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Neither Beg Nor Yield: Stories with S&S Attitude
Can you handle the truth? Sword & Sorcery has always been about the attitude.
Stop seeking elaborate definitions. Cease arguing over semantics and accoutrements. Quit making it more difficult than necessary. Learn the fundamental immutability of the S&S Protagonists with nonchalant mercenary motivations & indomitable wills. It’s all in their attitude.
The definition of S&S has never been clearer.
Sword & Sorcery warriors are very, very dangerous people, considered barbaric, who act according to their own codes of honor in pursuit of their own ends. Brothers (and sisters) to THE WILD BUNCH, comrades of the SEVEN SAMURAI, partners of every MAN IN BLACK, and riders in every WILD HUNT. They don’t just seize the day—they seize Life itself by the throat and squeeze until it begs. They don’t falter in the dark or before the unknown—they spit in the face of Death itself and stomp it into the dirt until it yields.
“Life is not breath but action.” ~ Jean Jacques Rousseau
“Fear won't stop you from dying, but it can stop you from living.” ~ James Norbury
“We are here to laugh at the odds and live our lives so well that Death will tremble to take us.”~ Charles Bukowski
“Laugh or die.”~ Angélique Kidjo
NEITHER BEG NOR YIELD: STORIES WITH S&S ATTITUDE is filled with over 180,000 words in 20 stories! This is THE BOOK OF SWORD & SORCERY that will define the genre for generations. Reading the powerful tales from these storytellers will permanently answer the WHAT IS SWORD & SORCERY?
It’s always been its attitude!
Discover the truth as Eadwine Brown, Adrian Cole, Glen Cook, Steve Dilks, Chuck Dixon, Phil Emery, Steven Erikson, John R. Fultz, Steve Goble, John C. Hocking, Howard Andrew Jones, William King, Joe R. Lansdale, David C. Smith, Jeff Stewart, Keith J. Taylor, Frederick Tor, Eric Turowski, Bill Ward, Lawrence A. Weinstein, and C.L. Werner share it!
Stop seeking elaborate definitions. Cease arguing over semantics and accoutrements. Quit making it more difficult than necessary. Learn the fundamental immutability of the S&S Protagonists with nonchalant mercenary motivations & indomitable wills. It’s all in their attitude.
The definition of S&S has never been clearer.
Sword & Sorcery warriors are very, very dangerous people, considered barbaric, who act according to their own codes of honor in pursuit of their own ends. Brothers (and sisters) to THE WILD BUNCH, comrades of the SEVEN SAMURAI, partners of every MAN IN BLACK, and riders in every WILD HUNT. They don’t just seize the day—they seize Life itself by the throat and squeeze until it begs. They don’t falter in the dark or before the unknown—they spit in the face of Death itself and stomp it into the dirt until it yields.
“Life is not breath but action.” ~ Jean Jacques Rousseau
“Fear won't stop you from dying, but it can stop you from living.” ~ James Norbury
“We are here to laugh at the odds and live our lives so well that Death will tremble to take us.”~ Charles Bukowski
“Laugh or die.”~ Angélique Kidjo
NEITHER BEG NOR YIELD: STORIES WITH S&S ATTITUDE is filled with over 180,000 words in 20 stories! This is THE BOOK OF SWORD & SORCERY that will define the genre for generations. Reading the powerful tales from these storytellers will permanently answer the WHAT IS SWORD & SORCERY?
It’s always been its attitude!
Discover the truth as Eadwine Brown, Adrian Cole, Glen Cook, Steve Dilks, Chuck Dixon, Phil Emery, Steven Erikson, John R. Fultz, Steve Goble, John C. Hocking, Howard Andrew Jones, William King, Joe R. Lansdale, David C. Smith, Jeff Stewart, Keith J. Taylor, Frederick Tor, Eric Turowski, Bill Ward, Lawrence A. Weinstein, and C.L. Werner share it!
466 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 26, 2024
28 people are currently reading
59 people want to read
About the author
Jason M. Waltz
41 books73 followersI edited and published numerous heroic titles under Rogue Blades as both RBE, a micro publisher of heroic adventure fiction, and RBF, a nonprofit literary publisher of explorations of the heroic. If you enjoy hard-hitting, fast-paced tales of ringing steel and dark magics found in the battles of lore and myth, updated and written for the modern reader, you should check them out.
Personally, I also write heroic tales. Jason M (with and without that pesky period) are one and the same. Jason M Waltz enjoys sharing tales of heroes who are willing to step into the gap...sometimes to fill it, sometimes to make it wider.
Personally, I also write heroic tales. Jason M (with and without that pesky period) are one and the same. Jason M Waltz enjoys sharing tales of heroes who are willing to step into the gap...sometimes to fill it, sometimes to make it wider.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
January 1, 2025
This is likely to be a long review. Hang in there, this might get a little rough. I backed this book on Kickstarter because: 1) I like Jason M. Waltz (the Editor); 2) It had a story by Howard Andrew Jones; and 3) It had a story by John C. Hocking. I was asked to review this book by the editor, so I put things on hold and dove right in, which was probably good, because in all honesty, other than the Howard Andrew Jones and John C. Hocking stories, it probably would have been at least two years before I got to this book.
"Hunters and Prey" by CL Werner was first. I thought a Japanese samurai-era sword and sorcery tale was wonderfully unique. I've not read any of his work before, so I should probably look for some of his stories because I really liked this one. I thought the story structure was interesting - the first characters introduced aren't actually the hero, which surprised me. There are spider demons, husk animations, and all kinds of weirdness. Shintaro Oba and Akuryo both display the quintessential attitude of Sword & Sorcery. They are both indomitable and unstoppable. Have you ever seen "Rustler's Rapsody"? It's a Western where they explore what happens if two classic Western good guys are hired to kill each other. This is kind of similar - what happens when two Sword & Sorcery heroes go after each other. While the Western is played for laughs, this one is deadly serious, which S&S should be. Brilliant. Great start to this collection!
"Prince of Dragons" by William King was next. Another author I've not heard of, but the story was brilliantly fashioned. I liked that it gave an overview of the character's life. I've not really seen that structure in a Sword & Sorcery tale before, and I liked it. It showed a character growth not usually seen in these stories. I liked the final battle and how it all came together. Brilliantly written. I also liked that the dog in the story was named "Balthus," a clear nod to Robert E. Howard's Beyond the Black River, where a character named Balthus had a dog. I very much liked the battle with the demon at the end. It's hard to show an eldritch power and still be able to fight it without making one look chintzy or the other look helped-by-the-author, but William King really pulled it off. The demon was awesome, but Kormak was portrayed as capably up to the task.
"Suspension in Silver" by Eric Torowski. Another author I've never heard of. I wasn't expecting a modern-day horror story. As such, it's pretty darn effective. I liked the magic. I struggled with some of the slang (it's funny that I didn't have to look up the Japanese weapon names in the first story, but I had no idea what "bogarted" and a few other things meant). I do think some of these modern-setting "S&S" stories go overboard with crude language.
It was pretty good as a werewolf story, but this is the first time I've ever seen a Sword & Sorcery story set in a modern setting, and in a tattoo parlor. I am not sure this really worked. It basically felt like I was reading a True Blood or Sookie Stackhouse pastiche. I loved the character Blue, though. He was great. The hero of the story is a biker named Irons. I, of course, instantly picture Jeremy Irons in the role, and hear his voice for the rest of the story when Irons speaks (which isn't bad because I like Jeremy Irons). He uses a drive chain as a weapon, which was pretty cool. It worked for me as a horror story, and a werewolf story, but not so much as "sword & sorcery."
"Soldier, Seeker, Slayer" by John C. Hocking . Now this is an author I know. I had the pleasure of reading both his Conan pastiches (even the unpublished one) and many of his short stories. He's one the reasons I backed this volume. He doesn't disappoint here. It's a great story of mystical enslavement and the willpower to fight against it at the end.
The hero is Creon, and he has a daughter that has been stolen from him. It's obvious something is wrong with Creon, and the way John Hocking writes it, it comes across as though he is drugged. I really liked this. It instantly put me on edge, wondering what was actually going on. I love when someone's writing style can clue me in like that without ever expressly stating it. Great writing, right there. He has some kind of thing called a "preceptor" helping him (preceptor means "teacher" so that sends off alarm bells). This preceptor is some kind of covering over the stump of a removed hand that kind of has Wolverine claws in it, and an eldritch intelligence. It's really bizarre, adding to the nightmarish quality of what is going on with Creon. Anyway, his willpower overpowers all of that and we are treated to a great ending to the story. Top marks. I am a little biased toward John C. Hocking, but I honestly felt like this was a fun story to read.
"Harvest of the Blood-King" by Steve Dilks. I’ve heard this author’s name, but I honestly couldn’t think of what he had written when I started the story (luckily, the editor filled me with a blurb at the end of his story), so even though his name felt familiar, I didn’t have any particular bias when I started this story. He was new to me, as far as I could recall.
The plot of “Harvest of the Blood-King” was spectacular. So much of it reminded me of Robert E. Howard's Beyond the Black River in terms of setting and how the colonists were pushing back the people already in the area. I liked the protagonists. I loved the background politics. That felt real. The way political losers get shoved into places where they can’t cause problems, and then removed anyway was excellently portrayed. I loved the political plot twist at the end. One thing I learned about this author is that he knows how to plot an interesting story.
The villain was a capable and powerful spellcaster, able to cast a powerful and frightening spell. The twist at the end with the king was a GREAT twist! That plot twist made a lot of sense and made the story so much richer.
"The Stone from the Stars" by Chuck Dixon. Chuck Dixon? The guy who used to write Savage Sword of Conan when I was a teenager? He's still around and writing short stories now? Yep. Who knew? Anyway, great story. I liked the light haired guy paired with the dark haired guy like a 70s TV show (So many shows back then paired a light haired guy with a dark haired guy: Dukes of Hazzard, Planet of the Apes, Starsky & Hutch, etc. Even "Rome" did it, just not in the 70s.). Really fun story. Not surprised - he wrote great SSoC stories back in the day. Hagen & Pilsner were fun characters.
"Evil World" by John R. Fultz was a fascinating tale. I'm not familiar with John R. Fultz, so he's new to me. Like an earlier tale in this book, it gives us snippets of Gnori's life at various points, as well as some backstory. This story felt like mythology, and it echoed some points of Achilles, which I really appreciated. I also liked that Gnori couldn't live with the final result and just left. Great story.
"Reckoning" by Keith J Taylor was a gripping story. I've also not heard of Keith J Taylor before, but I really liked how he handled and structured this story, how he showcased each character, and how he made each combat scene particularly brutal in their own way. And short. Too many people make fights over-long, but not here. Loved that. Great characters. I liked the merrow too. Really great story.
"The Golden Devils of the Crypt" by Phil Emery was the most amateurish bit of writing I've encountered in a long time. I couldn't even finish it. really poor word choices, strange word choices, and unclear descriptions. So much of it felt out of synch. No one's motivations or choices made a bit of sense. They battle each other with hateful fury one paragraph, then decide to team up the next, with non-stop bickering dialogue. The battle on the sheet was so over the top, I started to wonder if this was parody instead of a serious attempt to write Sword & Sorcery. Seriously, the man was swinging a sword, his body flapping loose, and he still managed to use his off-hand to climb higher somehow. I know the editor doesn’t like me describing this story as “amateurish,” but it all honesty, in my opinion, it is amateurish. It reads like a 12-year old’s attempt at a story.
