Status Updates From Tales from the Magician's S...

Curtis, "Of Swords and Scrivening": informative article about Fritz Leiber by someone who obviously loves the man's work. To say Leiber is the father of Sword and Sorcery indeed!

Malan, "Isle of Fog": these soul partnered mercenary brothers are always cool and this time is no different. Spooky foes, rather, enemy environment, this time. The foes once we meet them mundane but the atmosphere and setting is wonderful. A bit of a surprise in the denouement and answers to some mysteries still unknown entice us to watch for further tales.

Enge, "Cold in Blood": An enjoyable Morlock tale that occurs all in one evening. Bloody, cold, moody.

Mele, "Shadows of a Forgotten Queen": Greg always puts the reader into his world with spectacular and atmospheric description of weapons, clothing, actions, and words. And there was definitely sorcery here, and it's cool in its evocation and employment - it requires work and preplanning. The enemy held real power too, thwarting the sword side of things over and over again...until not.

Long, "Guilty Creatures": best F&GM story I've read in a long while. Humorous without being labored or overdone as so many of Leiber's stories are. Great subterfuge, cunning action and misdirection, and excellent emotional appeal - I especially feel sorry for the deceased sorcerer who should have received his justice. Fun storytelling.

HAJ, "The Feathered Shroud": somewhat sorrowful reading again a Jones and Hanuvar tale. This tale is filled with curiosity and deftly displays many aspects of Jones' greatest hero. Once more, man is more monstrous than the fantastic creature, who is beautiful in its ethereal power. This is a fortuitous tale in the Hanuvar saga.

Hocking, "Calicask's Woman": perhaps my favorite Benhus story, as he's not a prick in this one. Great premise, fun plot, nicely employed magics. Poor Benhus used up a great toy though, and has to find someone new to help him identify the others.