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Swords of Steel
Swords of Steel Omnibus
Mighty-thewed barbarians… vengeful lords of chaos… desolate devil-haunted ruins… carnage-soaked battlefields… forbidden spells of great power…
All these you will find in the works of authors of heroic fantasy as well as heavy metal musicians. But modern fantasy has been plagued with convoluted plots and series without end. Who better to return traditional fantasy to its former glory than the heavy metal bards?
Swords of Steel Omnibus Edition is an anthology of fantastic and horrific adventure stories, each penned by a heavy metal musician. Members of bands such as Bal-Sagoth, Manilla Road, Cauldron Born, Slough Feg, Nocturnus, Eternal Champion and more prove their talent for the written word as well as song by invoking a fresh wave of dark and twisted dreams from worlds beyond our own.
Stories included:
“All Will Be Righted on Samhain” by Howie K. Bentley (CAULDRON BORN) and David C. Smith
“Vengeance of the Insane God” by Jason Tarpey (ETERNAL CHAMPION)
“The Mirror Beguiling” by James Ashbey (SOLSTICE, LETHEAN)
“The Heart of the Betrayer” by Howie K. Bentley
“Return to Stynar Vort” by Joe Minichino (DOOMSWORD)
“Journey in Somnamblia” by Jean-Pierre Abboud (GATEKEEPER, TRAVELER)
“Eldon” by Chris Shoriak (ICE SWORD)
“Beyond the Mirrors of Faellnoch” by D.L. Lackner (LEGENDRY)
“The Darkness Among the Trees” by Max Birbaum (LUNAR SHADOW)
“The Forgotten City of Tehm” by E.C. Hellwell (MANILLA ROAD)
“Beneath Dead Lake” by Geoff Blackwell (GATEKEEPER)
“Thannhausefeer’s Guest” by Howie K. Bentley
“The Chamber of Juleptsu” by Jaron Evil (ALMURIC, ARCHSPIRE)
“The Riddle Master” by E.C. Hellwell
“Eve’s Grave” by Scott Waldrop (TWISTED TOWER DIRE, WALPYRGUS)
“That Than Which There Can Be No More Terrible” by Michael Scalzi (SLOUGH FEG)
“Mystery Believer” by Scott Waldrop
“Red Ochre” by James Ashbey
“Darke Manor” by Jaron Evil
“The Key” by Mike Browning (NOCTURNUS A.D.) and D.M. Ritzlin
“Blue Mistress” by Geoff Blackwell
“The Pirate Prince of Tarran” by E.C. Hellwell
“Stormchaser” by Geoff Blackwell
“The Voyages of Captain Caleb Blackthorne” by Byron A. Roberts (BAL-SAGOTH)
- GenresSword and SorceryFantasy
709 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 16, 2019
About the author
D.M. Ritzlin
40 books59 followersD.M. Ritzlin founded DMR Books in 2015 with the aim of revitalizing sword-and-sorcery literature. DMR’s publications include reprints of classic material by authors such as Robert E. Howard and Clark Ashton Smith, as well as brand-new collections and anthologies by some of the finest fantasy writers active today.
A collection of his own stories, Necromancy in Nilztiria, was released in October 2020.
Nilztiria is a world of adventure and strangeness, peopled by lusty heroes and callous villains. The thirteen sword-and-sorcery stories presented in Necromancy in Nilztiria place the emphasis on sorcery and mix in a touch of gallows humor.
For more information on all of his projects, visit dmrbooks.com.
A collection of his own stories, Necromancy in Nilztiria, was released in October 2020.
Nilztiria is a world of adventure and strangeness, peopled by lusty heroes and callous villains. The thirteen sword-and-sorcery stories presented in Necromancy in Nilztiria place the emphasis on sorcery and mix in a touch of gallows humor.
For more information on all of his projects, visit dmrbooks.com.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
October 19, 2019
Swords of Steel Omnibus is the brain child of DMR books. It's a neat concept of metal musicians writing sword and sorcery fiction. So many stories to choose from, there is bound to be something here that appeals to you. Plus the stories are also grouped by subject matter, so you can jump right into what you enjoy. Just in time for Halloween; at a price you can't beat.
Several names turn up more often than others. If you are unfamiliar with these authors then you are in for a treat.
Howie Bentley has three tales, all of which you can find in his Snake-Man's Bane. My favorite is Thannhausefeer's Guest and it boasts a giant, amnesia, and a contest of champions.
Byron Roberts also has three stories which are printed all-together for the first time. The Voyages of Captain Caleb Blackthorne is an adventure on the high seas in which Caleb must face an ancient menace. If you like this you will love his Chronicles of Caylen-Tor also by DMR books.
