Sword & Sorcery: "An earthier sort of fantasy" discussion

Find and review any review-starved books. This means any Sword & Sorcery related book with less than ~12 reviews. Having reviews helps others learn about the genre.

****Clarification:
Suggested Books:
(1) look at your current TBR list, and check out the Goodreads reviews. Many of the classics have surprising little reviews.
(2) ditto for your already-read list. Even if you read a book last year, but review it now...that works. Just chime in and share a link.
(3) New books count too. Initial reviews that help subsequent readers is helpful.

Keep in mind this group is mostly aspiring or published authors...and are starving for food and reviews, and we have a different folder for promotions. This is not the Promotional Folder. If your book is starved please post a note there : Promotional Folder Link

Example. I am reading The Shadow Cycles by Philip Emery whom I discovered by reading his short stories in Rogue Blade Entertainment's anthologies like Return of the Sword.

Hmmm. That's a cool. I'll have to prowl through my to-read stack and see if I can dig up a short S&S novel to review. Need to pay more attention to your group. I think I like it.

David wrote: "Hmmm. That's a cool. I'll have to prowl through my to-read stack and see if I can dig up a short S&S novel to review. Need to pay more attention to your group. I think I like it."

Look forward to you prowling and unearthing some arcana to share.

If you're looking for Sword and Sorcery books, DEMORN: Blade of Exile, Book One in the Asanti Series, my series which draws heavy inspiration from Conan stories and comics, is available on Amazon right now and I'm happy to supply any review readers with complimentary kindle gift copies! The US links for the first 2 books in the series are below!

Demorn: Blade of Exile http://amazon.com/dp/B018ZVID4U
Demorn: City of Innocents http://amazon.com/dp/B01AN88H5S

Demorn: Blade of Exile
Demorn: City of Innocents

Just wondering if my debut novel falls under your sword and sorcery genre. Swords the plenty, but sorcery is still on the low burner in book I...

- A.J.

****Clarification:, just added to the initial post*****
Suggested Books:
(1) look at your current TBR list, and check out the Goodreads reviews. Many of the classics have surprising little reviews.
(2) ditto for your already-read list. Even if you read a book last year, but review it now...that works. Just chime in and share a link.
(3) New books count too. Initial reviews that help subsequent readers is helpful.

Keep in mind this group is mostly aspiring or published authors...and are starving for food and reviews, and we have a different folder for promotions. This is not the Promotional Folder. If your book is starved please post a note there : Promotional Folder Link

I'm sure I can dig up something from my shelf that will fit this description!

I bet I have dozens that need the attention...

you are a brave man Jack! I'll pray for your survival!

I take it that it's not so good...

The only "Heavy-Metal blood violence" fantasy fiction I know of was an old school manga called Bastard!!

Second Cataclysm

This book only has 13 ratings and 2 reviews at this time. I'll read it sometime during the month of May. It's book one of three in the series. Book one is free on Kindle if you're an Amazon Prime member and books two and three are only $2.99 each so worthy of a chance.

Might give Zorachus by Mark E Rogers a go. This looks like a dark, grim fantasy written before there was a thing called "grim dark"!

All,
I enjoy the titles being considered so far:
The Baalbak Quest
Second Cataclysm
Zorachus



BTW, I'm 50% into The Shadow Cycles

I think The Throne of Bones might qualify ...

My review.

Joseph, thanks for sharing the review. Throne of Bones deserves more reads/reviews; it was award winning but remains fairly obscure.

Impure Blood Volume 1, Impure Blood Volume 2, and Impure Blood, Volume 3

Reviewed here:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Swords, sorcery, science, and steam. . . .

Well the closest I have in my collection is Andre Norton's Huon of the Horn which currently has 16 reviews, a bit more than I was hoping but I'd still consider it review starved, so I may tackle it when I get the chance.

Dan wrote: "Well the closest I have in my collection is Andre Norton's Huon of the Horn which currently has 16 reviews, a bit more than I was hoping but I'd still consider it review starved, so ..."

By the supreme powers of comoderator of the first-order, I confirm Huon of the Horn starved enough for Dan and the rest of us.

Actually, for any other people thinking about what is review-starved, don't dwell too long. The ~15 review definition was just a suggestion. Go with your gut...and review.

Knight's Wyrd by Debra Doyle and James D. Macdonald

Reviewed here:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I have Kavin's World, by David Mason on my shelf-only 2 reviews! Just begging to be read/reviewed ...:)

I'm working on Thistil Mistil Kistil Volume One by Sarah Schanze, which, amazingly enough, has no reviews and only 11 ratings.

