Tales of Attluma by David C. Smith

Tales of Attluma by David C. Smith (Pulp Hero Press, 2020)

Sixteen sword & sorcery tales about sorcerers, warriors, lost loves, demons, and gods on the doomed island continent of Attluma. In his introduction the author mentions that he was initially influenced by the works of Clark Ashton Smith and Robert E. Howard. I felt that clearly as I was reading. Although I enjoyed some stories more than others, as a whole this was a fantastic read. While some of the stories are standard if excellent dark sword & sorcery fare, there are others that have themes that go beyond that. 

The stories:

Descales’ Skull (4/5)

Three men bring together pieces of a sorcerer’s skull in hopes of being rewarded for their efforts. 

The Generosity of the Gods (4/5)

Two bumbling fishermen enter a temple in order to test the power of the gods. 

Feasting in Shadows (4/5)

Two people exploring a cave looking for ancient temples run into more than they bargained for.

Dark of Heart (5/5)

A soldier in prison for murder gets a second chance by leading a rescue party into a dangerous land. Absolutely thrilling. This story reminded me of the best of Robert E. Howard.

The Last Words of Imatus Istum (5/5)

A poet recounts the brutal tale of how his city was invaded by nomadic warriors on horseback. This story brought to mind the warriors of the Mongol empire and the devastation they brought when attacking cities. 

Aliastra the Sorceress (5/5)

A count who has fallen on hard times gets involved with a sorceress longing for her long dead lover. I really enjoyed the theme of choices that this story explores. 

Ithtidzik (4/5)

A student of sorcery who thinks he knows better than his master uses a demon to seek out an ancient tome. 

Rhasjud’s Destiny (4/5)

Warriors grow concerned when they reach a city but their leader hides in his tent instead of giving the order to attack.

Blood Ransom (4/5)

A young man gets caught up in a plot to kidnap a princess. 

Dark Goddess (5/5)

After raiding a city, the raiders find themselves attacked and haunted by something dark and deadly. Another story that reminded me of the warriors of the Mongol Empire. 

Coome, Death (4/4)

A mysterious man named Akram enters a plague-ridden village and encounters a dying woman.

The Return to Hell (4/4)

Akram sets into motion his plan to lift the curse that he has been living with. 

The Passing of the Sorcerer (5/5)

After a sorcerer and a princess become lovers, the city they reside in is attacked by demons. Smith packs a lot into this story as it touches on love, sacrifice, reincarnation, and how doing something small in the present can effect change in the future. 

Patience Serves (4/5)

A lady visits a dying lord. A dark tale of vengeance. 

The Sounding of the Gong (3/5)

Thieves attempt to steal from an old sorcerer and a young sorceress. An interesting story set during the end days of Attluma, but this one didn’t grab me as much as the others. 

The End of Days (5/5)

The last survivors of Attluma race to escape the island continent as monsters and demons give chase. An epic final tale. 

In Conclusion

My one criticism is regarding the Kindle version. While there’s a contents page at the beginning (that you have to swipe a few pages to get to) that allows the reader to navigate between stories, the contents menu at the top of the screen is limited and does not allow one to navigate between the stories. 

Other sword & sorcery works by the author include a five-book series about a barbarian named Oron, a six book Red Sonja series based on the character from Marvel Comics, and the novel Sometime Lofty Towers. I have a paperback copy of the first Oron book and it’s available on Kindle. Here’s hoping the other books become available as eBooks in the future as I’ve never encountered them in the wild and online prices are pretty high. I’ve come across the Red Sonja books at one of the used bookstores I frequent but those books are pretty pricey as well. Sometime Lofty Towers was recently made available again as both a paperback and eBook from Brackenbury Books. One way or another, I’ll definitely be reading more from David C. Smith. 

Books I Read in March 2026

Just one book and one comic collection this month

Arcane Arts and Cold Steel by David C. Smith (Pulp Hero Press, 2025)

I enjoyed David C. Smith’s Tales of Attluma so much last month (and which I still plan to post a longer review of) that I read his recent book on writing sword & sorcery. It begins with what sword & sorcery fiction is and what it is not and then does a deep dive on how to write sword & sorcery fiction using numerous examples from both classic and contemporary authors. It’s a gold mine of information. I learned a lot and I discovered quite a few authors that are new to me. Highly recommended for readers of the genre as well as aspiring writers. 

