Retrospectives: 1999

Realms of Fantasy: December 1999 (Issue 32)

Part thirty-two in my ongoing retrospective as I read the fiction to the back issues of Realms of Fantasy and offer my thoughts, right up to the present. This time around I’ll be putting a cap on the 1990’s by discussing the December 1999 issue.

The cover to this one is by Luis Royo, which marks his seventh illustration in the magazine. It depicts a “chick in chain mail” with a gremlin-like creature perched on her shoulder.

The Letters Page to this issue is mysteriously absent.

A rundown of this issue’s nonfiction is as follows:

In the adult books column, Gahan Wilson reviews a reissue of The King of Elfland’s Daughter by Lord Dunsany, Jack of Kinrowan by Charles de Lint, White of the Moon, New Tales of Madness and Dread, edited by Stephen Jones, and Jeanne Cavelos reviews Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling (as if people need me to tell them who wrote this!), and Brian Murphy reviews Dragon Weather by Lawrence Watt-Evans; in the folkroots column, Terri Windling writes about rites-of-passage in fantasy; in the movie column, Scott Edelman covers Tim Burton’s Sleepy Hollow; in the artist gallery, Karen Haber covers the art of Rowena Morrill; and in the games column, Eric T. Baker reviews Dungeon Keeper 2 for the PC, a reissue of the Feng Shui card game and a supplement to it called Blood of the Valiant, and Jerusalem by Night: A City Sourcebook for Vampire: The Dark Ages from White Wolf. I should note that this issue marks the last one for Jeanne Cavelos as a reviewer. She has a very respectable run, from the August 1995 issue through the December 1999 issue. It’s also interesting to note that Scott Edelman, who handled the movie/TV column for this issue, was also the editor for Science Fiction Age, the now defunct sibling magazine to Realms of Fantasy.

On to the fiction …

Given my tastes, overall this issue strikes me as one of the strongest I’ve read so far in terms of its fiction. The lead story is “Aftershock” by F. Paul Wilson. This marks another big-name author I read for the first time (although I once heard him do a reading for a Repairman Jack story). Honestly, this story blew me away. I absolutely understand why it won the Bram Stoker Award in 2000 for Best Short Fiction. The basic premise deals with a man and woman whose lives become entangled in a big way when it’s revealed that being struck by lightning allows them to see their dead children. Really powerful characterizations, strong imagery, and excellent pacing. I can’t recommend this one enough. Art to this one was provided by John Hanley, which marks his third illustration in the magazine.

Moving on …

For those of you who are unaware, my favorite author is George R. R. Martin. This happened back in 1996 when I read A GAME OF THRONES, the first volume in his epic fantasy series. I absolutely loved the novel, and lost a lot of sleep to finish it (and the subsequent ones). After it was done, I naturally tried to read something else. It fell flat. Very flat. In fact, a good month must have passed before I could bring myself to enjoy another novel. My point? I felt bad for the next story. Surely it would fall flat for me after such a kick-ass tale. How could I possibly give this story a fair read? I could’ve waited to read it, but you may have noticed that I tend to do these retrospectives in bunches. When I have the time to read these back issues, I need to make use of it.

So I started reading the next story, “The Queen in the Hill” by Kage Baker …and it held its own. The “Queen in the Hill” is a Company story. Baker has written other short stories in this universe, as well as novels in this universe published by Tor. This had a science-fantasy feel to it. It reminded me of Frank Herbert’s DUNE, and also Dan Simmons’ duology a few years ago, of ILIUM & OLYMPOS. But the story and world were entirely Baker’s own. This one draws on Greek milieus, featuring some godlike beings that are using humans for their breeding projects. Very skillfully told, and the whole premise intrigued me enough that at some point I’m going to try the first novel in this universe. Art to this one was provided by Michael Whelan, which marks his seventh illustration in the magazine.