"The Undead of Sul-Atet" by David C. Smith. Now that was a story! Dang! After that last one, I had to read another to back into a positive frame of mind. I know David C. Smith's writing. He is a master and it shows here. It drips with atmosphere and eldritch power. He makes a demon feel like an actual powerhouse of fearsome magic. His characters are motivated and clear. You know who they are. It also reminded me of Robert E. Howard's "Worms of the Earth," where the character has to make a distasteful choice in order to win the day for his people. This tale was epic!
"Shades of Nacross Hill" by Frederick Tor, another author I had never heard of, but... wow! He knows how to set a scene and fill it with atmosphere! This story was truly chilling. The guy hobbling about on four canes was honestly creepy AF. The ghosts were terrifying and I loved the conclusion. I love stories that make me feel something, and this one made me feel chilling terror. Wonderful!
"The Organ Grinder's Monkey" by Joe R. Lansdale. An author I know! I generally like his work, but this one was too crude for my taste. It was still an entertaining story, just not one I want to revisit just from the crude language used - this isn't a story I'll want to re-read. This was a really weird story, but it was atmospheric. I loved the magic pipe wrench, and I liked the characters. I liked the little twist at the end, appropriate for S&S, even though I would not consider this story S&S at all. It's a weird sci-fi fantasy story that felt more like a fever dream than a reality. I really hated the crude language, though. Lots of unnecessary sexual talk, and way too much talk about bodily fluids and droppings. I don't understand why everyone who decides to try to write a modern-day setting "S&S" tale suddenly has to get all crude in the language. I live in a modern-day setting, and encounter very little crudeness in people's speech.
"Vengeance, By Wind and Tide" by Eadwin Brown. I've not heard of this author before, but I'm going to look up some of his work. This should be the crown jewel of this collection. It is a modern work, but it is also absolutely CLASSIC S&S. It could have been in 1930s Weird Tales. It's perfect. It has none of the nonsense that modern S&S has started doing. The first paragraph had a wonderful image of the main character. And he actually describes his characters with animal motifs! Such wonderful images, too. "Twisted and gnarled like a veteran olive tree" was a favorite. I took great relish in savoring each separate word, rolling them over my tongue. It rare when a modern work makes me want to say the sentences out loud. Oh, and the atmosphere! PERFECT! The bad dreams, the yellow lotus, the Plateau of Leng, the Voorish sign, and the powder of ibn gazi. He snuck it into the Mythos. Wasn't expecting that from the start. Too many make it obvious from the outset. And I love djinn stories. I enjoyed how the djinn evoked the situation of Yag-kosha without directly copying it. It added an element of joy to my reading. It was like discovering that someone likes something I like. Instant connection to the reader. Well, to this reader, anyway!
The story was an homage to the classic REH Tower of the Elephant, but it was perfectly done. It honored without mimicking. I went to bed thinking of this story, and I woke up thinking about it. It should be hailed as an instant classic throughout the length and breadth of the land. I feel like I did when I first discovered "The People of the Black Circle," like I discovered a new and real world, just lost in the mists of time... but here is a scroll to reveal its wonders to me.
Really great story. I can't praise it enough. Absolutely among the best short stories I've ever read. Just fun. Great descriptions, and the ending was perfect. No crude language, no weird word combinations to replace perfectly good words that already exists, no strained insults because no one knows how to talk to buddies, just straight up sword & sorcery with solid pacing, great dialogue, realistic scenes, and amazing images.
I will be rereading this one often. When my physical copy arrives, a bookmark will be placed here. Classic & perfect.
"Isekai Sengokumonogatari" by Glenn Cook. This is a name I recognize, but an author I've never read. I own a book by him, The Black Company, that I bought in the late 1980s or early 1990s, but I never read it. It sits on my shelf and yells at me, because it's a classic of the genre, yet I just never chose it. So, this is my first encounter with his writing. First off, I am loving the Japanese-themed S&S in this volume. That is new to me, and I like it. Second of all, this is a wonderful tale! It's full of mysticism, atmosphere, and wonder. Third of all, I really liked the characters. Shinzutoro is an amazing hero. He has faults (he's lazy if he's not fighting) but he is an expert warrior. He's no fool. he other characters were fun to read. I loved the Black Crow Lady and her interactions with the party. This grabbed me from the start and didn't let go. I loved every moment of this story. Now I have another reason to read that book I bought. This time I want to read it not because it's an icon of the genre, but because I love how this author writes.
"Bona No Croin" by Jeff Stewart. Another author I've not heard of. I almost stopped reading after the first section because I hate the pronoun game, and a few of the sentences were SO confusing because of it. However, I kept on and it turned out to be a decent little story. I liked the pony as a sword brother, but he didn't figure into it as much as I would have hoped. The Fomorian at the end was cool though.
"Virgins for Khuul" by Steve Goble. I’ve not heard of this author before. Wow! I liked the little origin story for Calthus the author related here. Is there a short story of this, or something just now made up? Either way, I am intrigued. I want to know more. This is story-telling gold here. Something new. I really like Calthus. This was a great story from start to finish.
"The Last Vandals on Earth" by Steven Erikson . I hated this story. HATED. I don't even think the author likes the genre. I can’t say this is bad or badly written. I can only say it is written in a style I do not like. Historical names and places flung hither and thither, because all the characters are historians, plotless within a rambling discourse on whatever popped into the narrator’s head. Way too much crude language. I think the author felt challenged to throw as many cultural names into the story as humanly possible.
"The Barbarian's Lawyer" by Lawrence A. Weinstein almost lost me quickly. The story starts out with a lawyer digging through a barbarian’s feces for a jewel. What is with the crudity? Why the gross-out scene? This immediately turned me off. I nearly just skipped the story. I'm glad I didn't. Turned out to be a really good S&S story that I really liked. Loved the characters. Adored the ending.
"Reflection from a Tarnished Mirror" by Howard Andrew Jones. I must admit a bias here: I have a whole shelf full of Howard Andrew Jones books, short story collections, and magazines. Big Fan. I've only recently started on his Hanuvar books (and actually paused reading the first one to review this collection), so I was super happy to have this Hanuvar story. GREAT story. True Sword & Sorcery.
"Maiden Flight" by Adrian Cole, a name I feel I have heard before, but I honestly can't place it. Anyway, this was a pretty good little tale. I liked all the undead and all the challenges, and the main character's determination to live no matter what.
With the exception of two stories, I loved this volume. Really happy I took the time to read and review these. I'm rating it four stars despite those two stories, though. Skip those, and you do have a really wonderful work here. If you have any questions about any of these stories, I have pages of notes on most of them, and would happily discuss them!
"Hunters and Prey" by CL Werner was first. I thought a Japanese samurai-era sword and sorcery tale was wonderfully unique. I've not read any of his work before, so I should probably look for some of his stories because I really liked this one. I thought the story structure was interesting - the first characters introduced aren't actually the hero, which surprised me. There are spider demons, husk animations, and all kinds of weirdness. Shintaro Oba and Akuryo both display the quintessential attitude of Sword & Sorcery. They are both indomitable and unstoppable. Have you ever seen "Rustler's Rapsody"? It's a Western where they explore what happens if two classic Western good guys are hired to kill each other. This is kind of similar - what happens when two Sword & Sorcery heroes go after each other. While the Western is played for laughs, this one is deadly serious, which S&S should be. Brilliant. Great start to this collection!
"Prince of Dragons" by William King was next. Another author I've not heard of, but the story was brilliantly fashioned. I liked that it gave an overview of the character's life. I've not really seen that structure in a Sword & Sorcery tale before, and I liked it. It showed a character growth not usually seen in these stories. I liked the final battle and how it all came together. Brilliantly written. I also liked that the dog in the story was named "Balthus," a clear nod to Robert E. Howard's Beyond the Black River, where a character named Balthus had a dog. I very much liked the battle with the demon at the end. It's hard to show an eldritch power and still be able to fight it without making one look chintzy or the other look helped-by-the-author, but William King really pulled it off. The demon was awesome, but Kormak was portrayed as capably up to the task.
"Suspension in Silver" by Eric Torowski. Another author I've never heard of. I wasn't expecting a modern-day horror story. As such, it's pretty darn effective. I liked the magic. I struggled with some of the slang (it's funny that I didn't have to look up the Japanese weapon names in the first story, but I had no idea what "bogarted" and a few other things meant). I do think some of these modern-setting "S&S" stories go overboard with crude language.
It was pretty good as a werewolf story, but this is the first time I've ever seen a Sword & Sorcery story set in a modern setting, and in a tattoo parlor. I am not sure this really worked. It basically felt like I was reading a True Blood or Sookie Stackhouse pastiche. I loved the character Blue, though. He was great. The hero of the story is a biker named Irons. I, of course, instantly picture Jeremy Irons in the role, and hear his voice for the rest of the story when Irons speaks (which isn't bad because I like Jeremy Irons). He uses a drive chain as a weapon, which was pretty cool. It worked for me as a horror story, and a werewolf story, but not so much as "sword & sorcery."
"Soldier, Seeker, Slayer" by John C. Hocking . Now this is an author I know. I had the pleasure of reading both his Conan pastiches (even the unpublished one) and many of his short stories. He's one the reasons I backed this volume. He doesn't disappoint here. It's a great story of mystical enslavement and the willpower to fight against it at the end.
The hero is Creon, and he has a daughter that has been stolen from him. It's obvious something is wrong with Creon, and the way John Hocking writes it, it comes across as though he is drugged. I really liked this. It instantly put me on edge, wondering what was actually going on. I love when someone's writing style can clue me in like that without ever expressly stating it. Great writing, right there. He has some kind of thing called a "preceptor" helping him (preceptor means "teacher" so that sends off alarm bells). This preceptor is some kind of covering over the stump of a removed hand that kind of has Wolverine claws in it, and an eldritch intelligence. It's really bizarre, adding to the nightmarish quality of what is going on with Creon. Anyway, his willpower overpowers all of that and we are treated to a great ending to the story. Top marks. I am a little biased toward John C. Hocking, but I honestly felt like this was a fun story to read.
"Harvest of the Blood-King" by Steve Dilks. I’ve heard this author’s name, but I honestly couldn’t think of what he had written when I started the story (luckily, the editor filled me with a blurb at the end of his story), so even though his name felt familiar, I didn’t have any particular bias when I started this story. He was new to me, as far as I could recall.
The plot of “Harvest of the Blood-King” was spectacular. So much of it reminded me of Robert E. Howard's Beyond the Black River in terms of setting and how the colonists were pushing back the people already in the area. I liked the protagonists. I loved the background politics. That felt real. The way political losers get shoved into places where they can’t cause problems, and then removed anyway was excellently portrayed. I loved the political plot twist at the end. One thing I learned about this author is that he knows how to plot an interesting story.
The villain was a capable and powerful spellcaster, able to cast a powerful and frightening spell. The twist at the end with the king was a GREAT twist! That plot twist made a lot of sense and made the story so much richer.
"The Stone from the Stars" by Chuck Dixon. Chuck Dixon? The guy who used to write Savage Sword of Conan when I was a teenager? He's still around and writing short stories now? Yep. Who knew? Anyway, great story. I liked the light haired guy paired with the dark haired guy like a 70s TV show (So many shows back then paired a light haired guy with a dark haired guy: Dukes of Hazzard, Planet of the Apes, Starsky & Hutch, etc. Even "Rome" did it, just not in the 70s.). Really fun story. Not surprised - he wrote great SSoC stories back in the day. Hagen & Pilsner were fun characters.
