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Veridical Dreams
Mage, Maze, Demon
A BEAT to a PULP SHORT STORY
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Having narrowly survived a raging fire, the warrior, Bryle, finds himself caught in a labyrinth of treacherous caverns. It isn’t by accident. An eyeless sorcerer has summoned Bryle. He wants the barbarian to retrieve a talisman that will stop a demon of unfathomable power. To do so, Bryle must first face the challenges of the sorcerer’s maze: flooded tunnels, poisoned traps, and a monstrous beast that can heal its own wounds. The sorcerer promises the barbarian his freedom if he succeeds. But can Bryle trust the word of such a being? Can he trust anything other than the sword in his hand?
Charles Allen Gramlich is no stranger to the sword and sorcery genre as the author of the “Talera” fantasy trilogy and the short story collection Bitter Steel. Continuing the Veridical Dreams series, Gramlich's heroic fantasy short story MAGE, MAZE, DEMON follows on the heels of the anthology The Lizard’s Ardent Uniform & Other Stories and the novella Treasure of Ice and Fire.
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Having narrowly survived a raging fire, the warrior, Bryle, finds himself caught in a labyrinth of treacherous caverns. It isn’t by accident. An eyeless sorcerer has summoned Bryle. He wants the barbarian to retrieve a talisman that will stop a demon of unfathomable power. To do so, Bryle must first face the challenges of the sorcerer’s maze: flooded tunnels, poisoned traps, and a monstrous beast that can heal its own wounds. The sorcerer promises the barbarian his freedom if he succeeds. But can Bryle trust the word of such a being? Can he trust anything other than the sword in his hand?
Charles Allen Gramlich is no stranger to the sword and sorcery genre as the author of the “Talera” fantasy trilogy and the short story collection Bitter Steel. Continuing the Veridical Dreams series, Gramlich's heroic fantasy short story MAGE, MAZE, DEMON follows on the heels of the anthology The Lizard’s Ardent Uniform & Other Stories and the novella Treasure of Ice and Fire.
- GenresSword and SorceryFantasy
35 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 16, 2016
18 people want to read
About the author
Charles Allen Gramlich
41 books297 followersI grew up on a farm in Arkansas, and I fully intend to retire right back to that same farm. But not yet. I came to Louisiana in 1986 to teach Biological Psychology at Xavier University in New Orleans. I've been there ever since, although I now live in a semi-rural area outside Abita Springs, Louisiana.
My primary writing interests are in Fantasy and Horror, which are the genres where my books and most of my short stories fit. I also write nonfiction, however, and poetry.
My primary writing interests are in Fantasy and Horror, which are the genres where my books and most of my short stories fit. I also write nonfiction, however, and poetry.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
March 19, 2016
Pulpy Sword & Sorcery Mage Maze Demon by Charles Allen Gramlich is published by “BEAT to a PULP”. It is a short story that delivers the uber-fast adventure pulp fiction readers expect. For the unfamiliar, "the pulps" were inexpensive magazines published ~1920’s that gave birth to Weird Fiction, Sword & Sorcery, Lost World stories; a time when fantasy, sci-fi, and horror were blended together. This one is Sword & Sorcery fare. As in Harvest of War, Gramlich writes concise poetic fiction. The title is a good summary of what Bryle the barbarian has conflict with. Although a short story adhering to pulp roots, I would have enjoyed the story even more if it were about twice it length. I was ready for more, and I suspect Gramlich has more ready for us.Here is the opening to convey Gramlich’s style:
“The most vicious of all predators hunts in the forest. The barbarian flees. His name is Bryle. He dodges standing trees, leaps fallen logs, bulls past thorns and briars. A trio of gray wolves runs as well. They swiftly pull ahead. Bryle picks up the pace, though dares not run himself to exhaustion—as the wolves are doing. The wolves will tire; the thing that hunts them all will not.
…. It is fire that hunts. The forest roils with flames. Tendrils of crimson and orange whirl between the trees like the churning legs of a giant. Sap explodes into a shrapnel of embers, lashing Bryle now to the greatest effort he can muster. Sweat slimes him. His chest heaves. He passes a wolf from earlier. It staggers, bloody froth at its muzzle. Its heart must be near rupturing. Nothing can be done.”
Charles Allen Gramlich is the author of the Talera fantasy trilogy, the thriller Cold in the Light, and the SF novel Under the Ember Star. His stories have been collected primarily in three anthologies, Bitter Steel, (fantasy), Midnight in Rosary (Vampires/Werewolves), and In the Language of Scorpions (Horror). He is also the author of Write With Fire, a book about writing and publishing. His works are available in print and ebook at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Wildside Press. Additionally, some of Charles's stories are available in novella length packets or as standalone ebooks from Amazon. These include Killing Trail (Westerns), Harmland (Noir/Horror), MicroWeird (Flash Fiction), and Harvest of War (Fantasy).