Following this was “Glamour” by Bruce Glassco, which marks his second appearance in the magazine. This is another story that deals the Faerie, something I see a lot of, both in the slush and the magazine. What was refreshing about this tale was that instead of focusing on the Faerie, it focuses on the humans whose lives were impacted by the meddling of the fey folk. I can be a rather tough sell with fey stories, but this one I liked. Art to this one was provided by Mary O’Keefe Young, which marks her twelfth illustration in the magazine.

After this comes “The Giant’s Tooth” by Bruce Coville. This one is a lighthearted fairy tale about a man who almost gets eaten by a giant. At the last second, an old woman saves him …inside the giant’s mouth. Escape is impossible, and so we see the man settle down in the giant’s mouth and make a life for himself. I can also be a tough sell with lighthearted stuff, but this was fun. Art to this one was provided by Joel Napstrek, which marks his fourth illustration in the magazine.

Finally we have “The Witch’s Child” by Lisa Goldstein. This marks her second appearance in the magazine, but it’s her first original work to appear in Realms. Her other story, “Breadcrumbs & Stones,” which appeared back in the June 1995 issue, was a reprint. Anyway, this story was a retelling of the fairy tale of Rapunzel. What I liked was how much Goldstein humanized this tale. That’s no easy thing to do, because when you think about it the story itself is pretty ridiculous. Art to this one was provided by Broeck Steadman, which marks his fifth illustration in the magazine.

So that wraps up this issue, as well as the 1990’s. And my favorite story? Almost any other issue I’d go with “The Queen in the Hill” by Kage Baker, but with this issue the honor must go to “Aftershock” by F. Paul Wilson. Great, great stuff. And my favorite artwork? Luis Royo’s cover illustration. Next time I’ll delve into the next century when I write about the February 2000 issue. Until then …

Realms of Fantasy: October 1999 (Issue 31)

Part thirty-one in my ongoing retrospective as I read the fiction to the back issues of Realms of Fantasy, right up to the present. This time around I’ll be offering some thoughts about the October 1999 issue.

Anytime we reach October, it marks another publishing year for Realms of Fantasy. October 1999 marks year number five. I’d have to say that in it’s first five years, Realms did an excellent job in establishing itself. The publishers, editors, art staff, writers (fiction & non), and artists should all be commended. But enough praise …

First, the cover. I recognize this one too. It’s another Boris Vallejo cover (his style is rather distinctive), featuring Conan. This marks the second Realms cover with Conan. Like the other one, it was originally on one of the old Conan pastiche paperbacks from Tor. Again, I believe it’s one of the pastiches that Robert Jordan wrote. I’m pretty sure it was Conan the Magnificent. It depicts the legendary barbarian taking on a fire-breathing dragon.

On to the fiction …

The lead story is “Raney’s Hounds” by Jessica Wynn Reisman. The protagonist’s “profession” in this one is rather interesting, because he’s a hobo. He quickly finds himself entangled with another a mysterious stranger, and the two of them spend most of the story fleeing a trio of hellhounds.

Then we have “The Damsel in Distress” by E.A. Johnson, which marks his second appearance in the magazine. This one is a fairy tale, featuring the damsel held prisoner by the dragon, with shining knights in armor seeking to come to her rescue. The twist? What do you do when the monster’s are all in the damsel’s mind?

Next up is “Chenting, in the Land of the Dead” by Kij Johnson. This one has the feel of a far eastern folk tale. It’s on the short side, with a solid twist at the end, but to discuss it any detail will give the whole tale away. Therefore mum’s the word.

After this is “Sally Harpe” by Christopher Rowe, which marks his third appearance in the magazine. Like his other two stories, this one takes place in the deep south, and it has a decidedly dark bent as it explores the dangers of breaking promises. What I liked about this idea is that the person breaking the promise isn’t the one who made it.

Following this is “Dusi” by Devon Monk. This piece deals with Greek mythology, and as best I can remember marks the first appearance of Medusa within the pages of Realms. Imagine my surprise when her first appearance plunks her in the middle of modern-day Seattle.

