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.

Some Arthurian Short Stories

While I’m familiar with the Arthurian Saga by Mary Stewart as well as the short story “The Last Defender of Camelot” by Roger Zelazny (I’ve had the collection the story appears in for quite a while but just never got to it until now), it wasn’t until recently that I discovered how much Arthurian fiction is actually out there. I decided to read a few stories so here are some reviews. 

“The Last Defender of Camelot” by Roger Zelazny

(The Last Defender of Camelot, Pocket Books, 1980) 

The story begins with Sir Lancelot alive in the present day. Believing he has been cursed with immortality, he searches for the Holy Grail in hopes that it will end the curse. After running into someone from his past he seeks out Merlin, but things don’t turn out as planned. A suspenseful start that leads to conflict with a moving ending. 

Rating 5/5 

“Running to Camelot” by Darrell Schweitzer 

(The Darrell Schweitzer Megapack, Wildside Press, 2013)

Each time Lancelot visits the castle of a sorceress, a former lover, she tries to convince him to stay by showing him his tragic future. I enjoyed the prose and the haunting, melancholy-like atmosphere. This story first appeared in the Summer 1998 issue of Marion Zimmer’s Fantasy magazine with a great cover by Mark Harrison. 

Rating: 4/5

“A Once and Future Reckoning” by Rajan Khanna

(Beneath Ceaseless Skies #361, July 2022

An alternate version of the life of King Arthur from the time he pulls the sword from the stone to his death. In between short paragraphs that chronicle the version of legend we are familiar with; we are told the story of how Merlin guides Arthur throughout his life in an attempt to re-awaken something quite old.

The use of names really adds to the feeling that the story being told is an ancient one. Arthur is called Artur, Guinevere is called Gwenhwyfar, and Merlin is called Myrddin. Myrddin the Wyllit (Myrddin the Wild) is a figure from medieval Welsh legend who served as the inspiration from Merlin in Arthurian legend. Overall, this has an epic feel to it and deftly mixes existing legend with gradual hints of the true nature of the story. Outstanding. 

Rating: 5/5

“Uncounted Leaves of Ends of Camelot” by R.K. Duncan 

(Beneath Ceaseless Skies #361, July 2022

Merlin sends King Arthur to the Forest Perilous after Arthur asks how he may avert the doom that will befall Camelot. There he enters a tree created by Merlin that contains the branches of all futures in hopes of finding a path in which Camelot does not fall. Intriguing and I really liked where the story led. Beneath Ceaseless Skies is available on Kindle but also free to read online. 

Rating: 4/5

“Soothes the Fire” by Josh Reynolds 

(Shadows Over Avalon, 18thWall Productions, 2022)

The book this story appears in collects stories that mix Arthurian legend with the Cthulhu mythos, hence the title Shadows Over Avalon. After the death of King Arthur and the fall of Camelot, the last knight of the Round Table narrates his attempt to stop Morgan Le Fay from opening a gate that will allow the return of the Old Ones. I really enjoyed how the story mixes legend, particular about one of the lesser-known knights, and the Cthulhu mythos. Outstanding. 

Rating 5/5

These were all enjoyable reads and I’m looking forward to reading more Arthurian fiction in the future. Now if I can just fit that in with all the other stuff that I want to read...

Old Moon Quarterly Issues 1 - 4

I didn't read any books this month, but I did read the first four issues of Old Moon Quarterly, a magazine dedicated to dark fantasy/sword & sorcery available in print or in inexpensive ebook form. Each issue has a variety of short stories and beginning with the second issue an introduction and an interview or book review. 

I actually bought and read the first issue in 2022 and while I enjoyed it and saw good reviews for the other issues, I didn’t continue for some reason. That changed after reading the new Warhammer short stories this month and learning that one of the authors also has fiction in Old Moon Quarterly. While I enjoyed some more than others, there was quite an interesting range of stories, and I got something out of all of them. 

Old Moon Quarterly #1

A Town Called Trepidation by Paula Hammond 

A bounty hunter/sorceress chases down troublemakers in an interesting world based on ancient Egypt.

Stella Splendens by Graham Thomas Wilcox 

The ending seemed abrupt, but I enjoyed the prose and dream/nightmare-like atmosphere.

The Questing Beast by Carys Crossen 

A creatively told story of Pellinore of Camelot narrated by the Questing Beast that had me hooked from the beginning. 

Brightstar by Mob 

An atmospheric and dark Viking horror story. 

Old Moon Quarterly #2

The Last Line by Jonathan Olfert 

A dark and poetic tale of a last stand. 

The Bloody Staircase by Gabriella Officer-Narvasa 

A tale narrated by an assassin haunted by something from her past. I was hooked from the first sentence. 

The Silence of the Rogue by Jason Ray Carney 

After the Rogue is sold into slavery, his enslavers run into trouble and need his help. I liked the folk tale-like vibe. 

The Hoard by Mathew Castleman 

I really enjoyed this story about a Soloman Kane type of character hired to kill a dragon. Action, humor, an interesting protagonist, and the take on dragons was fascinating.

I also enjoyed the introduction, the interviews with author John Langan and author/publisher D. M. Ritzlin, and after reading the book review, I’ve added World Beyond Worlds by John R. Fultz to my to-be-read list.