"Evil World" by John R. Fultz was a fascinating tale. I'm not familiar with John R. Fultz, so he's new to me. Like an earlier tale in this book, it gives us snippets of Gnori's life at various points, as well as some backstory. This story felt like mythology, and it echoed some points of Achilles, which I really appreciated. I also liked that Gnori couldn't live with the final result and just left. Great story.
"Reckoning" by Keith J Taylor was a gripping story. I've also not heard of Keith J Taylor before, but I really liked how he handled and structured this story, how he showcased each character, and how he made each combat scene particularly brutal in their own way. And short. Too many people make fights over-long, but not here. Loved that. Great characters. I liked the merrow too. Really great story.
"The Golden Devils of the Crypt" by Phil Emery was the most amateurish bit of writing I've encountered in a long time. I couldn't even finish it. really poor word choices, strange word choices, and unclear descriptions. So much of it felt out of synch. No one's motivations or choices made a bit of sense. They battle each other with hateful fury one paragraph, then decide to team up the next, with non-stop bickering dialogue. The battle on the sheet was so over the top, I started to wonder if this was parody instead of a serious attempt to write Sword & Sorcery. Seriously, the man was swinging a sword, his body flapping loose, and he still managed to use his off-hand to climb higher somehow. I know the editor doesn’t like me describing this story as “amateurish,” but it all honesty, in my opinion, it is amateurish. It reads like a 12-year old’s attempt at a story.
"The Undead of Sul-Atet" by David C. Smith. Now that was a story! Dang! After that last one, I had to read another to back into a positive frame of mind. I know David C. Smith's writing. He is a master and it shows here. It drips with atmosphere and eldritch power. He makes a demon feel like an actual powerhouse of fearsome magic. His characters are motivated and clear. You know who they are. It also reminded me of Robert E. Howard's "Worms of the Earth," where the character has to make a distasteful choice in order to win the day for his people. This tale was epic!
"Shades of Nacross Hill" by Frederick Tor, another author I had never heard of, but... wow! He knows how to set a scene and fill it with atmosphere! This story was truly chilling. The guy hobbling about on four canes was honestly creepy AF. The ghosts were terrifying and I loved the conclusion. I love stories that make me feel something, and this one made me feel chilling terror. Wonderful!
"The Organ Grinder's Monkey" by Joe R. Lansdale. An author I know! I generally like his work, but this one was too crude for my taste. It was still an entertaining story, just not one I want to revisit just from the crude language used - this isn't a story I'll want to re-read. This was a really weird story, but it was atmospheric. I loved the magic pipe wrench, and I liked the characters. I liked the little twist at the end, appropriate for S&S, even though I would not consider this story S&S at all. It's a weird sci-fi fantasy story that felt more like a fever dream than a reality. I really hated the crude language, though. Lots of unnecessary sexual talk, and way too much talk about bodily fluids and droppings. I don't understand why everyone who decides to try to write a modern-day setting "S&S" tale suddenly has to get all crude in the language. I live in a modern-day setting, and encounter very little crudeness in people's speech.
"Vengeance, By Wind and Tide" by Eadwin Brown. I've not heard of this author before, but I'm going to look up some of his work. This should be the crown jewel of this collection. It is a modern work, but it is also absolutely CLASSIC S&S. It could have been in 1930s Weird Tales. It's perfect. It has none of the nonsense that modern S&S has started doing. The first paragraph had a wonderful image of the main character. And he actually describes his characters with animal motifs! Such wonderful images, too. "Twisted and gnarled like a veteran olive tree" was a favorite. I took great relish in savoring each separate word, rolling them over my tongue. It rare when a modern work makes me want to say the sentences out loud. Oh, and the atmosphere! PERFECT! The bad dreams, the yellow lotus, the Plateau of Leng, the Voorish sign, and the powder of ibn gazi. He snuck it into the Mythos. Wasn't expecting that from the start. Too many make it obvious from the outset. And I love djinn stories. I enjoyed how the djinn evoked the situation of Yag-kosha without directly copying it. It added an element of joy to my reading. It was like discovering that someone likes something I like. Instant connection to the reader. Well, to this reader, anyway!
The story was an homage to the classic REH Tower of the Elephant, but it was perfectly done. It honored without mimicking. I went to bed thinking of this story, and I woke up thinking about it. It should be hailed as an instant classic throughout the length and breadth of the land. I feel like I did when I first discovered "The People of the Black Circle," like I discovered a new and real world, just lost in the mists of time... but here is a scroll to reveal its wonders to me.
Really great story. I can't praise it enough. Absolutely among the best short stories I've ever read. Just fun. Great descriptions, and the ending was perfect. No crude language, no weird word combinations to replace perfectly good words that already exists, no strained insults because no one knows how to talk to buddies, just straight up sword & sorcery with solid pacing, great dialogue, realistic scenes, and amazing images.
I will be rereading this one often. When my physical copy arrives, a bookmark will be placed here. Classic & perfect.
"Isekai Sengokumonogatari" by Glenn Cook. This is a name I recognize, but an author I've never read. I own a book by him, The Black Company, that I bought in the late 1980s or early 1990s, but I never read it. It sits on my shelf and yells at me, because it's a classic of the genre, yet I just never chose it. So, this is my first encounter with his writing. First off, I am loving the Japanese-themed S&S in this volume. That is new to me, and I like it. Second of all, this is a wonderful tale! It's full of mysticism, atmosphere, and wonder. Third of all, I really liked the characters. Shinzutoro is an amazing hero. He has faults (he's lazy if he's not fighting) but he is an expert warrior. He's no fool. he other characters were fun to read. I loved the Black Crow Lady and her interactions with the party. This grabbed me from the start and didn't let go. I loved every moment of this story. Now I have another reason to read that book I bought. This time I want to read it not because it's an icon of the genre, but because I love how this author writes.
"Bona No Croin" by Jeff Stewart. Another author I've not heard of. I almost stopped reading after the first section because I hate the pronoun game, and a few of the sentences were SO confusing because of it. However, I kept on and it turned out to be a decent little story. I liked the pony as a sword brother, but he didn't figure into it as much as I would have hoped. The Fomorian at the end was cool though.
"Virgins for Khuul" by Steve Goble. I’ve not heard of this author before. Wow! I liked the little origin story for Calthus the author related here. Is there a short story of this, or something just now made up? Either way, I am intrigued. I want to know more. This is story-telling gold here. Something new. I really like Calthus. This was a great story from start to finish.
"The Last Vandals on Earth" by Steven Erikson . I hated this story. HATED. I don't even think the author likes the genre. I can’t say this is bad or badly written. I can only say it is written in a style I do not like. Historical names and places flung hither and thither, because all the characters are historians, plotless within a rambling discourse on whatever popped into the narrator’s head. Way too much crude language. I think the author felt challenged to throw as many cultural names into the story as humanly possible.
"The Barbarian's Lawyer" by Lawrence A. Weinstein almost lost me quickly. The story starts out with a lawyer digging through a barbarian’s feces for a jewel. What is with the crudity? Why the gross-out scene? This immediately turned me off. I nearly just skipped the story. I'm glad I didn't. Turned out to be a really good S&S story that I really liked. Loved the characters. Adored the ending.
"Reflection from a Tarnished Mirror" by Howard Andrew Jones. I must admit a bias here: I have a whole shelf full of Howard Andrew Jones books, short story collections, and magazines. Big Fan. I've only recently started on his Hanuvar books (and actually paused reading the first one to review this collection), so I was super happy to have this Hanuvar story. GREAT story. True Sword & Sorcery.
"Maiden Flight" by Adrian Cole, a name I feel I have heard before, but I honestly can't place it. Anyway, this was a pretty good little tale. I liked all the undead and all the challenges, and the main character's determination to live no matter what.
With the exception of two stories, I loved this volume. Really happy I took the time to read and review these. I'm rating it four stars despite those two stories, though. Skip those, and you do have a really wonderful work here. If you have any questions about any of these stories, I have pages of notes on most of them, and would happily discuss them!
August 7, 2024
This was the best sword and sorcery anthology I’ve read in years. No question. The general editorial premise (argument, really) is that sword and sorcery is an attitude rather than a set of narrative conventions or plot tropes. The S&S attitude, as defined by the editor Jason M. Waltz, is on the side of life: i.e., more life, more intensity of life experience, even more aggression toward the inevitability of finitude (or “anti-death”). You can see how this theme plays out in almost all of the stories, with Adrian Cole’s “Maiden Flight” being the most compressed, emblematic treatment of the theme (a doomed warrior faces off against the Valkyrie who has chosen him to move on to Valhalla). In other words, all the stories are about raging against the dying of the light. I’m working on a longer, more formal essay that treats this anthology and will be published elsewhere, so I won’t march through each story, but I can honestly say that none of these stories were misfires for me. It's like an album where every song is a banger. There was one that deployed humor and satire (not my go-to elements in S&S), and even that story worked for me. David C. Smith’s “The Undead of Sul-Atet” is an absolute masterpiece: dark, philosophical, cosmic in scope, ambitious, one for the stars. If that story is not available elsewhere, it’s worth the anthology purchase alone. Eadwine Brown’s “Vengeance by Wind and Tide” was truly escapist, blood and brine and flashing steel. C.L. Werner’s “Hunters and Prey” was very atmospheric and has a compelling, unorthodox and memorable protagonist. Howard Andrew Jones’ new Hanuvar tale is intriguing and emotional, a tragic homage to Robert E. Howard’s "James Allison" tales. Finally, the art–cover and interior illustrations–is brilliant. M.D. Jackson’s ink drawings on the inside were a pleasure. RBE delivered.
March 1, 2024
I have so many good things to say about this book; however, my positive experience aligns with that of other reviewers. There were only two stories that weren’t tops for me, but even those were enjoyable, just not as enjoyable as the rest.
The theme of never yielding is spot on for sword and sorcery. The story selection and the cast of writers is fantastic. The interior art is fantastic. Jason’s “afterwords” about each author and/or the story are entertaining and even a bit educational (in the sense of “oh, I didn’t know that” or “cool! New author/story to seek out”).
If you’re constantly gripping that “they don’t make ‘em like they used to”, this book definitely says, “oh yes they do”. If I were asked, “what is a good anthology for folks that are curious about modern S&S?” Without hesitation, I would respond “Neither Beg Nor Yield”.
The theme of never yielding is spot on for sword and sorcery. The story selection and the cast of writers is fantastic. The interior art is fantastic. Jason’s “afterwords” about each author and/or the story are entertaining and even a bit educational (in the sense of “oh, I didn’t know that” or “cool! New author/story to seek out”).
If you’re constantly gripping that “they don’t make ‘em like they used to”, this book definitely says, “oh yes they do”. If I were asked, “what is a good anthology for folks that are curious about modern S&S?” Without hesitation, I would respond “Neither Beg Nor Yield”.
January 25, 2024
Wild compilation of a broad swathe of stories, all with the edge and excitement you expect from Sword & Sorcery stories! While some hit stronger for me than others, all were enjoyable reads.
Don’t miss this, whether you’re a longtime fan of sword & sorcery tales or someone just looking for some change of pace from your regular reading.
Don’t miss this, whether you’re a longtime fan of sword & sorcery tales or someone just looking for some change of pace from your regular reading.
May 3, 2024
Conclusion: The Two Edges of Sword & Sorcery in One Book.
It's hard for me to capstone this review in a way the explains its importance. It's fun? Sure. 400+ pages of escapist goodness.