Finally we have “The Voyage to the Moon” by Derryl Murphy, which marks his second appearance in the magazine. This one is what you might call a science fiction fairy tale, as it cleverly combines the first moon landing with the story of Jack & the Beanstalk. And while it may be a science fiction fairy tale, if it’s a fairy tale I still consider it fantasy. Figure that one out.

So that wraps up this issue. And my favorite story? “Sally Harpe” by Christopher Rowe. Next time I’ll put a cap on 1999 (not to mention the 1990’s) when I discuss the December 1999 issue. Until then …

Realms of Fantasy: August 1999 (Issue 30)

Part thirty in my ongoing retrospective as I read the fiction to the back issues of Realms of Fantasy and offer my thoughts, right up to the present. This time around I’ll be discussing the August 1999 issue.

The cover to this one is by Greg Hildebrandt, part of the famed Hildebrandt Brothers. It depicts a sea dragon rising from the deeps of the sea, ready to consume a chained maiden while a warrior hangs off its head, plunging a sword into it. This cover was nominated for a 2000 Chesley Award for Cover Illustration.

Let’s hop over the Table of Contents page. The editorial caption beneath “Rozsa-Neni and Farkas Asszony” reads as follows: “If you’re a reader, a writer, or an editor, you’ll love this story. If you’re not, you’ll love it anyway.” No offense intended to the author, but this caption doesn’t belong with this story. Why? Because this exact editorial caption was used in the previous issue for “The Grammarian’s Daughter.” D’oh!

Next, the Letters Page. Another fiction contributor wrote in (Darrell Schweitzer), in response to Assistant Editor Rebecca McCabe’s guest editorial. I believe this marks the first time a contributor wrote a response to one of the editorials.

A rundown of this issue’s nonfiction is as follows:

In the adult books column, Gahan Wilson reviews Dark Sister by Graham Joyce, Dark Cities Underground by Lisa Goldstein, The Savage Tales of Solomon Kane by Robert E. Howard, illustrated by Gary Gianni, The Year’s Best Fantasy and Horror, Twelfth Annual Edition, edited by Ellen Datlow & Terri Windling, and Jeanne Cavelos reviews Santa Steps Out: A Fairy Tale for Grown-Ups by Robert Devereaux; in the movie/TV column, Resa Nelson covers Hollywood’s remake of The Haunting; in the folkroots column, Heinz Insu Fenkl explores family dysfunction in the myths of various cultures; in the artist gallery, Karen Haber covers the aforementioned Brothers Hildebrandt; and in the games column, Eric Baker reviews Birthright Campaign Setting for AD&D, the White Wolf campaign guides, Guide to the Camarilla and Guide to the Sabat, the frpg, The Dragon and the Bear: The Novgorod Tribunal, Heretic 2 for the PC, the PC and Mac game, Quest for Glory: Dragon Fire, and the card game, Fortune Teller Collectibles.

On to the fiction …

The lead story is the aforementioned “Rozsa-Neni and Farkas Asszony” by Deborah Therese D’Onofrio, which marks her second appearance in the magazine. This one was a Hungarian folk tale that deals with an old woman who puts on a wolf pelt that changes her. By drawing on Hungarian lore, it explores this old trope in some unusual ways. Art to this one was provided by Patrick Arrasmith, which marks his third illustration in the magazine.

Next up was “The Girl Who Loved Fire” by K.D. Wentworth, which marks her second appearance in the magazine. No, the girl who loved fire isn’t a pyromaniac. She can talk to fires, and the characterizations and language do an excellent job of exploring this idea. Art to this one was provided by Broeck Steadman, which marks his fourth illustration in the magazine.

Following this we have “How the Highland People Came to Be” by Bruce Holland Rogers. This high fantasy piece was nominated for the 2001 Nebula Award for Best Novelette. The plotting and world-building in this one are both clever and outside-the-box, as the story explores how lies can sometimes become truth in the most unexpected of ways. Art to this one was provided by Jacques Bredy.

