a Problem?

Preview — Honor Among Rogues by L. D. Whitney

See a Problem?

Preview — Night's Master by Tanith Lee

Topics Mentioning This Author

recent posts
Steve’s Groups

Steve’s Friend Comments

	Gunthar- Warrior of the Lost World. 4.42 avg rating — 26 ratings — published 2019 — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Bohun: The Complete Savage Adventures 4.30 avg rating — 23 ratings — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Gunthar - The Purple Priestess of Asshtar 3.61 avg rating — 23 ratings — published 2014 — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Savage Realms Monthly: May 2024: A collection of dark fantasy sword and sorcery short adventure stories (Savage Realms Monthly Dark Fantasy Sword and Sorcery Adventure Magazine Book 28) by Steve Dilks (Goodreads Author), Matthew McConkey, Johnathan DeLaughter 4.41 avg rating — 17 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Gunthar - The Devil from Beyond. 4.06 avg rating — 17 ratings — published 2015 — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Gunthar and the Jaguar Queen 3.47 avg rating — 19 ratings — published 2013 — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Black Dust and other stories 3.75 avg rating — 12 ratings — 4 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Lost Winds of Mars 3.91 avg rating — 11 ratings — published 2014	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Riders of the Fire 3.82 avg rating — 11 ratings — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Bohun- Warrior of Damzullah 3.44 avg rating — 9 ratings — published 2018 — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Steve Dilks’s Followers (44)

Steve’s Bookshelves

Steve’s Friends (41)

Steve Dilks

Goodreads Author

Learn moreAsk the Author

Popular Answered Questions

Combine EditionsSteve Dilks’s books

0 postsSteve Dilks's Blog

rssSteve’s Recent Updates

See a Problem?

Preview — Whispers of the Goddess by David J. West

See a Problem?

Preview — Honor Among Rogues by L. D. Whitney

See a Problem?

Preview — Night's Master by Tanith Lee

Topics Mentioning This Author

recent postsSteve’s Groups

Steve’s Friend Comments

Learn more
Ask the Author

Combine Editions
Steve Dilks’s books

0 posts
Steve Dilks's Blog

rss
Steve’s Recent Updates

recent posts
Steve’s Groups