Sword & Sorcery matters because it is a subgenre that helped created the entire modern fantasy genre; the twin pillar to High Fantasy built by Tolkien/Dunsany/Morris across the sea in nearly the same years, and each invaded the other's homelands sometime after the WWII. Whereas High Fantasy has always thrived in the realm of the novel, S&S's realm has traditionally been the short story and novelette, and the anthology has held a beloved place with fans, who warmly recall Flashing Swords, Swords Against Darkness, and other series anthologies that filled shelves in the 60s - 80s. That nostalgia has inspired a new boom of in the last few years by small presses, largely led by Rogue Blades, DMR Books, Parallel Universe, and others.
While some of these new anthologies are outstanding, nothing stands besides Neither Beg Nor Yield, which is truly a towering opus of the sword & sorcery subgenre as it stands right now; of authors like Cole, Smith and Taylor, who reach back to the last boom of the 70s are producing work that is as imaginative, challenging and original as they did decades ago, beside those like Fultz and Jones who grew up reading their work, and others who are just honing their craft.
Drawing in a Steve Erickson, who used the techniques of S&S to take epic fantasy in new directions, and Glen Cook, whose stylings of S&S created Grimdark long before it had any such name, shows the long reach the subgenre has had--and continue to have. Besides such giant names are indie writers--the staple of the genre from its long decades of survival in nothing but fanzines. The breadth and width of the current genre is here, and the few that aren't are missing only because of untimely passing (one wishes for one last Saunders or Tierney tale) or a need to back out of the project due to other commitments.
This massive book is the true "new edge" of sword & sorcery, contributor, and leading light of this generation's S&S authors, Howard Andrew Jones spoke of when he coined the term: a genre that despite all odds, refuses to die, and the circle of adherents who, working in the shadows like the postulants of Skelos, fanned that flame alas into new life. Sword & Sorcery exists for everyone, because, as Waltz says in his introduction, it simply exists to defy death. In a time when the real world seems beset by constant crisis: political, climatic, viral, etc., and so many of our institutions feel hidebound or slow to respond, the idea of a defiant outsider who refuses to bend or bow, whose own sense of right and wrong guides them, speaks to us and gives distraction, if not comfort, for a short time.
If that is the new edge of this old sword, then Neither Beg Nor Yield, is its whetstone.
It's hard for me to capstone this review in a way the explains its importance. It's fun? Sure. 400+ pages of escapist goodness.
Sword & Sorcery matters because it is a subgenre that helped created the entire modern fantasy genre; the twin pillar to High Fantasy built by Tolkien/Dunsany/Morris across the sea in nearly the same years, and each invaded the other's homelands sometime after the WWII. Whereas High Fantasy has always thrived in the realm of the novel, S&S's realm has traditionally been the short story and novelette, and the anthology has held a beloved place with fans, who warmly recall Flashing Swords, Swords Against Darkness, and other series anthologies that filled shelves in the 60s - 80s. That nostalgia has inspired a new boom of in the last few years by small presses, largely led by Rogue Blades, DMR Books, Parallel Universe, and others.
While some of these new anthologies are outstanding, nothing stands besides Neither Beg Nor Yield, which is truly a towering opus of the sword & sorcery subgenre as it stands right now; of authors like Cole, Smith and Taylor, who reach back to the last boom of the 70s are producing work that is as imaginative, challenging and original as they did decades ago, beside those like Fultz and Jones who grew up reading their work, and others who are just honing their craft.
Drawing in a Steve Erickson, who used the techniques of S&S to take epic fantasy in new directions, and Glen Cook, whose stylings of S&S created Grimdark long before it had any such name, shows the long reach the subgenre has had--and continue to have. Besides such giant names are indie writers--the staple of the genre from its long decades of survival in nothing but fanzines. The breadth and width of the current genre is here, and the few that aren't are missing only because of untimely passing (one wishes for one last Saunders or Tierney tale) or a need to back out of the project due to other commitments.
This massive book is the true "new edge" of sword & sorcery, contributor, and leading light of this generation's S&S authors, Howard Andrew Jones spoke of when he coined the term: a genre that despite all odds, refuses to die, and the circle of adherents who, working in the shadows like the postulants of Skelos, fanned that flame alas into new life. Sword & Sorcery exists for everyone, because, as Waltz says in his introduction, it simply exists to defy death. In a time when the real world seems beset by constant crisis: political, climatic, viral, etc., and so many of our institutions feel hidebound or slow to respond, the idea of a defiant outsider who refuses to bend or bow, whose own sense of right and wrong guides them, speaks to us and gives distraction, if not comfort, for a short time.
If that is the new edge of this old sword, then Neither Beg Nor Yield, is its whetstone.
May 4, 2024
Neither Beg Nor Yield is one of the best Sword & Sorcery anthologies I’ve ever read! Out of the 20 stories in the book, I only actively disliked one story and I was lukewarm on a couple of other stories. The rest of the stories ranged from good to exceptional! I’ve also discovered several writers whose work I’ll be seeking out in the future. Many of the stories have that high-action blood and thunder, but several are full of pathos in light of the tough outcomes certain characters have to endure. There is humor in some, a quality that I think is underappreciated in S&S. With each story you get commentary from the editor, Jason M. Waltz. The big contention of the book is the assertion that S&S is an attitude. Jason explains his position in the forward to the book, but he also explains why each of the stories exemplifies the concept. He has made a convincing case with this anthology. This book should be on every S&S fan’s digital or physical shelf!
Of the 20 stories, here are my favorites:
”Hunters in Prey” by C. L. Werner
”Soldier, Seeker, Slayer” by John C. Hocking
”Harvest of the Blood-King” by Steve Dilks
”The Stone from the Stars” by Chuck Dixon
”Reckoning” by Keith J. Taylor
”The Shades of Nacross Hill” by Frederick Tor (Bill Ward)
”Bona Na Croin” by Jeff Stewart
”Virgins for Khuul” by Steve Goble
”Reflections from a Tarnished Mirror” by Howard Andrew Jones
Of the 20 stories, here are my favorites:
”Hunters in Prey” by C. L. Werner
”Soldier, Seeker, Slayer” by John C. Hocking
”Harvest of the Blood-King” by Steve Dilks
”The Stone from the Stars” by Chuck Dixon
”Reckoning” by Keith J. Taylor
”The Shades of Nacross Hill” by Frederick Tor (Bill Ward)
”Bona Na Croin” by Jeff Stewart
”Virgins for Khuul” by Steve Goble
”Reflections from a Tarnished Mirror” by Howard Andrew Jones
April 3, 2024
https://fantasyliterature.com/reviews...
I don’t know how aware SFF fandom is, but Sword-and-Sorcery has had a resurgence of late. Jason M. Waltz and most of the authors featured in Neither Beg Nor Yield have been champions of this sub-genre, some for the past quarter century. Mr. Waltz first published Sword-and Sorcery and other great Heroic and Weird fiction with Flashing Swords Press and later under his own micro-press, Rogue Blades Entertainment. Neither Beg Nor Yield may prove to be the vanguard for their cause.
It’s my belief that an anthology is only as good as its introduction. Mr. Waltz's introduction,It’s Not Gentle, which is a summary of S&S, proves my notion true. The shield-wall that separates Sword-and-Sorcery from other fantasy genres is not steadfast. Sure, S&S is usually on a personal level instead of world or kingdom encompassing scale and it’s more action and romance oriented. Also, it contains more elements of horror. But there’s an aesthetic to it that is hard to explain. With great wit and somewhat obscure quotes, Waltz captures in words what the heart and soul of S&S is; a no retreat, no surrender, and lustily live life attitude. If fantasy was Rock music, then Sword-and-Sorcery would be Metal.
Neither Beg Nor Yield might be one of the biggest anthologies I’ve read; twenty freakin’ hard-core tales! Too many for this lazy reviewer to address individually. Instead, I’m going to attempt to convey the blood, sweat, and guts of the thing. Neither Beg Nor Yield doesn’t only capture the essence of Sword-and-Sorcery; Mr. Waltz and company are morphing what was originally Pulp fiction into something more modern and diverse. What many are now calling, New Edge -a term coined by Howard Andrew Jones and the title of Oliver Brackenbury’s new S&S magazine. Not to mention, that Waltz even quotes Bon Jovi in the description! How cool is that?
The list of contributing authors is temptation enough to slap down your hard-won coin. You’ve got some heavy hitters of SFF and Weird fiction; Steven Erikson, Glen Cook, Adrian Cole, and Joe R. Landsdale. There are authors of some of the most popular Robert E. Howard pastiche as well as their own creations, like John C. Hocking, Chuck Dixon, and David C. Smith -co-author of a series of Red Sonja novels in the 80’s that this reviewer wants to get his mitts on. Howard Andrew Jones has a Hanuvar tale from his popular series, The Chronicles of Hanuvar, that just launched in book-form last year with the first two novels published by Baen. C. L. Werner and William King, are both chroniclers of their own venerable S&S titles in the Warhammer/WH40K universe for the notorious Black Library publishing. John R. Fultz is next up on this fanboy’s reading list with his new book, Immaculate Scoundrels. Steve Goble, Jeff Stewart, and Phil Emery all have excellent stories in Jason M. Waltz's first anthology, The Return of the Sword. I was unfamiliar with the remaining authors, but all their tales proved worthy of the spirit and strength that Crom breathed into us at birth.
Neither Beg Nor Yield proves that Sword-and-Sorcery has a rightful claim in current SFF. This isn’t just your grandfather’s S&S, although there’s something for him too. The stories are diverse in characters and settings, and it is better for it. There are settings like the bronze-age, Norse, ancient Egypt, the dark ages, medieval, as well as traditional fantasy worlds. C L. Werner’s Hunters and Prey; a new adventure of his ronin character Shintaro Oba, is based in a mythical, feudal Japan. Suspension in Silver by Eric Turowski is a modern monster story with bikers. The Organ Grinder’s Monkey by John R. Landsdale is a story with robots, muscle cars, and demons,, in a multi-dimensional, apocalyptic, retro-futuristic, kinda,-ah- place. Lawrence A. Weinstein even gives us a court-room drama with The Barbarian’s Lawyer.
To say there isn’t a weak story in the book is a downright understatement. I can’t even pick a favorite because they’re all my favorites. There truly is something for any SFF fan regardless of being a long-time Sword-and-Sorcery fan or a curious reader with only an inkling of interest.
I don’t know how aware SFF fandom is, but Sword-and-Sorcery has had a resurgence of late. Jason M. Waltz and most of the authors featured in Neither Beg Nor Yield have been champions of this sub-genre, some for the past quarter century. Mr. Waltz first published Sword-and Sorcery and other great Heroic and Weird fiction with Flashing Swords Press and later under his own micro-press, Rogue Blades Entertainment. Neither Beg Nor Yield may prove to be the vanguard for their cause.
It’s my belief that an anthology is only as good as its introduction. Mr. Waltz's introduction,It’s Not Gentle, which is a summary of S&S, proves my notion true. The shield-wall that separates Sword-and-Sorcery from other fantasy genres is not steadfast. Sure, S&S is usually on a personal level instead of world or kingdom encompassing scale and it’s more action and romance oriented. Also, it contains more elements of horror. But there’s an aesthetic to it that is hard to explain. With great wit and somewhat obscure quotes, Waltz captures in words what the heart and soul of S&S is; a no retreat, no surrender, and lustily live life attitude. If fantasy was Rock music, then Sword-and-Sorcery would be Metal.
Neither Beg Nor Yield might be one of the biggest anthologies I’ve read; twenty freakin’ hard-core tales! Too many for this lazy reviewer to address individually. Instead, I’m going to attempt to convey the blood, sweat, and guts of the thing. Neither Beg Nor Yield doesn’t only capture the essence of Sword-and-Sorcery; Mr. Waltz and company are morphing what was originally Pulp fiction into something more modern and diverse. What many are now calling, New Edge -a term coined by Howard Andrew Jones and the title of Oliver Brackenbury’s new S&S magazine. Not to mention, that Waltz even quotes Bon Jovi in the description! How cool is that?