Then we have “A Brother Grimm” by Sten Westgard. This one is sort of a metafictional fairy tale, dealing with the authors of Grimm’s Fairy Tales, as the creatures of their tales strike back at them. The story is decidely dark, so I guess you can say the author is taking a page out of Grimm’s Fairy Tales. Art to this one was provided by Stephen Johnson.

Following this we have “The Hounds of Winter” by Brian A. Hopkins & Jim Van Pelt. For Jim, this marks his third appearance in the magazine. I suppose you could term this piece as science-fantasy. Centuries ago a colony ship crashed on the cold, forbidding world of Jotunheim. The colonists remain stranded here, but they’ve lost most of their advanced technology, and each day is a struggle for survival against the planet’s vicious animals. The animals are of a familiar sort, such as bears or wolves, but the rules of nature are different here, and here we diverge into fantasy. Zach’s wife is bitten by a wolf and becomes one herself. Zach kills a wolf and eats its heart to be reunited with his wife in wolf form. The story overflows with tension, and the level of detail does a wonderful job of sucking you in. Art to this one was provided by John Hanely, which marks his second illustration in the magazine.

Rounding out this group of six we have “Wailer” by Bruce Glassco. This is a funny fantasy told through a series of letters, and it marks the first appearance of a banshee in the pages of Realms of Fantasy. Art to this one was provided by Tony Diterlizzi.

So that wraps up this issue. And my favorite story? As always, I feel guilty when I don’t select a Nebula nominee. I also feel guilty for not selecting Wentworth’s story, because l really enjoyed it and last time I really enjoyed her story but ended up selecting another one as my favorite. But the winner is “The Hounds of Winter” by Brian A. Hopkins & Jim Van Pelt. This one really got its hooks into me …about as much as the protagonist Zach got that hook into that wolf. And building on this logic, since the cover was nominated for a Chesley Award, I suppose I should feel guilty for it not being my favorite. But I’m afraid I’m going with Patrick Arrasmith’s illustration to “Rozsa-Neni and Farkas Asszony” by Deborah Therese D’Onofrio. Next time I’ll be discussing the October 1999 issue. Until then …

Realms of Fantasy: June 1999 (Issue 29)

Part twenty-nine in my ongoing retrospective as I read the fiction to the back issues of Realms of Fantasy and offer my thoughts, right up to the present. This time I’ll be discussing the June 1999 issue.

The cover art to this one is by Brom. It is a reprint feature a winged female demon giving off a serious dominatrix vibe. I think this one can be safely lumped in with the infamous chicks in chain mail covers.

Once more I have to first turn my attention to the masthead. Ronald Stevens, once the Art Director, then briefly back as the Assistant Art Director, seems to have moved on. The new Assistant Art Director is Scott Crawford. There’s certainly been a lot of activity in the art department over the last twelve or so issues!

Next, the letters page. In the past, I’ve noted how several covers have featured Michael Moorcock’s Elric of Melnibone. Well, Elric isn’t on the cover this time, but Michael Moorcock is in the Letters Page. Moorcock was one of my formative authors in the genre, so seeing a letter from him that is quite generous with its praise of the fiction in Realms of Fantasy is something I absolutely wanted to note.

A rundown of this issue’s nonfiction is as follows:

In the adult books column, Gahan Wilson reviews Sirens and other Daemon Lovers, edited by Ellen Datlow & Terri Windling, The Tooth Fairy by Graham Joyce, The Complete Silence by Algernon Blackwood, Barlowe’s Inferno, written and illustrated by Wayne Barlowe, and Jeanne Cavelos reviews Extremities by Kathe Koja, and Brian Murphy from the Sovereign Media offices reviews Enchantment by Orson Scott Card; in the movie/TV column, newcomer Resa Nelson covers the movie, The Mummy; in the folkroots column, Heinz Insu Fenkl writes about Korean ghosts and demons; in the artist gallery, Karen Haber covers the artwork of Kinuko Y. Craft; and in the games column, Eric Baker reviews Baldur’s Gate, a computer game based on the paper-and-dice rpg, Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, the rpg Vampire: The Masquerade from White Wolf Publishing, and the PC game, Thief: the Dark Project.

