Monday 24 January 2011

SKULL SALAD REVIEWS

Think of Skull Salad as a "word of mouth" site for the digital age.

Some of the best speculative fiction (especially short stories and novellas) comes out of the small press, and it's our mission to spread the word. These are recommendations, good fiction we found well worth our time.

http://skullsaladreviews.blogspot.com/


Sunday 16 January 2011

ABSENT WILLOW REVIEW: UPDATE


Absent Willow Review January 2011


Preacher at the End of the World
by Andrew C. Porter
Date Night
by Edd Howarth
Done Wandering
by D.R Pinney
Only Skin Deep
by Blake Swensen
A Compassionate Death
by Ash Krafton
Sin
by Aaron Callison
The Thoughtful Dead
by Carrie Vaccaro Nelkin
Fragile
by Bill Blais
The Train Set
by Chris Tarry
Madness in its Eyes
by Richard Bell
Blind
by B. Morris Allen
Rosebud
by Thomas Wortman
Unicorn 2
by Anna Sykora

Thursday 13 January 2011

BENEATH CEASELESS SKIES: UPDATE

Beneath Ceaseless Skies
An Online Magazine of Literary Adventure Fantasy
"Two Pretenders," by Marie Brennan
He had sworn never to speak of it, not to anyone, but his tongue betrays him in an instant. "Sometimes I think I’ve been here before. In my dreams...I have the strangest dreams." He pauses, fighting not to say more, and into that pause comes the young man's quiet answer. "Dreams of this place. Not this cell--a proper chamber, with a proper bed, and servants, and no shackles. But a prison just the same."
"Over a Narrow Sea," by Camille Alexa
Staring into the witch's cup, I feel something loosening inside myself, a knot I hadn’t known resided in my chest. I nod as though drowsing, despite feeling in some ways strangely alert, aware of minute details: the snap and hiss of the driftwood fire; the whuffle and scuff of gull feet scrabbling on the windowsill; the heavy presence of Katte’s broken body. Almost, I think I can hear the knitting of my friend’s fractured skull, the remaking of her rent skin.
Audio Fiction Podcast 051
"Transitions of Truth and Tears," by David G. Blake
Garran spotted the fountain long before he reached its base. Water spurted into the air, sprung from a stone wineskin held by a life-sized statue of the founder of Vihal...one of the murderers of Beliath. Garran repeated that fact in his head as he pushed through the last throng of people, a part of him both amazed and horrified that no one had stopped him yet; a much deeper part shamed that he had not stopped on his own.
 
From the Archives:
"Oil Fire," by Kate MacLeod, from BCS #23
Oh, poor Enanatuma! We had been estranged long before my banishment. I had seen her only once since the day ten years ago when I had given up dancing and devoted all my energies to magic. I had done her a favor in return for the thousand kindnesses she and her father had shown me and had intended never to see her again. But she was still my sister.

Tuesday 4 January 2011

AURORA WOLF: UPDATE


January 2011

The Inheritance by Jenna McKay

Thin Blood by James Lecky

Masks by Megan Arkenberg

Of Dragons and Courage by George Stewart

The Temporary Wizard of Lochlynn by S.G Rogers

http://aurorawolf.com/


Sunday 2 January 2011

HEROIC FANTASY QUARTERLY: UPDATE


Heroic Fantasy Quarterly Issue 7



Fiction

LORD OF THE BRASS HOST, by Dariel Quiogue
Dare we call this beauty a tale of S&S steampunk upon the steppes? We dare!


THE LAST FREE BEAR, by J. S. Bangs
Hope drives them across the tundra, and revenge into a world of legend!


SHATTERING THE SPEAR, by P. Djeli Clark
When the forces of the Witch Priest threaten the Southlands, only the mighty Zhusa and their allies stand in the way. But are unbreakable spears enough to stop this ancient evil . . .


Poetry
LAMENT FOR THE FATHERS, by Joshua Hampton
A poem seemingly straight from the middle ages! With this his second poem to grace our electronic pages, Mr. Hampton currently reigns as HFQ’s Poet Laureate. (You can check out the prior
here, from the halcyon days of ’09.)

METTLE, by Scott Matthews
We couldn’t have asked for a better winter poem. Short but powerful, certain lines of this piece are sure to warm the hearts of heroic fans everywhere — you’ll know ‘em when you see ‘em!

Art
This quarter’s artwork is “Wizard’s Fire” by Simon Cowell. Mr Cowell is a freelance concept artist, Illustrator, and painter living in Sydney Australia.


http://www.heroicfantasyquarterly.com/