“The most vicious of all predators hunts in the forest. The barbarian flees. His name is Bryle. He dodges standing trees, leaps fallen logs, bulls past thorns and briars. A trio of gray wolves runs as well. They swiftly pull ahead. Bryle picks up the pace, though dares not run himself to exhaustion—as the wolves are doing. The wolves will tire; the thing that hunts them all will not.
…. It is fire that hunts. The forest roils with flames. Tendrils of crimson and orange whirl between the trees like the churning legs of a giant. Sap explodes into a shrapnel of embers, lashing Bryle now to the greatest effort he can muster. Sweat slimes him. His chest heaves. He passes a wolf from earlier. It staggers, bloody froth at its muzzle. Its heart must be near rupturing. Nothing can be done.”
Charles Allen Gramlich is the author of the Talera fantasy trilogy, the thriller Cold in the Light, and the SF novel Under the Ember Star. His stories have been collected primarily in three anthologies, Bitter Steel, (fantasy), Midnight in Rosary (Vampires/Werewolves), and In the Language of Scorpions (Horror). He is also the author of Write With Fire, a book about writing and publishing. His works are available in print and ebook at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Wildside Press. Additionally, some of Charles's stories are available in novella length packets or as standalone ebooks from Amazon. These include Killing Trail (Westerns), Harmland (Noir/Horror), MicroWeird (Flash Fiction), and Harvest of War (Fantasy).
February 22, 2021
An interesting setup, but too short to feel complete.
November 15, 2020
Powerful yet disjointed storytelling
Great story with a strong plot and fierce hero told in a very abrupt/staccato style that at times grated on this reader's sensibilities.
Great story with a strong plot and fierce hero told in a very abrupt/staccato style that at times grated on this reader's sensibilities.
April 2, 2020
Cool, brief look into this world.
Thrust immediately into the action. Bryle is our warrior protagonist who gets coerced into doing a wizard a service. Interesting outcome.
Recommeded!
Thrust immediately into the action. Bryle is our warrior protagonist who gets coerced into doing a wizard a service. Interesting outcome.
Recommeded!
January 7, 2024
What a ride. Some reviews state the story was too short. I believe it’s the perfect length for a sword and sorcery piece. Torrid pacing-story driven- just a really fun read. The main character is s barbarian who agrees to retrieve a device for a wizard. The wizard warns of the demon he has imprisoned in a maze where the artifact is located. Who should the barbarian trust? Wizard or demon? Nice twists throughout. Recommend!!
June 28, 2016
It recalls Robert E Howard and Conan, with a beginning reminiscent of "The Thing in The Crypt" , without being Conan or trying to emulate Robert E Howard.
Gramlich has chosen an edgy style, present tense and terse, clipped sentences, that disorients and propels the reader, and never expands on the setting or the characters beyond what is absolutely economical. We don't know why Bryle--
Bryle. That is a great name, in a genre that wants the Barbarian Men to have rocklike names and rocklike intellects. This is Bryle. He knows the word "theatrics" and how to use that word to upset a sorcerer.
--why Bryle travels the forest or where he comes from or where he's going or indeed why a sorcerer has built a mystery-deathtrap-maze underground in the middle of nowhere. It has the detached, stark functionality of a traditional Dungeons and Dragons module, a pure task shorn of context and a little ridiculous by itself. But it is not game tie-in literature, it is dream logic, as shown by the cleverly ambiguous ending.
Gramlich has chosen an edgy style, present tense and terse, clipped sentences, that disorients and propels the reader, and never expands on the setting or the characters beyond what is absolutely economical. We don't know why Bryle--
Bryle. That is a great name, in a genre that wants the Barbarian Men to have rocklike names and rocklike intellects. This is Bryle. He knows the word "theatrics" and how to use that word to upset a sorcerer.
--why Bryle travels the forest or where he comes from or where he's going or indeed why a sorcerer has built a mystery-deathtrap-maze underground in the middle of nowhere. It has the detached, stark functionality of a traditional Dungeons and Dragons module, a pure task shorn of context and a little ridiculous by itself. But it is not game tie-in literature, it is dream logic, as shown by the cleverly ambiguous ending.
August 1, 2016
The unconventional title of Mage, Maze, Demon as well as the subtitle “A Barbarian Sent On A Mission Of No Return” pretty much tells it all. The barbarian goes by the name “Bryle” and is a warrior fleeing for his life as the read begins. A wildfire is chasing him and every other living creature in the forest. The fire is right behind him as he flees into a cave. A previously unseen doorway swings closed behind him protecting him from the fire.