 

Old Moon Quarterly #3

Evil Honey by James Enge 

Enge’s character Morlock Ambrosius is tasked by the god of bees with coming up with a non-lethal solution after killer bees go on a rampage. Interesting scenario and I liked the dark humor. 

  

Knife, Lace, Prayer by T.R. Siebert 

A girl seeks to kill the creator of her world as the creator begins destroying it in order to remake it. I liked the atmosphere and how everything came together in the end. Epic.

Singing the Long Retreat by R.K. Duncan 

As their lands are invaded, a cavalry group fights against overwhelming odds. Beautifully told. 

The Feast of Saint Ottmer by Graham Thomas Wilcox 

A grim and gritty novelette about oaths, honor, and family versus prowess. I loved the ornate prose and vocabulary.

Old Moon Quarterly #4

Pain Wins by Sasha Brown 

A dark tale about a dark time. Brutal. 

Scourge of Gods by e rathke 

A warrior versus a dragon. I was rooting for the dragon.

The Witches Were Mine All Along by Marion Koob 

The Tragedy of MacBeth with a twist. Well done. 

The Call of the Void by Kyle Miller 

I wasn’t sure what to make of this one, but it was a wild ride.

This is Not the Only Kingdom by Jennifer R. Donohue 

A reverse portal story. Very moving. 

Death to Your King, and All His Loyal Subjects by Nelson Stanley 

A very atmospheric dark fantasy/sword & sorcery tale. I was swept away by the story.

This issue includes a book review for Son of the Morning by Mark Adler. It sounds like an interesting mix of historical fiction and dark fantasy. I now have another book on my to-be-read list. 

In Conclusion

I read these on my Kindle, but I may switch to the print versions for the rest, one reason being the gorgeous covers. The magazine is currently up to issue #8. Looking forward to reading them. 

Warhammer: Raiders of the Realms Short Stories

Black Library released five digital short stories set in their Warhammer fantasy universe last month. They were available as part of their Raiders of the Realms eShort Subscription Week which offered all five stories for the price of four. I wasn’t sure if I’d be interested in them based on their descriptions alone, but after reading a review online I decided to go for it and I’m glad I did.

Slinktalon by Robbie MacNiven 

Things don’t go as planned after Skaven (rat-like creatures of the Warhammer universe) assassins are hired to take out a mark. Clear action with interesting twists and turns. 

Rating: 3.5/5

Conn Crowhand’s Last Oath by Graham Thomas Wilcox

Two Darkoath warriors are faced with difficult decisions regarding loyalty and oaths when their chieftain sends them on a mission to root out those he perceives as disloyal. A page turner of a story with fascinating characters and some noir-like prose that really grabbed me. 

Rating: 5/5

Reclaimed Honor by Jacob Peppers 

Gideon Vell, a disgraced Freeguild member, now demoted to Wildercorp Hunter, joins a group of soldiers investigating a mysterious death in the wilderness. I enjoyed the frontier setting, Gideon and his tragic past was an interesting character, and the story was suspenseful with an action filled finale.

Rating 4.5/5

Vipers of the Marsh by Bryce Mainville 

Cousins Mathais and Jakk join a squad of Wildercorps Hunters on a mission into a swamp. Trouble ensues. I’m not a fan of the villains in this, the Warhammer version of orcs called orruks with group names like Kruleboyz and Gutrippaz. Those names and their spellings pulled me out of the story every time I read them. On the other hand, the author did a great job of bringing the dangerous marshland to life and had me rooting for the cousins. 

Rating: 4/5

This Rough Beast by Graham Thomas Wilcox 

The vampire knight Marcuccio and his wolf companion are part of a group of vampire knights searching for The Black Chalice. After they attack a group of duardin warriors (dwarves of the Warhammer universe) they find that they have bitten off more than they can chew. As in Wilcox’s previous story, oaths and honor come into play. Loved the characters, action scenes, prose, use of vocabulary, and where the story leads. If you’re a fan of Robert E. Howard, Fritz Leiber, and Clark Ashton Smith, you’re probably going to like this story. 

Rating 5/5

Not a bad story in the bunch. I enjoyed them all, especially the two by Graham Thomas Wilcox. The subscription deal is over, but the stories are available individually on the Black Library website as well as on Amazon and Kobo.

Some Cosmic Horror Short Stories

I was in the mood to read some cosmic horror recently, so here are three stories by three of my favorite authors. 

The Voice on the Beach by Ramsey Campbell 

From Alone with the Horrors (Arkham House, 1993)

A man who lives by a beach has strange visions while a friend is visiting. Atmospheric and a good example of cosmic horror but this was too much of a slow burn for me. It has a creepy ending that packs some punch, it just took too long to get there. 

Rating: 3/5

The Onion by Caitlin Kiernan

From Bradbury Weather (Subterranean Press, 2024)

A young man who saw something mysterious in his childhood is now married to a woman who is attending meetings to try to come to terms with something unusual in her life. Interesting characters and gradual revelations kept my attention, leading to an open-ended ending that worked for me.

Rating: 4/5

Hallucigenia by Laird Barron

From The Imago Sequence and Other Stories (Night Shade Books, 2007)

Oh wow, this was good. A mysterious location, a tragedy, an investigation, and strange visions. Cosmic horror with a dash of noir. Outstanding. This novella is the second thing I’ve read by this author, and I loved it. I really need to read more Laird Barron. 

Rating 5/5