The Chamber of Jeleptsu by Jaron Evil has to be my personal favorite. A dwarf confronts a massive evil spider in its lair. Oh, yeah, one bad dwarf.
Others I enjoyed included Vengeance of the Insane God by Jason Tarpey, The Forgotten City of Tehm by E. C. Hellwell, and Stormchaser by Geoff Blackwell.
I covered only ten of the twenty-six stories in this anthology. Three of the twenty-six are new to this collection. With this veritable collection of sword and sorcery you are bound to find several new authors to follow. Check it out, and support some new authors. DMR books continues to do a fine job presenting new fiction that I want to read.
Recommended!
Several names turn up more often than others. If you are unfamiliar with these authors then you are in for a treat.
Howie Bentley has three tales, all of which you can find in his Snake-Man's Bane. My favorite is Thannhausefeer's Guest and it boasts a giant, amnesia, and a contest of champions.
Byron Roberts also has three stories which are printed all-together for the first time. The Voyages of Captain Caleb Blackthorne is an adventure on the high seas in which Caleb must face an ancient menace. If you like this you will love his Chronicles of Caylen-Tor also by DMR books.
The Chamber of Jeleptsu by Jaron Evil has to be my personal favorite. A dwarf confronts a massive evil spider in its lair. Oh, yeah, one bad dwarf.
Others I enjoyed included Vengeance of the Insane God by Jason Tarpey, The Forgotten City of Tehm by E. C. Hellwell, and Stormchaser by Geoff Blackwell.
I covered only ten of the twenty-six stories in this anthology. Three of the twenty-six are new to this collection. With this veritable collection of sword and sorcery you are bound to find several new authors to follow. Check it out, and support some new authors. DMR books continues to do a fine job presenting new fiction that I want to read.
Recommended!
August 28, 2024
Top notch heroic fiction anthology by various metal musicians. Going in I was a little sceptical but pulse-pounding S&S stories quickly did away with that. Slowed down a little with some so-so Lovecraftian fiction but ended in scintillating form. Recommended.
May 30, 2020
2.5 out of 5
You have to come into this omnibus a few stories at a time. While some pieces on this are spot on and entertaining examples of S&S tales, quite a few are just appallingly conceived and written. Then again, all of the involved in the Swords of Steel series are principally for their skills in writing music, not books. Therefore, it is worth getting and leafing through for a few swashbuckling tales while spinning some records, beer at hand.
You have to come into this omnibus a few stories at a time. While some pieces on this are spot on and entertaining examples of S&S tales, quite a few are just appallingly conceived and written. Then again, all of the involved in the Swords of Steel series are principally for their skills in writing music, not books. Therefore, it is worth getting and leafing through for a few swashbuckling tales while spinning some records, beer at hand.
February 26, 2020
For fans of Sword and Sorcery this is a modern must. Like any compilation it runs the gambit of high school creative arts class story to hidden gem. For the most part these are pretty good. For me, the standout is the Caleb Blackthorne stories by Roberts.
If you like S&S do yourself a favor and pick this up.
Sidenote: I read this when it was 3 volumes and picked up the omnibus due to the bonuses stories. I enjoyed Lackner’s story of the Earth Warrior more than the Wizard and the Tower Keep(which appeared in Fierce Tales). That story I felt had potential but fell short. This story I think is better. Though I still feel like it’s a rough draft of something great and needs to be expanded upon. I really hope he keeps going and keeps improving.
If you like S&S do yourself a favor and pick this up.
Sidenote: I read this when it was 3 volumes and picked up the omnibus due to the bonuses stories. I enjoyed Lackner’s story of the Earth Warrior more than the Wizard and the Tower Keep(which appeared in Fierce Tales). That story I felt had potential but fell short. This story I think is better. Though I still feel like it’s a rough draft of something great and needs to be expanded upon. I really hope he keeps going and keeps improving.
April 25, 2026
An Embarrassment of Riches
For a decade, DMR Books has been justly lauded for publishing the "Swords of Steel" anthology series. The hook is that each story is written by heavy metal musicians, who have themselves been inspired in composing their various epic musical cycles by the literary work of Robert E Howard and the art of Frank Frazetta, among others. Many of the stories in this collection actually incorporate the lore from the fantastic worlds and characters these artists have created for their music, such as Byron A Roberts of Bal-Sagoth and Jason Tarpey of Eternal Champion, to name two.
This weighty tome is an omnibus collection of the first three volumes of the series, though I don't think the stories are in their original order. Instead they've all been grouped together by theme, and unfortunately I think some of them are missing. Also, apparently the individual books I-III had essays, illustrations, poems, and other extra material that hasn't made it into the omnibus edition. Maybe they lost the publishing rights.