Conan the Barbarian Vol. 5: Twisting Loyalties by Jim Zub, Danica Brine, and Doug Braithwaite (Titan Comics, August 2025)

This collects issues 17-20 of Titan’s Conan the Barbarian comic. The four issues cover two okay stories, one in which Conan and Belit attempt to steal a Stygian artifact and one that takes place later in which Conan is being stalked by something through the jungle. Not my favorite of the run so far but still enjoyable. It was cool to see a character show up from the original Marvel Comics Run. 

The Dolphin and the Deep & Where is the Bird of Fire? by Thomas Burnett Swann

Thomas Burnett Swann (October 12, 1968 - May 5, 1976) was an academic, poet, and fantasy author. He passed away from cancer at the age of 47. I learned about him just a few months ago from a post on social media that showed a collection of his books. I was surprised that I had never come across any of his work before as I’ve spent many years haunting the science fiction and fantasy shelves of used books stores.

In any case, after I read more about him, I learned that his fiction mixes history and mythology, two things I'm very much interested in, so I decided to keep my eye out for his books. So far, I’ve only come across a few of his paperbacks. Some of his work is also available as eBooks but I haven’t gotten any of those yet. Here are my thoughts on two of his collections. 

The Dolphin and the Deep by Thomas Burnett Swann (Ace Books, 1968)

This is a collection of three fantasy novellas. The stories all have a fable-like quality to them, along with wonderful use of metaphor. Each story begins as an adventure story but by the end becomes something much more profound. 

“The Dolphin and the Deep”

(Science Fantasy, August 1963)

The adventures of a young Etruscan while on quest to find the enchantress Circe. Along the way he’s joined by a merboy and a dolphin. 

“The Manor of Roses” 

(The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, November 1966)

In medieval Britain, two young boys and a girl encounter Mandrakes and a mysterious manor in the forest after setting out for London in hopes of joining the Crusades. Nominated for the Hugo Award for best novelette in 1967.

“The Murex”

(Science Fantasy, February 1964)

Trouble ensues after a group of Amazons discover that one their own has befriended a winged Myrmidon boy. 

Where is the Bird of Fire? by Thomas Burnett Swann (Ace Books, 1970)

This is another collection of three fantasy novellas. The lyrical prose, the melancholic atmosphere in each story, and the way the author mixed historical characters with mythological figures really spoke to me. 

“Where is the Bird of Fire?” 

(Science Fantasy, April 1962)

The story of Romulus and Remus and the founding of Rome from the perspective of a faun named Sylvan. Hugo Award finalist for Best Short Fiction in 1963. Expanded into the novel The Lady of the Bees. 

“Vashti”
(Science Fantasy, May 1965)

After Xerxes banishes his wife Vashiti, the healer Ianiskos, follows her. Not as easy as it sounds as he is an adult in the body of a six-year-old. Starts out as an adventure story but then becomes something deeper. 

“Bear”

(Appears to have been published here for the first time)

As Romans prepare to leave Britain, a druidess seeks to put a spell on her Roman lover so that he will take her with him. From light-hearted with many lines that had me laughing to ultimately tragic. 

In Conclusion 

My one criticism is that the stories can feel overly sentimental at times, but for me the beautifully written prose and where the stories eventually lead make up for that. 

The reviews I’ve read of the books that he expanded from his novellas say they aren’t as good as the originals, but I was so taken with the writing in the two collections that I read that I plan on reading anything else of his that I can find. I’ll end with an interesting quote I found regarding his work from The Encyclopedia of Fantasy by John Clute and John Grant (1967):

“Almost all his fiction - beginning with ''Winged Victory'' for Fantastic Universe in 1958 - fits into a single vision of the course of Western history, and can be seen as comprising a sustained meditation on the theme of Thinning, viewed through a reiterated central story in which the matriarchal, prelapsarian old order - represented by ''Beasts'', including minotaurs, fauns, sibyls, dryads, halflings and occasional highly significant appearances by the god Pan - is destroyed by the world-devouring patriarchy of the Achaeans, or Romans, or Christians. There are several venues - ancient Egypt, Crete, Rome, medieval Britain - but all have a similar land-of-fable relationship to the mundane world, whose geography they rarely violate, and the general history of which is reinterpreted rather than ignored. Most of the novels describe rites of passage of children into ambivalent maturity; it is arguable that the author saw adulthood and thinning as very similar conditions.” 