The list of contributing authors is temptation enough to slap down your hard-won coin. You’ve got some heavy hitters of SFF and Weird fiction; Steven Erikson, Glen Cook, Adrian Cole, and Joe R. Landsdale. There are authors of some of the most popular Robert E. Howard pastiche as well as their own creations, like John C. Hocking, Chuck Dixon, and David C. Smith -co-author of a series of Red Sonja novels in the 80’s that this reviewer wants to get his mitts on. Howard Andrew Jones has a Hanuvar tale from his popular series, The Chronicles of Hanuvar, that just launched in book-form last year with the first two novels published by Baen. C. L. Werner and William King, are both chroniclers of their own venerable S&S titles in the Warhammer/WH40K universe for the notorious Black Library publishing. John R. Fultz is next up on this fanboy’s reading list with his new book, Immaculate Scoundrels. Steve Goble, Jeff Stewart, and Phil Emery all have excellent stories in Jason M. Waltz's first anthology, The Return of the Sword. I was unfamiliar with the remaining authors, but all their tales proved worthy of the spirit and strength that Crom breathed into us at birth.
Neither Beg Nor Yield proves that Sword-and-Sorcery has a rightful claim in current SFF. This isn’t just your grandfather’s S&S, although there’s something for him too. The stories are diverse in characters and settings, and it is better for it. There are settings like the bronze-age, Norse, ancient Egypt, the dark ages, medieval, as well as traditional fantasy worlds. C L. Werner’s Hunters and Prey; a new adventure of his ronin character Shintaro Oba, is based in a mythical, feudal Japan. Suspension in Silver by Eric Turowski is a modern monster story with bikers. The Organ Grinder’s Monkey by John R. Landsdale is a story with robots, muscle cars, and demons,, in a multi-dimensional, apocalyptic, retro-futuristic, kinda,-ah- place. Lawrence A. Weinstein even gives us a court-room drama with The Barbarian’s Lawyer.
To say there isn’t a weak story in the book is a downright understatement. I can’t even pick a favorite because they’re all my favorites. There truly is something for any SFF fan regardless of being a long-time Sword-and-Sorcery fan or a curious reader with only an inkling of interest.
June 7, 2024
Neither Beg Nor Yield is the best sword & sorcery anthology I have ever read.
This book has redefined what "Sword and Sorcery" means to me. I used to associate the term with Conan and his knock-offs: big dudes with lots of muscles, a sword or axe, slashing away at monsters. This book has plenty of that, truly; however, the stories here have opened my eyes to a broader sense of what S&S really is. There's more going on here, with some cross-genre works and a lot of depth to the writing. The variety is amazing: barbarians, samurai, alternate-world Roman centurions, pirates, vikings, and more!
My favorites in this collection:
"Hunters and Prey" is samurai S&S! It's so good.
"Prince of Dragons" is my first exposure to the character "Kormak" and I need to go find more of these stories. William King is a great writer.
"Suspension in Silver" is another example of what I mean about S&S being broader than I thought, because it's a modern day motorcycle gang story that absolutely embodies the spirit of S&S.
Joe R. Lansdale's story is really good, and it's the kind of thing I really enjoy from him. However, it's S&S in attitude only, and just barely. But he's my favorite writer and I liked it so I give it a pass.
"Harvest of the Blood-King" is another oddity in the S&S genre, because it features Roman centurions. At least I think they're Roman. It's like an alternate-universe Rome, though. Bohun is a great character, and Steve Dilks is someone whose work I need to seek out. (The new Hanuvar story by Howard Andrew Jones in this book is a Roman alt-world thing, too, and is smartly written.)
"The Stone from the Stars" by Chuck Dixon is my favorite of the bunch. I really hope there will be more Hagen & Pilsner stories because these characters are a treat. What a fun story with a creative ending.
“Vengeance, by Wind and Tide” is a wonderful tale of pirates with sorcerer magic and even a genie. Top-notch.
“The Barbarian’s Lawyer” is clever fun and one of my favorites in the book.
“A Story in the Time of the Warring States in an Alternate Universe” is one of the best in this book. Another samurai story with lots of monsters and folklore. Glen Cook is a master writer.
The last story, "Maiden Flight", is a terrific viking adventure and a great ending for the book.
I loved every story in this book with two exceptions. One was a slog to get through; the world-building ideas were interesting but that’s about all I liked. The other was over-written in a way that was challenging to read and I skipped it about halfway through. I'm not going to name them because they weren't bad, they just weren't for me.
Overall, this massive book is a treasure for fans of sword & sorcery and I highly recommend it!
This book has redefined what "Sword and Sorcery" means to me. I used to associate the term with Conan and his knock-offs: big dudes with lots of muscles, a sword or axe, slashing away at monsters. This book has plenty of that, truly; however, the stories here have opened my eyes to a broader sense of what S&S really is. There's more going on here, with some cross-genre works and a lot of depth to the writing. The variety is amazing: barbarians, samurai, alternate-world Roman centurions, pirates, vikings, and more!
My favorites in this collection:
"Hunters and Prey" is samurai S&S! It's so good.
"Prince of Dragons" is my first exposure to the character "Kormak" and I need to go find more of these stories. William King is a great writer.
"Suspension in Silver" is another example of what I mean about S&S being broader than I thought, because it's a modern day motorcycle gang story that absolutely embodies the spirit of S&S.
Joe R. Lansdale's story is really good, and it's the kind of thing I really enjoy from him. However, it's S&S in attitude only, and just barely. But he's my favorite writer and I liked it so I give it a pass.
"Harvest of the Blood-King" is another oddity in the S&S genre, because it features Roman centurions. At least I think they're Roman. It's like an alternate-universe Rome, though. Bohun is a great character, and Steve Dilks is someone whose work I need to seek out. (The new Hanuvar story by Howard Andrew Jones in this book is a Roman alt-world thing, too, and is smartly written.)
"The Stone from the Stars" by Chuck Dixon is my favorite of the bunch. I really hope there will be more Hagen & Pilsner stories because these characters are a treat. What a fun story with a creative ending.
“Vengeance, by Wind and Tide” is a wonderful tale of pirates with sorcerer magic and even a genie. Top-notch.
“The Barbarian’s Lawyer” is clever fun and one of my favorites in the book.
“A Story in the Time of the Warring States in an Alternate Universe” is one of the best in this book. Another samurai story with lots of monsters and folklore. Glen Cook is a master writer.
The last story, "Maiden Flight", is a terrific viking adventure and a great ending for the book.
I loved every story in this book with two exceptions. One was a slog to get through; the world-building ideas were interesting but that’s about all I liked. The other was over-written in a way that was challenging to read and I skipped it about halfway through. I'm not going to name them because they weren't bad, they just weren't for me.
Overall, this massive book is a treasure for fans of sword & sorcery and I highly recommend it!
February 12, 2024
This review can be read in full on the Gung-Ho Geeks blog.
It was written by Cameroon Wooten, but by and large I agree with his takes in the matter as I'm slowly making my way through the book myself. He has read an advance review copy of the anthology, and has a long format take on the anthology, jotting down a small paragraph for each of the stories therein.
"For starters, I’d like to point out that the dedication and introduction were great and I feel like the folks at RBE really know what they are doing. They get how S&S works and understand how it is set apart from high fantasy. It isn’t the creatures nor the settings, it is the interaction between brawn and brains, the sword and the magic, and the attitude that the characters bring to a setting. The protagonists never give up, they face overwhelming odds and overcome or are slain, but not before taking dozens of foes with them.
This anthology understands the core of S&S."
Cameron goes on to highlight a few of the pieces as standout stories, his favorites and mine aligning pretty much beat for beat, only I take more kindly to samurai tales than he does (as such, I also think Hunters and Prey by C.L. Werner, the first short story in the anthology, is a cracking, evocative read). Prince of Dragons by William King, Harvest of the Blood King by Steve Dilks, Vengeance by the Wind and Tide by Eadwine Brown, and The Stone from the Stars by the one and only Chuck Dixon are only a few of the amazing adventures presented in this collection, and make the overall quality of it readily apparent.
Couple the amazing stories with amazing art (both spreads as well as smaller work), and you have a product that's not only fun to read, but also great to look at, something I'm very much looking for in a book of this sort and genre, being a comic reader and art inhaler at heart.
Cameron goes on to give the book a glowing reccomendation, and I would like to take this opportunity to echo his thoughts: "All in all, I would highly recommend this collection of sword & sorcery tales to any fan of the genre, despite a few stories not being up to par for my personal tastes. We need more pulp, both reprints of old as well as new incarnations, not unlike the stories in this anthology. They truly capture heroism, and usually encompass good writing and breaking of conventions, mostly in short, action-packed tales."
Read the full review here: https://gunghogeeksblog.wordpress.com...
It was written by Cameroon Wooten, but by and large I agree with his takes in the matter as I'm slowly making my way through the book myself. He has read an advance review copy of the anthology, and has a long format take on the anthology, jotting down a small paragraph for each of the stories therein.
"For starters, I’d like to point out that the dedication and introduction were great and I feel like the folks at RBE really know what they are doing. They get how S&S works and understand how it is set apart from high fantasy. It isn’t the creatures nor the settings, it is the interaction between brawn and brains, the sword and the magic, and the attitude that the characters bring to a setting. The protagonists never give up, they face overwhelming odds and overcome or are slain, but not before taking dozens of foes with them.
This anthology understands the core of S&S."
Cameron goes on to highlight a few of the pieces as standout stories, his favorites and mine aligning pretty much beat for beat, only I take more kindly to samurai tales than he does (as such, I also think Hunters and Prey by C.L. Werner, the first short story in the anthology, is a cracking, evocative read). Prince of Dragons by William King, Harvest of the Blood King by Steve Dilks, Vengeance by the Wind and Tide by Eadwine Brown, and The Stone from the Stars by the one and only Chuck Dixon are only a few of the amazing adventures presented in this collection, and make the overall quality of it readily apparent.
Couple the amazing stories with amazing art (both spreads as well as smaller work), and you have a product that's not only fun to read, but also great to look at, something I'm very much looking for in a book of this sort and genre, being a comic reader and art inhaler at heart.
Cameron goes on to give the book a glowing reccomendation, and I would like to take this opportunity to echo his thoughts: "All in all, I would highly recommend this collection of sword & sorcery tales to any fan of the genre, despite a few stories not being up to par for my personal tastes. We need more pulp, both reprints of old as well as new incarnations, not unlike the stories in this anthology. They truly capture heroism, and usually encompass good writing and breaking of conventions, mostly in short, action-packed tales."
Read the full review here: https://gunghogeeksblog.wordpress.com...
March 5, 2025
The readable, good, and very good stories in this collection far surpass the poor or unreadable stories. This doesn't often happen in anthologies, so the editor must be commended.
What kicks this up an additional star rating is the beautiful presentation and layout. Every story is preceded with an excellent MD Jackson illustration and the marginalia includes various illustrated weaponry.
Standout stories include: a Shintaro Oba ronin demon-hunter tale, a story by John Hocking who is known for his solid Conan pastiches, but really ought to be known for stories and characters set in his own universe because they are fantastic, Virgins for Khuul which captures the essence of sword and sorcery action and adventure, and the Barbarian's Lawyer which humorously explores the tropes of sword and sorcery without mocking them.
What kicks this up an additional star rating is the beautiful presentation and layout. Every story is preceded with an excellent MD Jackson illustration and the marginalia includes various illustrated weaponry.
