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.
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