S.E. wrote: "Dan wrote: "Well the closest I have in my collection is Andre Norton's Huon of the Horn which currently has 16 reviews, a bit more than I was hoping but I'd still consider it review ..."

That's very magnanimous of you! hahaha.

Thistil Mistil Kistil Volume One by Sarah Schanze

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Just finished Philip Emery's review-starved The Shadow Cycles.

"To write sword-&-sorcery in the twenty-first century, it seemed to me, required a redefinition of the form. ‘The Shadow Cycles’ is my attempt at that redefinition – in effect, the formulation and deployment of a tarot." – Philip Emery

Over all, it was ok. Perhaps pushed the weird description too far. I'll still be following Emery. I like his poetic weirdness and desire to expand the genre.

Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Second Cataclysm

Is done and reviewed. I hope others read this one it was a great book. I plan on reading the others in the series. A hidden gem and at only 99 cents on Amazon a great value.

Scott wrote: "Second Cataclysm

Is done and reviewed. I hope others read this one it was a great book. I plan on reading the others in the series. A hidden gem and at only 99 cents on Amazon a gr..."

Thanks Scott. Well done. Would you classify that series as Young Adult, or more mature Lovecraftian horror? Or otherwise?

S.E. wrote: "Scott wrote: "Second Cataclysm

Is done and reviewed. I hope others read this one it was a great book. I plan on reading the others in the series. A hidden gem and at only 99 cents ..."

I would compare it to Wheel of Time in that the setting and theme are epic fantasy but the characters are young. The cult of Yex and the demon would compare to the dark one and there's prophecies and foretelling. From there everything is different but it's the classic theme.

The Pirates of Pacta Servanda by Jack Campbell

Reviewed here:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...

Swords! Steam! Sorcery! Sciences! this, I suppose is planetary romance with magic. Also the fourth book in a series that does benefit from being read in order.

Mary, you are leading the reviews here! Awesome.

Jack wrote: "I read The Baalbak Quest by David J. Kelly. Mercifully, it was a quick read at 159 pages. It was comically bad, and not in a "it's so bad it's good" campy way. It w..."

Jack.... about Baalbak.... wow.

The Wizard's Tale by Kurt Busiek

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

A comic graphic novel about the adventures of an Evil Wizard. (He has to be an Evil Wizard -- his whole family is -- and what would he be if he stopped?) and magically cursed land and a tome of spells and a magical journey to other worlds.

Anyone ever hear of The Lion of Islam, by Howard L Oleck?

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...

I read this little novella 'A New Plague' by Benny Hinrichs on a whim and thought it was enjoyably unique and twisted. I think I'm the only person who has reviewed it thus far, more or less.

Ice Crown by Andre Norton. A planetary romance, but you will recognize the themes.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I'm very impressed with the number and variety of reviews.

Just wrapped up & reviewed The Fall of Undal, a "mythdark" book as some would call it. It's a new release and continues a narrative of myth/historical fiction based on ancient cultures.

I'm now onto the other groupread...with The Last Wish in hand.

Read the webcomic Bird Boy. Now I've read the first collection:

The Sword of Mali Mani!

And I've reviewed it.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I'm re-reading Ursula Vernon's Digger webcomic.

Reviews for one and two here:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I really need to sit down with that giant Digger graphic novel one of these days ...

I read it online

Digger, Volume Three by Ursula Vernon

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Digger, Volume Four by Ursula Vernon

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Digger, Volume Five by Ursula Vernon
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Digger, Volume Six by Ursula Vernon

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Death Carries a Camcorder: Essays on fantasy writing by Tom Simon

Reviewed here:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

as the genre is part of fantasy

Age of Conan: Blood of Wolves: Legends of Kern, Volume 1 One of my absolute favorites. Picked it up because of the Conan licensing, but as the hero Kern says "I am nay Conan." Check it out.

I am curious about these books; the whole Age of Conan series. They were generally slagged by the folks at the Robert E Howard forum, but many are a little biased. I think I have book 1 in the Series about the Aquilonian soldier adventuring on the Pictish Frontier (God in the Moon?). I might try tracking down the rest of these, if they are decent...

I didn't care for God in the Moon, but the Kern books are wonderful. so gritty I had to brush my teeth afterward.

Sounds good! I will try the Kern books for sure. Here's hoping Kern is a Cimmerian bad-ass and not some angst-ridden Hyborian age Emo...

Style is the Rocket: and Other Essays on Writing by Tom Simon

Reviewed here:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Draws heavily on fantasy examples