Even without the missing content, there are so many stories in this collection that they run the full gamut of the sword and sorcery genre. However, the anthology also includes a somewhat incongruous series of horror tales set in the modern era in the section entitled "Cosmic Horror". With all due respect to H P Lovecraft who was a friend, correspondent with and supporter of Robert E Howard, I tried reading the cosmic horror stories and hit a dead stop. I just couldn't maintain any interest or stay awake. I guess it's just not my thing. I finally skipped to the "Nautical Adventure" section and was transported back into the story once more!
Despite the missing material and an entire section that in fact involves neither sword nor steel at all, at seven dollars on Kindle or free on Unlimited, this volume is still a great deal. Up the hammers!
For a decade, DMR Books has been justly lauded for publishing the "Swords of Steel" anthology series. The hook is that each story is written by heavy metal musicians, who have themselves been inspired in composing their various epic musical cycles by the literary work of Robert E Howard and the art of Frank Frazetta, among others. Many of the stories in this collection actually incorporate the lore from the fantastic worlds and characters these artists have created for their music, such as Byron A Roberts of Bal-Sagoth and Jason Tarpey of Eternal Champion, to name two.
This weighty tome is an omnibus collection of the first three volumes of the series, though I don't think the stories are in their original order. Instead they've all been grouped together by theme, and unfortunately I think some of them are missing. Also, apparently the individual books I-III had essays, illustrations, poems, and other extra material that hasn't made it into the omnibus edition. Maybe they lost the publishing rights.
Even without the missing content, there are so many stories in this collection that they run the full gamut of the sword and sorcery genre. However, the anthology also includes a somewhat incongruous series of horror tales set in the modern era in the section entitled "Cosmic Horror". With all due respect to H P Lovecraft who was a friend, correspondent with and supporter of Robert E Howard, I tried reading the cosmic horror stories and hit a dead stop. I just couldn't maintain any interest or stay awake. I guess it's just not my thing. I finally skipped to the "Nautical Adventure" section and was transported back into the story once more!
Despite the missing material and an entire section that in fact involves neither sword nor steel at all, at seven dollars on Kindle or free on Unlimited, this volume is still a great deal. Up the hammers!
May 30, 2022
What a fun read! I heard D. M. Ritzlin, the founder of DMR Books, interviewed on a podcast and once he described this collection, as Sword & Sorcery stories written by Metal musicians, I knew I had to check it out. During the past few years, I've gotten into S&S and it's so refreshing to read work, that while clearly influenced to Howard, Lovecraft and others, is fresh and showcases rising talent. Highly recommend if you're interested in the genre.
October 11, 2025
It's a bit of a slog but it has its moments.
March 23, 2020
There is a lot of throw-the-horns metal between these covers, and while expecting excess and exuberance in the writing, I just couldn't get into it. It all needed aggressive editing, not in the proofreading but in the curation of material, to really purify and cull the actual verbiage. Many stories floundered in their own words, overflowing with description and mood and not delivering the lean plots and devastating haymaker punches of the medium.
For the lean plots and devastating haymaker punches, I'd recommend "Journey in Somnamblia", with a strange, outre setting and whose events are not really explained. It leaves the reader to fill in much of what happens and their meanings. And it is unspeakably brutal and tragic.
For the lean plots and devastating haymaker punches, I'd recommend "Journey in Somnamblia", with a strange, outre setting and whose events are not really explained. It leaves the reader to fill in much of what happens and their meanings. And it is unspeakably brutal and tragic.
October 29, 2022
Swords of Steel was a worthwhile and admirable initiative from DMR Books. With Sword-and-Sorcery contributions from members of Bal-Sagoth, Manilla Road, Solstice, and more, I’m really glad it exists, especially in this omnibus dedicated to the immortal Mark Shelton.
I would highly recommend this edition to anyone interested in the concept, but would advise prospective readers to proceed with caution regarding the writing itself. There are some gems in the mix here, especially from Byron Roberts, Howie Bentley, James Ashbey, and D.R. Lackner, but they are outnumbered by stories containing bad editing and near unreadable prose.
Despite this, DMR remains one of the most valuable publishers on the fantasy market today. 3 stars, but you should still buy it.
I would highly recommend this edition to anyone interested in the concept, but would advise prospective readers to proceed with caution regarding the writing itself. There are some gems in the mix here, especially from Byron Roberts, Howie Bentley, James Ashbey, and D.R. Lackner, but they are outnumbered by stories containing bad editing and near unreadable prose.
Despite this, DMR remains one of the most valuable publishers on the fantasy market today. 3 stars, but you should still buy it.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews