Here is the belated review! Also, I have put a few more authors and works on the Authors Page, and created a new Page for gaming resources. I figured out how to put a Pages widget in the right hand column of stuff (pretty easy, actually).
Review of Tales From the Magician’s Skull #2
I was very excited to receive the second issue of TftMS. If you looked at my review of issue #1, you know I didn’t like every story, but all were well-written, and some were great. So it was with eagerness that I tore into the second issue the night that it showed up. After that, though, I paced my reading out a bit more.
I am going to do something differently this time: a mostly spoiler-free review. I think I can still discuss the stories without giving them away, though a few plot elements will be revealed.
The editorial that opens the issue reflects Howard Andrew Jones’ enthusiasm for the genre of Swords & Sorcery, as well as the magazine itself. Apparently, the powers that be believe the first couple of issues did well enough to warrant a few more; good news! A Kickstarter is mentioned for funding the next two. That is a proven method for raising enough capital to fund a project through, and Goodman Games is experienced and successful on that front. Still, I’d prefer a subscription method, but that’s probably just nostalgia. Maybe Kickstarter IS the new subscription.
(Note: After typing up most of this review, an update from the Kickstarter for these two issues made it clear that given their success, there will be a subscription. This is good news. I left my previous comments here, as it is clear some magazines have used Kickstarter as a subscription.)
The first story is Trial By Scarab by John C. Hocking. A good choice; his story featuring the same lead character Benhus wrapped up the first issue, and now we have some continuity between issues with the character kicking this issue off. I want to see recurring characters in the magazine.
I liked the first appearance of Benhus very much, and I liked this one, too. There were some interesting characters, and a plot that seems straightforward – but you just knew there would be a twist. It is a pretty good one. The momentum is pretty good through the story, and the world gets fleshed out a bit more. Some nice imagery, and it wraps up well.
There was one element to the story I didn’t care for much. There is a piece of equipment, like the Nobleman’s Comfort from the first story, that is too powerful. It is the reason Benhus ultimately survives and succeeds, rather than by brawn, skill, and/or wits. Also, his new rival is a bit out of central casting; however, he is still a believable character.
Those elements did not really detract, however, and the story was solid.
The second story is Day of the Shark, A Tale of Thalassa, by James Stoddard. It reads like it is laying the groundwork for a series, though it could be possibly bridging an older to a newer phase. Either way, this is a very good story. It centers on a group of mermen (and one mermaid) seeking their captured women and children. It is implied (well, actually said at one point) that these are the last of a once mighty race. Lots of little details of aquatic life brought me right into the story, like the differing names for the zones of ocean and the napping in nets to avoid being swept away.
The action is a bit light, but the menace makes up for it. The Dread Ones (kraken-like monsters) are suitably evil, and it is driven home how the tribe is out of its element. A minor irritation is in a name-dropping results in an honor challenge, and a bigger irritation is when the fight is decided by another powerful weapon. But the writing is great, and the true villain, who never appeared in the story, is still at large at the end, leaving the door open for the follow up. I hope to see it!
Following this is Stolen Witness by James Enge, featuring Morlock Ambrosius, the other character returning from the last issue. It is another whodunit, heavy on the sorcery. I thought this was good, but I did not like it as much as the previous tale. The characters are well-developed, and more of Morlock’s family background is revealed. But the ending was a little too pat, and it is not really explained why one character’s body is reunited with his soul by coming into contact with the vessel that housed it. Maybe one of the earlier stories I have not read makes the mechanics of magic in this world clearer. At any rate, I did enjoy it.
The next story is Blood of the Forest-Born by Nathan Long. This story is centered on racism. While message fiction can be done well, and racism is terrible, this was pretty heavy-handed in its depictions. The action is a brief asymmetric smack-down and then a bunch of running away. Anla brandishes her rapier in the first few paragraphs, and we are told that she is a proficient swordswoman, but we never see it; just a clumsy knife fight at the end. The sorcerous threat is easily defeated. There were some humorous moments. All in all, I did not particularly enjoy this story.
This is followed by Break Them On the Drowning Stones by Setsu Uzume. It is strange and very grim. There is little explanation for the events that frame the story, so the context of the story’s events remain somewhat hazy. Same with the mystic; there is not much explanation for the system of magic. Despite this, I was able to follow along with the events reasonably well, and the magical effects were described with evocative language.
I don’t mind dark stories, but this one was hate-driven and I did not like or sympathize with the characters. The author tried to make the ending clear, though I still don’t quite understand what happened at the end, or how, or why. But it was an interesting story, with a lot of strong visuals.
Next up is A Soul’s Second Skin by Violette Malan. I have read some of her writing on the Black Gate blog, though none with the characters of Parno and Dhulyn. I know there are other stories with these characters. I lack the background to understand their lives and magic, but it is explained well enough as the story unfolds. The story is well-written, but feels brief, despite its methodical pacing.
The plot is slightly confusing, in that I am not sure what the villain’s angle was at the end. Some cool aspects of the siblings’ abilities are shown, like their enhanced senses. I am not sure why the being they rescued would have heard about their organization, since he was really a monster from another dimension and had been in this world very briefly; that should have been explained. And action was light. Still, it was pretty good, and I am interested in reading more of the duo’s adventures.
The last prose story is Shuhalla’s Sword by Dave Gross. I read a novel by him that I really like (Prince of Wolves), so I was looking forward to this story. It did not disappoint! In fact, it was my favorite of the magazine.
Eastern-style fantasies are kind of cliché at this point, and I approach them with trepidation. But this one caught my attention right off, mostly because the prose was so good. There is a building feeling of dark menace, perfectly paced. Very good foreshadowing with the story’s name, and it is a nice “A-ha!” moment when it comes together, even laced with sadness. The Asiatic elements were well executed. Excellent.
There is a final story, an illustrated adaption of A. Merritt’s The People of the Pit, by Stefan Poag. Poag’s art has graced a lot of modules in the OSR, including Goodman Games’ Dungeon Crawl Classics line. It has the rough charm of the early gaming illustrations, and I really like it. He does a good job here; his art is stylistically simple, but dark and moody and evokes the story well.
There is a letter column, with amusing attitude from the Magician’s Skull himself, and then game stats for the DCC RPG. There are many illustrations throughout, and the art is very good.
There were a few disappointments, the primary one being no story of Hanuvar this time. I can understand Howard Andrew Jones’ reluctance to publish himself in each issue, but he should get over it! One of the opportunities for this magazine in particular is to see recurring characters; I wish there were more than two. The stories themselves were a bit mixed, with a few having very light action for my tastes. But the issue started and finished with very strong stories.
Overall, it’s another great issue. Now that there has been an announcement concerning upcoming subscriptions, I will lend my voice and support. Go Skull!
Edit: Here is the link to buy the two issues, in dead tree or pdf formats. This is not an affiliate link, just a fan’s recommendation!