Issue #7 of Swords and Sorcery Magazine On Line

   So the latest issue of Swords and Sorcery Magazine hit the 'net the other day and, despite a major editing flub, it's my favorite issue so far.  In fact I think that mistake makes me appreciate the sort of lo-fi handcrafted nature of the magazine just a little bit more than I already did.  
   This month's stories are "The Boon of Gregory of Northlee" by Andrew Moore and the coolly-titled "Ninety Nine Deaths of the Monkey God" by David J. West.  Unfortunately, when you click on the link for Story 1, while you reach Moore's story, the title say it's last month's "Corbane's Wish" by Charlene Brusso.  That's got to hurt a little bit.

   Moore's story is written like something by Lord Dunsany in a slightly more modern style.  A bold knight faces near certain death to face a king so evil he's begun to hide the stars.  It's a very ur-fantasy story, very legendary affair.  It's well done and doesn't hit any sour faux-archaic sounding notes.  There isn't much tension but Moore is inventive and I appreciate the callback to the roots of the S&S.

   West's story is about goateed warrior Kold and his band of slayers trying to cross the Bhustan jungles in search of a temple and its god.  Their aim is to slay the god and bring an end to the war being waged on their homeland by its followers.  It's got priests, pygmies, jungle creatures and monkeys.  I don't think I need to say more.

   In this issue’s introduction, editor Curtis Ellett writes he didn't receive many stories this issue.  I know they don't pay much but I'm a little surprised.  Hopefully, more folks hoping to get their toes wet writing will submit stories.  On the other hand, the month there's a story drought they've produced my favorite issue.

Update:  the "flub" is fixed and Mr. Moore gets the proper title