Standout stories include: a Shintaro Oba ronin demon-hunter tale, a story by John Hocking who is known for his solid Conan pastiches, but really ought to be known for stories and characters set in his own universe because they are fantastic, Virgins for Khuul which captures the essence of sword and sorcery action and adventure, and the Barbarian's Lawyer which humorously explores the tropes of sword and sorcery without mocking them.
May 10, 2024
A really solid collection of distinct and varied S&S tales. Some were grittier and more violent than others, and some more engrossing than others, but overall an entertaining group of stories. My highest recommendations are for "The Stone from the Stars" by Chuck Dixon, humorous and quite reminiscent of a Fritz Leiber "Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser" tale, and "The Undead of Sul-Atet" by David C. Smith. Four stars out of five.
More at my blog: https://tinyurl.com/mtjnxnyp
My other reviews at Goodreads: https://tinyurl.com/3f2ru7n6
More at my blog: https://tinyurl.com/mtjnxnyp
My other reviews at Goodreads: https://tinyurl.com/3f2ru7n6
January 16, 2024
I will admit, I’ve been waiting with eager anticipation for this release. Once I heard the premise, I knew this would be a can’t miss book for Sword and Sorcery fans the world over. Neither Beg Nor Yield is bombardment of everything I think of when I want to read S & S tales. Indomitable will, survive at any cost, live free and breathe deep---the protagonists in this volume display these characteristics and a slew of other vicious traits. This book has an old school feel with a new age edge. Simply put, this was an oasis for one parched in the desert. This was a feast for one who hasn’t eaten in a week. Gold.
Neither Beg Nor Yield offers 21 short stories by a who’s who club writing S & S and Heroic Fantasy today. Excellent artwork is presented at the beginning of each story. After each story, editor, Jason M. Waltz describes traits about the story, author, and how it fits in to the overarching theme. This offers a nice, clean presentation. Below I will give brief glimpses without a lot of detail, as not to spoil the reading. Let’s start diving in, shall we?
1. “It’s not Gentle” by Jason M. Waltz- A fiery short piece devoted to the embodiment of the type of sword and sorcery within this tome. One of my favorite lines is when Jason states “S&S demands an attitude of not merely surviving, but dominating living, all else-everything else-be damned. The heroes of S&S continue living deeply until there are no more breaths to take.” We have Howard/Conan quotes, and many other descriptors to prepare the reader for what is to come. Well done!
2. “Hunters and Prey” by C. L. Werner- Werner starts this off with a bang. Hunters and Prey is set in a fantasy world like Feudal Japan with another adventure of Werner’s character Shintaro Oba, a samurai. While being hounded by a former samurai turned bounty hunter, Oba quests to the lair of the “Spider King.” Oba fights against the Spider Demon’s magic while also facing the bounty hunter. Oba proves his worth against both and learns there are four other former samurai traitors seeking his life. Really good start to the collection!
3. “Prince of Dragons” by William King- King has quite a number of books in print for the character, Kormak the Guardian. This story reads as a semi- origin story and fits nicely into the theme. Kormak’s people are destroyed by an Old One Demon type called the Prince of Dragons. A young Kormak survives, and an intervention by one of the Guardians of the order of the Dawn sends Kormak on a path he could have never dreamed. This is written at a torrid pace. A final battle with The Prince of Dragon’s looms. Excellent!!
4. “Suspension in Silver” by Eric Turowski- This story takes place in modern day Fargo. The main character is Irons-a monster hunting biker type. Irons ends up fighting werewolf type creatures. He ends up using colloidal silver from a health store to aid in his battle. This was just Meh for me. Not my type.
5. “Soldier, Seeker, Slayer” by John Hocking- This is a delightful sword and sorcery story. The protagonist is a warrior know as Creon. Creon’s daughter is taken early in the piece. Creon has a sorcerer created “preceptor hand” which gives him supernatural abilities at a terrible price. This is very well constructed story where Creon finds retribution against the one who enslaved him with the device. He reunites with his daughter as his senses come back. Excellent!!
6. “Harvest of the Blood King” by Steve Dilks- Dilks continues his excellent series of Bohun adventures with another banger. In the beginning of the story, Bohun arrives at a fort in chains. Tiberius, the fort commander, immediately releases his old friend, Bohun. Bohun agrees to help Tiberius on a mission to release a senator’s son from barbarians of Ulvastygg. Deep laid plans go awry when a druid’s sinister sorcery intervenes. Bohun and Tiberius battle for their lives against a changeling chieftain who was turned into a monster by dark druidic rites! Superb!!!
7. “The Stone from the Stars” by Chuck Dixon- Dixon creates a nice mercenary duo named Hagen and Pilsner. The duo jumps from a lost war into an even stickier situation between a necromancer and a sorcerer. The banter between the duo is fun without too much ridiculousness that you sometimes see in this type of story. They end up in a battle against a creature from the cosmic void!! Good, solid S&S!
8. “Evil World” by John R. Fultz- Fultz continues with his Gnori character with an origin type story. Gnori starts off as an 11-year-old boy. His mother, a user of magic, relates the tale of the loss of Gnori’s father and their city to a race of underworld giants. Gnori’s mother uses a magic elixir on her son to become a force capable of defeating the giants. As Gnori comes of age, he leads a band of 40 warriors and his sorceress mother against the giants to retake their city. Gnori and his mother survive to reclaim their land. Gnori ends up leaving to wander and discover new lands and adventures. Very nice!!
9. “Reckonong” by Keith Taylor- This is pure S&S/Fantasy as only Taylor can write. Nasach is the main protagonist. He is of the Firbolg people (think people from the continent that eventually settled Ireland only to overthrown by the Tuatha D’e Danann.) This has me immediately thinking back to Taylor’s Danan series from the late 80s. This is a blazing, magical piece starting with Nasach and his 4 companions joining a Reaver’s ship crew. He immediately discovers the ship’s leader is the same man who killed his father and resulted in his enslavement in Caledonia. Brilliant S&S read where Nasach gets his revenge. This is wonderfully scripted with Taylor’s usual lore, magical creatures (Merrow-think seafolk mermaid), battle scenes, wordplay, etc. Nasach’s indomitable will is exactly what this book is about. In my opinion, this is the Crown Jewel of the anthology.
10. “Golden Devils of the Crypt” by Phil Emery- Corlagh, a barbarian warrior, and Norad a cunning female thief, team up with a with a sorcerer on a mind-bending journey where each seek something the same yet different. Set in a post- apocalyptic world where remnants of science merge with sorcery, barbarism, and twisted forms of new civilizations, Emery creates a riveting S&S tale. Magical!!
11. “The Void of Sul-Atet” by David C. Smith- S&S Titan, Smith, sets this story in a dark time in his Attluma continent. Oron is long gone. This takes place in the dark time of Engor. If you’ve ever read “Engor’s Sword Arm,” then you know how far Attluma has fallen. Demons and dark sorcerors are taking the land as the southern people seem to ignore what is happening. Land is falling into the sea. Engor’s friend Etain makes a deal with a demon lord to conquer a vile sorcerer. Etain and Engor lead an army against the sorcerer. What price does Etain have to pay for only one generation to see peace from the demon? Of course, Engor flashes his destructive battle prowess. Very dark, grim, and sad- as it is with Engor. Very, very good story! Much better than “Engor’s Sword Arm.”
12.” The Shades of Nacross Hill” by Frederick Tor- This story starts off with a trio of tomb raiders led by Kaimer, a fighting man of various abilities. Suddenly beset by ghost-like beings and an ancient sorcerer, Kaimer is running for his life. Kaimer’s exception indomitable will saves his life from the shades, and ultimately the Ancient. Really Good S&S!
13. “The Organ Grinder’s Monkey” by Joe R. Landsdale- Set in a modern type setting, this is a new adventure by Landsdale’s character Greasy Bob. As far as I’m concerned, the story had a bunch of un-needed cuss words and stupid sexual talk which gives noting to the story. Birds are attacking everyone. Bob and sidekick jump into a car and go through a portal to another dimension. The duo confronts the Organ Grinder’s Monkey (the one sending the killer birds) and find out he’s mad because his girlfriend, the 3 toed sloth, was murdered by “The Lords of Upholstery.” Landsdale usually writes some good fantasy, science fiction, and comics, but this just didn’t work. This read like a juvenile comic. Bad in more ways than one. Awful.
14. “Vengeance by Wind and Tide” by Eadwine Brown- Azirah is a corsair captain, and her indomitable will is evident from the start. They find a sister ship with a murdered crew. A strange gem is discovered which leads Azirah and her crew to find the sorcerer responsible. They begin a quest to a fabled island in the Western Ocean. Once on the island, they discover more than they bargained for. Bloody tower battles, sorcery, and a captured djinn. Will a deal with the djinn help against the dreaded sorcerer? Real S&S here. Excellent!
15. “Isekai Sengokumonogatari” by Glen Cook- Shinzutoro, a young ex- soldier is our protagonist here. The story is set in an alternate universe in a time of warring states. Shinzutoro is tasked with leading a strange group across the island. This is a great fantasy piece with sword and sorcery elements. All is revealed in the end of this question laden quest. Excellent creatures abound in this fantastic short fantasy. I didn’t know if I would like this at first, but I should have known Cook would deliver. 40 plus years of writing fantasy can do that. Really good job!
16. “Bona Na Croin” by Jeff Stewart- Set in ancient Ireland. Fergus is looking for employment for his sword arm. Two rival kings are at odds. Fergus gets caught up in the bloodshed (a lot of the bloodshed is due to his own prowess.) Fergus ends up facing an Elder Being summoned by a druid from Gaul. This is rousing S&S! This is the exact type of story I want to see in every sword and sorcery anthology. Give Stewart a medal! Fantastic!
17. “Virgins for Khuul”- by Steve Goble- Goble continues his adventures of Calthus in this story. Calthus is a great warrior resurrected by monks 600 years after his death. Calthus rescues a trio of chained women marked for sacrifice to the Giant Lizard Creature, Khuul. Will Calthus, a monk, and the trio of freed captives be able to save 300 other captives in the lair of Khuul? This is epic S&S. Righteous in all aspects. Goble is currently writing mysteries. I wish he would write S & S all day, because this is how it should be written. 5 stars easy!
18. “The Last Vandals on Earth” by Steven Erikson- The protagonist of this read is Respendial, a Vandal, and the wife of the narrator. Vandals in North Africa are wiped out by Byzantines. A little party of the surviving Vandals are fleeing the area. A lot of the sarcasm and humor seems off for this kind of a tale. A lot of useless cuss words and vulgarity seems to serve no purpose. The fateful humor of Vandal history, other civilizations, and Christianity fails miserably. The story becomes somewhat redeeming when the group finds a magical oasis and a goddess within. There is also some intrigue with Respendial as she becomes the last Vandal after the final battle. Respendial is a lethal swordswoman, and I wish more of the focus and story revolved around her. She is definitely a character worthy of a different type of S&S story. We know Erikson can write, but this was kind of meh overall. Not for me.
19. “The Barbarian’s Lawyer” by Lawrence Weinstein- This story features two protagonists- Blazgorn, a barbarian fighting man, and Cynric, a public defender lawyer type. The story begins with Blazgorn chained in a cell for stealing from a noble. Cynric reveals he is Blazgorn’s lawyer, even though Blazgorn has no idea what a lawyer is. Blazgorn realizes Cynric will defend him in a trial of words, not steel. Once in the trial, a magical jewel given to Cynric by Blazgorn for payment, unleashes power revealing the accusing noble as a lizard man. Blazgorn breaks his chains, saves the High Arbiter from the lizard man, kills the false noble, and is sentenced freedom! Sometime later, in another city, Blazgorn finds Cynric in a jail cell, falsely accused, and gets to return the favor by fighting for him in the arena. This is how you write humor into a S&S story and pull it off. Fun and unique!
