Today

The pulse pounding ring of cold iron in your ears, the tang of blood and sweat on the wind, the clash of armies and leathery hides, and the eldritch sparkle of dark magic staining the air - this is the juncture where sword meets sorcery.  The glory days of fantasy where raw human courage faces down unspeakable odds with nothing more than sharp steel and iron determination; they live again in this remarkable compilation of short fiction.  I'm unspeakably pleased and humbled to have my own short story, "Guardian of Rage", nestled among the glittering and often brilliant works in the Return of the Sword anthology.  This set of stories harken back to Conan and Elric, without being derivative or dated.  In an age where personal courage and integrity seem to be often overlooked, it's nice to know that these values still have meaning - they still resonate with both writers and readers.  Buy the anthology; put a sword in your hand, a shield on your arm, and join the battle.

Return of the Sword is a brand new anthology of blood-pounding, spine-tingling stories by some of fantasy's most critically acclaimed Sword and Sorcery authors. Stacey Berg, Bill Ward, Phil Emery, Jeff Draper, Nicholas Ian Hawkins, David Pitchford, Ty Johnston, Jeff Stewart, Angeline Hawkes, Robert Rhodes, E.E. Knight, James Enge, Michael Ehart, Thomas M. MacKay, Christopher Heath, Nathan Meyer, S.C. Bryce, Allen B. Lloyd, William Clunie, Steve Goble, Bruce Durham, and Harold Lamb present you with enough fast paced adventure to keep you reading for hours. A hand painted, wrap around cover by fantasy artist Johnney Perkins ensures that Return of the Sword will not only be enjoyable to read, but also look good on your coffee table or bookshelf. $16.50 plus shipping and handling