The complete story can be read online for free courtesy of Tule Fog Press: The Forbidden City of Cyramon
Later this year Tule Fog Press will be laujnching a kickstarter to publish all of my Welgar tales, which will include Sorceries in Assabarr, The Dark Priestdom (Savage Realms Monthly), and Welgar the Cursed (Swords & Heroes), plus others.
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| Published by Futura 1989 |
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| Published by Pulp Hero Press 2020 |
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| Published by Parallel Universe Publications 2022 |
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| Published by Parallel Universe Publications 2024 |
CHILDE ROLANDE by Samantha Lee
Futura Publications 1989
Although this dark fantasy novel of a post-apocalyptic Scotland was published thirty years ago, it reads as fresh today, with issues that are just as pertinent now as they were in the 1980s.
Most of the story is told in the first person by Rolande her-or-himself. I say her-or-himself because, in the woman-dominating culture that rules Scotland in this future time, Rolande is that rarest of beings, a hermaphrodite, having both the genitals of a man and a woman. As only a handful of drugged, caged and pampered males are allowed to live intact as “breed beasts” in the Scotland of this story, the dwarf Morangy, a eunuch as well as chief “healer” in the royal household, steals Rolande away and puts her in the care of a renegade male known as the prophet. Morangy realises that Rolande could be the fulfilment of a prophecy that a hermaphrodite will one day rise to become “the Redeemer”, who will end the vicious tyranny of the female rulers of Alba and restore equality between the sexes.
Rolande’s story becomes ever more complex as she grows older, especially after, as part of a travelling band of entertainers, she catches the romantic attention of the Maxwell, Chief Warlord of the Clans of Alba (Scotland), which results in her being brought into the royal household where she meets her twin sister, though neither know of their relationship yet or even that the other existed, as the events of Rolande’s birth were a secret known only to a few.
This is a complex novel, with some strongly delineated characters, and some of the fiercest violence and graphically described tortures and executions I have ever read, perhaps expected from a veteran writer of the Pan Books of Horror. Over and above this, though, it is an epic saga of a struggle to end a repressive tyranny, with perhaps one of the blackest, most evil villains I have come across in the form of the mad sorceress and high priestess, Fergael, who becomes uglier and psychotically more dangerous as time goes on. There is magic too of the darkest sort and the occasional monster, though both occur sparingly and are all the more credibly dramatic for it.
An excellent novel and one I would recommend unreservedly for anyone who loves the darkest of fantasies in a post-apocalyptic future - and a damn good story too.
Reviewed by David A. Riley
The good news this morning is that I have just received word that another rather longish sword and sorcery yarn of mine has been accepted for publication. Unfortunately, I am not allowed as yet to reveal any more details about it other than that the story is called The Demon From Another World.
This marks the eighth new story chosen for publication this year.
Just received one of the largest hardcover books in my posssession, Volume 1 of The Complete World of Horror, which contains a reproduction of the first three issues of that iconic magazine from the mid 1970s. Although I had nothing in these earliest issues, I did have a couple of stories in later ones, The Shade of Apollyon and Terror on the Moors, illustrated by Jim Pitts, which I hope to see eventually in volumes 2 and 3.
The Complete World of Horror is published by Confessions Press, edited by Gent Shaw with a Foreword by John Probert.
Anyone interested in buying a copy could use this link to Confessions Press.
I am very pleased to be able to announce that my latest sword and sorcery story, an 8000 word yarn called In the Temple of the Snake, is in the latest issue of Crimson Quill Quarterly, along with some stellar contribributors.
Crimson Quill Quarterly is available as a papertback and kindle eBook.
A City of Phantoms (Part 2 of 2): Teel James Glenn - When their
caravan is attacked, Dunal and Ada are captured and taken to the
legendary city of Atlaztan, a frightening madhouse of magick and murder,
and it is up to the two companions to not only survive - but escape
against all odds!
Backed Up in Iber: Carl Ellis - Ceeon, wayward,
once-retired thief, drowning in medical debt, takes on one final job in
the hopes of rebuilding his life and reconnecting with his daughter.
All he has to do is steal some items from one of the most heavily
guarded vaults in all of Iber!
King of Killers: Mario Curic - The
barbarian king Keroveh rules the former No Man's Land with the aid of
an army of sellswords and an ancient relic of mysterious power. When
another mercenary carries a similar gift arrives to offer his services,
the ruthless warlord sees an opportunity to spread his reach, all the
while plagued by a worm of doubt.
Trollslayer: Susan Murrie
Macdonald - After being sent on what Vilne believed would be a boring
errand, it was not long before he began to detect the presence of nearby
trolls. After destroying their dwelling, he is set upon by a pair of
the foul monstrosities. These monsters, however, may not be as mindless
or heartless as legend has let on.
In the Temple of the Snake:
David A. Riley - To the snake charmer, the proferred journey to the
Temple of the Snake by the secretive sorcerer Roannda Caltrani was
barely a challenge to his abilities, and in the end it would make him
wealthy beyond his wildest dreams. Little did he suspect that the horrors
he would find inside the forbidden temple would be incredibly far worse
than anything he could have imagined and would change his life forever.
Trail
of Steel: Damir Salkovic - Having narrowly escaped a hanging, three
unlikely companions rob a wealthy merchant, set free a chain of slaves,
and become embroiled in a tribal feud as they flee civilization. Over
the mountains, the unruly coast beckons, a frontier of sinister magic
and hungry swords where they hope to escape their past misdeeds. But
redemption has a price, and the dangers are many on the trail of steel.
The
Drakvur Challenge: Rab Foster - In a temple dedicated to a mysterious
deity known as Drakvur, at dawn on the longest day of the year, six
prisoners are forced to take part in a ritual. They must race across a
lake using stepping stones that weave between sinister statues and rise
above shoals of hungry fish. Unfortunately, they have a seventh
competitor to deal with: Drakvur itself...
Hodder & Stoughton 2024, 450 pages
Available in hardcover
I am a big fan of John Connolly’s Charlie Parker novels, all of which I have read. This, unbelievably, is the twenty-first!
You would perhaps expect after so many tales for there to be a gradual lessening of originality but believe me The Instruments of Darkness reads as fresh as ever. With its subtle blend of crime and the supernatural, you are never quite sure where common criminality ends and worse takes over. And believe me however bad common criminality is the other is far, far worse.
This is certainly the case here where Parker is hired to look into the guilt or otherwise of Colleen Clark whose young son has disappeared, either kidnapped or murdered. The local district attorney, out to make a name for himself in an upcoming election to higher office, and his equally ambitious assistant, out to take his place when he steps up, are determined to prove Colleen is guilty of murdering her son and hiding his body. Compounding how bad things look for her, her estranged husband finds a bloodstained blanket in the boot of Colleen’s car and is outspoken in his belief his wife is their son’s killer. Things, indeed, look bad for Colleen, but she is lucky in having recurring character Moxie Castin as her lawyer, who wisely asks Parker to investigate what happened.
And so begins a darkening tale of mysteries, intrigues and malign influences.
Connolly has again given us a great cast of vividly depicted characters, whether they’re people you love, pity, despise or hate. Plus plenty of action. And we also have other recurring characters we are used to expect in any Charlie Parker novel, such as Angel and Louie.
The last Charlie Parker book, The Furies, was made up of two novellas, which I found less satisfying. Thankfully The Instruments of Darkness is one long, full-blooded novel, into which it is easy to become thoroughly absorbed. The only problem for me, despite being well over four hundred pages in length, is that I found it such a page-turner it didn’t take me long to finish it! Now I have at least another year, perhaps more, before I can dip into another.
This review was first published in Phantasmagoria Magazine Summer 2024
