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Daggers and Dark Powers
Sword versus Sorcery is what we have here.
Defiance versus Demand. Challenge versus Command.
Though there are lots of evil foes in the stories ahead, S&S is not so much about good versus evil, or good saving the day, or even evil getting its just rewards. It is far more about an individual (though occasionally a team) spitting in the eye of impossible odds simply because he or she can, or wants to, or wants something on the other side of said odds. S&S protagonists may not actually be heroes despite their doing heroic things. And that’s part of the fun of it all.
Heroic storytelling can teach some amazing truths about being human. About what courage is, what growth and maturity are, how society and even the world works, what it means to be loyal, trustworthy, brave, compassionate. At its least, it entertains. At its best, it entertains and shares a value system for heroics; a passion for heroic stories and a belief in the possibility of heroes.
Defiance versus Demand. Challenge versus Command.
Though there are lots of evil foes in the stories ahead, S&S is not so much about good versus evil, or good saving the day, or even evil getting its just rewards. It is far more about an individual (though occasionally a team) spitting in the eye of impossible odds simply because he or she can, or wants to, or wants something on the other side of said odds. S&S protagonists may not actually be heroes despite their doing heroic things. And that’s part of the fun of it all.
Heroic storytelling can teach some amazing truths about being human. About what courage is, what growth and maturity are, how society and even the world works, what it means to be loyal, trustworthy, brave, compassionate. At its least, it entertains. At its best, it entertains and shares a value system for heroics; a passion for heroic stories and a belief in the possibility of heroes.
287 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 30, 2025
2 people are currently reading
4 people want to read
About the author
Jason M. Waltz
41 books71 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 - 2 of 2 reviews
December 13, 2025
Jason M Waltz as an editor = incredible sword and sorcery. He understands what we crave, and there is no adjacent garbage . It’s actual sword and sorcery with teeth. Eleven stories of extreme quality are packed into this volume. No misses. Some stood out to me as superior:
The Princess of Iniskent by Erna Simper
Creatures of the Deeper Earth by Adrian Cole
Deep as Death by Steve Goble**Crown jewel of the book
Waltz also had a really good one himself. As I said, I enjoyed them all so this volume was money well spent. Excellent and highly recommend!
The Princess of Iniskent by Erna Simper
Creatures of the Deeper Earth by Adrian Cole
Deep as Death by Steve Goble**Crown jewel of the book
Waltz also had a really good one himself. As I said, I enjoyed them all so this volume was money well spent. Excellent and highly recommend!
December 12, 2025
Jason M. Waltz is back with a new Sword & Sorcery Anthology
The Bear and the Nightingale by Bruce Erling Strange is the first story in this anthology. Bruce appears to be a regular contributor to prior Raconteur Press anthologies. This is apparently his first sword & sorcery story as his previous stories focused on marines, superheroes, and space opera. I was extremely impressed. I enjoyed this first story immensely. The writing and plot are both crisp and I loved the writing and portrayal of these characters. Both could easily become legacy characters for Strange. I look forward to reading more exploits of the Bear and the Nightingale. Waltz's newest anthology gets off to a strong start with this first story.
LAST WALK ON THE CORPSE ROAD- by David J. West is another outstanding story. I recall reading another David J. West short story, Hel' Awaits, in Savage Realms #2. Beaten and captured, Gathelaus finds himself sentenced to a gruesome death and a last walk upon the corpse road. This second story is a real banger and will keep you turning the pages right up to the denouement.
DUSTBANE AND THE ANCIENT GUARDIAN by Seth Taylor is the third tale in this anthology. Fans of Gamma World, Terry Brooks, or post-apocalyptic fantasy are going to love this one. It will certainly scratch that itch - this one strikes all the right chords with an air of tension and mystery that keeps you riveted to your seat.
BLOOD ON THE SPIRE by Adam Caisse. This one checked all the right boxes for me. I fell in love instantly with this author's writing style. His dark, gritty prose struck all the right chords. The story features the character of Wyl who enters a dark tower, intent on challenging the sorcerous Queen located at it's top. Level after level provides a new challenge. A fantastic story. Poor Toki! Harsh!