In my last retrospective I mentioned that this issue could be considered one of the more important ones in Realms of Fantasy’s publication history. Why? Simply put: respect. Three of the five stories herein were singled out for excellence in one or another, and sometimes by more than one venue. What’s more, this issue would mark the beginning of an impressive run over the next four or so issues, with stories earning recognition and awards from various venues. Clearly, Realms of Fantasy has established itself at this point among the other genre magazines, both on a commercial level and a literary one.

On to the fiction …

The lead story is “The Grammarian’s Five Daughters” by Eleanor Arnason. This was skirts the line between metafiction and fairy tale, and I rather enjoyed it. Each of the grammarian’s daughters strike out to earn their fortune during the course of the story, and to aid them along their way, mom gives each of them various parts of the human language: nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, and prepositions. Really clever and very skillfully told. This one earned a lot of notice. First, it was nominated for the 2000 World Fantasy Award for Best Short Story. To this day, it remains the only original story published in Realms of Fantasy to be nominated for a World Fantasy Award. I’ve said it before and I’m sure I’ll say it again. That’s bloody ridiculous. But complaining about the various awards systems within our genre isn’t the point of this retrospective, so I’ll save the in-depth rant for another time. In addition to being nominated for a World Fantasy Award, this story was also reprinted in the 13th edition of Year’s Best Fantasy & Horror, edited by Ellen Datlow & Terri Windling. And in addition to this, “The Grammarian’s Five Daughters” was later reprinted on the Strange Horizons website. Strange Horizons keeps all it’s fiction archived, so if you’re curious what all the hubub is about this particular story, feel free to read it for yourself. Art to this one was provided by Steven Adler, which marks his fifth illustration in the magazine.

Next up was “Sailing the Painted Ocean” by Denise Lee. This one deals with a ship lost at sea that becomes caught in a rather bizarre and surreal voyage. Like the first story, this one was selected for inclusion in the 13th edition of the Year’s Best Fantasy & Horror, edited by Ellen Datlow & Terri Windling. Art to this one was provided by Janet Aulisio, which marks her 14th illustration in the magazine.

And so long as we’re discussing decorated stories, let’s go for the trifecta. Next up was “Fortitide” by Andy Duncan. The main character in this one is General George Patton. In this tale, the general is a bit unstuck in time, finding himself repeating situations of history he’s encountered before. And of course he tries to change certain outcomes here and there, but Time has ideas of its own. This is the longest story I’ve read in the magazine. It was also nominated for the 2001 Nebula Award for Best Novella. Art to this one was provided by John Berkey, which marks his fifth illustration in the magazine.

Following this comes another tale dealing with a specific period in history, this being “Stalin’s Candy” by William Shunn. This one does a solid job of depicting the oppression of Communist Russia, how the country did everything in its power to grind the people under its heel, until they were frightened sheep that didn’t dare stand up to their government. But even in times such as these one can find hope, as this story shows us. Although this tale was published years before I met him, I’ll note that Bill and I were once part of the same critique group, the now defunct 8th of February. Art to this one was provided Charles Demorat, which marks his fifth illustration in the magazine.

Finally we have “Mausturm” by Kate Reidel. This one deals with an infestation that gradually builds to supernatural levels. Hints are dropped throughout the tale, but we don’t learn the reason for this situation until the story is almost over. Bu even then it’s left to the reader to decide exactly why this infestation took pace. Art to this one was provided by David Beck, which marks his ninth illustration in the magazine.

