Heroic Fantasy Quarterly #61, August 2024
“The Wailing Keep” by Tim Hanlon
“The Physician’s Tale” by Jonathan Duckworth
“The Scepter of Aram Nazhar” by Daniel R. A. Quiogue
Reviewed by Seraph
“The Wailing Keep” by Tim Hanlon
It is not uncommon for men of prowess, capable of great deeds and terrible violence in their youth, to be ignored and dismissed as their age climbs high. Young, brash men of valor who seek their own heroic fate turn their backs and leaders who might have once coveted their services barely tolerate their presence. So it is with Foscari. In the beginning of the story, one could be forgiven for thinking that this man is nothing more than a dreamer, convinced of his own valor but lacking the will to achieve it. He is described as old and fat, walking with a limp, and so out of his depth that he walks outside naked when awoken by the alarms. Surrounded by soldiers in gleaming armor, he claims that he will return the kidnapped daughter of his lord where they shall not, and is met with their scorn and derision. It is almost pitiable to imagine. Yet this illusion is shattered with haste. Foscari is no slovenly gate-keep, and the lord’s daughter had been kind to him when no one else had. No one noticed him leave, but the carnage he leaves in his wake in his quest to recover the kind daughter of an unkind man will never be forgotten. His past, his people and his pain all come into sharp focus, but each of them he overcomes as it is used against him, and this is the mark of a hero.
“The Physician’s Tale” by Jonathan Duckworth
A Bard, a Sage, and a Knight walk into a trap. None of the trappers walk out. It could seem to be a joke, but the trials that Jorgos of Kevrana survives are no laughing matter. The Blighted are a terrible scourge, humans lost to their vices and sins, and damned to walk as undead for it. Berhane of Kor is the greatest living physician, but carries a dark secret that threatens to undo her. Sir Cadog is even more terrifying than the Blighted, and many fall at the edge of his blade before the tale is complete. None of them are what they seem, even the orphaned little girl that they rescue in the swamp where no one dares to tread. It is a tale of sorrow, but it is also a story of redemption and life amongst all the death. The style of shifting perspectives is one that is not always done well, but in this story it works seamlessly. It isn’t easy getting to the end of the tale, and I won’t pretend that it is a happy one, but it is very much worth the journey.
“The Scepter of Aram Nazhar” by Daniel R. A. Quiogue
Intrigue and ancient magic are nothing to play with, and power is not given. There are those who will do anything, cross any line, and violate any law that allows them to take power. Usually this turns out poorly for everyone involved, and the body count in this story reflects that. Saffiyah is a princess and heir of an ancient legacy, and the only one capable of wielding a power long hidden from the world. Khalid is the dashing captain who fell in love with her, spirited her away on his ship, and is being pursued by the ships of the girl’s father, who very much wants his heir back. Witches, curses, and the undead round out a tale that only a magician trapped in the body of a monkey could tell. It is an inventive and enchanting story, if not particularly behaved. But what else do you expect from a naughty monkey?