20. “Reflection from a Tarnished Mirror” by Howard Andrew Jones- If this is any indication of how the rest of the Hanuvar series is, I’m really going to enjoy it. Using an amulet, Hanuvar’s armor, and personal effects, a wizard ensorcelles a brain injured soldier of the Dervan Empire. The soldier becomes the living embodiment of Hanuvar. The false Hanuvar frees scores of gladiators and other slaves thinking he is actually Hanuvar. During a raid on a villa, he meets the real Hanuvar as he was freeing some of his people from slavery. The false Hanuvar finds out about his ensorcellment and realizes he has just a few fleeting days before the enchantment dissolves. Even though he remembers he is a soldier of the Empire, he and a few of the freed gladiators create a ruse to help Hanuvar bring some of his people to freedom. Well written S&S story with loss and sacrifice for a cause. Great!!
21. “Maiden Flight” by Adrian Cole- Well it’s just not a S&S anthology without Adrian Cole, and he doesn’t disappoint. Ulric is part of a band of Viking raiders on the losing end to a village of Gaels. A Valkyrie marks him to take him to Valhalla. Ulric has the indomitable will to survive and wounds the Valkyrie with a sword stroke. There is a lot of back and forth between Ulric and the Valkyrie. At one point, she summons the dead to use against Ulric. Ulric reveals the death of his wife and how the gods wouldn’t listen to his pleas. Sometime later, Ulric frees a few Vikings that were staked to poles in the Gaelic town. The Valkyrie eventually teams up with Ulric against an army coming from the sky with Odin himself. Due to the courageous duo’s indomitable wills, Odin grants them one year before his return, and to use it well under his service. This was a great embodiment of the theme and a wonderful S&S tale to close it down!
Jason M. Waltz and RBE really pulled out the stops with this anthology. What an exciting group of authors, and an exciting time for sword and sorcery. 18 out of 21 pieces were of the highest quality. This is a sword and sorcery fan’s dream. There’s something in here for all lovers of sword and sorcery, heroic fantasy, and dark fantasy. Highly Recommend!!
Neither Beg Nor Yield offers 21 short stories by a who’s who club writing S & S and Heroic Fantasy today. Excellent artwork is presented at the beginning of each story. After each story, editor, Jason M. Waltz describes traits about the story, author, and how it fits in to the overarching theme. This offers a nice, clean presentation. Below I will give brief glimpses without a lot of detail, as not to spoil the reading. Let’s start diving in, shall we?
1. “It’s not Gentle” by Jason M. Waltz- A fiery short piece devoted to the embodiment of the type of sword and sorcery within this tome. One of my favorite lines is when Jason states “S&S demands an attitude of not merely surviving, but dominating living, all else-everything else-be damned. The heroes of S&S continue living deeply until there are no more breaths to take.” We have Howard/Conan quotes, and many other descriptors to prepare the reader for what is to come. Well done!
2. “Hunters and Prey” by C. L. Werner- Werner starts this off with a bang. Hunters and Prey is set in a fantasy world like Feudal Japan with another adventure of Werner’s character Shintaro Oba, a samurai. While being hounded by a former samurai turned bounty hunter, Oba quests to the lair of the “Spider King.” Oba fights against the Spider Demon’s magic while also facing the bounty hunter. Oba proves his worth against both and learns there are four other former samurai traitors seeking his life. Really good start to the collection!
3. “Prince of Dragons” by William King- King has quite a number of books in print for the character, Kormak the Guardian. This story reads as a semi- origin story and fits nicely into the theme. Kormak’s people are destroyed by an Old One Demon type called the Prince of Dragons. A young Kormak survives, and an intervention by one of the Guardians of the order of the Dawn sends Kormak on a path he could have never dreamed. This is written at a torrid pace. A final battle with The Prince of Dragon’s looms. Excellent!!
4. “Suspension in Silver” by Eric Turowski- This story takes place in modern day Fargo. The main character is Irons-a monster hunting biker type. Irons ends up fighting werewolf type creatures. He ends up using colloidal silver from a health store to aid in his battle. This was just Meh for me. Not my type.
5. “Soldier, Seeker, Slayer” by John Hocking- This is a delightful sword and sorcery story. The protagonist is a warrior know as Creon. Creon’s daughter is taken early in the piece. Creon has a sorcerer created “preceptor hand” which gives him supernatural abilities at a terrible price. This is very well constructed story where Creon finds retribution against the one who enslaved him with the device. He reunites with his daughter as his senses come back. Excellent!!
6. “Harvest of the Blood King” by Steve Dilks- Dilks continues his excellent series of Bohun adventures with another banger. In the beginning of the story, Bohun arrives at a fort in chains. Tiberius, the fort commander, immediately releases his old friend, Bohun. Bohun agrees to help Tiberius on a mission to release a senator’s son from barbarians of Ulvastygg. Deep laid plans go awry when a druid’s sinister sorcery intervenes. Bohun and Tiberius battle for their lives against a changeling chieftain who was turned into a monster by dark druidic rites! Superb!!!
7. “The Stone from the Stars” by Chuck Dixon- Dixon creates a nice mercenary duo named Hagen and Pilsner. The duo jumps from a lost war into an even stickier situation between a necromancer and a sorcerer. The banter between the duo is fun without too much ridiculousness that you sometimes see in this type of story. They end up in a battle against a creature from the cosmic void!! Good, solid S&S!
8. “Evil World” by John R. Fultz- Fultz continues with his Gnori character with an origin type story. Gnori starts off as an 11-year-old boy. His mother, a user of magic, relates the tale of the loss of Gnori’s father and their city to a race of underworld giants. Gnori’s mother uses a magic elixir on her son to become a force capable of defeating the giants. As Gnori comes of age, he leads a band of 40 warriors and his sorceress mother against the giants to retake their city. Gnori and his mother survive to reclaim their land. Gnori ends up leaving to wander and discover new lands and adventures. Very nice!!
9. “Reckonong” by Keith Taylor- This is pure S&S/Fantasy as only Taylor can write. Nasach is the main protagonist. He is of the Firbolg people (think people from the continent that eventually settled Ireland only to overthrown by the Tuatha D’e Danann.) This has me immediately thinking back to Taylor’s Danan series from the late 80s. This is a blazing, magical piece starting with Nasach and his 4 companions joining a Reaver’s ship crew. He immediately discovers the ship’s leader is the same man who killed his father and resulted in his enslavement in Caledonia. Brilliant S&S read where Nasach gets his revenge. This is wonderfully scripted with Taylor’s usual lore, magical creatures (Merrow-think seafolk mermaid), battle scenes, wordplay, etc. Nasach’s indomitable will is exactly what this book is about. In my opinion, this is the Crown Jewel of the anthology.
10. “Golden Devils of the Crypt” by Phil Emery- Corlagh, a barbarian warrior, and Norad a cunning female thief, team up with a with a sorcerer on a mind-bending journey where each seek something the same yet different. Set in a post- apocalyptic world where remnants of science merge with sorcery, barbarism, and twisted forms of new civilizations, Emery creates a riveting S&S tale. Magical!!
11. “The Void of Sul-Atet” by David C. Smith- S&S Titan, Smith, sets this story in a dark time in his Attluma continent. Oron is long gone. This takes place in the dark time of Engor. If you’ve ever read “Engor’s Sword Arm,” then you know how far Attluma has fallen. Demons and dark sorcerors are taking the land as the southern people seem to ignore what is happening. Land is falling into the sea. Engor’s friend Etain makes a deal with a demon lord to conquer a vile sorcerer. Etain and Engor lead an army against the sorcerer. What price does Etain have to pay for only one generation to see peace from the demon? Of course, Engor flashes his destructive battle prowess. Very dark, grim, and sad- as it is with Engor. Very, very good story! Much better than “Engor’s Sword Arm.”
12.” The Shades of Nacross Hill” by Frederick Tor- This story starts off with a trio of tomb raiders led by Kaimer, a fighting man of various abilities. Suddenly beset by ghost-like beings and an ancient sorcerer, Kaimer is running for his life. Kaimer’s exception indomitable will saves his life from the shades, and ultimately the Ancient. Really Good S&S!
13. “The Organ Grinder’s Monkey” by Joe R. Landsdale- Set in a modern type setting, this is a new adventure by Landsdale’s character Greasy Bob. As far as I’m concerned, the story had a bunch of un-needed cuss words and stupid sexual talk which gives noting to the story. Birds are attacking everyone. Bob and sidekick jump into a car and go through a portal to another dimension. The duo confronts the Organ Grinder’s Monkey (the one sending the killer birds) and find out he’s mad because his girlfriend, the 3 toed sloth, was murdered by “The Lords of Upholstery.” Landsdale usually writes some good fantasy, science fiction, and comics, but this just didn’t work. This read like a juvenile comic. Bad in more ways than one. Awful.
14. “Vengeance by Wind and Tide” by Eadwine Brown- Azirah is a corsair captain, and her indomitable will is evident from the start. They find a sister ship with a murdered crew. A strange gem is discovered which leads Azirah and her crew to find the sorcerer responsible. They begin a quest to a fabled island in the Western Ocean. Once on the island, they discover more than they bargained for. Bloody tower battles, sorcery, and a captured djinn. Will a deal with the djinn help against the dreaded sorcerer? Real S&S here. Excellent!
15. “Isekai Sengokumonogatari” by Glen Cook- Shinzutoro, a young ex- soldier is our protagonist here. The story is set in an alternate universe in a time of warring states. Shinzutoro is tasked with leading a strange group across the island. This is a great fantasy piece with sword and sorcery elements. All is revealed in the end of this question laden quest. Excellent creatures abound in this fantastic short fantasy. I didn’t know if I would like this at first, but I should have known Cook would deliver. 40 plus years of writing fantasy can do that. Really good job!
16. “Bona Na Croin” by Jeff Stewart- Set in ancient Ireland. Fergus is looking for employment for his sword arm. Two rival kings are at odds. Fergus gets caught up in the bloodshed (a lot of the bloodshed is due to his own prowess.) Fergus ends up facing an Elder Being summoned by a druid from Gaul. This is rousing S&S! This is the exact type of story I want to see in every sword and sorcery anthology. Give Stewart a medal! Fantastic!
17. “Virgins for Khuul”- by Steve Goble- Goble continues his adventures of Calthus in this story. Calthus is a great warrior resurrected by monks 600 years after his death. Calthus rescues a trio of chained women marked for sacrifice to the Giant Lizard Creature, Khuul. Will Calthus, a monk, and the trio of freed captives be able to save 300 other captives in the lair of Khuul? This is epic S&S. Righteous in all aspects. Goble is currently writing mysteries. I wish he would write S & S all day, because this is how it should be written. 5 stars easy!
18. “The Last Vandals on Earth” by Steven Erikson- The protagonist of this read is Respendial, a Vandal, and the wife of the narrator. Vandals in North Africa are wiped out by Byzantines. A little party of the surviving Vandals are fleeing the area. A lot of the sarcasm and humor seems off for this kind of a tale. A lot of useless cuss words and vulgarity seems to serve no purpose. The fateful humor of Vandal history, other civilizations, and Christianity fails miserably. The story becomes somewhat redeeming when the group finds a magical oasis and a goddess within. There is also some intrigue with Respendial as she becomes the last Vandal after the final battle. Respendial is a lethal swordswoman, and I wish more of the focus and story revolved around her. She is definitely a character worthy of a different type of S&S story. We know Erikson can write, but this was kind of meh overall. Not for me.