So that wraps up this issue. And my favorite story? I’ll have to go with “The Grammarian’s Five Daughters” by Eleanor Arnason. And my favorite artwork? Brom’s cover illustration is racy but well done. And my favorite artwork original to the magazine? Steven Adler’s illustration to “The Grammarian’s Five Daughters” by Eleanor Arnason. Next time I’ll discuss the August 1999 issue. Until then …

Realms of Fantasy: April 1999 (Issue 28)

Part twenty-eight in my ongoing retrospective as I read the fiction to the back issues of Realms of Fantasy and offer my thoughts, right up to the present. This time around I’ll be performing exploratory surgery on the April 1999 issue.

The cover to this is by Keith Parkinson, which marks his third illustration in the magazine. It depicts a priestess in skimpy clothing beside a human-sized dragon.

In the masthead, in addition to Art Director, Stephen Vann, and Assistant Art Director, Ronald Stevens, this issue also lists Dawn M. Stein as the Graphic Artist. I believe this is the first time all three positions were listed in the masthead. I don’t know exactly how the art duties were divvied up during this time, but as I’ve noted in the past, the art is such an important part of Realms of Fantasy, so I feel I should mention this addition to the Realms staff.

Next, the Letters Page. There is another letter from a contributor, this time James Sallis. For whatever reason, I always like to note when the authors write us.

A rundown of this issue’s nonfiction is as follows:

In the adult books column, Gahan Wilson reviews Avram Davidson’s short story collection, The Boss in the Wall, Climb the Wind by Pamela Sargent, The Riven Codex by David & Leigh Eddings, and Jeanne Cavelos reviews Black Butterflies by John Shirley; in the movie/TV column, newcomer Mary Baumann discusses good and bad witches; in the folkroots column, Heinz Insu Fenkl discusses Korean folkore; in the artist gallery, Karen Haber covers the art of Stephen Youll; and in the games column, Eric T. Baker reviews Redguard for the PC, the rpg Code of Bushido: AN Adventure of Honor and Duty, the rpg The Mythic Seas, Redjack: Revenge of the Brethren for the PC and Mac, and the rpg Legacy: War of the Ages.

On to the fiction …

The lead story is “Jordan’s Waterhammer” by Joe Mastroianni. This tale deals with men that are grown on a “farm” and are used to mine ore beneath the surface. They are given simple rewards for performing their duties well, and while it was the Morlocks in THE TIME MACHINE who dwelled in the underworld, the sheer innocence of these men reminded me of the Eloi. The story revolves around the revered teachings of one of these men who once went to the surface and brought back containing strange notions, such as love. These teachings have been secretly passed along, and when the story begins things are about to reach a boiling point. This is another one of those pieces that I consider science fiction. As to why Shawna bought it, I’ll point you to her editorial caption for the story: “This story might feel like science fiction, but its heart–the power of myth, language, and love to transform–is pure fantasy.” Notice how she mentioned love? Two issues earlier, Lisa R. Cohen had a story published called “Innamorata” that I also considered science fiction. I then went on a bit of a tangent, offering a possible explanation as to why the stories I’ve seen in Realms I’ve considered to be science fiction were accepted by Shawna for publication. I pinpointed the idea of love, how four out of five of these stories dealt with love in one way or another. You can now make that five out of six. Seems I was on to something. Art to this one was provided by John Berkey, which marks his fourth illustration int he magazine.

Next up was “Arthur’s Wishes” by Tim Myers. This piece of Arthuriana deals with a young Arthur who accidentally ensnares his cousin Morganna into granting him three wishes. The author deals with the old wish theme in some very inventive ways, and I very much appreciated that while the story was self-contained, very casual hints were dropped about the tragic union that would ensue between these two characters at some unknown future date. Art to this one was provided by Gary Lippincott, which marks his fourth illustration in the magazine.

Then we have “Baptism on Bittersweet Creek” by Christopher Rowe, which marks his second appearance in the magazine. This is an odd tale about golden-skinned youth that is stumbled upon by some of the town boys. The golden-skinned youth doesn’t speak, but he manages to impact the songs of the local congregation in some unusual ways. Art to this one was provided by Web Bryant, which marks his tenth illustration in the magazine.

