Readings of February

This has been a busy month for me writing, and so in turn the reading has dropped quite a bit. I do have a friends novel I'm reviewing-but I'm gonna save that for Monday. So beyond that I have mostly been reading short stories this month-still always reading but in smaller quick increments.

Swords in the Mist, by Fritz Leiber
This is a collection of short stories about Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser, two of the greatest swordsmen who ever lived (according to Leiber) I have to admit that when I first read some of their tales years ago I wasn't as taken as I could have been but picking them up again was very pleasing this time around. Leiber is rather purple in his prose but that has never bothered me much at all if I am enjoying myself and with these tales I certainly was. Cloud of Hate was a great romp of action with an ending tossing the usual heroic yarn out the window. Lean Times in Lanhkmar also had quite the tongue in cheek about it. And though not in this particular volume I also read Bazaar of the Bizarre another Fafhrd and Gray Mouser tale from a later collection-that too was a most excellent Sword and Sorcery tale.


In The Void, by Michael Collings
I bought this from Michael Collings at the LTUE a couple weeks back. It is a collection of his poetry with a Sci-Fi,Fantasy, and Horror slant. I haven't read all of these yet, but have greatly enjoyed those I have read. Just flipping the book open anywhere I was struck by his raw energetic prose. Sasquatch has a delightful twist, Myrmidon brought the echoes of that immortal conflict the Trojan war scurrying back across the field before the gods and Because I Would Not Stop For Death=Awesome.


Desolate Souls was an anthology collection from the World Horrorcon 2008. It had quite a variety of contributors and thus far the standouts for me was a piece by Orson Scott Card-Lostboys and another poem by Michael Collings, Crows. I also liked Awake, Awke Ye Northern Winds by Simon R. Green a moody pirate/zombie piece.







I just received a copy of Rage of the Behemoth, another anthology put out by Rogue Blades Entertainment I have been meaning to get ahold of this for awhile and finally did. Its moving to the top of my to read pile for the weekend. I have also been re-reading The Dark Muse by Karl Edward Wagner and Black Colossus and Beyond the Black River by Robert E. Howard for the sake of my own stories mentioned below.

And of course finally, there is the short story contest at the LDS Publisher Blog. I mentioned this earlier in the week but I have 2 (out of 26) stories posted anonymously. If you had the time I wouldn't mind more people reading and voting, the poll is open until Saturday midnight. I have read them all and some are better than others (that's as kind as I can be) and some surprised me with their new twist on things.