Short Stories and Novellas I Read in February 2026

 All short stories and novellas this month. All highly recommended.

“Rider in the Widow Lands” short story by Coy Hall. (The Scythian Wolf, 2026. Available as an ebook)

A dark rider on a mysterious mission in an eerie land. By the end all is revealed. A tale just brimming with sword & sorcery atmosphere with vivid prose, interesting worldbuilding, and an ending that totally sticks the landing.

“Viy” by Nikolai Gogol (From The Collected Tales of Nikolai Gogol. Vintage, 1999. Story first published in 1835)

A philosophy student holding vigil over the dead body of a beautiful young woman in a remote church is terrorized by supernatural creatures. It has a slow buildup up but the wild supernatural events that begin happening towards the end make up for it. As soon as I finished reading, I watched the film adaptation from 1967.

Viy (1967) Directed by Georgi Kropachyov and Konstantin Ershov 

A faithful and well-done adaptation with some beautiful location shooting in Ukraine. Like the novella, it has a bit of a slow beginning, but it leads into a phenomenal latter half. The set of the church interior, the lighting, the color, the direction, and the practical effects during those scenes were all amazing and creatively done, especially for a film from 1967.

The Dolphin and the Deep by Thomas Burnett Swann (Ace Books, 1968)

This collects three fantasy stories of varying length. Each story mixes history and mythology in a way that I really enjoyed. 

Where is the Bird of Fire? by Thomas Burnett Swann (Ace Books, 1970)

Three more stories that deftly mix mythology and history. Swann has become a new favorite author of mine. I’ll be looking out for more of his work, and I’ll write more details about both books in an upcoming post. 

Tales of Attluma by David C. Smith (Pulp Hero Press, 2020)

Sixteen stories about sorcerers, warriors, demons, and gods on the island continent of Attluma. Fantastic stuff. Once again, I’ll post a longer review soon.

The Krieg Sword & Sorcery Stories of Charles Gramlich

I really enjoyed “The Skull of Ghosts” from Old Moon Quarterly #5 featuring Charles Gramlich’s sword & sorcery character Krieg, so I sought out the rest of the stories. In a blog post the author describes the character as someone who “combines certain elements of REH’s Kull and Wagner’s Kane,” which I felt as I read the stories. This is a small detail, but I really like how the stories are broken up into parts, each with its own chapter title, something I usually only see in longer works. 

“A Whisper in Ashes” (5/5) 

(Heroic Fantasy Quarterly #17, July 2013 and The Best of Heroic Fantasy Quarterly Vol. III, 2020)

After Krieg discovers the ruins of a funeral ship at the edge of a mountain lake, he follows a set of footprints to a town which is having trouble with an intruder. At first, they accept his help but then they become suspicious of him.

“Where all the Souls Are Hollow” (5/5) 

(Unsheathed: An Epic Fantasy Collection, 2018)

Krieg encounters something not of this world in a desert. I got a bit of a Karl Edward Wagner vibe with this one as it mixes science fiction with sword and sorcery really well. 

“The Rotted Land” (5/5) 

(Sword and Sorceries: Tales of Heroic Fantasy Volume 5, 2022)

After attempting to take a short cut though a swamp, Krieg meets a mysterious woman clad in black. The darkest story yet.

“The Skull of Ghosts” (5/5) 

(Old Moon Quarterly # 5, Summer 2023)

Krieg enters a plague infested town and meets people from his past. I loved the prose, the characters, and the backstory that’s hinted at. 

“Once Upon a Blood Dark Sea” (5/5)

(Savage Realms Monthly # 40, November 2025)

Krieg and the men he is travelling with at sea encounter an island newly risen from the ocean. On the island they explore the ruins of an ancient city and wind up battling all sorts of creatures. A real page turner. 