Following this we have “Take a Long Step” by Richard Parks, which marks his fourth appearance in the magazine. This tale is rather quirky, as it deals with a god on the great Wheel who has come back, and the reader is left to decide whether his little adventures are fate or coincidence. Having now read four of Richard’s stories for these retrospectives (and a good # more since I’ve been at RoF), I’m stuck by his willingness to tackle a wide spectrum of fantasy stories. And given how many sales he has with the magazine, he does so quite successfully. No pigeon-holing (sp?) here! Art to this one was provided by Michael Gibbs, which marks his fifth illustration in the magazine.

Finally we have “How We Play the Game in Salt Lake” by M. Shayne Bell. This piece of magic realism deals with an AIDS victim who attends a minor-league baseball game and witnesses a young girl have her tooth extracted with a pair of pliers in order to help a player on the field get a hit so he might go on to a career in the major leagues. I can only describe this story as bizarrely compelling. Art to this one was provided by Janet Aulisio, which marks her thirteenth illustration in the magazine.

So that wraps up this issue. And my favorite story? Once again I’m giving the nod to the “miscreant” work of science fiction in our beloved fantasy magazine, because “Jordan’s Waterhammer” was a very powerful tale. And my favorite artwork? Gary Lippincott’s illustration to “Arthur’s Wishes” by Tim Myers. Next time I’ll deal with June 1999 issue, which is definitely one of the more important issues in the magazine’s history. You’ll understand when you read the retrospective. Until then …

Realms of Fantasy: February 1999 (Issue 27)

Part twenty-seven in my ongoing retrospective as I read the fiction to the back issues of Realms of Fantasy and offer my thoughts, right up to the present. This time I’ll be kicking off the 1999 publishing year by discussing the February issue.

The cover to this one features Robert E. Howard’s legendary barbarian, Conan, pitted against a demon of some sort and a sorceress (and let’s not forget the lady in distress he’s protecting). The art is by Boris Vallejo, and I recognize the cover as a reprint, because it once graced one of those old Conan pastiche paperbacks from Tor Books that I read rather voraciously when I was 12. I can’t remember exactly which novel it was (I want to say CONAN THE TRIUMPHANT), but I’m positive the original artwork was paired up with one of the novels Robert Jordan wrote, back before he became a household name. I should mention that the sorceress is wearing some skimpy armor, but I consider this less of a chick in chain mail cover that I do a Conan cover.

Next, the mastead. A couple of things worth noting. Christina Krug’s run as Assistant Art Director (and other positions) has drawn to a close. The new Assistant Art Director is Ronald Stevens, which strikes me as a bit odd since he was the magazine’s original Art Director. Go figure.

Next, the Letters Page. There are two separate letters in here from previous contributors to the magazine, these being Fiona Kelleghan & Christopher Rowe. Both authors landed their first sale with Realms of Fantasy, although I was unaware it was Christopher’s first sale until I read his letter. He also mentions in his letter that “Kin to Crows” received an Honorable Mention in the Year’s Best Fantasy & Horror anthology, edited (at that time) by Ellen Datlow (who’s still at the helm) and Terri Windling (who has moved on). I would mention other authors whose stories received Honorable Mentions in these retrospectives, but unless you have a copy of the anthology, this is information is a lot harder to track down than it is for stories that were reprinted. My point? You never what you’ll learn from reading the Letters Page.

A rundown of this issue’s nonfiction is as follows:

In the adult books column, Gahan WIlson reviews The Avram Davidson Treasury, edited by Robert Silverberg & Grania Davis, Crypt Orchids by David J. Schow, In the Shadow of the Gargoyle, edited by Nancy Kilpatrick and Thomas S. Roche, Hoka! Hoka! Hoka! by Gordon R. Dickson, and Jeanne Cavelos reviews a trade paperback edition of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis; in the movie/TV column, newcomer Thomasina Gibson covers The Crow TV show, in the folkroots column, newcomer Joseph Monti writes about Charles de Lint’s approach to fantasy, mythology, and consensual reality; in the artist gallery, Terri Windling covers the art of Mark Wagner; and in the games column, Eric T. Baker reviews Campaign Cartographer 2 for the PC, the rpg The Ways of the Clans: Book Five: The Way of the Scorpion. A Supplement for the Legend of the Five Rings; Die by the Sword for the PC, and A Paladin in Hell: An Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Adventure.

