Wednesday, August 9, 2017

A Return to Flashing Swords

I made it through eight sci-fi books during my hiatus from swords & sorcery. I didn't abandon it completely (see three roundups, Swords of Steel III, and Nyumbani Tales), but I really made an effort to thing about and read other things. Now I'm done with that. I have to admit I started getting a little bored with sci-fi. At least bored with picking shorter sci-fi works I want to revisit (Dune was a bit of cheat, having started it several months ago). I couldn't just keep reviewing Dickson, Anderson, and Niven over and over again. I mean I could, but I'm not sure John O'Neill at Black Gate would let even me do that.

At the same time as conversations have swirled around on the net and several boards got me jazzed to dive back in with both feet. Finishing Purity of Blood, the second of Arturo Perez-Reverte's swashbuckling Captain Alatriste novels was just the right thing to get me fully primed. This coming week I'll be reading Scott Oden's take on the Northern Thing, A Gathering of Ravens.

Looking ahead, I'm not sure exactly what I'll end up reading. It won't all be pure S&S. There'll be my usual mix of historical adventure and probably some planet adventure stories as well. Grimdark Magazine released an anthology called Evil Is a Matter of Perspective and there's a novella (novelette?) by Howie Bentley I need to read. I'd like to something about R. Scott Bakker's epic series. It's not S&S, but it's harrowing stuff and I've been meaning to take a longer look at it. Then there are all the older works I've been planning to write about as well. There's a lot to choose from.

So, starting next week, it's back to swords & sorcery. Come on over to Black Gate and let me know what you think.

6 comments:

  1. I think you'll like A Gathering of Ravens. Scott really nails it with this book; his background in historical fiction is obvious, and he mixes in REH-style blood and thunder along with classic Norse/Celtic mythology to create a special kind of fantasy. Historical Sword and Sorcery!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Check this out. Awesome Sword & Sorcery! SHADOW OF THE BARBARIAN: A LEGEND WILL RISE by John Thane.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Well from my point of view you could keep reviewing Gordon R. Dickson as long as you like.
    But then again I don't own the Black Gate website so........
    Anyway, looking forward to the return of S&S back here at your blog.
    Oh yeah, and I love the new Header picture as well!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yeah, me too. Thanx re:the header. I figured I needed as a SWORDS&SORCERY picture as possible to herald my return

      Delete

.