Each story is set up really well, has excellent pacing, and has a satisfying conclusion. Not a wasted word. Here’s hoping that the author writes more stories about Krieg. If he does, I’ll definitely be reading them. 

Old Moon Quarterly Issue 5

I really enjoyed reading Old Moon Quarterly 1-4, so it was only a matter of time before I got to issue 5. It’s another great mix of sword and sorcery/dark fantasy fiction & poetry. The issue begins with an interesting introduction that discusses the differences between Kull and Conan stories. 

Stories and poems:

Together Under the Wing by Jonathan Olfert (4/5)

A revenge story about a woolly mammoth warrior versus a giant. Dark and original.

Champions Against the Maggot King by K.H. Vaughn (5/5)

Elemental sorcery, landships, and a great cast of characters. Loved it.

The King’s Two Bodies by Joe Koch (4/4)

A cryptic but fascinating poem.

The Origin of Boghounds by Amelia Gordon (4/5)

Bounty hunters, swamps, and monsters. A fun read. 

Well Met at the Gates of Hell by David K. Henrickson (4/5)

After a warrior arrives in hell he must fight three figures from his past. I enjoyed how the story moved forward with each encounter and where the story led.

A Warning Agaynste Woldes by Zachary Bos (3/5)

An interesting but difficult to read poem, even more cryptic than the previous one. Both poems become more enjoyable with each re-read. 

The Skull of Ghosts by Charles Gramlich (5/5)

A warrior named Krieg enters a plague infested town and meets people from his past. I loved the prose, the characters, and the backstory that’s hinted at. This is a small detail, but I really liked how the story is broken up into parts, each with its own chapter title, something I don’t usually see in short fiction. 

The Headman’s Melancholy by Joseph Andrew Thomas (4/5)

An executioner in 14th century England begins to keep a diary after meeting a thief that he is sure he executed in the past. Dark and mysterious. 

A really solid issue. While I enjoyed some works more than others, I got something out of all of them.

Books and Short Stories I Read in January 2026

Mostly short stories this month plus one book. 

The Maltese Falcon by Dashiell Hammet (Vintage Crime/Black Lizard, 1989. Originally published in 1930)

This was a re-read. I enjoyed this just as much as I did when I first read it many years ago. A cynical mystery with interesting characters, some hardboiled dialog, and a plot that kept me reading. I plan to re-watch the 1941 film soon. 

Conan: Comrades by Brian D. Anderson (The Heroic Legends Series, Titan Books, 2025) 

A gritty and fast paced short story about Conan as a mercenary. It does a great job of showing what those who fight for coin deal with. The ending hits hard. 

Old Moon Quarterly: A Magazine of Dark Fantasy and Sword and Sorcery Issue #5 (Summer, 2023)

This is another great mix of dark fantasy/sword and sorcery stories along with some poetry. Highly recommended. I’ll post a more in-depth review soon. 

“Blood of the Gods” by Robert E. Howard 

(From El Borak and Other Desert Adventures, Del Rey Books, 2010. Originally published in Top Notch, July 1935)

It’s been a while since I read anything by one of my favorite authors, Robert E. Howard. As his birthday is on January 22, I wanted to read something by him, but I wasn’t sure what to pick at first. Then I remembered that author Scott Oden recently wrote on his Substack about what Robert E. Howard taught him about writing fight scenes. I learned a lot from it. In the article he analyzes the El Borak story “Blood of the Gods.” Here’s a link: Rivers of Crimson - by Scott Oden

I have the Del Rey collection of El Borak stories, so between the Scott Oden post and the book sitting unread on my shelf, “Blood of the Gods” was an easy pick. The stories are about an American gunfighter’s adventures in Afghanistan. He’s given the name El Borak (Arabic for “The Swift”) due to speed and quickness. 

In this story he races to the aid of a friend after learning that dangerous soldiers of fortune are seeking the friend and his treasure, the Blood of the Gods. The story is fast paced with lots of action right from the start leading to an excellent finale. While I wouldn’t rate it as high as most of Howard’s Conan or Soloman Kane stories, it’s an excellent pulp adventure story and I enjoyed it quite a lot. Looking forward to reading more of El Borak in the future.