Beneath Ceaseless Skies #367, October 20, 2022

“On Magog’s Pond” by Chris Willrich

“The Angel Azrael and the War Ghosts” by Peter Darbyshire

Reviewed by Victoria Silverwolf

Both stories in this issue feature characters who have appeared in other works by their authors. Although it would be helpful to be familiar with previous tales, it is not absolutely necessary in order to enjoy these new adventures.

In “On Magog’s Pond” by Chris Willrich, a poet and a thief visit an aristocrat dying of poison. Besides the man’s impending death, the pair have to deal with his granddaughter, haunted by the ghost of an acquaintance, as well as the curse that lurks within the family’s home.

This is only a very sketchy description of the story’s plot, which is complex and features a multitude of fantasy themes. The author excels at description, and the reader is able to visualize the setting and the characters in great detail. Although the fantastic content of this multilayered work is varied and imaginative, not all aspects of it fit smoothly into the narrative. A goblin who is literally two-faced, for example, borders on being ludicrous.

There is also a questionable use of names. Characters called Perseus and Andromeda create misleading allusions to ancient myth, and it is hard to take seriously a protagonist named Persimmon Gaunt.

“The Angel Azrael and the War Ghosts” by Peter Darbyshire is the latest in a series of Weird West stories featuring a fallen angel wandering through the frontier on an undead horse. In this adventure, he comes across folks searching for a powerful relic. The quest leads to an encounter with an old acquaintance and a battle involving the living and the dead.

The story has the flavor of a violent Western movie, with plenty of gunplay. It is likely to appeal to fans of horse operas, particularly Italian ones starring Clint Eastwood. The fantasy content, although a clever variation on religious mythology, is not quite as compelling.

Victoria Silverwolf is working four extra days this week.