On to the fiction …

The lead story is “Dragons and Other Extinctions” by Patrick Weekes. Unless I missed something, this marks the first story to appear in Realms that has elves, as well as dwarfs and centuars. To those of you trying to claw your way out of our slush pile, please take note of this. The long wait for a centaur to appear in the magazine is something I chalk up to happenstance. Elves and dwarfs are another matter. Their importance to the genre cannot be argued, but IMO these races have become rather cliche. Shawna must think so too, if it took this long for her to publish something with these races. Trust me when I tell you that I see plenty of stories with elves & dwarfs in the slush. The problem with these stories is that whole cliche thing. This story gets around that quite nicely. It’s still high fantasy, but it turns a lot of the conventions right on its head. Example: humans are extinct. The author provides some other clever touches, which is why Shawna took this one. And without having read all the fiction yet, I’ll guarantee that if there are other stories in Realms with elves & dwarfs, the stories will present a decidedly new slant. If it proves otherwise, I shall eat my e-words. It should also be noted that the author’s bio indicates that this is his first sale. Art to this one was provided by Alan Pollack, which marks his fourth illustration in the magazine.

Next up was “Bitter Chivalry” by Darrell Schweitzer, who for many years was the co-editor of Weird Tales. This was an Arthurian tale (only th 4th to appear in Realms so far) that deals with one of the knights left behind during the Grail Quest. So King Arthur gives the knight a different sort of quest: to bring someone comfort. The author nails this one perfectly, capturing the heroic simplicity some of these solo Arthurian adventures often featured. Art to this one was provided by Todd Lockwood, which marks his fourth illustration in the magazine.

Then we have “Dragon of Conspiracy” by William R. Eakin, which marks his fifth appearance in the magazine. It also marks his fifth Redgunk, Mississippi tale to appear in Realms of Fantasy. In some of his other Redgunk tales, he tackles traditional creatures in unusual ways, such as mummies and unicorns. This time he’s at it again, with, you guessed it, dragons. But as seems to be the case with all his Redgunk tales, regardless of the beasties involved, the story always comes back to the characters. I should also note that I’m fairly certain this is the first issue of Realms of Fantasy to have two separate stories that deal with dragons. Art to this one was provided by Joel Napstrek, which marks his third illustration in the magazine.

Then we have “Northwest Passage” by Derryl Murphy. This marks the 150th story to be published in Realms of Fantasy. This one takes place in the Arctic, and the strength of this piece is definitely the milieu. I absolutely believed everything was freezing cold. Art to this one was provided by Ken Graning, which marks his eighth illustration in the magazine.

Finally we have “A Ghost of a Chance” by David Bischoff. This one deals with a man’s guardian angel coming to him while he’s playing blackjack in Las Vegas. I’ve never been to Vegas (unless you include a brief stopover for a connecting flight to Los Angeles), but I’ve been to Atlantic City a number of times. So I can say with some authority that the author absolutely captures the manic energy that comes with gambling in a casino. And plunking an angel down in the middle of that …just a lot of fun. Art to this one was provided by Patrick Arrasmith, which marks his second illustration in the magazine.

So that wraps up this issue. And my favorite story? Well, I think I have a bit of bias here, because last month I won $500 playing blackjack (had I stopped gambling sooner I would’ve made $1100), which fills me with good feelings toward this game of chance. Even so, I must go with “A Ghost of Chance” by David Bischoff. And my favorite artwork? Todd Lockwood’s illustration to “Bitter Chivalry” by Darrell Schweitzer. Next time I’ll discuss the April 1999 issue. Until then …