A SIMPLE SNARE by David Alan Jones is yet another fantastic story. We are introduced to three outstanding new characters and the ending hints that we may see more of them. I immensely enjoyed this offering as well.
THE PRINCESS OF INISKENT by Urna Semper is the sixth tale in this anthology. Just when I thought that things couldn't get better, along comes Urna Semper with a real banger. Amazing writing, fantastic characters, a great story.
SWORD OF THE MAGESLAYER by Lee Allred. This story was told in a very original way. I thought the story was going to go in a particular direction and with a twist it takes you in another. I enjoyed this tale as well, however, despite it's originality it was the weakest for me among the seven stories. It's not to have any negative connotations because all of the stories in this book so far are extremely good. Speaking of extremely good.....
STRAIGHT TO THE HEART by Jason M. Waltz. Jason sneaks one of his very own stories in here and it is a real banger. An excellent story that features an extremely interesting cast of characters caught in the middle of a heist gone wrong. Everything about this tale oozes originality. If Quentin Tarantino and Glen Cook had a love child this would be it. Even the title of this particular story is clever. This is the best Jason M. Waltz story I've ever read.
VALEGOR THE STUMP AND THE BRASS BLOOD CROWN by Ron Hathaway. Normally I wouldn't be such a fan of over the top, unrealistic carnage such as this, but the writing in this story is amazing. So many sentences were just oozing with creativity as well as loaded with grit and vigor. I can't tell you how many times I paused in my reading, shook my head in wonder, and thought; 'wow what a sentence'. The entire story is like this. Perhaps not in plot, nor in character, but in language alone this is definitely one of my favorites within this book.
CREATURES OF THE DEEPER EARTH by Adrian Cole. So definitely checks all of the boxes needed for a good sword & sorcery yarn, yet it also seems like an outline for a great high fantasy story. The writing is so polished and so very eloquent that it comes off as an abstract for a Tad Williams novel in length alone. The story oozes with atmosphere and here is Adrian Cole telling you; 'I am good at what I do, just watch'. A fantastic beginning, middle, and end, with an interesting character and fantastic villain. Adrian could hold a workshop with this story.
DEEP AS DEATH by Steve Goble. The "cherry on top" of this amazing anthology treat for any sword & sorcery fan is another Calthus story by the esteemed Mr. Goble. I am a huge Steve Goble fan and an even bigger fan of his Calthus stories. Calthus is one of my favorite legacy characters. Steve took a break from writing mysteries and gave us a new Calthus story in Neither Beg Nor Yield and now here he is again and he does not disappoint. A wonderfully entertaining story that serves as the capstone for 11 absolutely amazing stories.
These are not just 11 entertaining stories; these are 11 STANDOUT stories by 11 authors who are showing off here a little bit for you. These are 11 authors, who were "in the zone" so to speak when writing these stories. We could almost scratch out the title of this anthology and rename it instead as BEST FANTASY OF 2025. I give this anthology my highest recommendation. If you're a sword & sorcery fan, I am telling you to rearrange your massive TBR list and place this book at the top. This is akin to an eleven-course meal for a food addict, 11 ounces of the best cocaine for a drug addict, this is the best book that you never knew you needed. Treat yourself this holiday season and purchase this bad boy to add to your shelves.
The Bear and the Nightingale by Bruce Erling Strange is the first story in this anthology. Bruce appears to be a regular contributor to prior Raconteur Press anthologies. This is apparently his first sword & sorcery story as his previous stories focused on marines, superheroes, and space opera. I was extremely impressed. I enjoyed this first story immensely. The writing and plot are both crisp and I loved the writing and portrayal of these characters. Both could easily become legacy characters for Strange. I look forward to reading more exploits of the Bear and the Nightingale. Waltz's newest anthology gets off to a strong start with this first story.
LAST WALK ON THE CORPSE ROAD- by David J. West is another outstanding story. I recall reading another David J. West short story, Hel' Awaits, in Savage Realms #2. Beaten and captured, Gathelaus finds himself sentenced to a gruesome death and a last walk upon the corpse road. This second story is a real banger and will keep you turning the pages right up to the denouement.