19. “The Barbarian’s Lawyer” by Lawrence Weinstein- This story features two protagonists- Blazgorn, a barbarian fighting man, and Cynric, a public defender lawyer type. The story begins with Blazgorn chained in a cell for stealing from a noble. Cynric reveals he is Blazgorn’s lawyer, even though Blazgorn has no idea what a lawyer is. Blazgorn realizes Cynric will defend him in a trial of words, not steel. Once in the trial, a magical jewel given to Cynric by Blazgorn for payment, unleashes power revealing the accusing noble as a lizard man. Blazgorn breaks his chains, saves the High Arbiter from the lizard man, kills the false noble, and is sentenced freedom! Sometime later, in another city, Blazgorn finds Cynric in a jail cell, falsely accused, and gets to return the favor by fighting for him in the arena. This is how you write humor into a S&S story and pull it off. Fun and unique!
20. “Reflection from a Tarnished Mirror” by Howard Andrew Jones- If this is any indication of how the rest of the Hanuvar series is, I’m really going to enjoy it. Using an amulet, Hanuvar’s armor, and personal effects, a wizard ensorcelles a brain injured soldier of the Dervan Empire. The soldier becomes the living embodiment of Hanuvar. The false Hanuvar frees scores of gladiators and other slaves thinking he is actually Hanuvar. During a raid on a villa, he meets the real Hanuvar as he was freeing some of his people from slavery. The false Hanuvar finds out about his ensorcellment and realizes he has just a few fleeting days before the enchantment dissolves. Even though he remembers he is a soldier of the Empire, he and a few of the freed gladiators create a ruse to help Hanuvar bring some of his people to freedom. Well written S&S story with loss and sacrifice for a cause. Great!!
21. “Maiden Flight” by Adrian Cole- Well it’s just not a S&S anthology without Adrian Cole, and he doesn’t disappoint. Ulric is part of a band of Viking raiders on the losing end to a village of Gaels. A Valkyrie marks him to take him to Valhalla. Ulric has the indomitable will to survive and wounds the Valkyrie with a sword stroke. There is a lot of back and forth between Ulric and the Valkyrie. At one point, she summons the dead to use against Ulric. Ulric reveals the death of his wife and how the gods wouldn’t listen to his pleas. Sometime later, Ulric frees a few Vikings that were staked to poles in the Gaelic town. The Valkyrie eventually teams up with Ulric against an army coming from the sky with Odin himself. Due to the courageous duo’s indomitable wills, Odin grants them one year before his return, and to use it well under his service. This was a great embodiment of the theme and a wonderful S&S tale to close it down!
Jason M. Waltz and RBE really pulled out the stops with this anthology. What an exciting group of authors, and an exciting time for sword and sorcery. 18 out of 21 pieces were of the highest quality. This is a sword and sorcery fan’s dream. There’s something in here for all lovers of sword and sorcery, heroic fantasy, and dark fantasy. Highly Recommend!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 20, 2024
Neither Beg Nor Yield: Stories with S&S Attitude edited by Jason M. Waltz
Rogue Blades Entertainment
Cover and interior art by M. D. Jackson
2024
The genesis of this epic collection began with the desire of Jason Waltz to devote more time to his writing. You see as a publisher he was spending copious amounts of time reading, editing and publishing other author's stories. Leaving little time to his own craft. Emulating the spirit of sword & sorcery, Jason wasn't going to go gently into that good night. No. He made a list of authors who he felt consistently wrote with S&S attitude. He put together a Kickstarter campaign to fund this epic endeavor, which was a resounding success. Not every author he contacted was able to participate. However, the table of contents is a fairly amazing thing and boasts many names you should find familiar.
Waltz offers an introduction titled, It's Not Gentle, in which he hammers down his definition of S&S. The table of contents contains twenty stories. Many are traditional in subject and delivery; others present something new. Jason has also penned an editor's afterword for each story explaining his connection with the author and highlighting the author's other works. This part is enjoyable and enlightening. Each story is adorned with two pieces of art by M. D. Jackson. The one at the beginning of the story illustrates a scene and the second is found later in the story illustrating a weapon.
With any collection the appreciation varies from reader to reader. There were a few stories that stood out to me. John Hocking's Soldier, Seeker, Slayer was a memorable bit of violence. The ending was equal parts poignant and horrific. I caught on to what was really going on early, but I wasn't completely sure. It certainly did not spoil the ending. I enjoyed the line "I'm a thief––I even steal from death." From Phil Emery's Golden Devils of the Crypt. The Shades of Nacross Hill by Frederick Tor was a classic traditional story of thieves in a graveyard. A betrayal and a necromancer round out the story. Steve Gobble's Virgins for Khuul is another traditional story featuring a protagonist that I want to read more of. The final story, Maiden Flight by Adrian Cole, was rock solid. An interesting premise, one which I have not encountered before, which left me wanting to know what happens next. Ulric Wulfsen is a determined dude. I will leave you with this quote from the story, "Life is the most precious gift Odin gives to us," he said, "We should never give it away lightly. We must use every fiber of our being to cling to it. I will fight to the last warrior sent from my enemies or from Odin himself, to preserve that code."
Rogue Blades Entertainment
Cover and interior art by M. D. Jackson
2024
The genesis of this epic collection began with the desire of Jason Waltz to devote more time to his writing. You see as a publisher he was spending copious amounts of time reading, editing and publishing other author's stories. Leaving little time to his own craft. Emulating the spirit of sword & sorcery, Jason wasn't going to go gently into that good night. No. He made a list of authors who he felt consistently wrote with S&S attitude. He put together a Kickstarter campaign to fund this epic endeavor, which was a resounding success. Not every author he contacted was able to participate. However, the table of contents is a fairly amazing thing and boasts many names you should find familiar.
Waltz offers an introduction titled, It's Not Gentle, in which he hammers down his definition of S&S. The table of contents contains twenty stories. Many are traditional in subject and delivery; others present something new. Jason has also penned an editor's afterword for each story explaining his connection with the author and highlighting the author's other works. This part is enjoyable and enlightening. Each story is adorned with two pieces of art by M. D. Jackson. The one at the beginning of the story illustrates a scene and the second is found later in the story illustrating a weapon.
With any collection the appreciation varies from reader to reader. There were a few stories that stood out to me. John Hocking's Soldier, Seeker, Slayer was a memorable bit of violence. The ending was equal parts poignant and horrific. I caught on to what was really going on early, but I wasn't completely sure. It certainly did not spoil the ending. I enjoyed the line "I'm a thief––I even steal from death." From Phil Emery's Golden Devils of the Crypt. The Shades of Nacross Hill by Frederick Tor was a classic traditional story of thieves in a graveyard. A betrayal and a necromancer round out the story. Steve Gobble's Virgins for Khuul is another traditional story featuring a protagonist that I want to read more of. The final story, Maiden Flight by Adrian Cole, was rock solid. An interesting premise, one which I have not encountered before, which left me wanting to know what happens next. Ulric Wulfsen is a determined dude. I will leave you with this quote from the story, "Life is the most precious gift Odin gives to us," he said, "We should never give it away lightly. We must use every fiber of our being to cling to it. I will fight to the last warrior sent from my enemies or from Odin himself, to preserve that code."
June 13, 2024
Hands down the BEST S&S anthology I've come across.
This was a Kickstarter project I backed... I mean it promised to feature a huge chunk of some of the most talented S&S authors in the game, all with new tales to tell, so for me this was a must have. The editor, Jason M. Waltz did a hell of a job putting this together. Most anthologies are hit or miss when it comes to the quality of each story. Rarely are there homeruns back-to-back-to-back. But man oh man, did NBNY change that for me. Out of a whopping 21 short stories, I found only 3 I wasn't too crazy about. Not too shabby, not at all.
Below I've picked some of my favorite stories in no particular order. These were the ones that really got the blood pumping:
"Prince of Dragons" by William King
"Vengeance, By Wind and Tide" by Eadwin Brown
"The Undead of Sul-Atet" by David C. Smith
"Hunters and Prey" by CL Werner
"Reflection from a Tarnished Mirror" by Howard Andrew Jones
"Harvest of the Blood-King" by Steve Dilks
"The Barbarian's Lawyer" by Lawrence A. Weinstein
This was a Kickstarter project I backed... I mean it promised to feature a huge chunk of some of the most talented S&S authors in the game, all with new tales to tell, so for me this was a must have. The editor, Jason M. Waltz did a hell of a job putting this together. Most anthologies are hit or miss when it comes to the quality of each story. Rarely are there homeruns back-to-back-to-back. But man oh man, did NBNY change that for me. Out of a whopping 21 short stories, I found only 3 I wasn't too crazy about. Not too shabby, not at all.
Below I've picked some of my favorite stories in no particular order. These were the ones that really got the blood pumping:
"Prince of Dragons" by William King
"Vengeance, By Wind and Tide" by Eadwin Brown
"The Undead of Sul-Atet" by David C. Smith
"Hunters and Prey" by CL Werner
"Reflection from a Tarnished Mirror" by Howard Andrew Jones
"Harvest of the Blood-King" by Steve Dilks
"The Barbarian's Lawyer" by Lawrence A. Weinstein
February 12, 2024
Waltz has a fan’s eye for what’s cool and an editor’s eye for what works. He's marshaled some of the best writers in S&S and they delivered. There are exciting stories, spooky stories, moody stories, and dark stories. What their characters have in common is an indomitability of will and refusal to just roll over and die. Again, quoting Waltz from his foreword:
Sword & Sorcery is contrary to Death.
There were several big-name S&S collections over the past decade, but few come close to this one in capturing the breadth and depth of the genre as it exists right now. They also rely purely on authors published by the mainstream publishers. They deliberately neglected the vast majority of S&S writers who exist outside that world but are consistently creating the most vital and exciting stories. For a measly $8 you can get an e-book version right now. And you should.
Sword & Sorcery is contrary to Death.
There were several big-name S&S collections over the past decade, but few come close to this one in capturing the breadth and depth of the genre as it exists right now. They also rely purely on authors published by the mainstream publishers. They deliberately neglected the vast majority of S&S writers who exist outside that world but are consistently creating the most vital and exciting stories. For a measly $8 you can get an e-book version right now. And you should.
March 30, 2024
Publisher of 15 books over the span of nearly two decades, Rogue Blades Entertainment has been a steadfast supporter of 21st century Sword & Sorcery fiction. Neither Beg Nor Yield is intended to be the final Rogue Blades anthology and the capstone of Jason Waltz’s editing career. Packed with thundering adventure from a wide variety of authors, Neither Beg Nor Yield sends Rogue Blades off on a triumphant note.
Read my full review at Grimdark Magazine!
Read my full review at Grimdark Magazine!
February 23, 2024
This book is everything you want from a sword and sorcery collection it's big, it's bold, and its full of exciting characters. I loved all the new and familiar takes on the genre, and being introduced to authors who have a backlist of sword and sorcery stories, many of which include the various characters in this collection.
If you already love sword and sorcery, or are new to the genre, this book is the pinnacle of who's who in modern sword and sorcery.
If you already love sword and sorcery, or are new to the genre, this book is the pinnacle of who's who in modern sword and sorcery.
August 8, 2024
While not every story landed for me, the highs were high - Fergus and his damn pony, Hanuvar, Respendial, Creon, Gnori, Etain...lots of solid stuff in here.
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