That also means that his way out is now closed. He is forced to find another way out of the cave and begins to explore. That exploration leads him downward into the mountain and to an incredible cavern. A cavern populated by one person--- a sorcerer. A sorcerer that wants his help and will grant Bryle his freedom if he accomplishes his task. Much is to be done if Bryle is going to successful in Mage, Maze, Demon by Charles Allen Gramlich.
Beyond the obvious maze and a demon involving a mage (sorcerer) of the tile, much is going on in this short fantasy tale by Charles Allen Gramlich. Bryle is a complicated character as it the tale itself with plenty of detail. Billed as the third entry in the Veridacal Dreams series inspired by the dream journals of Kyle J. Knapp, Mage, Maze, Demon follows the anthology The Lizard’s Ardent Uniform and Other Stories as the fantasy novella Treasure of Ice and Fire. Charles Allen Gramlich quickly pulls the reader into his tale firmly grounded in the sword and sorcery fare while throwing in a mystery element or two. The extensive details are what make this tale come alive for the reader. One hopes there will soon by another outing for Bryle.
Mage, Maze, Demon
Charles Allen Gramlich
http://charlesgramlich.blogspot.com/
Beat To A Pulp
http://www.beattoapulp.com
March 2016
ASIN: B01D58N6XG
eBook (also available in paperback)
35 Pages
$0.99
The Amazon Overlords state I picked this up on March 19, 2016. They do not tell me whether my “purchase” came by way of a free read or using funds in my Amazon Associate account. They still do not know everything and I do not either.
Kevin R. Tipple ©2016
That also means that his way out is now closed. He is forced to find another way out of the cave and begins to explore. That exploration leads him downward into the mountain and to an incredible cavern. A cavern populated by one person--- a sorcerer. A sorcerer that wants his help and will grant Bryle his freedom if he accomplishes his task. Much is to be done if Bryle is going to successful in Mage, Maze, Demon by Charles Allen Gramlich.
Beyond the obvious maze and a demon involving a mage (sorcerer) of the tile, much is going on in this short fantasy tale by Charles Allen Gramlich. Bryle is a complicated character as it the tale itself with plenty of detail. Billed as the third entry in the Veridacal Dreams series inspired by the dream journals of Kyle J. Knapp, Mage, Maze, Demon follows the anthology The Lizard’s Ardent Uniform and Other Stories as the fantasy novella Treasure of Ice and Fire. Charles Allen Gramlich quickly pulls the reader into his tale firmly grounded in the sword and sorcery fare while throwing in a mystery element or two. The extensive details are what make this tale come alive for the reader. One hopes there will soon by another outing for Bryle.
Mage, Maze, Demon
Charles Allen Gramlich
http://charlesgramlich.blogspot.com/
Beat To A Pulp
http://www.beattoapulp.com
March 2016
ASIN: B01D58N6XG
eBook (also available in paperback)
35 Pages
$0.99
The Amazon Overlords state I picked this up on March 19, 2016. They do not tell me whether my “purchase” came by way of a free read or using funds in my Amazon Associate account. They still do not know everything and I do not either.
Kevin R. Tipple ©2016
June 23, 2017
Charles Allen Gramlich is no stranger to the fantasy genre, he packs one heck of a punch with this story. Giving his barbarian Bryle a big heart is the best thing to happen to any character of this type. I hope we get to see more of this Hero from this amazing Author in the future.
May 11, 2018
First off sword and sorcery is my favorite genre of fiction, so not a surprise I liked it. This was a very short fun read with some new twists on your classic S &S story.
March 24, 2016
Always Delivers
Take time out between books to rip through a new Gramlich short story in about the time it takes me to do the same to a large pizza? You don't have to ask me twice. The man spins a heck of a yarn, and I feel he's at his best when his main character has a sword in his fist. This was fun....
Take time out between books to rip through a new Gramlich short story in about the time it takes me to do the same to a large pizza? You don't have to ask me twice. The man spins a heck of a yarn, and I feel he's at his best when his main character has a sword in his fist. This was fun....
March 25, 2016
Fun!
Charles never fails to entertain, and this story is no exception. The simple, straight-forward narrative calls to mind the classics in the genre. Charles laces it with both poetry and raw, brutal action. I would love to see more of these characters.
Charles never fails to entertain, and this story is no exception. The simple, straight-forward narrative calls to mind the classics in the genre. Charles laces it with both poetry and raw, brutal action. I would love to see more of these characters.
March 26, 2016
Good Short Story
Interesting take on the barbarian vs the wizard. Good writing style. The author keeps the story flowing.
I'd be interested in a novel with this character.
Interesting take on the barbarian vs the wizard. Good writing style. The author keeps the story flowing.
I'd be interested in a novel with this character.
May 4, 2016
This short story reminded me of many of the Conan adventures that Robert E. Howard published. I would like to read more like this with a little more detail.
August 20, 2016
It is a good story. Different take on the barbarian character. A thoughtful barbarian with a conscious.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews