This month's issue of Phantasmagoria magazine contained an in-depth interview with author Craig Herbertson, whose story Wardark is included in Swords & Sorceries: Tales of Heroic Fantasy Volume 3. He discusses the book in detail, including the other stories by Lorenzo D. Lopez, Tais Teng, Chadwick Ginther, Carson Ray, Darin Hlavaz, Mike Chinn, Rab Foster, Jon Hansen, and Adrian Cole.
"I enjoyed the first Swords & Sorceries and I enjoyed this one more. Despite a wide variety of talented authors with a wide variety of treatments and content there is a distinctly themed feel to this anthology. Harking to the past glories of fantasy, it doesn’t let the modern reader down at any moment and it is simply a fun read."
Swords & Sorceries: Tales of Heroic Fantasy is a biannual collection which will reach its fourth volume in June this year.
amazon.co.uk
amazon.com
From Phantasmagoria #20
In a new series of mini-interviews, Phantasmagoria asks some
quick fire questions to genre authors about their new releases.
First up: Craig Herbertson discusses his involvement in Parallel
Universe Publications’ Swords & Sorceries: Tales of Heroic Fantasy
Volume 3.
Phantasmagoria Magazine: Great to chat, Craig! You have a
story in the recently released Swords & Sorceries: Tales of Heroic
Fantasy
Volume 3. Could you explain a little about the background of this volume
and the series please?
Craig Herbertson: This volume is dedicated to the memory of Charles Black, horror
author and editor of the critically acclaimed Black Books, who wished to
complement his highly successful series with a fantasy equivalent. Charles
would have been delighted with David Riley’s tribute and even more delighted
with the stories themselves. David’s Introduction also presents a detailed bio
on every author, which is welcome in the fiercely competitive world of
authorship.
PM: What is your story in the book about?
CH: My story is titled ‘Wardark’ and I can blithely state that it’s
about a reiver from the Northern Vandergan based entirely on muscled heroes
like Conan, Thongor, Brak and that goodly company. Our chap, Wardark finds
himself in a pickle with some horrible creatures and a ten-thousand-year-old
witch. You’ll need to judge if it’s any good.
PM: What about the other stories in the book, can you tell us
something about them?
CH: Certainly. Things begin with ‘Sorcerous Vengeance’ by Lorenzo
D. Lopez, a fast-paced adventure which opens with a vicious village raid, a
roller coaster race in the face of long odds and ends in a battle against
sorcery. If you like an antihero and unremitting dark deeds, this is for you.
As an admirer of Sir Richard Francis Burton and all that Eastern
Jazz, Tais Teng’s ‘Seal in Snatchers of Jorsaleem, A Tale of the Inland Sea’ is
a welcome reminder of past ages and far places. Unlike Lopez, Teng advances his
narrative with a dreamlike nuance reminiscent of Coleridge and the slumber of
an opium den. It’s a well-crafted tale where you don’t notice the craft.
‘When the Gods Send you Rats’ they send you Chadwick Ginther,
who is clearly a master of words. Ripe with metaphor, simile and poetic
language, this is nevertheless a biting tale (see what I did there?). Our
heroine, a midwife, has a problem in her dystopian realm which can only be
solved with the aid of the ratcatcher. Strangely reminiscent of Gibson’s
Neuromancer with a faint aroma of Dickens and other subtle spices, this is a
dark tale of poverty and bleak house with a strangely optimistic finale.
‘Mother’s Bones’ by Carson Ray is a thoroughly enjoyable tale
with an obsessed but irreverent hero on a quest to retrieve or avenge his
mother’s bones. This is another piece of polished writing which creates a
genuine empathy with the intrepid Knox, a warrior whose skill in combat is
smoothly and expertly described as he enters the Temple of Astoralis where bad
things will happen. Knox is as irreverent as any Harry Harrison hero and has a
similar invincible quality. I’ve always felt that this combination of dry
humour and realism is a hard act to pull off but Carson Ray manages it as
easily as an expert juggler with only two oranges. Action sequences are
difficult but Ray is absolutely convincing and a joy to read.
Short of cash and owing it to the wrong people, Aaram, an
immensely powerful youth, strikes a bargain with the ageing Ophiochus. The
wizard has lost a charm to a witch and his gold will keep the debt collectors
off Aaram’s back. With luck Aaram can return to his lover and get a steady job.
‘The Lair of the Snake Witch’ is perhaps not the place to
speculate on a normal life as Darin Hlavaz sends his unlikely companions up the
river C’Naa. The wizard and the youth are getting to know each other and who
knows where that will lead? Green-eyed Uryell is on his way to the Grafanox and
Shilnof the shapeless one is overly interested. With a little nod to Jack Vance
and a huge hello to Michael Moorcock
‘The Rains of Barafonn’ is a thoughtful and poignant offering
reminiscent of the great days of dystopian fantasy.
‘The Foliage’ by Rab Foster is a well-conceived tale with echoes
of sleeping beauty, but only echoes. When a witch, her acolyte, three fleshers,
a gravedigger and an old Town Guardsman enter a forest to see why half the
village has disappeared expect the answer to be magical in nature. Foster’s one
weakness is that occasionally he explains rather than shows but this does not
detract from the tale and is counterbalanced by some gems in dialogue which
made me laugh out loud – a rare event. The most appealing aspect of this tale
is Foster’s depiction of the characters and particularly Gudruun, who is a
witch you’d definitely like to encounter.
‘In the Lair of the Moonmen’ by John Hansen starts with our hero
Varkez crawling on his belly towards the frog king. Wonderful stuff told with a
dry and insouciant wit. There is just a hint of a minor Burroughsian warrior on
the lines of A Fighting Man of Mars with Hansen’s shackled princesses
and impossible skychariots. The story is long, I would regard it as a
novelette, but reads so comfortably I look forward to a novel. Very nice
indeed.
We finish with Adrian Cole, another novelette entitled ‘Sailing
on the Thieves’ Tide’, a tale of Elak of Atlantis. Lycon is boozing in the
local tavern where he meets with an old pal. Talk turns to sea battles, magic,
druids and the Dragon Throne which the young and popular King Elak has designs
upon. The problem, simple enough, is that it just can’t be moved. Lycon’s old
pal has uncovered a map, so what can go wrong? Tell that to the wise old druid
as King Elak makes some impetuous, foolhardy and irresponsible decisions to seek
out some rather peculiar bones – and that is how adventures begin.
PM: I believe fantasy artist legend Jim Pitts provides the
illustrations once again?
CH: Yes, indeed. Jim Pitts rounds off the entertainment with his
best cover in the series and some neat internal illustrations which lend a
classy feel to the production.
PM: It’s always nice to chat, Craig. Before we wrap things up,
could you leave us with your final thoughts on the book overall?
CH: I enjoyed the first Swords & Sorceries and I enjoyed
this one more. Despite a wide variety of talented authors with a wide variety
of treatments and content there is a distinctly themed feel to this anthology.
Harking to the past glories of fantasy, it doesn’t let the modern reader down
at any moment and it is simply a fun read.
To buy Phantasmagoria follow this link: amazon.co.uk