DUSTBANE AND THE ANCIENT GUARDIAN by Seth Taylor is the third tale in this anthology. Fans of Gamma World, Terry Brooks, or post-apocalyptic fantasy are going to love this one. It will certainly scratch that itch - this one strikes all the right chords with an air of tension and mystery that keeps you riveted to your seat.
BLOOD ON THE SPIRE by Adam Caisse. This one checked all the right boxes for me. I fell in love instantly with this author's writing style. His dark, gritty prose struck all the right chords. The story features the character of Wyl who enters a dark tower, intent on challenging the sorcerous Queen located at it's top. Level after level provides a new challenge. A fantastic story. Poor Toki! Harsh!
A SIMPLE SNARE by David Alan Jones is yet another fantastic story. We are introduced to three outstanding new characters and the ending hints that we may see more of them. I immensely enjoyed this offering as well.
THE PRINCESS OF INISKENT by Urna Semper is the sixth tale in this anthology. Just when I thought that things couldn't get better, along comes Urna Semper with a real banger. Amazing writing, fantastic characters, a great story.
SWORD OF THE MAGESLAYER by Lee Allred. This story was told in a very original way. I thought the story was going to go in a particular direction and with a twist it takes you in another. I enjoyed this tale as well, however, despite it's originality it was the weakest for me among the seven stories. It's not to have any negative connotations because all of the stories in this book so far are extremely good. Speaking of extremely good.....
STRAIGHT TO THE HEART by Jason M. Waltz. Jason sneaks one of his very own stories in here and it is a real banger. An excellent story that features an extremely interesting cast of characters caught in the middle of a heist gone wrong. Everything about this tale oozes originality. If Quentin Tarantino and Glen Cook had a love child this would be it. Even the title of this particular story is clever. This is the best Jason M. Waltz story I've ever read.
VALEGOR THE STUMP AND THE BRASS BLOOD CROWN by Ron Hathaway. Normally I wouldn't be such a fan of over the top, unrealistic carnage such as this, but the writing in this story is amazing. So many sentences were just oozing with creativity as well as loaded with grit and vigor. I can't tell you how many times I paused in my reading, shook my head in wonder, and thought; 'wow what a sentence'. The entire story is like this. Perhaps not in plot, nor in character, but in language alone this is definitely one of my favorites within this book.
CREATURES OF THE DEEPER EARTH by Adrian Cole. So definitely checks all of the boxes needed for a good sword & sorcery yarn, yet it also seems like an outline for a great high fantasy story. The writing is so polished and so very eloquent that it comes off as an abstract for a Tad Williams novel in length alone. The story oozes with atmosphere and here is Adrian Cole telling you; 'I am good at what I do, just watch'. A fantastic beginning, middle, and end, with an interesting character and fantastic villain. Adrian could hold a workshop with this story.
DEEP AS DEATH by Steve Goble. The "cherry on top" of this amazing anthology treat for any sword & sorcery fan is another Calthus story by the esteemed Mr. Goble. I am a huge Steve Goble fan and an even bigger fan of his Calthus stories. Calthus is one of my favorite legacy characters. Steve took a break from writing mysteries and gave us a new Calthus story in Neither Beg Nor Yield and now here he is again and he does not disappoint. A wonderfully entertaining story that serves as the capstone for 11 absolutely amazing stories.
These are not just 11 entertaining stories; these are 11 STANDOUT stories by 11 authors who are showing off here a little bit for you. These are 11 authors, who were "in the zone" so to speak when writing these stories. We could almost scratch out the title of this anthology and rename it instead as BEST FANTASY OF 2025. I give this anthology my highest recommendation. If you're a sword & sorcery fan, I am telling you to rearrange your massive TBR list and place this book at the top. This is akin to an eleven-course meal for a food addict, 11 ounces of the best cocaine for a drug addict, this is the best book that you never knew you needed. Treat yourself this holiday season and purchase this bad boy to add to your shelves.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews